XFX 8600GT Fatal1ty Professional Series

INTRODUCTION

When we mention the name Fatal1ty chances are most of you will will realize that we're speaking of Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, who over the last several years has become a gaming icon. Fatal1ty is reputed to be the current best that the gaming world has to offer. In December, 2006, XFX launched the first card in their new Fatal1ty Professional Series, the 7600 GT which was endorsed by the worlds #1 gamer. XFX stated the following in their press release of this product: “This card proves that teaming XFX technology with the hardcore gamer’s demands results in performance that buyers literally haven’t seen before”.

One would think that a graphics card bearing the endorsement of Fatal1ty would the fastest and ergo the most expensive available. Realizing that most gamers are on a tight budget and need a product that will get the job done at a reasonable price, XFX decided to follow a slightly different premise. They chose to take a proven NVIDIA based card and to safely overclock its default speed by over 10%. XFX stated that the first in the Fatal1ty Professional series was: "a performance overclocked product that features an affordable price that will appeal to all players." Best of all, with input from Fatal1ty, this card was a competition-ready piece of equipment that will satisfy the most serious gamer's needs.

Today at Bjorn3D we have the distinct pleasure of reviewing the second product in XFX's Fatal1ty Professional series, the GeForce 8600GT. With an endorsement from the world's #1 gamer this gaming graphics solution has big shoes to fill. We plan to use typical testing regimen modified ever so slightly to determine if this product can fill those shoes, or maybe even go beyond.

XFX: The Company

XFX®, a company that is very well know not only to the general computer consumer but to the Computer Enthusiast community as well operates on the following corporate philosophy:  "XFX® dares to go where the competition would like to, but can't. That's because, at XFX®, we don't just create great digital video components--we build all-out, mind-blowing, performance crushing, competition-obliterating video cards and motherboards." "Oh, and not only are they amazing, you don't have to live on dry noodles and peanut butter to afford them."