Yet Another "This One or That One" Question

Z

zCase

n00b
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Nov 7, 2003
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Hi all,

Radeon 9700 Pros (128MB) and 96009XTs (256MB) are almost identical in price these days, which would you choose?

Thanks!

Ken
 
zCase said:
Hi all,

Radeon 9700 Pros (128MB) and 96009XTs (256MB) are almost identical in price these days, which would you choose?

Thanks!

Ken
Click to expand...

id smack you if you bought a 9600xt over a 9700pro.
 
Dang Jason,

U're just 2[H]4 me.... :D

I fully understand your recommendation and I appreciate it, Thanks!

Ken
 
9700pro. There's just no way the 9600 can compete, sure it's got twice the memory, but if it can't use it effectively, what's the point?!
 
9700 pro hands down, even though it is based off the .15 micron manufacturing process and it's hotter than a son of a bitch, it's got a 256-bit mem. interface, and it's got 8 pixel pipes, as apposed to the 128-bit mem. interface of the 9600 and the 4 pipes it's got. get the 9700 pro.
 
9600XTs are in the $160 range. You are so close to a 9800Pro ($190-ish), that you may as well move up to the 9800Pro. Alternatively, you could try the Powercolor 9800SE-->9800Pro mod for $145 shipped at newegg.com.
 
Thanks for all the great input and thanks for not flaming my obvious clueless state about this no brainer.

AACI_CIO, can the 9800SE be modded to 9800 Pro specs for sure? What are the details? I've never modded a vid card before but I'm sure I can do it with the right info.

I am building this box for a rising college freshman to take to school this fall and I was on a pretty tight budget, otherwise I'd be going with a 9800 Pro at least but it's not my money so the SE mod looks like a good alternative.

Thanks again,

Ken

Addendum:

Ok, I have been doing some research since I first wrote this reply and it seems that I can mod the 9800SE using either the OCFaq Patch or the Omega Driver. This can have one of three outcomes, either a functional equivalent of a 9800 Pro, or beau coup artifacts, or an unbootable machine.

But what I haven't seen, and it appears to be pretty much a crap shoot is, how to tell to what degree the 9800SE I end up with is modable. I understand that the worst you can come out is reverting back to regular drivers and having a 9800SE card but then that wouldn't be as good as a functioning 9700 Pro would it? Also it was highly recommended to get a better heatsink. So, given the "iffy" nature of the mod outcome, and the cost of an after market heatsink, it seems it would be better to come off the extra $30-$40 and get a 9800 Pro from the git go.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
 
zCase said:
Thanks for all the great input and thanks for not flaming my obvious clueless state about this no brainer.

AACI_CIO, can the 9800SE be modded to 9800 Pro specs for sure? What are the details? I've never modded a vid card before but I'm sure I can do it with the right info.

I am building this box for a rising college freshman to take to school this fall and I was on a pretty tight budget, otherwise I'd be going with a 9800 Pro at least but it's not my money so the SE mod looks like a good alternative.

Thanks again,

Ken

Addendum:

Ok, I have been doing some research since I first wrote this reply and it seems that I can mod the 9800SE using either the OCFaq Patch or the Omega Driver. This can have one of three outcomes, either a functional equivalent of a 9800 Pro, or beau coup artifacts, or an unbootable machine.

But what I haven't seen, and it appears to be pretty much a crap shoot is, how to tell to what degree the 9800SE I end up with is modable. I understand that the worst you can come out is reverting back to regular drivers and having a 9800SE card but then that wouldn't be as good as a functioning 9700 Pro would it? Also it was highly recommended to get a better heatsink. So, given the "iffy" nature of the mod outcome, and the cost of an after market heatsink, it seems it would be better to come off the extra $30-$40 and get a 9800 Pro from the git go.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Get a 9800pro 128mb you'll be much happier with it, and it will go alot further than a 9700pro and saves hassle on the 9800SE
 
1 Powercolor 9800 Pro is on it's way to the airtight garage as we speak.

Along with Mushkin DDR, an Epox nForce board, an AMD 2600+ and a black Newegg T-shirt. :)

Now to fire up the Dremel and start cutting up that Chieftec. :eek:

Thanks guys,

Ken
 
you listened to that moron who said "saves hassle" on the 9800se?

Yea real hassle, install default catalyst driver, open menu click 8 pipelines, close and save... save 40 bucks... oh yea real hassle.. sigh :rolleyes: some ppl have more money than sense.

Sure there's a chance you'd get a 9800se that wouldn't go 8 pipeline but from the reviews I've seen it's very rare with the 256 bit ram bus se's. And even if it didn't softmod it'd still perform better than a 9600xt... and it's cheaper than an xt too.

~Adam
 
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