2600PRO vs 8500GT for HD

Hello!
This card is not aimed for games at all! Only for video (HD) and office use.
(q6600, liberty 400W)

Which one is better?

• ASUS PCI-EX GeForce 8500GT SILENT 256MB DDR2 128 BIT DUAL DVI HDTV TV/O
• SAPPHIRE PCI-EX RADEON HD2600PRO 512MB DDR2 128 BIT TV/O HDMI DVI

1. Does the 2600 have passive cooling?
2. Which is better UVD or PureVideo?
3. Will the 2400 suffice?
4. Any other cards?

Thank You.

This should be in the general GPU section if you want the most replies. Just an FYI is all

1. I saw a model with passive cooling but I don't know that it is out yet.
2. I've read that UVD will be better but didn't see benchies. What I HAVE seen, is that the 8500 isn't very good at decoding.
3. The 2400 should suffice and it has passive cooling.
4. Highly recomend the 2400

There are several threads in the HTPC section, with links to reviews and comparisons between the 2400/2600 and the 8600 cards. The answer to most of your questiona are, of course, it depends. You should be able to find your own answers by reading the threads and following the links. It all depends on your particular needs and application. The only one I can answer is that most HD 2600 cards are active. Search Newegg for HD 2000 series cards, and just scroll down the list looking for passive solutions. I am sure that the Sapphire 2600 cards are not passive, as I am planning on buying just such a card.

i am in the midst of building a system. i saw the asus 8500gt silent for $120 (CDN). It's nice to have silence and no heat.

1. No.
2. Not sure.
3. Yes.
4. I would choose the 2400 for this application.

i thought you had to pay for pure video?

i'd go with the 240 or the 2600pro. Personally, i'd get the 2600 just because it has more power.

The Radeon HD cards are said to have better Video quality in HD, so for HTPC use I'd go with one of those, but they will also result in heavier CPU use..