Extreme Overclocking Performance

We know that Gainward with their Golden Sample version is already running their GeForce 8600 GTS at higher clock speeds than the reference design, but that doesn't mean we are at the end of the overclocking journey. In fact, we got a very good feeling that there is more to be unlocked in terms of performance. The looks and design suspect that this Golden Sample edition was designed to deliver stunning performance, but that some of it still has to be discovered. And well overclocking, unlocking the extra performance is exactly what we have done. And although the G84 core powering the GeForce 8600 GTS doesn't feature a voltage increase via a simple BIOS tweak, we could still get some decent overclocking out of it. And the cooling solution by Gainward does allow a bit more than we have seen previously...

Benchmark Results - 1280x1024 - E6300 2.80GHz - 2GB RAM
BLISS 8600 GTS Golden Sample (4x/8x)	AquaMark 3 Score
725/2200MHz (Reference)	82938
775/2300MHz (Avg Overclock)	87958
825/2400MHz (Max Overclock)	92867
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.
Gaming Results - 1600x1200 - E6300 2.80GHz - 2GB RAM
BLISS 8600 GTS Golden Sample (4x/8x)	AquaMark 3 Score
725/2200MHz (Reference)	62817
775/2300MHz (Avg Overclock)	66904
825/2400MHz (Max Overclock)	70581
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.

We just overclocked the core and memory by upping the clock speeds and that resulted in decent increase in performance. As you can clearly see from the figures we gotten from AquaMark 3 a significant boost is noticeable. We raised the Gainward card up and beyond any overclocking level we have seen so far and it did withstand the increase firmly. During all our benchmarks the GTS kept on humming stable with no hickups to finally set the top speed at 825/2400MHz. Would you have thought so? Well, frankly we didn't, the card did better than our expectations. Some devious overclocking beyond our senses and this only with the standard though enhanced cooling solution from Gainward... So the Golden Sample edition by all means is one hell of a great idea from Gainward!

Final Thoughts

Well, having played around with the Golden Sample version from Gainward based upon the GeForce 8600 GTS we must admit that is comes with excellent performance at a mid-range price tag. A fully renewed architecture, bringing the performance to the next level, delivering stunning image clarity and quality all present with the GeForce 8600 series. Once again NVIDIA is the first to introduce a mid-range accelerator with the appropriate DirectX 10 support for gamers on a medium budget. And Gainward has jumped on the wagon with not one but three versions of the GeForce 8600 GTS cards. The Golden Sample being the version to beat as it comes pre-overclocked to deliver higher gaming performance. And so it does, with a great margin over the reference GeForce 8600 GTS edition. The GeForce 8600 GTS is built using the same unified shader architecture that was introduced with the GeForce 8800 series.

The Gainward version of the GeForce 8600 GTS is different from the reference design from NVIDIA, mainly due to going for their own cooling solution. This is actually good news, since Gainward does focus on delivering more quiet products and still going for higher clocked cards with their Golden Sample range. This is actually good news as the Gainward cooler is quiet though very efficient, but it does take up a bit more room. With Gainward and its company commitment to bring the end user the best possible video card experience and customer support, you are sure to have a professional experience. Gainward puts the consumer first and offers one of the best sales and support staff in the business. Gainward certainly knows how to differentiate themselves and their products, and are second to none when it comes to innovation and going one step further than the competition.

The most exciting part about the card is without a doubt the overclocking potential of the Gainward graphics card. The BLISS 8600 GTS Golden Sample hit straight on a score of 775/2300MHz which is in many case the maximum the reference card can hit. But that wasn't the end of it; due to the high-end 1.0ns memory chips we could take this card further than we expected to hit a final top of 825/2400MHz. Yes, you got that right; you can say goodbye to the competition as Gainward with their superior cooling solution does have quite an edge when it comes to overclocking. In fact the GeForce 8600 series upped the stakes by crushing all previous scores from mid-range graphics card and comes out on top in every benchmark. An excellent performer with great stability and quite a big room for overclocking, what more do you want?

The Gainward BLISS 8600 GTS Golden Sample card is an outstanding graphics card that promises to deliver great performance for any game you can throw at it. We proved that the BLISS 8600 GTS Golden Sample can handle gaming at incredible frame rates and does allow HD resolutions with a price tag that won't make you cry. So, if you are looking for a new GPU for an upgrade or fresh system build, you will find the Gainward BLISS 8600 GTS Golden Sample very inviting as the price is modest and the performance is spectacular. Gamer's looking for the right card for a new gaming system, and taking into account an average budget should really think about the Golden Sample edition. It will show you great gaming experience beyond your senses!

Pros

• Outstanding Gaming Performance
• High Quality and Gorgeous Design
• Excellent Superior Quiet Cooling
• Ultra Fast Samsung (1.0ns) Memory
• Amazing Overclocking Capability
• Simultaneous HDR & Anti-Aliasing
• Microsoft DirectX 10 Ready
• Unified Shader Architecture
• SLI Ready, Multi-GPU Enabled
• Competitive Pricing

Cons

• N/A

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