Sparkle GeForce 8500 GT Video Card - 256MB DDR2, PCI, (Dual Link) DVI, VGA, HDTV at TigerDirect.com
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- 36 Months Parts
- 36 Months Labor
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-   SPARKLE Computer Co. Ltd.
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Video / Graphics Cards > PCI Video Cards > 256 MB or more

Sparkle GeForce 8500 GT Video Card - 256MB DDR2, PCI, (Dual Link) DVI, VGA, HDTV

Sparkle GeForce 8500 GT Video Card - 256MB
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Customer Reviews:  ( 8 reviews)
Read reviews or  Write a review
Item Number: S15-1024
Model: SF-PC85GT256U2 Passi
THIS ITEM IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE
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Sparkle GeForce 8500 GT Video Card
Redefine your gaming reality with the Sparkle GeForce® 8500 GT 256MB PCI graphics card featuring the world's first DirectX® 10 GPU and a powerful unified architecture that delivers an incredibly true-to-life gaming experience. Power through games at record speeds and charge through game maps with vividly realistic, sun-up to sun-down HDR lighting effects while steering clear of mind-blowing physics effects such as explosions, fire, and smoke. And relax watching your favorite movies with NVIDIA PureVideo™ technology.


See "BEFORE YOU BUY"
For More Details
Knowledge Before You Buy!
Make sure your motherboard is compatible with this video card. For example, PCI Express video cards won't work with motherboards designed only for AGP or PCI video cards, and vice versa. Please read the specifications carefully or call us for expert advice.

ESSENTIAL SPECS:
• Interface Type: PCI
• Maximum Resolution: 2560 x 1600 (Digital)
• Video Memory: 256MB DDR2

NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
Value-priced NVIDIA® GeForce® 8500 graphics processors are essential for accelerating the Microsoft® Windows Vista™ experience, powering Microsoft® DirectX® 9 and DirectX 10 games, and watching HD movies on a PC.

NVIDIA Unified Architecture
Fully unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering an incredibly true-to-life 3D graphics.

} click here for demo

NVIDIA Lumenex™ Engine
Support for 128-bit and 64-bit floating point HDR with up to 16x anti-aliasing delivering vividly realistic lighting effects while obliterating ‘jaggies’.

} click here for demo

Microsoft DirectX 10 Geometry Shaders
Dynamic geometry creation smoothes surfaces and enables incredibly detailed environments, shadows, and effects.

} click here for demo

NVIDIA Quantum Effects™ Technology
Advanced shader processors architected for physics computation deliver amazing performance and visual effects such as smoke, fire, and explosions.

} click here for demo

Shader Model 4.0 Technology
Get your box geared up for the future of games with blazing fast shader performance and watch your characters sweat with Shader Model 4.0.

NVIDIA PureVideo HD Technology
Available on HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs, high-definition movies are bringing an exciting new video experience to PC users. NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technology lets you enjoy cinematic-quality HD DVD and Blu-ray movies with low CPU utilization and power consumption, allowing higher quality movie playback and picture clarity.

High Dynamic Range (HDR)
High dynamic-range(HDR) lighting effects bring environments to life for a truly immersive experience. It takes advantage of the subtle light, texture, and color intricacies to create incredibly realistic environments.

NVIDIA ForceWare
It takes a powerful suite of software to complement these complex processors. NVIDIA ForceWare™ unified software environment (USE) is the key to unleashing the full power and features in NVIDIA’s desktop, platform, mobile, and multimedia products. Delivering a proven record of compatibility, reliability, and stability with the widest range of games and applications, ForceWare ensures the best out-of-box experience for every user and delivers.

Windows Vista Ready
Windows Vista is the first operating system to require a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) to realize the best experience possible.


