Testbed:

Motherboard:
EVGA 680i SLI (Supplied by EVGA)

Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo 6800 Extreme edition (Supplied by Intel)

Memory:
OCZ FlexXLC PC2 9200 5-5-5-18  (Supplied by OCZ)
        while testing CL5-5-5-15-CR2T 1066MHz at 2.2V

PSU:
OCZ Silencer 750 Quad Black ( Supplied by OCZ)

Hard disk:
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 80GB SATA (Supplied by Seagate)

CPU-Cooler:
Freezer 7 Pro (Supplied by Artic Cooling)

Case Fans:
Artic Cooling - Artic Fan 12 PWM
Artic Cooling - Artic Fan 8 PWM

Futuremarks

MSI 9600 GT running at 730MHz core and 1825MHz Shaders outperforms 9600 GT AMP running at 725MHz core and 1750MHz shader. Zotac’s memory is slightly faster and runs at 1000MHz (2000MHz effectively), while MSI’s memory runs at 975MHz (1950MHz effectively). Radeon HD 3870 runs slower compared to MSI’s 9600 GT card.

Overclocking MSI’s 9600 GT card was done through the D.O.T. tool. We used “Gaming”, a predefined option for overclocking, so the card got a 33MHz boost and ran at 766MHz. Memory speed stayed at 975MHz. Shaders also got a boost and ran at 1916MHz. This overclock turned this card into a fast beast and it left HD 3870 and other 9600 GTs in the dust.


Gaming

MSI’s card is the fastest straight-out-of-the-box GT that we tested so far. We still haven’t had a chance to test EVGA’s 9600 GT running at 740MHz, but we think that these two would be quite similar.

Crysis is always a challenge for graphics cards, but MSI handled it well. Both 1600x1200 with no antialiasing and 1280x1024 with antialiasing result in playable fps. However, the results are average values so opting for “medium” settings can prove to be better than decreasing the resolution.

MSI took World in Conflict in a stride and we gamed comfortably at 1600x1200 with antialiasing. MSI’s card outperformed the reference 9600 GT by 15%.

Zotac takes the cake in F.E.A.R. Their card came out on top thanks to faster memory.


Conclusion

MSI N9600GT – T2D512 – OC features a brand new cooler that looks really nice. The important thing is that it runs nicely and does a good job cooling the overclocked core. 730MHz core and 1825MHz Shader speeds are good, and not only did the card run well at MSI’s default speeds, but we managed to push it even further using the D.O.T. tool.

With multimedia capabilities and a fast core, Geforce 9600 GT is a strong competitor to ATI’s Radeon HD3870 series. MSI’s overclocked card with reference cooling and 700MHz core speed will set you back €160 but happily you can this cooler version for the same price, check the prices here.

This is a great card capable of running any game at 1600x1200; higher resolutions are not meant to be supported by mid-range cards.

It’s time for change, and MSI made a good head-start. To be different from others is the only way to go, and we’ve definitely seen a couple of innovative features. This card seems to be the fastest 9600GT we’ve tested so far, and we’ll soon know even more since CeBIT starts today.