Bundle and Warranty
The man from the cards cooler is here again on the box, this time brandishing his big sword on the back.
Inside we find:
| Items | Driver and manual CD Company of Heroes (FULL Game) DVD (Not included in this sample) Model-specific Quick User's Guide (English only) Generic Quick Users Guide (26 languages including French, German and Spanish) 2x DVI dongles 6-pin PCIe-to-Molex adapter S-Video-to-S-Video lead HDTV (Component) + S-Video-Out lead. |
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The obligatory driver disc is included, complete with an electronic copy of the manual, along with a pair of Quick User's Guides. One in English and specific to the card, another in multiple languages and general to all MSI graphics products.
Not pictured is the bundled copy of Company Of Heroes which should ship with retail examples of the board but was not included in this review sample.
A pair of DVI adapters for anyone using dual monitors but still stuck with standard D-SUB connectors, along with a 6-pin PCIe-to-Molex adapter, S-Video lead, and video-out dongle.
Warranty
The NX8600GTS comes with a two-year warranty which begins on the date of sale of the card from MSI to the distributor; it should begin on the date of the customer's purchase instead. The warranty is transferable between users and is handled by the reseller the card is purchased from.
MSI will deal with customers who are unable or unwilling to return the item to the place of purchase.
For direct returns MSI states a replacement time for faulty items of 7-28 days, with an average of 14 days and replacement items of the same or higher specification.
Summary
The bundled extras deviate little from the norm. The inclusion of Company Of Heroes is a nice extra or an unnecessary added cost depending on your outlook, but beyond that there's little to get excited or offended about at the asking price of around £150.
The warranty provides an acceptable degree of cover, although the maximum replacement time of 28 days seems excessive. That said, MSI has been quick to point out that it maintains a 7-day returns *target* which, it claims, is rarely exceeded.