Specifications

  Chipset:  NVIDIA GeForce
  GPU Series:  NVIDIA GeForce 8
  Lifestyle:  Mainstream
  GPU/VPU:  NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
  Maximum Resolution:  2560 x 1600 (Digital)
  Video Memory:  256MB
  Memory Type:  DDR2
  Memory Interface:  128-bit
  Core Clock:  450 MHz
  Shader Clock:  900 MHz
  Interface Type:  PCI
  Connector(s):  VGA (15-Pin D-Sub)
  DVI (Dual Link)
  HDTV/S-Video
  Overclocked:  No
  APIs:  DirectX 10
  1080p Support:  No
  Video Output:  DVI
  S-Video
  VGA
  Low Profile:  No
  Cooling Type:  Heatsink
Detailed Features

A Closer Look

Features

  • Full DirectX 10 Support
    World's first DirecX 10 GPU with full Shader Model 4.0 support delivers unparalleled levels of graphic realism and film-quality effects
  • OpenGL 2.0 Optimizations and Support
    Ensures top-Notch compatiblity and performance for OpenGL applications
  • NVIDIA Lumenex Engine
    Delivers stunning image quality and floating point accuracy at ultra-fast frame rates
  • NVIDIA Quantum Effects Technology
    Advanced shader processors architected for physics computation enable a new level of physics effects to be simulated and rendered on the GPU - all while freeing the CPU to run the game engine and AI
  • GigaThread™ Technology
    Massively multi-threaded architecture supports thousands of independent, simultaneous threads, providing extreme processing efficiency in advanced, next generation shader programs.
  • NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD Technology
    The combination of high-definition video decode acceleration and post-processing that delivers unprecedented picture clarity, smooth video, accurate color, and precise image scaling for movies and video.

Minimum System Requirements

  • Intel® or AMD® compatible motherboard
  • At least 512MB system RAM
  • PCI compliant motherboard
  • A minimum 300W system power supply
  • 50MB of available hard disk space
  • CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
  • Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP or Vista
  • VGA or DVI-I compatible monitor
Customer Reviews and Rating  
Customer Rating:    3.8
Customer Reviews: 8

Have an opinion on this product that you would like to share? If so, please take a few moments to write your rating and review.
Value 3.9
Features 4.0
Quality 3.8
Performance 3.8

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Reviewer:  rogi on  May 05, 2009
Customer Rating:    2.3
Value 3.0
Features 4.0
Quality 1.0
Performance 1.0

absolutely the most unstable card ever purchased. Got one for an older PC at work. Every time video acceleration is needed I get a BSOD with a memory error. Sent the card back to Sparkle and got the same problem. Tried 3 different PCs, same problem. Vista can not even rate the performance b\c it will blue screen. Unless you like blue screens - steer clear. Installed an older GeForce 5200 from another manufacturer - no problems.


Reviewer:  Anonymous  on  Mar 26, 2009
Customer Rating:    5.0
Value 5.0
Features 5.0
Quality 5.0
Performance 5.0

I put this card in my P4 Northwood 2.8GHz , 2gb ram machine. This card is the real deal for PCI. First off, I have been running HD Movies in 1080i without a hitch. All Movies and streaming video run lag free. This card is also very impressive in gaming. I run GTA: San Andreas at 1680x1050 with everything set at max settings with the frame limiter off, and I get a constant 40-50 fps. Other games run perfect on this card like Half-Life 2, FEAR, Doom 3, COD4, Far Cry. All these games can be set to Max settings, and or close to high. Frame rates are just incredible. The card also stays cool while under load. A PCI cooler would be recommended to increase the life of the card. This card is a massive step forward from my old FX 5500. Buy this card now if you have an empty PCI slot and dont have any PCIe. THIS IS THE BEST PCI GPU ON THE MARKET!!


Reviewer:  Anonymous  on  Mar 06, 2009
Customer Rating:    3.8
Value 4.0
Features 4.0
Quality 3.0
Performance 4.0

i put this card in a dell demension 2400 with a gig of ram. runs good for what it is (pci). goes great with older games (n4s, ea sports titles) guid wars sucks with this but i think i need for ram for that.


Reviewer:  Anonymous  on  Jan 09, 2009
Customer Rating:    3.8
Value 3.0
Features 4.0
Quality 4.0
Performance 4.0

Bought this for a kind of old, slightly evil Dell E310 which only has 2 PCI slots and a PCIe x1 slot. Difficult to find PCIe x1 video cards, so I tried this PCI one out. Works good. I can now play Fallout 3 (albiet on low settings). The card I got has a fan rather than a huge heatsink as the picture show. It's quiet. It successfully breathed life into my old PC.


