9800p -> 9800xt

[Alydis817]

Hi all....

A 9800p 256/256 card runs roughly $300-350. The Sapphire in particular goes as low as $250. I'm interested in flashing the firmare into the 9800XTs. I've read this guide (http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=3&var1=92&var2=0, and the results look promising.

A 9800p 256/128 (I assume this means 256-bit, 128 MB RAM) is often in the sub $200 range. I've looked through several benchmarks comparing the 9800p and the 9800XT. The difference doesn't seem that great. Rather than risk a mod (and hence voiding warranty) and spending an extra $50-100 + a new HS+Fan, should I just stick to the 128MB version of the 9800p?

Another possibility is to try to find a 9800p 256/128 w/ a R360 core and flash to a 9800XT with only 128MB of RAM. Does anyone know where you can find a reliable source of 9800p 256/128's with the R360 core?

 

[killedradiostar]

yet another option is to pony up another fifty bucks and grab a 6800GT or X800pro!

sorry for the tangent.

 

[railer]

Anybody who buys the xt has more money than brains, and most of the people who do have them don't have that much money in the first place, so what does that tell you? You answered your own question. Look at the benches between the two, then look at the price difference. Not a hard decision IMO.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: Alydis817
Hi all....

A 9800p 256/256 card runs roughly $300-350. The Sapphire in particular goes as low as $250. I'm interested in flashing the firmare into the 9800XTs. I've read this guide (http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=3&var1=92&var2=0, and the results look promising.

A 9800p 256/128 (I assume this means 256-bit, 128 MB RAM) is often in the sub $200 range. I've looked through several benchmarks comparing the 9800p and the 9800XT. The difference doesn't seem that great. Rather than risk a mod (and hence voiding warranty) and spending an extra $50-100 + a new HS+Fan, should I just stick to the 128MB version of the 9800p?

Another possibility is to try to find a 9800p 256/128 w/ a R360 core and flash to a 9800XT with only 128MB of RAM. Does anyone know where you can find a reliable source of 9800p 256/128's with the R360 core?

Stick with the 128MB version of the 9800Pro (can be had for <$200) or shell out some extra bucks to get an X800 Pro or a 6800GT. The 256/256 9800 Pro is a waste of money at $300 and up; even for $250 it's a ripoff because you can find a 6800nu for that price.

 

[Alydis817]

Originally posted by: railer
Anybody who buys the xt has more money than brains, and most of the people who do have them don't have that much money in the first place, so what does that tell you? You answered your own question. Look at the benches between the two, then look at the price difference. Not a hard decision IMO.

I think you misunderstood my question. I'm not trying to buy a 9800xt.

I'm debating to buy a 9800Pro 256/256 and mod to 9800XT

OR

Buy a 9800Pro 256/128 and leave it alone.

The real question is... after looking at the benchmarks... do you think its worth the extra $50-150 get a 9800p 256/256 and mod it to a 9800xt? or, should i save my money and stay with a 9800p 256/128 (if i'm not going to mod, I may as well stick with 128 MB version).

 

[Alydis817]

Originally posted by: jiffylube1024

Originally posted by: Alydis817
Hi all....

A 9800p 256/256 card runs roughly $300-350. The Sapphire in particular goes as low as $250. I'm interested in flashing the firmare into the 9800XTs. I've read this guide (http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=3&amp;var1=92&amp;var2=0, and the results look promising.

A 9800p 256/128 (I assume this means 256-bit, 128 MB RAM) is often in the sub $200 range. I've looked through several benchmarks comparing the 9800p and the 9800XT. The difference doesn't seem that great. Rather than risk a mod (and hence voiding warranty) and spending an extra $50-100 + a new HS+Fan, should I just stick to the 128MB version of the 9800p?

Another possibility is to try to find a 9800p 256/128 w/ a R360 core and flash to a 9800XT with only 128MB of RAM. Does anyone know where you can find a reliable source of 9800p 256/128's with the R360 core?

Stick with the 128MB version of the 9800Pro (can be had for <$200) or shell out some extra bucks to get an X800 Pro or a 6800GT. The 256/256 9800 Pro is a waste of money at $300 and up; even for $250 it's a ripoff because you can find a 6800nu for that price.

Hmm.. I don't know much about the nVidia line-up nowadays. Actually, I don't know much about the ATI lineup either. Can you make a short list of the nvidia cards out there, and match them up with their equivalent ATI card (in terms of performance, not price)?

I know the X800 and the 6800U are about even. But what about the 6800GT? You recommended a 6800nu (non ultra?), so I assume that outperforms a 9800XT.

 

[killedradiostar]

no. the boost in performance from modding a 256 9800p is not worth the money. if you want to spend money, spend a bit more and get one of the new 6800GTs or x800pros.

 

[GeneralGrievous]

even for $250 it's a ripoff because you can find a 6800nu for that price

Where can I get a 6800 nu for that price?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: railer
Anybody who buys the xt has more money than brains, and most of the people who do have them don't have that much money in the first place, so what does that tell you? You answered your own question. Look at the benches between the two, then look at the price difference. Not a hard decision IMO.

and you are wrong.

:roll:

My "xt" cost $223 shipped from NewEgg last month.

it began as a 256/256MB ATI Radeon Pro and after the flash is now a genuine 9800XT with Thermal diode enabled and OverDrive "on".

The XT has about a +10% improvement (in the newest games) over the 128MB Radeon Pro . . . in a few m0onths that difference will become important.

And the 256/256MB ATI Radeon Pro ("XT") is $265 shipped from NewEgg.

