Inno3D iChiLL 8600GTS XStriker3

Final thoughts, HEXUS certification, HEXUS.where2buy, HEXUS.right2reply, further reading

The Inno3D iChiLL 8600GTS XStriker3 falls into one of the most unfortunate of categories.

Although it's not a card with any inherent problems in the execution, it is based on a technology that's hard to recommend at present.

As we have said before, while the 8600GTS family has a strong feature-set, the level of gaming performance on offer simply isn't what it should be at this price-point.

Even so, Inno3D has made an interesting choice of cooler - the XStriker3 is an improvement over the stock cooler, certainly in terms of noise levels.

Yet the cooler's lack of a speed-controlled fan is disappointing. A controller could have delivered even lower noise when the card is idling.

What's unclear, though, is whether the fancy cooler is actually doing as good a job as the stock cooler. The card seems to lack overclocking headroom and this might be because the memory is not being cooled as well as with a stock cooler. But, this could simply be the luck of the draw, with us happening to test a below-spec sample.

Whatever the case, the deviation from the reference PCB in using a two-pin fan header, rather than four-pin, could be an issue for people changing the cooler at a later date.

Race is very much a niche game and its inclusion seems to us to be a risky choice.

If the game does end up pushing the package price higher than we estimate, then that's going to make the Inno3D look uncompetitive against other 8600GTS cards. And these, taken together, already look overpriced compared with some direct rivals.

As it is, though, the Inno3D fits fairly well into the overall scheme of things - you can get faster 8600GTS cards for a little more or slower 8600GTS cards for a little less.

So, while Inno3D has produced a reasonably interesting 8600GTS SKU, it inherits the same problem we've repeatedly identified with these cards. For the performance on offer, the price is simply too high.

Okay, its cheaper competitors may not support DirectX 10, nor offer the same level of hardware acceleration for hi-def video content. But, right now, just how important are these features for the average user?

The 7900GS and X1950Pro offer better performance and far better value for money and are what we'd recommend you consider instead. Unless, that is, you are willing to stump up the extra cash for an 8800GTS 320MB.

HEXUS.certification

The idea of HEXUS.certification is to confirm that a product tested does what it's supposed to do.

It's not an award, merely a confirmation that a product is fit for purpose and there's no doubt that the Inno3D iChiLL 8600GTS XStriker3 does what it's supposed to and merits certification.

Inno3D iChiLL 8600GTS XStriker3

HEXUS Where2Buy

The Inno3D iChiLL 8600GTS XStriker3 is expected to retail for around £135. We'll update this piece when we're certain of the price and can advise you where the product can be bought.

HEXUS Right2Reply

At HEXUS.net, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any of Inno3D's representatives choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.