X-bit labs

GeForce 8 Streams to the Mainstream: Asus GeForce 8600 GTS Review (page 19)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin , Yaroslav Lyssenko, Anton Shilov

[ 04/18/2007 | 06:08 AM ]

Performance in Strategies

Command & Conquer3: Tiberium Wars

Since the game limits the fps rate, we should consider minimal performance, because it determines the smoothness of the virtual troops control.

However, this limitation doesn’t matter for GeForce 8600 GTS graphics card: it cannot hit 30fps in 1280x1024 with enabled FSAA 4x anyway. Here AMD Radeon X1950 Pro is way better, not to mention more powerful solutions such as GeForce 7950 GT or Radeon X1900 XT.

Company of Heroes

Since there are problems with stable FSAA activation in this game we ran the tests only in pure speed mode with enabled anisotropic filtering.

GeForce 8600 GTS with its 16 TMUs, high clock-speed and new-generation micro-architecture again cannot leave the GeForce 79000 GS and Radeon X1950 Pro behind. Its performance in Company of Heroes is far from high: its average result is even a little lower than that of GeForce 7900 GS, and its minimal fps is the lowest!

If you want to play Company of Heroes on this graphics card you will have to reduce the level of detail. The owners of AMD Radeon X1950 Pro or GeForce 7900 GS who love this popular RTS do not have to invest in the new GeForce 8600 GTS, but will definitely have to sacrifice the level of quality too. And you most certainly wouldn’t do it if you have a GeForce 7950 GT or Radeon X1900 XT!

Supreme Commander

GeForce 8600 GTS evidently lags behind Radeon X1950 Pro. The lag is negligible, but pretty stable and equals a little less than 10% for standard resolutions and about 15% for widescreen 1900x1200 mode. From the gamer’s prospective, this card is not suitable for playing in high resolutions (just like the GeForce 7900 GS and the Radeon X1950 Pro). With enabled FSAA 4x you can play Supreme Commander maximum at 1280x1024, but even in this case the performance reserves are minimal.