MSI 8600 GTS OC

MSI’s NX8600 GTS 256Mb OC comes packaged in a box which follows the styling of their recent products. There are a few specifications listed which answer some basic questions on the product however the most interesting piece of information is the inclusion of Company Of Heroes. Free games are often bundled with graphics card however rarely are they so good or so recently released. Turning the box around we find the rear is populated with product information which could be more detailed to assist potential buyers.

The bundle provided by MSI contains everything that is needed to get a consumer up and running, there are drivers (including one for Vista), manuals, the free game, DVI>VGA connector, power cable and the required connectors for attaching the system to a TV (s-video/Composite) or HDTV (Component).

Shown above is MSI’s GTS, as with the reference design featuring a single slot cooler. The card differs from the reference design in its core and memory speeds by using 690 MHz and 2100 MHz respectively which should give it a healthy boost over standard models. (MSI will also offer a stock clocked card which is passively cooled).

The rear of the card is relatively plain as all of the major components are placed on the front of the PCB, we can however see the SLI connector on the top edge of the card. The standard bridge connector is used on the 8600 series and we’ll take a look at the performance improvements later in the article.

The final aspect of the card is the display connectors, as the bundled cables suggest the card is able to be connected to standard or HDTV’s however in addition to this there are two dual link DVI’s. These are capable of powering screens up to 2560x1600 @60Hz (inc. HDCP).

UPDATE: MSI have informed us that their retail samples will have the same specification as shown above however the styling of the card will be slightly different. Shown below is an image of the updated design. The only downside being the inclusion of a 2 slot cooler, though this should enhance over clocking potential.