Inno3D iChill 8600GTS XStriker3 Review

[V. Slayer]

Steve Angelly has just finished a review of the Inno3d iChill 8600GTS XStriker3 video card.

Check it out, and post any feedback here.

Inno3D iChill 8600GTS XStriker3 Review (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/inno3d_ichill_8600gts_xstriker3/index.shtml)

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/inno3d_ichill_8600gts_xstriker3/xstriker.jpg (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/inno3d_ichill_8600gts_xstriker3/index.shtml)

[4Aces]

Any cooling solution that dumps heat back into the case let alone towards the front is a poorly thought out design. I never liked the 7900GTX cooler as it did the same thing. I replaced the stock cooler on a 7900GTX with an Arctic Cooling NV5 r3 cooler and the entire comp got cooler due to hot air being expelled outside the case not inside. When someone comes out with a cooler similar to the one MSI used on an 8600gts that doesn't sound like a 747 taking off then call me until then no need to waste our time with these backward designs by Inno3D. I don't care about the OC, the design forces hot air back into the case which will heat up all the components inside even if you have an exhaust fan on the case of decent size. Get it out before it even has a chance to effect the ambiant temp of memory, northbridge, southbridge, cpu and just about everything else inside. Does it come with a sticker? If it does bet it says "Heat Inside" :)

[Mr_LoL]

I don't know if I missed it but are there any overclocking results? Interesting to see how the cooler helps in overclocking.

[Rytr]

I don't know if I missed it but are there any overclocking results? Interesting to see how the cooler helps in overclocking.

Most of the 8600 GTS cards coming out now are overclocked. This one is overclocked 705/1050. The EVGA card I have is 721/1050. I did overclock the the XStriker 761MHz on the GPU in the cooling test and it still did not exceed 50C in the STALKER benchmarks.
I was able to get a little more out of the memory but not enough to show any performance increase that would be of benefit.

4Aces
Somewhere in there you do have a point. I have used Arctic Cooling's solutions and remember how well my first one did on my 9800 Pro and I still have that card with the cooler intact. BTW, Inno3D advertises the iChill-series using Arctic Cooling, Zalman, and probably other cooling solutions as well. Still, with good case ventilation most of the problem you are alluding to can be remedied though not all. That is the problem with air cooling a box.
As far as fan noise? This one is quieter than the one on the card it replaced.

[Ancient]

Not to be a grammar nazi but in the tagline on the front page for this review is:

I am impressed with the capabilities of Inno3D's iChill cooling application on the 8600GTS XStriker3. I purposely overclocked the GPU another 9% (761MHz) above the factory setting of 705MHz to generate more heat stress. This tactic did not seem to phase the iChill cooling solution at all.

Maybe the homonym was supposed to be a pun (phase cooling), but the proper word to use is actually "faze." I wouldn't bother mentioning it except that it's on the front page and some people may view it as reflecting poorly on the article.

[Rytr]

Hey, good catch! When I wrote that I knew that was wrong but for some reason never questioned it again. :o

Thanks!

[Ancient]

Glad to be of service.

And I can sympathize with you. One of my technical manuals is in pre-production getting savaged by an editor at this very moment. :o

Feels good to be on the other side, for once. :D