AceMcbanon July 10, 2004 Share AceMcbanon Member July 10, 2004 Ok during christmas i upgraded to a computer with Athlon XP 2500+ Barton Two dual sticks of 256 and a motherboard with a onboard geforce 4. I noticed everythig runs a lot faster, but i still coulden't play the newer games, So I'm purchasing a 9800 pro from newegg for 199. Anyone have this card? Should i spend more and get another variation or is this pretty darned good? Also is the installation process pretty easy and straight forward?? SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card, 128MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP -BULK -OEM Model# RADEON 9800PRO 128M Item # N82E16814102268 Specifications: Chipset/Core Speed: ATI RADEON 9800 PRO/380MHz Memory/Effective Speed: 128MB DDR/680MHz BUS: AGP 8X Ports: VGA Out(15 Pin D-Sub)+TV-Out(S-Video Out)+DVI Connector Support 3D API: DirectX®9, OpenGL®2.0 Cable/Accessories: 4 Cables, VGA via DVI Adapter, PowerDVD, Driver CD Max Resolution@32bit Color: 2048X1536@85Hz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Mmmm]Homer July 11, 2004 Share [Mmmm]Homer Member July 11, 2004 I have this card, it's a great bang for the buck and will run current stuff very well. If you want to be a little more futureproof and play at high settings at 1280x1024 or above an X800 Pro or 6800 GT would be a good bet, and at twice the price ($400) you do get roughly double the performance. Uninstall your nVidia video drivers, install the new video card, boot up, you may need to go into the BIOS and disable the onboard video, install the latest video drivers, that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nut July 11, 2004 Share nut Member July 11, 2004 yeah thats a nice choose... but never get some 9800 SE crap... looks like ull be happy and fine =) NuT- =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX July 12, 2004 Share NOFX Member July 12, 2004 wow the x800 owns!!! its poops on my 9500 pro, it would demolish your gf4. Im going with nvidia next though. 6800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nut July 12, 2004 Share nut Member July 12, 2004 why? NuT-=) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Mmmm]Homer July 12, 2004 Share [Mmmm]Homer Member July 12, 2004 Read, young Grasshopper, and ye shall learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceMcbanon July 12, 2004 Author Share AceMcbanon Member July 12, 2004 So perhaps go an extra hundred and get the 6800?? 4oo is a bit to much for me to swallow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jane July 12, 2004 Share jane Member July 12, 2004 my 9600XT works nicely.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zerodamage July 13, 2004 Share Guest zerodamage Guests July 13, 2004 Wait a couple of months and the newer cards will be un better supply and cheaper. They are in high demand so the prices are ridiculously high. There is a GDDR3 memory problem which is the problem with supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nut July 13, 2004 Share nut Member July 13, 2004 ahh thx homer =) NuT-=))))))))))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crowbar July 15, 2004 Share Crowbar Member July 15, 2004 lots of us have had or do have the 9800 Pro. best bang for the buck for a good few months there. sounds like the next generation of cards stomps on it. Oh well. Mine still runs fine, that same Sapphire card you're looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gOOters July 17, 2004 Share gOOters Member July 17, 2004 Im in the exact same boat. I really dont want to spend more than $250 or so. But I think I might bypass the 9800Pro and wait for the X800. My comp is great for CS now and Far Cry/DoomIII/HL2 are the only games that I think are worth buying in the next couple of years. What would you guys do?? Wait on the X800 to drop? How much do you think it will cost by September? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceMcbanon July 17, 2004 Author Share AceMcbanon Member July 17, 2004 I guess i'm gonna wait even though doom3 is coming out. I still hope an athlon 2500+ barton will still be a good comp in 3 months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gOOters July 17, 2004 Share gOOters Member July 17, 2004 I have a 1.25GHz AMD Athlon. Is that pitiful now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zerodamage July 17, 2004 Share Guest zerodamage Guests July 17, 2004 I guess i'm gonna wait even though doom3 is coming out. I still hope an athlon 2500+ barton will still be a good comp in 3 months You can do like me and overclock it. My 2500 Barton is OC to like 2.2 Ghz right now. It should help with the CPU bottleneck with the new x800 cards until I upgrade in the fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Kill3r July 17, 2004 Share All Kill3r Member July 17, 2004 What would you guys do?? Wait on the X800 to drop? How much do you think it will cost by September? I don't know how much of a gamer you are, and what your current specs are. I'm only guessing, but in 2 months i would guess the x800 will still be about the same price it is now, i'd say it won't drop a whole lot for a good 6months. I have a 1.25GHz AMD Athlon. Is that pitiful now? its fine for CS. If you got a newer video card, it would be a huge bottleneck though, holding your card back from its full potential. Your PC is only as good as the weak link. ZD, you on stock HSF or an upgrade ? 2.2 isn't bad, but i would bet you could push that baby some more if you wanted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceMcbanon July 17, 2004 Author Share AceMcbanon Member July 17, 2004 My motherboard has a high performance setting but it also says it might not be reliable so i'm sorta scared to overclock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Kill3r July 17, 2004 Share All Kill3r Member July 17, 2004 all mobo's warn you of instability issue's that you could run into when going out of their spec by overclocking. Thats the risk you take when you come to this side of the fence. A 'high performance" setting though ? Is that RAM related or chipset ? That wouldn't be considered overclocking. If you have performance options in your bios i would give them a shot, if its unstable or will not boot, just back it down a notch, but its not overlcocking, and it doesn't void your warrenty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zerodamage July 17, 2004 Share Guest zerodamage Guests July 17, 2004 I am using one of those Aero Cool coolers. They are designed like a turbine engine and are loud. I got it cheap at my store and it was better than stock cooling. It is harder to keep clean though due to it's design and to get max cooling it makes way too much noise for me. I haven't replaced it because I am going to upgrade cpu/mobo in the fall. Video card and Memory is my next purchase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Kill3r July 17, 2004 Share All Kill3r Member July 17, 2004 what kinda RAM you lookin for ? namely a 512 kit or a gig kit ? i've got some Winbound BH5 kits im gonna unleash after FragFest, they all do 245fsb with 3.18v, thats cpu dependant so they could go farther... 1x Muskin, 1xCorsair and 2xKingston kits.... all 2x256 2-2-2 if thats what your in the market for lemme know, their gonna be getting sold shortly. Their all cream of the crop kits. I hear ya on the loud thing... i'll be deaf in 5 years at this pace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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