Reviewer:  Anonymous  on  Dec 21, 2008
Customer Rating:    4.0
Value 4.0
Features 4.0
Quality 4.0
Performance 4.0

This card is a decent performer for what its worth, i recently bought it for an older computer of mine. I was surprise that it could handle Left 4 Dead at 1440x900 resolution on medium settings with about 25-30 fps. I would recommend this card for the casual gamers with availability to a PCI slot motherboard only. Its also good for videos... All and all the video card is good.


Showing 1 -  5 of  8 total reviews Next >>

What You Should Know
DVI: Digital Visual Interface!  What Is It?

Monitors come supporting different video connector technologies:  VGA, DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI, or combinations.  Not every monitor supports these, so check the specifications carefully before making your selection.

The Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is the most popular high-quality digital connection for monitors (though HDMI is quickly becoming its equal in popularity).  DVI is a video interface standard designed to maximize the visual quality of digital display devices such as flat panel LCD computer displays and digital projectors. It was developed by an industry consortium, the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG). It is designed for carrying uncompressed digital video data to a compatible monitor or projector, and is partially compatible with the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard in digital mode (DVI-D).   DVI represents a major improvement in image quality over the older VGA standard. 

The DVI interface uses a digital protocol in which the desired illumination of pixels is transmitted as binary data. When the display is driven at its native resolution, it will read each number and apply that brightness to the appropriate pixel. In this way, each pixel in the output buffer of the source device corresponds directly to one pixel in the display device, whereas with an analog signal the appearance of each pixel may be affected by its adjacent pixels as well as by electrical noise and other forms of analog distortion.

Previous standards such as the analog VGA were designed for CRT-based devices and thus did not use discrete time display addressing. As the analog source transmits each horizontal line of the image, it varies its output voltage to represent the desired brightness. In a CRT device, this is used to vary the intensity of the scanning beam as it moves across the screen.

The two types of DVI interfaces are Single Link and Dual Link. Following are the features and benefits of each:  Single Link - The Single Link interface is limited to a maximum pixel clock of 165 Hz. It uses four (4) twisted pairs of wires (one each of Red, Green, Blue and Clock). Maximum resolution is 1920 x 1200 at 60Hz.  Dual Link - The Dual Link interface is most common for today’s modern LCD monitors. It provides three times as many pixels as the Single Link interface. And its maximum clock may exceed 165 Hz. Dual Link uses six (6) twisted pairs wires with two (2) each for Red, Green, and Blue, as well as a pair for Clock. Dual Link’s maximum resolution is 2560 x 1600 at 60Hz. When you use the Dual Link Interface you can use a longer cable because of its higher bandwidth. Dual Link also provides HDCP support, which is required for Blu-Ray playback.

If your Computer supports DVI ports, but the Monitor does not, then a DVI to VGA adaptor is available at low cost to solve this.  Or inversely, if the Computer output is only VGA, and the Monitor supports DVI, adaptors are available for this as well.  For our selection of Monitor Adaptors click here »

Dual Monitor Technology
Few PC users have ever experienced the huge productivity boost that comes from using multiple monitors on the same PC.  Ironically, many of today's PC have the capability already installed, and Windows (since 2000) natively supports dual monitors.  Configuring dual monitors is so easy: just use the second video port (if there are two separate ports installed), or add a second video card or better yet, a video card that has dual DVI ports.  Then plug in your second monitor, change a couple of simple Windows settings, and you have double the Windows Desktop.  This lets you have your spreadsheet and email visible at the same time, or PowerPoint and Photoshop.  The combinations are endless.  And since most of the overhead is handled by the video card, there is little significant impact (if any) on system performance.  Dual Monitors is one of the simplest, yet most amazing productivity boosters you can add to your PC!  Optionally, you can use a dual monitor stand and recover your workspace in the process!

Click Here To Find Video Cards - Look For Dual DVI/Dual Monitor Ready Cards »
Click Here For Dual Monitor Stands »
Click Here For Great Deals On A 2nd Monitor »

