Installation and Setup:

USB cable into OCG	OCG Panel installed	USB to Mobo
Card installed	top view	Panel powered up

    It's a video card. Do I really need to go over the installation procedures on it? Well, this time I do since we have this added hardware overclocking device. The install is simple: just use a free 5.25" drive bay and plug the included USB wire from the back of the device to a free USB header on the motherboard. With that finished, let's move on to the setup and, of course, we need drivers. After installing the drivers from the CD, go and find any updates at the appropriate sites, reboot, and enjoy.

Stock settings

OC settings

    Here is the software interface for the front panel OCG. When the knob is turned the changes show up in real time on the interface. With the this interface the RAM can be tweaked something that can't be done with the external OCG panel.

Benchmarking:

    Benchmarking graphics cards is such a tedious job. I have to play several high-end graphics-demanding games. I know... why me? But that is what I have to do to show the end user what they are getting {:-Þ All tests have been done in a resolution of 1280x1024, which is max for my 19" LCD monitor. Several different benchmarking programs will be used in testing the ASUS EN8600GT OC Gear graphics card.

TEST GEAR:

• Abit IP35 Pro Motherboard

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 (3.0GHz)

• Crucial 2x1GB Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 Memory

• ASUS EN8600GT OC Gear Graphics card

• WD 80GB SATA II HDD

• LiteOn DVD-RW

• KWI Absolute Power ABT-600CW Power Supply

Results:

GPU-Z information

Conclusion:

    The EN8600GT OCG is a mid-range graphics card with a clever overclocking device attached to it. Is this a wise decision by ASUS to add a high-end overclocking tool to a sub mid-range graphics card? Personally, I don't think it was, since most users who overclock want to really push the limits of the gear, and the 8600GT is already maxed out. The OC Gear would be more well suited on a higher-end graphics card. The EN8600GT OCG did play F.E.A.R. and BioShock flawlessly at 1280x1024, and personally this is what I wanted to see. When I cranked the GPU to the max during F.E.A.R. the game froze several times, so some fine tweaking will always be needed to find the sweet spot. When overclocking the ASUS EN8600GT OCG only a few extra frames was the noticeable gain.

You might be wondering about the DX9 versus DX10. Well, during normal and fast paced game play, the benefits of DX10 are barely noticed. If you happened to be doing a slow-motion action scene with smoke or flame however, you may notice that the overlay edges of the smoke or flame blend in with the surroundings more smoothly and with less harsh blocky edges, giving a more natural, real-life look. 

    Overall, ASUS has come up with a great idea for overclocking graphics cards externally. The EN8600GT OCG works easily, not to mention the included bling factor it adds with the colorful front display. The FPS meter is great idea, offering a easy way to determine the FPS without using a 3rd-party program. I would like to thank ASUS for sending this item out for VH to review.