I don't think there is much question that the 9700 Pro or 9800 Pro is a better card, but for the casual gamer the 9600 XT should be more than adequate.
I usually play at 1024 x 768 without AA & AF. I find Call of Duty, the Far Cry demos, Doom 3 Demo, etc. can run well enough to be enjoyable on my GeForce3. I think the 9600 XT will be a big upgrade, and nothing will touch the price if this $86 deal actually works out, especially for a brand new card.
There are some of us that don't want to deal with the potential hassles of auctions, used cards, referbs, etc. Even at $130.00 a 9700 pro is over 50% more expensive. I would rather use the difference toward a 512 MB stick of ram or a DVD burner.
Anyway, I still hope the deal goes through. I placed the order yesterday, but it has not shippped yet. Good luck to all those who are trying.
Edit:
I just received email that it shipped on 12/30/04, and it should be here by 1/5/05.
Email from ATI on 1/12/05 said my rebate went through and should be on my credit card in a few days.