PCI Express - Delivering Dramatically Improved Graphics
Doubling the bandwidth of the AGP 8X graphics bus, the new PCI Express represents the most profound change to desktop architecture in nearly a decade. PCI Express replaces AGP, allowing much larger amounts of data to move between the graphics card and the CPU, and will soon replace PCI expansion slots as well. The PCI standard allows for a 32-bit bus with a maximum throughput of 133MB/s. By contrast, PCI Express will run at 2.5GHz. PCI Express is a two-way serial connection that carries data in packets along two pairs of point-to-point data lines, compared to the single parallel data bus of traditional PCI. Gamers will benefit from an incredible upgrade in video quality with PCI Express, because it will allow for more powerful video cards, inspiring developers to create more realistic environments that will make games come alive with astonishingly lifelike colors and images. Video enthusiasts will also benefit because PCI Express will accommodate higher-quality video throughput (amount of data you can send per second). As network television moves over to HDTV broadcasts, PCI Express positions the PC platform for integration into the living room, while also allowing for HD video editing and other bandwidth-intensive tasks. PCI Express is compatible with existing PCI drivers and software operating systems and is designed to co-exist with current PCI hardware.
Video Card Designs
Today's high performance video cards enable amazing graphics, and frequently come emblazoned with high-impact graphics, or in brilliant colors.  These help to enhance the appeal of the card.  However, from time to time, manufacturers do change these designs and colors, but this has no effect on the features, specifications, or performance of the specific video card model, and will usually retain the same manufacturer's model and part number.  The images displayed for a video card are based upon the sample provided by the manufacturer, and the specific visual design you receive may vary.  So remember, while the card may look cool, it's the specs that matter!


Will Your Motherboard Support the Video Card You're Purchasing? Here's the Answer...

Before you buy - make sure your motherboard is compatible with this video card. For example, PCI Express video cards won't work with motherboards designed only for AGP or PCI video cards, and vice versa. Please read the specifications carefully or call us for expert advice.

Close-Up: PCI, AGP, and PCI-E (PCI Express)

Check your motherboard and make sure you are purchasing the correct cardbus type.

There are 3 types of cardbus slots currently available: PCI, AGP, and PCI Express (PCIe 2.0 is compatible with PCIe slot)

PCI - The most widely used I/O bus, it provides a shared data path between the CPU and peripheral controllers, such as network, display, SCSI and RAID cards. Though limited in terms of performance, they are considered the best value when you upgrade your video capabilities on a PC. The PCI interface can be found and used in nearly any motherboard.
Click here to view our selection of PCI Cards

AGP - The AGP slot is next in line of higher graphic performance. It was designed especially for the throughput demands of 3-D graphics. It offers up to 8x improvement over a PCI card, is 32 bits wide and runs at 66 MHz. It provides a direct connection between the card and memory, and only one AGP slot is on the motherboard. The motherboard must be equipped with an AGP bus slot for an AGP card to be compatible.(AGP 1x provided a data transfer rate of 264 Mbytes/sec. AGP 2x is 528 Mbytes/sec. AGP 4x is 1 Gbyte/sec. AGP 8x is 2 Gbytes/sec.)
Click here to view our selection of AGP Cards

PCI Express - PCI Express is the newest technology that is superior to both PCI and AGP, in terms of graphic performance. It offers performance as much as 4x faster than the fastest AGP 8X slot. PCI Express connections can support fast data transfer rates, which can be used to connect high-speed devices such as high-end video cards. The slots come in different variations and speeds, such as x1, x4, x8, and x16. Presently, most high-end motherboards meant for design, video production, or gaming come with PCI express slots. To use a PCI Express card, your computer must have at least one available PCI Express slot.
Click here to view our selection of PCI Express Cards

Limited Warranty

This Item's Warranty is:
-  36 Months Parts
-  36 Months Labor
Warranty provided by
-  SPARKLE Computer Co. Ltd.
View Warranty Info

What's In The Box


Contents of package may vary from those pictured and stated here, due to changes in manufacturer's specifications or merchandising. Please check the product information carefully, items not included may no longer be required.
Manufactured by: SPARKLE Computer Co. Ltd.
Warranty provided by: SPARKLE Computer Co. Ltd.
Limited Warranty: 36 months parts; 36 months labor
Mfg Part No: SF-PC85GT256U2 Passi
UPC No: 4710710443801
Box Size: ( Length: 11, Width: 2, Depth: 7 )
Shipping Weight: .8000 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
Limited Warranty: A full text version of the limited warranty may be obtained by mailing a self addressed, stamped envelope to the address below and requesting the warranty for item number: S15-1024

TigerDirect.com
Warranty Information
7795 W. Flagler St. Suite 35
Miami, FL. 33144

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