Gainward 8500GT 512MB PCI-Express video card, good or bad. and why a joke xs(user)?

Hi, I was wondering if this graphics card is any good, one user told me 8500GTs are a joke, but I didnt know there was good or bad. I thought it was just 512MB graphics cards are all just 512MB graphics cards. Wouldnt even the worst 512 be better than a good 256MB for example?



I'm lost here guys! Feel free to help me out.



Please recommend a graphics card for gaming on a P4 3.2GHZ Dell OptiPlex GX280.



Thanks!|||8500GT has excellent HD Video capability but it has weak GPU architecture for 3D games. It only has 16 Stream Processors on the chip. Its better brother, the 8600GT has 32 SPs. The 8800 series monster cards have up to 128 SPs and also use faster memory interface (256 to 384bit instead of just 128bit).

Here's how the 8500GT (256Mb) stacks up against other cards:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/4…

The 512Mb version may perform a bit better on some games BUT 512Mb ddr2 can never beat 256Mb ddr3.|||I said they are a joke because,



they are terribly slow.



More memory does not = more speed, and so no a 256MB card can be plenty faster than a 512MB card



If you want a card for gaming i suggest AT LEAST an 8600GT, and for decent performance, an 8800GT