EDIT: ALL of the naysayers canNOT provide any "real" links to AVAILABLE 6800GTs or x800Pros for cheap. blah blah blah

:roll:

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: railer
Anybody who buys the xt has more money than brains, and most of the people who do have them don't have that much money in the first place, so what does that tell you? You answered your own question. Look at the benches between the two, then look at the price difference. Not a hard decision IMO.

and you are wrong.

:roll:

My "xt" cost $223 shipped from NewEgg last month.

it began as a 256/256MB ATI Radeon Pro and after the flash is now a genuine 9800XT with Thermal diode enabled and OverDrive "on".

The XT has about a +10% improvement (in the newest games) over the 128MB Radeon Pro . . . in a few m0onths that difference will become important.

And the 256/256MB ATI Radeon Pro ("XT") is $265 shipped from NewEgg.

However, you seem to continually ignore that a $205 (or whatever it is on Newegg right now) 256-bit, 128MB 9800Pro that OCs to XT speeds gives the *same* performance -- it just lacks the thermal diode and OverDrive. You'll have to decide if they're worth the extra $20.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: railer
Anybody who buys the xt has more money than brains, and most of the people who do have them don't have that much money in the first place, so what does that tell you? You answered your own question. Look at the benches between the two, then look at the price difference. Not a hard decision IMO.

and you are wrong.

:roll:

My "xt" cost $223 shipped from NewEgg last month.

it began as a 256/256MB ATI Radeon Pro and after the flash is now a genuine 9800XT with Thermal diode enabled and OverDrive "on".

The XT has about a +10% improvement (in the newest games) over the 128MB Radeon Pro . . . in a few m0onths that difference will become important.

And the 256/256MB ATI Radeon Pro ("XT") is $265 shipped from NewEgg.

However, you seem to continually ignore that a $205 (or whatever it is on Newegg right now) 256-bit, 128MB 9800Pro that OCs to XT speeds gives the *same* performance -- it just lacks the thermal diode and OverDrive. You'll have to decide if they're worth the extra $20.

is it a problem you have with actually reading my posts or comprehending them?
(edit: you ARE right; i AM ignoring the 128MB version; the original poster didn;t ask about it and a flash to the XT is slightly riskier and can make no use of the XT's thermal (protection also) features. PLUS - with newer games - that extra 128MB is gonna come in real handy)
:roll:

The 256bit/256MB Radeon Pro is the one i am continually referring to as having bought one from NewEgg last month for $223 and is NOW $265.

It has (after the bios flash):

1) the r360 Core
2) Thermal Diode (and Overdrive enabled)
3) XT speeds
4) the same Hynix 2.5ns memory

the 256/256 Radeon Pro is IDENTICAL to the XT except for the BIOS (easily flashed) and the VGA cooler (the sapphire Pro cooler evidentlystinks; my ATI one is evidently sufficient)

:roll:

EDIT: The 256/128MB Radeon Pro (r360 core) is NOT the same as the XT when flashed. The original poster did not consider this card. Some Warnings Before You Flash!/Flashing A 128MB Radeon 9800 Pro

 

[apoppin]

Check Hot Deals (now)

The 256/256 ATI 9800Pro ("XT") is back at NewEgg for $223.

it's a real card that's really available at awesome bang-4-bux

 

[LocutusX]

Originally posted by: Alydis817
Another possibility is to try to find a 9800p 256/128 w/ a R360 core and flash to a 9800XT with only 128MB of RAM. Does anyone know where you can find a reliable source of 9800p 256/128's with the R360 core?

Don't worry. They ALL have R360 cores if they've been manufactured in the last 6 months. And unless you're buying it from "Evil Bart's Bargain Computer Hardware - Not Stolen!" it'll be recent.

What we really need, though, is an R9800XT firmware sufficiently hacked so while it unlocks the new features of the R360 (optimized Shader functions) it doesn't upclock the GPU/mem so you can safely use it without upgrading heatsink/fan, etc. Oh, and it should be a 128MB firmware since the 256MB boards always have better quality RAM and so can overclock much easier - they can usually use the plain 9800XT firmware without too much problem.

(Note that I'm referring mainly to BBA stuff... don't know what Sapphire or ASUS does. If they're still selling R9800P stock that they acquired ages ago they may have R350 cores)

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: LocutusX

Originally posted by: Alydis817
Another possibility is to try to find a 9800p 256/128 w/ a R360 core and flash to a 9800XT with only 128MB of RAM. Does anyone know where you can find a reliable source of 9800p 256/128's with the R360 core?

Don't worry. They ALL have R360 cores if they've been manufactured in the last 6 months. And unless you're buying it from "Evil Bart's Bargain Computer Hardware - Not Stolen!" it'll be recent.

What we really need, though, is an R9800XT firmware sufficiently hacked so while it unlocks the new features of the R360 (optimized Shader functions) it doesn't upclock the GPU/mem so you can safely use it without upgrading heatsink/fan, etc. Oh, and it should be a 128MB firmware since the 256MB boards always have better quality RAM and so can overclock much easier - they can usually use the plain 9800XT firmware without too much problem.

(Note that I'm referring mainly to BBA stuff... don't know what Sapphire or ASUS does. If they're still selling R9800P stock that they acquired ages ago they may have R350 cores)

WHY bother with a 128MB version when you can have the "real deal" - 256/256 for only $223?
Curious?!

ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card, 256MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP -RETAIL - $223.50 shipped

:roll:

 

[LocutusX]

i'm not going to argue with you about prices since i don't even deal in yankee dollars.

in canada the 256/256 is much much more than the equivalent of USD$223 converted to canuck dollars.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: LocutusX
i'm not going to argue with you about prices since i don't even deal in yankee dollars.

in canada the 256/256 is much much more than the equivalent of USD$223 converted to canuck dollars.

i c



i don't think about Canada much until a tourist from "Beautiful BC" cuts me off on the hi-way . . .



:roll: