Over the weekend, Activision released the minimum system requirements (MSR) list of its upcoming AAA title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, for the PC platform. The publisher maintains that with the new engine being designed for DirectX 11, the game will no longer support Windows XP, yet it can make do with DirectX 10 hardware running on newer operating systems (Windows Vista and above). All you need to run Black Ops 2 is:

• Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 (2.66 GHz) or AMD Phenom X3 8750 (2.40 GHz), processor
• 2 GB for 32-bit, 4 GB for 64-bit environments, memory
• NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 512 MB or ATI Radeon HD 3870 512 MB, video card
• Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7 or above, operating system

NVIDIA's SLI multi-GPU technology served as the biggest selling point of nForce series chipsets, as it was exclusive to it. With the advent of LGA-1366 processors and the Intel X58 chipset, NVIDIA allowed the Intel chipset to support the technology, as it soon became clear that it isn't going to be easy for NVIDIA to come up with an LGA-1366 chipset. Users of the older LGA-775 however still have the option of buying nForce 700 series based motherboards to use SLI, and hence no real attempt was made to ensure the technology is available to Intel chipsets. Until now.

A member of Expreview's Chinese enthusiast community has successfully enabled SLI on an Intel chipset based LGA-775 motherboard, the first feat of its kind since much older attempts on i975 platforms using much older GeForce hardware. Firewings_[CCG] successfully ran SLI of GeForce 8600 GT and GeForce GTX 260 cards on his Intel X38+ICH9R chipset based ASUS Maximus Formula motherboard. The feat is headed by software he modified, details of which will surface soon. The mod was validated by Expreview staff, who used the software to run GeForce GTX 260 SLI on a more recent P45+ICH10R based Maximus II Formula motherboard. "By installing the software that Firewings [CCG] provides us, we managed to enable SLI configuration in Directory Services Restore Mode. Due to some 'small problems' according to Firewings [CCG], the SLI configuration can't be realized in normal mode for now, but he says this will be fixed soon," commented Expreview. With SLI enabled, the multi-GPU setup was able offer performance scaling that proves the mod works.

Back in July 2008, NVIDIA publicly acknowledged that it had a higher than normal failure rate for some of their graphics processors due to a packaging defect. After the announcement NVIDIA agreed to pay up to $200 million to cover the whole case and repair, return or replace the faulty chips. At the time NVIDIA admited the high failure rate, it also assured Apple that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected. However, after an Apple-led investigation, today Apple has determined that some MacBook Pro computers with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor may be affected after all. If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within two years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty. Here's what to look for in your Mac, if you receive a distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen or in the worst scenarion if you have no video signal on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on, you should immediately go to an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) for evaluation, or you should call your local Apple Contact Center for help. Among the models affected are those that were manufactured between approximately May 2007 and September 2008. They include the following models: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.4/2.2GHz), MacBook Pro (17-inch, 2.4GHz), and MacBook Pro (Early 2008).

SPARKLE today announced SPARKLE GeForce 8500GT 1GB and GeForce 8600GT 1GB Graphics Cards for mainstream gamers. An incredible 1GB onboard video memory makes consumers' HD gaming experiences smoother than ever.

SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today announced the SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT Passive Cooling Graphic Cards, the latest mainstream products in SPARKLE GeForce 8 series line, which brings ultra silent gaming environment for mainstream users.

Sparkle Computer has updated its Calibre GeForce 8600 graphic card series. In addition to coloring the PCB black together with the stock cooler, Sparkle has equipped the Calibre P860+ with a (Graphics Display Por) GDP2 daughter card to provide accurate working condition surveillance for users. This daughter card use LCD with back light to show real-time GPU temperature, GPU working voltage, fan speed and Calibre Logo. Based on NVIDIA's newest generation G84 architecture, the Calibre P860+ graphics card embraces factory overclocked 675MHz core speed, 1512MHz shader speed and 2000MHz 1.0ns 512MB GDDR3 memory speed. The card's price has not been announced.

SPARKLE Computer, the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, just launched its Calibre P860 Turbo 256MB GDDR3 graphics card. Powered by NVIDIA's GeForce 8600 GT graphics processing unit (GPU), the Calibre P860 Turbo video card supports DirectX 10, Shader Model 4.0, NVIDIA Quantum Effects technology and NVIDIA's PureVideo HD2 technology. The Calibre P860 Turbo graphics card features dual video BIOSes, each containing different core, memory and stream processors clock settings. Users can switch between the two clock speed profiles by pressing the turbo button on the metal expansion bracket above DVI ports. Pressing the turbo button will raise the core speed from 540MHz to 580MHz, memory speed from 1440MHz to 1500 MHz and shader speed from 1296MHz to 1404MHz. The Calibre P860 Turbo Graphic Card will gain 12% score boost in 3DMark06 with a press of the turbo button.

After launching the new OC Gear as the world's first hardware based real-time overclocking device for graphics cards, ASUS, leading provider of high-performance graphics solutions, today introduced another top performance overclocking solution - the ASUS EN8600GT TOP/HTDP/256M. Featuring overclocking of the stream processors and equipped with upgraded memory modules, users can expect over 40% improvement in gaming experiences. With the integrated new SmartDoctor, users will even have the option to overclock the Shader Clock for even better graphical performances. Additionally, its unique fansink design keeps the GPU temperature 13ºC cooler than reference designed boards.

MSI unveiled yesterday its latest GeForce 8600GT graphics card equipped with dual BIOS, or as MSI calls it vBIOS. The latest MSI NX8600GT Twin Turbo, has two separate BIOS chips on-board which carry two dedicated GPU/Shader/Memory clock settings. Users only have to press a hardware button on the back of the card, and then the new (higher) clock setting can be applied without re-flashing the vBIOS chip. Also, these two vBIOS chips can be useful if the card is preflashed with wrong BIOS version. Depending on the mode you choose (normal or turbo) the video card clocks at 540/580MHz core, 1450/1508MHz shader and 1400/1600MHz memory clocks respectively. The MSI GeForce 8600GT Twin Turbo features 256MB DDR3 128-bit memory and PCI-e interface.

BFG Technologies announced today the release of the BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT OC and OC2 graphics cards with ThermoIntelligence cooling. Both cards are available now in 256MB & 512MB versions at leading retailers and etailers throughout North America and Europe.

We've added our custom ThermoIntelligence custom cooling solutions to our 8600 GT lineup, lowering GPU temperatures up to 18°C over the reference cooler

said Dean Brady, Sr. Director of Marketing for BFG Technologies.

These days, Colorful launched a HD (high definition) multimedia graphic card--GF8600GT 256M DDR3 HD, which supports the already famous HDCP and HDMI. It is based on 80nm process, with 6 layers of PCB.

GF8600GT 256M DDR3 HD is a middle-end graphic card of the GeForce8 series. Its core clock is up to 540MHz. It has 4 GDDR3 memory, at the standard of 256MB/128bit. Memory default clock is up to 1400MHz. It features SLI technology. The unified processor is capable of being dynamically allocated to vertex, pixel, geometry, or physics operations for the utmost efficiency in GPU resource allocation, which is as much as twice performance improvement than the old generation graphics card in games.

Nvidia has released the new Official 162.22 and 163.11 Beta Forceware drivers for Windows Vista.
The 162.11 drivers are for the GeForce 6,7,8 series and some of the improvements include better DX10 SLI support and increased total graphics memory.
The 163.11 Forceware are only for the GeForce 8 series and are almost specifically pointed for improved DX10 performance in World in Conflict.

Download

Asustek Computer, one of the world's largest producers of computer components, on Tuesday unveiled what it calls "the world's first hardware based real-time overclocking device for graphics cards" along with its new Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT-based graphics board. The tool may be useful for not very experienced overclockers.

Asustek's OC Gear real-time overclocking device should be installed into a spare 5.25" bay and connected to an USB port. Specially developed software will allow end-users to adjust system master volume, graphics processing unit's (GPU's) clock-speed, GPU fan speed using a simple knob as well as monitor GPU temperature and current frames per second (FPS) information.

