[Googer-Giger]

Hey everyone,

forgive me for posting this question here, but you guys are so much easier to deal with than the nerds on the PC gaming forums, I hate the way those things are laid out.

Anyway, I am building a little budget gaming PC and I already have the hardware. The monitor I am using is a standard non-wide screen 20 inch Samsung. I have laying around an Nvidia 8600GTS with 256mb, and an 8500 GT with 512 MB. The 8600 is factory overclocked, but the 8500 has double the video ram.

Which one should I choose?

Thanks guys,

Jess

[residentEvil]

Any particular game that will get the most playing time? If there is, check out their website and see what cards are listed for "approved". If both are listed, check their forums to see how they are working out.

If I had to pick, I'd go for the 8500GT with the more memory. Overclocked equipment doesn't sit well with me.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Hands down the 8600GTS. It's a much better card than an 8500GT. The greater amount of RAM in the 8500GT doesn't matter. First of all, it's negated by the fact that it's 512MB of DDR2, vs 256MB of DDR3. Basically, a wash. But the 8600GTS is a newer/better G84 processor vs the old G86. It has double the stream processors, and the overclock is a bonus. (There's really no need to fear the term 'overclock'. In this case, it really means it's running at closer to full potential).