Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 20, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
With the three new GeForce 8600 GTS, 8600 GT and 8500 GT graphics processors, Nvidia rounds out the lower end of its GeForce 8 series. The cards work with Nvidia’s PureVideo HD technology, which accesses the GPUs’ video computing engine and, according to the manufacturer, plays both HD DVD and Blu-ray films in high resolution on any PC. The video computing engine handles all H.264 HD video decoding. This relieves the CPU and reduces power consumption, heat generation and noise levels.
The three new GPUs were developed especially for Windows Vista and are particularly suitable for Nvidia nForce 650i SLI-based motherboards. According to Nvidia, the combination of these motherboards with the GeForce 8600 GPUs offer a first-class hardware basis with which users can build their own PC gaming platforms for high-resolution gaming.
According to the manufacturer, the GeForce 8 series represents the only DirectX 10-capable GPUs to date. They are the reference for DirectX 10 API development and certification. GeForce 8 GPUs meet all hardware requirements of the Microsoft Direct3D 10 specification and support the DirectX 10 Unified Shader Instruction Set and Shader Model 4. In addition, all GeForce 8 GPUs include Nvidia’s Lumenex Engine for high image quality and Nvidia’s Quantum Effects technology for simulating and rendering visual effects in games.
Graphics cards in the GeForce 8600 GTS series cost between 199 and 229 euros, graphics cards in the GeForce 8600 GT series between 149 and 159 euros and graphics cards in the GeForce 8500 GT series between 89 and 129 euros. GeForce 8600 GTS graphics cards are available now; graphics cards with GeForce 8600 GT and GeForce 8500 GT graphics processors are available from May 1.
Further links:
- Product details