The EN8600 GT OC Gear graphics card from Asus is equipped with 256MB of high-speed 1ns GDDR3 memory as well as high-performance cooling system, thus, can provide sufficient overclocking potential for those seeking additional performance.The Asus OC Gear device itself is also compatible with various graphics cards by Asustek Computer, the company said, however, it did not reveal whether the software needed for Asus OC Gear will support other than EN8600 GT graphics boards.

Club 3D 8600 GT OVERCLOCKED 512MB - World's Best 8600GT

Club 3D introduced today a new graphic card out of the GeForce 8 series, a graphic card which according to Club 3D surpasses all standard "overclocked" and "superclocked" special versions you have seen before. The Club 3D 8600GT Overclocked (CGNX-G862DD) is based on NVIDIA G84 chipset, delivering unique 1600MHz 512MB GDDR3 memory and a GPU speed of 620MHz. This is the first card to market with such high clock speeds and 512MB of GDDR3 graphic memory. The Club 3D 8600GT Overclocked Edition is also using a special heavy duty low noise cooler to guarantee low temperatures and ensure rock solid operation. Link to the PDF datasheet.

BFG Technologies has released two new GeForce 8600GTS graphics cards with redesigned cooling. The new BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS ThermoIntelligence fansink was designed from the ground up by BFG Technologies to provide exceptional cooling performance and replace NVIDIA's reference fansink. Some of the differentiating elements include moving the fan to the opposite end of the heatsink to eliminate a dead air zone and increasing the surface area over the GPU for improved heat dissipation. The end result is 5C lower GPU temperature on average vs. the NVIDIA reference fansink with a single card setup. For power users running dual cards in an NVIDIA SLI configuration, the thermal performance gets even better with the primary card operating at up to 11C cooler. Both the BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS OC and OC2 256MB ThermoIntelligence PCIe graphics cards are available now through the BFG Web Store.

ATI and NVIDIA are both working on an external graphic solution for notebooks and ASUS has already shown working samples at CeBIT 2007. The company has taken the idea a step further and will be introducing an internal version dubbed "OCGear". It comes in combination with a GeForce 8600GT, which can be overclocked by turning the dial of the 5.25 inch unit. No word on how it interfaces with the graphic card or the rest of the PC.

Hong Kong 17th April, 2007 - InnoVISION Multimedia Limited are pleased to announce the mainstream 8 series that is equipped with high-end performance but priced at mainstream level with Inno3D GeForce 8600GTS, GF 8600GT & 8500GT.

Inno3D GeForce 8600GTS, GF 8600GT & 8500GT is built with the best price/performance GPUs for Microsoft DirectX 10 and DirectX 9 gaming and ideal for Microsoft Windows Vista .

If you've been paying attention to techPowerUp! news for the past few days, you know that NVIDIA and its partners have recently released the GeForce 8600 series. I won't bore you with the details, as you've probably read them at least fifty times by now (though if you'd like a refresher, please click here). However, prospective customers of this new graphics card have asked themselves: Where can I get it? And as of today, the answer is one of the most loved computer part providers in the USA: Newegg. If you live in the USA, and want an 8600, you'll be very happy to know that they are quite available on Newegg. The 8600GT series starts at $170, and the 8600GTS series starts at $200.

Yan Tai, China, April 17th, 2007 - Foxconn, a global leading manufacturer of quality performance computing hardware, today announced the release of their NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS, 8600GT and 8500GT graphics cards. The Foxconn new GeForce 8600 graphics series feature NVIDIA revolutionary new DX10 unified architecture which brings unparalleled levels graphics realism and performance to gamers, in addition to Foxconn's unique cooling system, which is proven to increase overclocking capability by up to 15%. The Foxconn GeForce 8500GT, on the other hand, is the ideal graphics solution at a sub-$100 price point. It delivers unprecedented levels of graphics realism and gaming performance you have been long craving for, without emptying your wallet.

