Which 9800Pro 128???

Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
edited September 2003 in Hardware
With all the different cards on the market, which is the best and has the best O/C'ability for a 9800 PRO 128? I was thinking about the 9500v9600 thing and then started throwing in the 9800NP and just came to the conclusion that a 9800 PRO 128 would be a good way to go. This would keep it under $400 and still give real kick /\$$ performance to keep someone happy for a long time. The 9800NP just looks too dicey to get a good card anymore.

Comments

  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited September 2003
    You may want to hold off on buying a card if XGI pulls some magic within a month or two, especially if their prices are competitive.

    However, if you wanted to save some money, you could always soft-mod a 9800NP if you find a card with the right memory. That's here.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited September 2003
    Definately consider the 9800 NP. With the flash, it operates exactly as a 9800 Pro with extra headroom for even more overclocking.

    Consider a Sapphire Atlantis 9800 Non-Pro or a PowerColor 9800 Non-Pro. Check PriceWatch for the best price. These 2 cards only utilize Samsung 3.3ns VRAM, which is required to perform the soft mod.

    Sapphire Atlantis 9800, 128 MB DDR, OEM - $259.50 USD

    For $259.50 USD, you can't go wrong. :D

    One thing: Stay AWAY from the 9800 SE version. They CANNOT be soft-modded and are essentially a bandwidth-castrated 9800. Stay away!

    However, if your hellbent on purchasing a 9800 Pro, the Sapphire Atlantis 9800 Pro and PowerColor 9800 Pro are excellent overclockers. If you want some insane cooling for the 9800 Pro, look at the ICEQ 9800 Pro. If you want silent cooling, take a look at the Sapphire Atlantis 9800 Pro Ultimate Edition. They all run at approximately the same price.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    I was originally interested in doing the soft mod after reading the thread mentioned and this one. and was keeping in mind that only certain ones would work. So I had been calling around to see who would Gaurantee what I was looking for. It turned out that most places advertising the desired cards have now sold out and either not restocked or are subing other cards such as SE's. The average price I have seen and know I will get what I want is $274 including shipping. For $306 I can get a Saphire OEM w/ free shipping from Newegg or $342 for a Powercolor w/ free shipping and an original ATI card (OEM) $353 w/ free ship, (Retail) $362 w/ free ship. Heck I can even go all the way for another $10 ($372) and get a Retail ATI AIW. Am I wrong in remembering that the real Pro's have faster memory??? See my point? So I ask Is the ATI worth it over the others? Or is it really worth the pain in the /\$$ to get a NP and mod it? If someone ships me the wrong card once I have lost out already. :(
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited September 2003
    just something to consider, as the 9800 is not at the end of its life yet and the new cards are not due for awhile, now would be a good time to get the card, people always say wait but nothing new is coming for months (i could be wrong) and prices only really drop when the equipment becomes "dated" hardware.

    imho

    Tek
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited September 2003
    All 9800 Pro's utilize faster Samsung and Infineon 2.8ns memory.

    IMHO, there is no point in purchasing a retail "Built By ATI" card over one of the more well-known OEM cards such as Sapphire or PowerColor. Performance is identical. The layout of the cards is identical. Most only change the thermal solutions on the card and the bundled software (if any). When you BBA, you are paying for a name.

    I don't see how it's hard to locate a 9800 Non-Pro. Even the ****ty computer stores in my little hick town carry the 9800 NP's at a decent price. Why pay more for a 9800 Pro when you can get the NP, mod it and get the same thing as a 9800 Pro for $50.00 USD less?

    The 9800 technology (R360) is nowhere near end of life. Buy it today, play games for 2 years. Hell, a Radeon 8500 still plays todays games @ 1024x768.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Can someone tell me what the max is that you can get out of a NP modded vs. a Pro assuming you installed good cooling on each. I would really like to see some hard numbers here.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Well I just settled it as I found a killer deal on a ATI 9800 Pro 128. Now for the hardest part; waiting for it to get here.
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited September 2003
    I used to have a 9700 non pro. I flashed it to 324/310 (bios flash), but really couldn't get the card much farther than 328/313 without seeing artifacts in 3dmark2003. My card came equipped with 3.6ns hynix (ouch!) and i was definetly pushing the memory way past it's spec (290). If i would choose again i would definetly shell out the extra $$ to purchase a pro version, because i could overclock it much farther and not have to worry too much about the card dying prematurely.

    P.S. share this deal please via pm or just post it because i am most definetly in the market for a 9800 pro. Until then... i guess i'll just have to survive on this tnt2
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Al,

    They were in Neweggs refubed section yesterday for only a few hours. They are long gone! :(
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    mtgoat said
    Well I just settled it as I found a killer deal on a ATI 9800 Pro 128. Now for the hardest part; waiting for it to get here.
    I know you shopped around ...would you mind letting me know where you got the deal? I've been hunting all day myself.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    csimon said
    mtgoat said
    Well I just settled it as I found a killer deal on a ATI 9800 Pro 128. Now for the hardest part; waiting for it to get here.
    I know you shopped around ...would you mind letting me know where you got the deal? I've been hunting all day myself.
    I got it from Newegg's refub section Friday afternoon. If you would have asked earlier I would have told you. They were only there for a few hours and I fee real lucky to have caught it myself. I had looked like 2 hours earlier and they wern't in there then I looked again and saw them. Then about 3 hours or so they were out of stock and they aren't even listed now.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    thanks ...I'll keep checking periodically ...what kind of discount did you get? I have a refurbbed oxygen gvx1-pro that is about 2 years old and never a single problem.
    actually I was going to wait but if the deal is too good to pass then when they come available I will get one also.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    It is an original ATI Radion 9800 Pro 128 mb for $273 w/free shipping. I just couldn't pass it up, especially since I really wanted a real Pro and that wasn't much more than a plain one was going for.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    I'm excited for you ...is the ups guy there yet?:wink:
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    I am expecting Wednesday. I'm real excited!!!:D
  • CaxusCaxus
    edited September 2003
    One reason i was tempted to buy a boxed one from Bestbuy though is because with these OEM ones from places like New Egg how do we know they're not really softmodded non pros? The only real difference is that they wouldn't overclock as high and they could easily get away with that. Actually i don't really think New Egg would do that but a lot of them would.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    mtgoat: did yours arrive? I ordered after you and mine got here today! Yippee! Now I just need to get the time to build the primary rig...

    And I gotta get it done by Friday, as my friends and I are journeying to LANWAR on Saturday! w00t!
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited September 2003
    Gobbles said
    just something to consider, as the 9800 is not at the end of its life yet and the new cards are not due for awhile, now would be a good time to get the card, people always say wait but nothing new is coming for months (i could be wrong) and prices only really drop when the equipment becomes "dated" hardware.

    imho

    Tek

    Yeah, but for once, ATi and nVidia have another player to contend with (well, I should say just ATi). This is a special case. Granted that was true before XGI entered the scene.

    And no, I'm not an XGI fanboi.. yet. If they produce quality stuff, I'll reconsider the 9800 Pro that'll go in my AGP slot as soon as I get this job.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    GHoosdum said
    mtgoat: did yours arrive? I ordered after you and mine got here today! Yippee! Now I just need to get the time to build the primary rig...

    And I gotta get it done by Friday, as my friends and I are journeying to LANWAR on Saturday! w00t!
    Tracking says tomorrow as it got to town today. OHHHHH boy!!!
    How's your's look?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Looks beautiful... in the box! I haven't built the rig yet. But the card looks clean and new... it is bare though... Last video card I bought from newegg refurb came in the box with all the accessories anyway, but not the 9800 pro. Big deal, it's a 9800 PRO!!!!
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    ......It's the Fed Ex man with a box for me! What can it be? A shiny box with a Radeon 9800 Pro just for me. Yup just like yours with just the card. But I must admit it looks like new!

    KICK /\$$
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Tomorrow, my Alaskan-Texan friend, tomorrow will be the day I get my new system FINALLY up and running.
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Now Larry, how much does it clock until you get artifacts? Dont keep us on a strain now.

    Here is the vddr mod if you need it. This card did 430/335 stock cooling and no mods. Now it does 520/375 :D Lasse is the voltage king. Dayum!
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    GHoosdum

    Great! I can't wait! ;)
    Mac

    Thanks for the tip. If I have any Q's I'll get back to ya. :D
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