CircuitCity: Radeon 9800 Non-Pro 128 MB for $199

Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
edited December 2003 in Hardware
«1

Comments

  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Well I'm getting it for X-Mas. I can go get it tonight, to make sure it's got the right memory chips for the PRO flash.

    What do I say when I take it back to exchange if I get bad memory? Any ideas? :scratch:

    Responses ASAP please :D



    P.S. Anyone know the fastest RAM the NP comes with?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Just tell them that it didn't work with your PC - they don't really care, nor do they test it when you return it.
  • Park_7677Park_7677
    was thinking about checking in the parking lot ;D

    I'll do it anyway, they don't scare me :p Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    was thinking about checking in the parking lot ;D

    I'll do it anyway, they don't scare me :p


    Thx
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Park_7677 had this to say
    Well I'm getting it for X-Mas. I can go get it tonight, to make sure it's got the right memory chips for the PRO flash.

    What do I say when I take it back to exchange if I get bad memory? Any ideas? :scratch:

    Responses ASAP please :D



    P.S. Anyone know the fastest RAM the NP comes with?

    Fastest RAM available on the 9800 NP is Samsung 3.3ns SGRAM.

    Looks just like this:

    samsungmem.jpg

    If you get Infineon RAM.... take the sucker back for whatever excuse. Death is better than Infineon RAM. :)
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Park_7677 had this to say
    Well I'm getting it for X-Mas. I can go get it tonight, to make sure it's got the right memory chips for the PRO flash.

    What do I say when I take it back to exchange if I get bad memory? Any ideas? :scratch:

    Responses ASAP please :D



    P.S. Anyone know the fastest RAM the NP comes with?
    hell check it in the store ...they should let you at least do that you're just looking at it!
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Thread Sticked Until This Deal Is No Longer Slick...

    Definately a good deal. Around here, you'll be hard pressed to find a Radeon 9800 Non-Pro. They sold like hotcakes once people learned you could flash them :)

    WATCH OUT though. The "Built By ATI" Radeon 9800 Non-Pro's either used Samsung 3.3ns SGRAM or Infineon 3.3ns SGRAM. It's like 60% Infineon, 40% Samsung.

    Remember, you can't perform the BIOS flash WITH Infineon RAM. If you want any hope in overclocking, make sure your card carries Samsung 3.3ns SGRAM (see picture above).
  • McBainMcBain San Clemente, CA New
    edited December 2003
    Real quick.... if I flashed it, does it perform just like a pro? Is there any measurable performance hit?
  • LincLinc
    calls parents back in civilization to cash in on an early christmas present.

    w00t!
    Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    calls parents back in civilization to cash in on an early christmas present.

    w00t!
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    McBain had this to say
    Real quick.... if I flashed it, does it perform just like a pro? Is there any measurable performance hit?

    Yes. Identical in performance to a real 9800 Pro. :)

    The ONLY difference between the 9800 NP and the 9800 Pro is memory & clock speeds (325/290 on the NP, 380/340 on the Pro).

    Yes, there are different memory types, as the 9800 Pro's only used Samsung's 2.86ns memory, but that's besides the point :)
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    You don't take a hit by running 3.3ns memory instead of 2.86ns?
  • EMTEMT Seattle, WA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Pricewatch lists several 9800 128MBs in the $150 range. Is it that they're powered by ATI? What's the deal?
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited December 2003
    GHoosdum had this to say
    You don't take a hit by running 3.3ns memory instead of 2.86ns?
    I might be wrong, but 3.3ns is spec speed of what the memory is rated for. It's like DDR400 some runs all the way up to 225 and some struggles to run at 200. However if a card with 3.3ns memory is running at the same speed as a card with 2.86ns memory there will be no performance drop.
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited December 2003
    EMT had this to say
    Pricewatch lists several 9800 128MBs in the $150 range. Is it that they're powered by ATI? What's the deal?

    Check and see if those are 9800SE's or not. My best bet is that they are.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    EMT had this to say
    Pricewatch lists several 9800 128MBs in the $150 range. Is it that they're powered by ATI? What's the deal?

    These are probably 9800 SE cards, which are crippled and won't flash to 9800 Pros often.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    GHoosdum had this to say
    You don't take a hit by running 3.3ns memory instead of 2.86ns?

    Samsung 3.3ns memory is not "officially" rated to hit the 340 MHz speed required by the 9800 Pro, but can overclock to that point no problemo.

    2.86ns IS officially rated to operate at 350 MHz, which "officially" supports the speed of 340 MHz required by the 9800 Pro.

    3.3ns won't overclock as high as 2.86, but it still overclocks like a biotch.

    Personally, my Samsung 3.3ns overclocks 100 MHz beyond it's originally designed running speed artifact-free.

    290 MHz -> 390 MHz (780 DDR).
  • EMTEMT Seattle, WA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Yeah, I just noticed they're all SE up to $265. My mistake - haven't kept up with the recent video card nuances. This deal is definitely one to consider, though.
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited December 2003
    I also recommend you use this guide instead of the one linked on slickdeals. Simguy rocks :Rocker:
  • McBainMcBain San Clemente, CA New
    edited December 2003
    Pseudo and I are going to get one right now(for me, the 8500 ain't cuttin it no mo). I'll report whether or not its Infineon or Samsung ram....and I think Ima gonna ask if I can open it in store.
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited December 2003
    Everyone report back when you return from the store on if they are still in stock at most locations and if your ram was infineon or samsung.
  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    should i return my 9600 to best buy, which is like 70 but it's after rebate, before rebates it's like 135 or something,

    BTW i already have a 9800pro, but this is tempting.
  • McBainMcBain San Clemente, CA New
    edited December 2003
    I got the last one in Taylor MI today. Too bad its infineon ram. 3ns though. Thoughts comments on its abilities? Can I flash it then underclock the ram?
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Good luck pushing that ram past.... 330 MHz. Maybe.

    Don't flash it with the Pro BIOS available here on SM. It's designed for the Samsung-based cards that will overclock to 380/340 without a hitch.

    Your best bet? Download Rage3DTweak and overclock the card through those sliders. :)

    There is an Infineon BIOS available that will overclock the card to 380/325 if you want to try it, but I've never used it before and can't comment on it.
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    So the bios has no other performance upgrades other than Ocing the card??
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Meh.. 2 cards tonight and both were Infineon 3.0 ns. :hrm: There are 2 more CCs in driving range, so I'll check them out ASAP.


    Good luck to everyone looking for those magic Samsung chips :thumbsup:


    /me goes back to 13,200 3DMark 2001SE Ti 4200 :banghead:
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Pseudonym had this to say
    So the bios has no other performance upgrades other than Ocing the card??

    Some say it ever-so-slightly increases the voltage to the memory chips, but that can't be confirmed nor denied.

    I believe it... as until I flashed my card 9800 NP with the 9800 Pro BIOS, I couldn't overclock as high as I can now :).

    Other than that, all flashing the BIOS does is overclock the card to 380/340.
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Called 4 different CCs... no one has them in stock but the one with only Infineon RAM. :bawling:


    [small hijack]

    Because I wouldn't get to play with it until Christmas, possible that the 9800 NP will be $200 by then? So I could do some more hunting for Samsung chips after I get $$$..

    If not, because I'm stuck with a Ti 4200 (OCed though ;)) I might just go with it and see what it'll do. If it's a keeper, it's a keeper. If not, I have a friend with GF2 MX 64 MB DDR... He'll buy it from me at cost.

    [/hijack]

    If you guys could get back to me on the question above before tonight's end, I'd be grateful. Pick it up tomorrow if so :p

    Thanks again Al, great find.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I stopped at CC on the way home from work today. The verdict? Out of stock. None coming in on the next shipment truck this week. No dice.
  • McBainMcBain San Clemente, CA New
    edited December 2003
    I'll keep you guys posted on the O/C attempt on my 9800 np....pretty sure I'm keeping it regardless as it performs on par with a 9700 pro.

    BTW....a 9800 np should be able to run HL2 and Doom 3 respectably right?
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited December 2003
    Yep, they perform at around the same levels. The Radeon 9800 has VPU enhancements that offer better performance compared to the 9700 VPU.

    Roughly, the 9800 is a smidgen faster. :)

    As for DoomIII & HL2? Anandtech's benchmarks show that the 9800 will handle both without a hiccup. Not sure how it will handle the games at 1280x1024 with AA/AF, but we'll have to see on that one. :)
  • McBainMcBain San Clemente, CA New
    edited December 2003
    That settles it....shes a keeper...plus the 3.0ns ram should overclock a smidge or 30 and put me closer to a 9800 pro for 200$
Sign In or Register to comment.