XFX GeForce 8600 GT Fatal1ty video card review

In recent times we've looked at quite a variety of different GeForce 8600 boards here at Elite Bastards.  Some have been pure reference parts.  Some have adopted custom cooling solutions, while others have gone for silent, passive coolers.  Some have stuck with NVIDIA's reference clock speeds, and some have opted for factory overclocking.  With such a wide range of boards in the market, wouldn't it be nice to see a part that combined all of the advantages from those other offerings?  A mid-range board with a custom, passive cooler, but coupled with some impressive factory overclocking?

Well, if that thought has ever crossed your mind, and you've found yourself inclined to pick up one of NVIDIA's current mid-range boards, then today's review might be just the thing for you.  For in this review, we'll be examining XFX's GeForce 8600 GT Fatal1ty.  You might well remember XFX's first take on the Fatal1ty brand, a GeForce 7600 GT part with a passive cooler and a couple of different clock speed configurations - Well, the GeForce 8600 GT Fatal1ty takes a very similar line to its predecessor, leveraging a very similar passive cooling solution to allow for silent running while still boasting some mightily impressive stock overclocks.

"Passive cooling and impressive performance?  This sounds too good to be true!" I hear you cry.  Are your first thoughts correct?  Let's take a look at the board in question and find out.