MSI's NX8600GTS-T2D256E-OC video card is built on nVIDIA’s new GeForce 8600GTS core. The card packs in 256MB of GDDR3 memory. High Definition is the next big gaming challenge, so it's not surprising that it has dual DVI (dual link) outputs, along with component HDTV output. It fits nicely into a PCI Express x16 slot, supports nVidia SLI if you have two, and is fully DirectX 10 and OpenGL 2.0 compatible. What really makes the it special it is factory overclocked to 700 MHz core, 2100 MHz memory.
A stock GeForce 8600GTS videocard hums along at 675 MHz and 2000 MHz respectively. MSI takes advantage of the time since the 8800 series launched for nVIDIA to move from a 90nm fabrication process to 80nm, so the GeForce 8600 now uses faster clock speeds on the core, unified shaders and memory. To top things off, it has a sweet custom dual slot cooler that connects the heatsink to a finned radiator, and apparently keeps the GeForce 8600GTS ~15 degrees Celsius cooler than the reference design! The fan blows cooling air through a duct and across the cooler but there's a sizeable gap between the heat exchanger and the vented bracket.
It comes with an S-Video cable, a component output cable dongle, two DVI-to-Analog converters and a dual molex to six pin power connector. Swimming strongly through the confusion of mainstream cards, this 8600GTS card from MSI could be a strong finisher in the race to the top of the heap!
NVIDIA Unified Architecture with GigaThread TechnologyThe Fully-unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics and pixel shading operations, delivering incredibly true-to-life 3D graphics. In addition, the massively multi-threaded architecture supports thousands of independent, simultaneous threads, providing extreme processing efficiency in advanced, next generation shader programs.
Full Microsoft DirectX 10 SupportThe world's first DirectX 10 GPU with full Shader Model 4.0 support delivers unparalleled levels of graphics realism and film-quality effects.
NVIDIA Lumenex EngineThe NVIDIA Lumenex Engine supports 128-bit and 64-bit floating point HDR with up to 16x anti-aliasing, delivering vividly realistic lighting effects while obliterating "jaggies".
NVIDIA Quantum Effects TechnologyNVIDIA Quantum Effects Technology enables advanced shader processors architected for physics computation and a new level of physics effects to be simulated and rendered on the GPU - all the while freeing the CPU to run the game engine and AI.
HDCP CapableWith integrated High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) support, this card allows playback of HD DVDs, Blu-ray Discs and other protected content at full HD resolutions.
NVIDIA SLI TechnologyDelivers up to 2x the performance of a single GPU configuration for unmatchable gaming experiences. The must-have feature for PCI Express graphics, NVIDIA SLI technology allows two graphics cards to run in parallel and dramatically scales performance on today's hottest games.