Please no flames for the luke warm price, this is the price you pay to get an item before it is available anywhere else.
I received this email from ATI yesterday lettign me know of a special preorder event on the 9700 that lets you get the 9700 pro before release, allegedly next week, who know when you will actually be able to get them in hand. Most of the stores I saw allowing preorder of the card were charging $20 S/H. If you pay $20 to have this package shipped, it is supposed to be in your hands Friday.
Granted the price is not cheap but that is what you pay direct from ATI and to have them throw in a Remote Wonder IR remote control. Here is a link to the ATI store, choose the Gamerpack if interested. I think 3 day shipping was ~20 bucks.
If you are interested in what the exact text of the promotion email was, it is pasted as follows.
Dear mr x,
RADEON? 9700 PRO with REMOTE WONDER? is now available at www.ati.com for a limited time.
Be one of the first ones to own the fastest 3D gaming performance graphics card in the world. With 128MB DDR RAM, 8X AGP support and complete Microsoft® DirectX® 9 support, this board rocks.
This limited time offer also comes with REMOTE WONDER?. Now you can get more from your ATI graphics and multimedia products with the ATI REMOTE WONDER?. This wireless radio frequency remote control eliminates the need to aim so you can now operate your PC from another room, even through your walls.
This limited time offer is available exclusively online at www.ati.com for $449 USD plus shipping and handling.
Edit: tried fixing linktwice, this link should put you straight to the store ordering page but something with the AT forum scripting kept adding an extra http: in front of the link, should work now...
I received this email from ATI yesterday lettign me know of a special preorder event on the 9700 that lets you get the 9700 pro before release, allegedly next week, who know when you will actually be able to get them in hand. Most of the stores I saw allowing preorder of the card were charging $20 S/H. If you pay $20 to have this package shipped, it is supposed to be in your hands Friday.
Granted the price is not cheap but that is what you pay direct from ATI and to have them throw in a Remote Wonder IR remote control. Here is a link to the ATI store, choose the Gamerpack if interested. I think 3 day shipping was ~20 bucks.
If you are interested in what the exact text of the promotion email was, it is pasted as follows.
Dear mr x,
RADEON? 9700 PRO with REMOTE WONDER? is now available at www.ati.com for a limited time.
Be one of the first ones to own the fastest 3D gaming performance graphics card in the world. With 128MB DDR RAM, 8X AGP support and complete Microsoft® DirectX® 9 support, this board rocks.
This limited time offer also comes with REMOTE WONDER?. Now you can get more from your ATI graphics and multimedia products with the ATI REMOTE WONDER?. This wireless radio frequency remote control eliminates the need to aim so you can now operate your PC from another room, even through your walls.
This limited time offer is available exclusively online at www.ati.com for $449 USD plus shipping and handling.
Edit: tried fixing linktwice, this link should put you straight to the store ordering page but something with the AT forum scripting kept adding an extra http: in front of the link, should work now...