Go Extreme with Foxconn 8600GTS and 8600GT Overclocked Version
In addition to the standard GeForce 8600 and 8500 series, Foxconn is also launching a factory GeForce 8600GTS and 8600GT "Overclocked" graphics card at the same time. It is spec'd at a stunning 700 / 2200 and 560 /1560 MHz (Core / Memory clock) respectively.

Brea, California and Munich, Germany - April 17, 2007 --- VGA, a market leader and premier provider of high-performance graphics solutions and motherboards today announced the release of the 8600GTS, 8600GT and 8500GT. (See Press Release)

In addition to the three above products, EVGA is also announcing the 8600GTS and 8600GT Superclocked.

The 8600GTS Superclocked, with an incredible core clockspeed of 720MHz and 2.1GHz memory has undergone vigorous in-house testing and burn-in procedures to meet our own stringent quality, performance and reliability requirement providing the ultimate gaming experience for gamers and power users. The 8600GT Superclocked runs at an impressive core speed of 576MHz and 1.5GHz memory clock. A "Superclocked" core, shader, and memory clockspeed ensures the highest level of performance and stability possible.

Eindhoven, April 17th 2007 - POINT OF VIEW, well known for its range of nVidia based Graphics cards, is launching today a special version of the GeForce 8600 GTS, 8600 GT & 8500GT Graphics Cards. These Point of View cards are the latest expansion of the of the most powerful Graphics Cards ever released; the GeForce 8 Series.

Instead of writing all the boring press releases, I've decided to gather all the manufacturers who will launch new GeForce 8600 and GeForce 8500 Series graphics cards in one post and keep it up to date. I'll start with the BFG Technologies and their BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS(710/2000MHz), 8600GT(565/1400MHz) and 8500GT(450/800MHz) overclocked OC 256MB video cards. The BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8600GTS OC graphics cards are available today while the 8600GT OC and 8500GT models will be available in late April. Second comes GIGABYTE with its Silent-Pipe brand new video cards. The GIGABYTE GV-NX85T256H, GIGABYTE GV-NX86S256H with Silent Pipe 3 and GIGABYTE GV-NX86T256D graphics accelerators are available from today. VR-Zone also reports that Point of View and Leadtek have come up with the new 8600/8500 series. Biostar is also introducing its Sigma Gate V8603TS21, V8603GT21, V8502GT21 NVIDIA GeForce 8600/8500 Series based video cards. Last but not least for today is Zotac International with the ZT-88XE760-FSS, ZT-88SE320-FPP, ZT-85TE250-FSL and ZT-85TE25H-FSL video cards. Click on the manufacturer names for additional information about every specific card.

Taipei, Taiwan - MSI, a leading manufacturer of computer products, proudly unveils its latest MSI graphics card - NX8600GTS/GT and NX8500GT Series. Incorporating the newest NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT/GTS and GeForce 8600 GT graphics processor which deliver superior cinematic resolution and high performance acceleration for today's demanding 3D graphic applications. The MSI NX8600GTS/GT and NX8500GT Series are the best choices with the most sensible prices for the most complete solution for the 3D and video application market.

NVIDIA Corporation, the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, today announced the extension of the award-winning NVIDIA GeForce 8 Series line-up to include three new graphics processing units (GPUs), bringing high-resolution gaming, stunning Microsoft Windows Vista graphics, and stellar HD DVD and Blu-ray video playback to virtually everyone regardless of budget. The new GPUs that complete the world's first top-to-bottom family of DirectX 10 GPUs include:
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS: $199-229
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT: $149-159
NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT: $89-129

With the GeForce 8600 set to go on sale tomorrow, the details of the 8600 and 8500 series cards have been published by DailyTech - although they aren't 100% certain, it's certainly a more trustworthy source of information than other sites you may find. All three of the cards will be 128-bit, and the details are listed in the table below. As you can see, the specs seem to tie-in with those released by ASUS for the 8600GTS at least. These mid-range cards should start to trickle onto shelves over the coming weeks, offering DirectX 10 capabilities at a noticeably lower price than the 8800s. Obviously price will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and there will be slight changes to some clock speeds, but in general they should line up like this: