Asus EN8600 GTS GeForce 8600 GTS Video Card

Introduction

When it comes to computer hardware they dont get much bigger or better than Asus. Even some computer users that wouldnt be defined as enthusiasts know and trust the Asus brand which shows just how far they have penetrated the market. Today we are taking a few minutes to look at one of the latest hardware pieces from Asus, the EN8600GTS. We have had a few different 8600 GTS through our paws but nothing quite like this. Asus has always provided great add-ins with their products and the EN8600GTS is no exception. Lets take a look.

The first thing that really stuck out at me was the box (literally). The EN8600GTS came in a box that was about 3 inches longer than any other that we had on hand. Asus has done a great job on the artwork for this package, it clearly displays the company name, type of card, and the amount of memory which are the most important things when it comes time to plunk down your cash.

When I sat down to write this article I started searching the online sites to see what kind of prices this card was going for and was surprised to see that there are two different versions of the EN8600GTS. Our card came with the reference style heat sink fan combo while another version of the card comes with a larger aluminum heat sink. At around $160 the 8600 GTS is a good choice for those of you looking to break into DirectX10 gaming without breaking your wallet.

Taking a closer look at the bundle that came with our card, we received a component cable for hooking our PC up to an HDTV. Also included is a single DVI to VGA adapter. The heat sink on our card says that it is the Stalker edition but oddly enough, the game was not included in our bundle. What we did get was a CD wallet, VGA drivers and the Asus software. While the bundle might be considered a little light, its better than average for the price that the card sells for.

Lets get down what were really here to look at, the 8600GTS.