Nvidia 8600M performance, general discussion

Does it help the 8600GT in anyway if the processor is 2.4GHz instead of 2.0GHZ and the RAM has 4GB instead of 2GB? 4GB is a lot, is it worth getting that much?

 

I am thinking of buying either a ASUS G1S or F3SV. I know the 8600GT is better, but will the difference be worth the extra money. Besides the video card there isn't much of a difference considering if i buy the F3SV i will be buying an extra stick of RAM. The games i intend to play (at highest settings) are CS:S, DOD:S, and 2moons if that helps answer the questions.

 

processor wouldn't make that much of a difference so i would suggest that you spend the money on ram... buy aftermarket though and u need to remember that 32 bit os's can't recognize it... but a year on from now some 3+gb ram is going to be standard anyways... so if you are getting a good deal.... why not.... and this keyboard on the 1720 is awesome.... i'm in love with it .... heheh

 

A 2.4GHz processor is not going to help in gaming over the 2.0GHz processor. However, 3GB of RAM or 4GB of RAM will help in gaming over 2GB of RAM, especially in Vista. This is because the 8600GT uses it's turbocaching ability pretty efficiently.

 

Make sure you check the RAM DEALS thread to get the best upgrade prices.

 

edit: I don't know if it's chaz or someone moving around the topics and post, but it's really confusing with some of these merged topics. I tried helping out someone before his topic was merged into this one and now I look like a nut looking like i'm talking to myself.

original post: i don't know what the price difference is but if you're on a budget for only the 8600gs, just get that. The 8600gt is significantly better than the 8600gs, but you said that those are the games you'll be playing and it will run them very well. I have the 8600gs and it can play DoD:S and CS:S smooth with all high settings. If you want to play some of the newer games, it will be your best bet to get the 8600gt. It all depends on the money you want to spend. Just don't expect the 8600gt to be able to handle games like cod4 and crysis on all high settings. It's just more future proof than the 8600gs.

 

So playing games like UT3 with Vista its better to have or at least it helps to have more than 2gigs? I've heard that 2GB is all people need for anything right now but with intense games coming out that might not be the case.

 

the only future games that i might play would be MMO's as i like them more than FPS, but CS:S and DOD:S are just too good for me to not play them. I know that MMO's aren't as graphic intense as FPS's, but will the 8600GS be able to handle future MMO's?

 

I've consolidated all of the 8600M discussion into this thread - there are way too many threads on the card and that is even more confusing in my opinion. People end up having to type what they told another person over and over, and it gets very repetitive. If people actually searched the forums and posted in here instead of creating a new thread I wouldn't have to merge so much (or at all) and things would be much less confusing.

From this point forward I'm not going to merge any more threads and I'm simply going to start closing newly created 8600M threads.

 

How is it that Stella got a 3dmark06 score of 2906 3dmarks while GenTechPc got 3630 using the same graphics card and an almost identical setup?

Stella: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3821

GenTechPc: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=125246

 

the GenTechPC Asus G1S-A1 has GDDR3 BUT
the dell has GDDR2 memory making it not preform as well

 

Hey first post have a question. I am thinking about buying the following laptop:
Inspiron 1520
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache), Genuine $1,767.00

Expires Saturday, August 23, 2008

Inspiron 1520 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)
Operating System (Office software not included) Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
LCD Panel High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1680x1050)
Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
Hard Drive 160G 7200RPM SATA HDD
Network Card and Modem Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Combo or DVD+RW Drive CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Sound Card Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™HD Software Edition
Wireless Networking Cards Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
Battery Options 85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)

My current desktop computer:
Dell next gen3
3.3mhz (dont know how to find what type...if you know the answer to find these please tell me
2gig ram (don't know how to find the speed)
Radeon X800xt 256mb
sb audigy 2
60 gig hd (don't know how to find the speed)


So here are some of my questions:
1) Is this laptop more capable of playing games such as counter strike cs; WOW; and other new FPS shooters then my current desktop?

2) the 8600m GT IS better than the 8400m GS correct?

3) Should I purchase just 1 gig ram and buy the other or more online?

4) Does this have a descrete graphics card (don't know really what this is...just heard it was good to have)

5) So from what i am getting the 8600m GT DOES NOT HAVE GDDR3 but instead GDDR2 correct?

6) With the TV tuner I can record TV shows correct?

7) Which screen should I get for gaming:
Glossy, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280x800) [subtract $100]
Anti-glare, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280x800) [subtract $100]
High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1680x1050) [Included in Price]
High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1440x900) [subtract $50]

8) This is a solid laptop for gaming correct?

9) Broadband mobile...which is the fastest (Live in austin, tx and they have 3G/HSPDA and MOST IMPORTANT can I play games such as CS and WOW using a mobile broadband card?

Thanks for the help ahead of time If you can answer 1, 2, or all questions anything will help.
J

 

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) Yes
5) The Dell has DDR2. Only Asus has been confirmed to use GDDR3.
6) No idea, I've never used a laptop TV tuner before.
7) I would get the anti-glare 1280x800, as it seems to have the least problems.
8) Yes
9) No, idea, I've never gamed over a mobile broadband card before.

 

9. I have used mobile broadband cards before they were good to play MMORPGs but when it came to FPS games the lag was just too much to be able to play well.

 

Just upgraded to Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache
)))

Although I take it that won't make to much of a difference.....

 

Nothing above the T7300 will make much of a difference, as that is the sweet spot for price/performance right now.

 

the apple crapbook pro also has a lower clocked geforce 8600GT DDR3

 

As you can see in my signature - I'm getting the highest resolution too - what do you think, is it gonna "kill my eyes"? Because, really, my eyesight is getting bad.

Also - I can lower the resolution even though I'm getting the high-resolution screen, can't I?


Thanks in advance!

 

I know Vista has a feature that lets you increase the DPI for text to make it more readable I haven't tried it personally, but I would think that will help with making text more readable for you on that 17inch 1920x1200 screen.

 

ok, thanks!

 

How does the 8600M run in WoW ?
Any one have any screenshots handy?

 

Hi, I have the S96S notebook with the 8600m GS running on Vista Home Premium with 4 gigs of ram. I'm experiencing some bad fps with games especially with landscape scenes in Oblivion.

Now, I know it's a hw-demanding game, but shouldn't I be able to get more than 12-16 fps with AA turned off and medium details??
I've tried several laptopvideo2go drivers, but haven't noticed much difference.

Do I have to do anything special to tweak my system? Overclock?
Shouldn't the 4 gigs of ram help performance?

Thanks for listening and please...help!

 

you should update your drivers on www.laptopvideo2go.com

i recommend 162.18

that will probably double your performance if you are still using your manufacturer's drivers.

also, make sure the game is patched up all the way.

if that doesn't work- make sure you don't have some extreme setting turned on in the nvidia control panel (like 16x af)

 

You mean this http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13894 driver? B'cuz I don't see the 8600 M GT in the list?

Are you sure that updating your driver from not-offiicial sites will not destroy my graphic card?

 

the original installation does not allow the 8600m gt, as you have cleverly deduced.

you need to download both the driver:

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/nvidia/160series/16218_vista.exe

and the modded inf (which opens support for a wider set of gpu's: including the 8600m gt, among other):

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/infs/160series/16218_vista/nv_disp.inf

it is not going to blow up your graphics card.

 

Would you really notice any difference between the manufacturer's driver and the latopvideo2go driver?

EDIT: if the 8600M GT is not in the list how do you know that this driver works for the 8600M GT? What exactly is 'digital vibrance'?

 

Because of nVidia's UDA (unified driver architecture) you can use any driver newer than the first one that supported your card. If you want to be certain of maximum compatibility, use this driver, as it's the latest non-beta driver I know of to officially support 8m series GPU's.

 

the 8600m gt is in the modded list. that inf file is basically a list of hardware that you are allowed to install the driver to.

you want to know how they make an 8600m gt compared to a desktop 8600 gt?

they make a bunch of 8600 gt chips. of those, there will be a varying degree of quality in the silicon. they take the very best desktop 8600 gt's, they undervolt them (they can take it because they are the higher quality parts) and underclock them, to reduce heat output. then they stamp an "m" after the 8600. that is the whole difference. obviously there are some interface differences, with the mxm and what not, the board that the chip rests on is obviously different.

however, the drivers for the desktop parts work exactly the same as the mobile parts.

you tell me what digital vibrance is.

 

can any of u with 8600m gt adjust the image sharpening and if yes which driver are u all using....?

 

Hi, I just ordered a Dell with a these specs.

17.0 inch Wide Screen XGA+ LCDVostro 1700 (max resolution is 1440x900)

2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 DIMM

256MB NVIDIA GEFORCE 8600M GT

160G 5400RPM SATA hard drive

Will that size LCD hold me back? I run a 22'' LCD on my desktop at relativily low resolution while gaming, and the 8600M is alot better then my correct GPU.

 

I don't think it will "hold you back" the 22" you'll have to be careful on probably, because that seems like a lot for the 8600m GT to handle. The 1440x900 shouldn't be bad though. It will definitely be awesome for everything other than gaming, and not so bad in games.

 

I also had a question. With a laptop like the sager 2090 would there be a way in the future to change the gfx card in it? I've heard both yes and no but I'm thinking that's a no unless you have a laptop like the c90.

EDIT: Nevermind I've found that you can't

 

I installed NWN 2 for the first time on the new 1520, 8600 GT, T7300.
I was able to play it with no issues at 1280 x 800. High textures, all bells and whistles enabled. Except (AA, Water, and Grass). I don't know the FPS but I was able to go into the first battle in the town and It played just fine.

So... for those with the Dell laptops, give it a try.

Best Wishes,

SXO792

 

Only 1280x800? You should be able to go higher (if your panel supports it).

 

Yep, the 8600M GT can play NWN2 just fine. It runs at 1440x900 for me with everything enabled. Doesn't do AA well though. 8X AA makes movement jerky. 4x is doable, but in big battles, sometimes it slows down. 2x doesn't have any noticeable performance degradation though.

Performance improved a lot with newer drivers at laptopvideo2go over the stock drivers though.

I actually think the NWN2 engine just doesn't make use of hardware efficiently. A lot of newer more demanding games run better than it. Also, it can't take advantage of multiple cores.

 

I don't think so, I've heard the NP2090 doesn't use MXM, which makes chances of upgradability next to nothing... Not that MXM is all that it's hacked up to be, but that's a different discussion....

 

when are people going to start overclocking dell's GPU?

 

I have heard that gaming on some laptops can cause overheating. Is that true on dells? Or true at all?

 

It can, some laptops do run hot, but in general I'd say I haven't heard of Dells running hot. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Dell often underclock things a little to avoid that?

 

Actually the previous generation of Dells (XPS M1210, Inspiron E1505) were notorious for overheating and dying. The last Dell I owned several years ago died due to heat during normal use ... no games were played on it!

It seems like Dell has managed to keep temperatures down with the newer generation of laptops, like M1330, 1520, 1420, etc. Only time will tell. If you're looking for cooler temperatures, HP's Pavilion lineup has been great at managing heat.

 

I think you are so wrong about the HP pavilions managing heat better

 

Do you have any evidence to back that up? In my experience, the last few generations of HP laptops rarely if ever overheat under normal circumstances, much less often then Dells.

 

I ordered a Vostro 1700. I hope it doesnt have heating trouble. I had a tosiba that had bad heating problems. The fans were on the bottom.

 

Can someone link me to the latest drivers for the 256MB 8600M GT card? I'm using a Dell Inspiron 1520 and Vista Home Premium 32-Bit.

 

www.laptopvideo2go.com

 

Yeah, I went there before but I don't know what to download.

 

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=14098

 

Hey, here's another comparison. Between an 8600GT 512MB Dedicated GDDR2 compared to an 8600GT 512MB Turbo Cache GDDR3 which one is better?

 

There should'nt be that much of a difference really.

 

The GDDR3 is better.