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Thread: ATI cards

  1. #1
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    ATI cards

    I've been thinking about getting a different Video card, and was looking at the ATI cards.

    I was comparing the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro to the Radeo 9800 Pro, and noticed hardly any differnce other than a 80mhz core speed gain in the 9800. The 9600 was about $150 cheaper to. Am I missing something here or is the 9600 basically the same card with the same preformance as the 9800.

    Also I was looking at the Geforce FX line and noticed a 200 mhz gain in the DDR speed over the ATI Radeons.

    Now this computer its going in is a heavy duty gaming PC/Workstation/server/test machine. lol

    Any Ideas on the better of the cards?
    =

  2. #2
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    I don't keep on top of the newest things like I should.. I'm not much of a gamer.
    additionally, I'm not trying to be rude either but google pretty much shows many discussions about it and most say the difference isn't really noticeable.

    this isn't the best (written) review I've seen but for what it's worth here's one on the RADEON 9800 Pro

  3. #3
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hi cheyenne,

    Over the past few years I have used both nVidia and ATI products. They are the two major players in this sector of the market, and there really isn't much between them that you would notice. Remember that benchmark tests really only show how good the product is at benchmark tests

    You really need "balance" so you have to look at what your monitor can handle as well, or you will just be wasting your money? "bragging rights are not as good value as beer IMHO"

    I am no gaming expert, but I have noticed that there are two basic types, the strategy variety, that do not have that sophisticated graphics requirements, but like lots of fast RAM; and the action games that need good graphics. from what I have heard, the 9600 is a pretty good all round card for the money, but so are the GeForces.

    A big question is going to be OSes. You have to be careful if you run *nix because of driver issues . Also some games don't like certain cards, and some MoBos are problematic.

    I think that both manufacturers host forums, so I would visit them and see what you can find from guys actually using the kit? Might also be worth going to the games websites for the same information?

    At the end of the day I would go on price rather than theory and marketing hype.

    Cheers & Merry Xmas

  4. #4
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    I will be using Windows XP for my OS.

    I'll probably end up going with Nvidia as thats what I've always ran and have never had problems with them. Besides that the clock and memory speeds were faster.
    =

  5. #5
    AO French Antique News Whore
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    cheyenne1212, Clock Speed is not that huge factor in Video Card. You got to see about the number of pixel pipelines, what version of pixel pipelines is supported, the number of vertex shader and that version of vertex shader is supported.

    I got a lot of technical information link but they are all in french!
    -Simon \"SDK\"

  6. #6
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    Won't google translate a link to English?

    Go ahead and give me the link maybe I'll get it translated somehow.

    In your opinion, whats better Geforce FX 5900 or the Radeon 9800 pro?
    =

  7. #7
    AO French Antique News Whore
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    What I been reading recently, the Geforce FX 5900 beat a Radeon 9600XT in benchmark test. But you have to read a lot on that before...

    French Benchmark : http://www.materiel.be/cg/21cg/page1.php
    Anothre French BenchMark : http://www.3dchips-fr.com/articles/a...hp?IDa=131&p=1

    Not sure if Google will translated with all those techninal name. I'm sure if you a search on google on video card review, you'll find good info in English.

    I think I lost my very techninal french link about vertex shader and pixel pipelines.

    I quick research on google http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...+vertex+shader gave me a nice link http://www20.tomshardware.com/graphi...116/index.html

    Good Luck
    -Simon \"SDK\"

  8. #8
    Jaded Network Admin nebulus200's Avatar
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    I have my Radeon 9800 Pro and love it, every game, at least at the moment, I can have in all its full gory detail and it is quite smooth. A while back Tom's hardware had some good articles comparing not only the nvidia and ati cards, but chipsets and processors as well (they all affect your fps).
    Look around for them, they should be near the top.

    /nebulus

    FOOTNOTE (from personal experience): Stay the hell away from the non-retail ATI cards (saphire is one of them). I could never get one to stay stable for over 30 minutes. Since using the ATI retail cards I have had no such problems and they are directly supported by ATI (unlike the saphirre cards).

    There is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect...There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it. Our only hope, our only peace is to understand it, to understand the 'why'. 'Why' is what separates us from them, you from me. 'Why' is the only real social power, without it you are powerless.

    (Merovingian - Matrix Reloaded)

  9. #9
    Old-Fogey:Addicts founder Terr's Avatar
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    Can someone enlighten me on the Radeon 9600 group for a second here?

    So there are three varieties: PRO, XT, and SE. And if it says nothing it's probably SE...

    And then there's EZ-version, which is crappier memory or something? Is anyone in the know about these odd schemes? I've been pricewatch-ing for Radeon 9600s for a bit and there's a lot of confusion and/or mislabling that seems to go on. Basically I'm trying to think of a $90-$130 Christmas Card to stave off the obsolescence blues.
    [HvC]Terr: L33T Technical Proficiency

  10. #10
    AO French Antique News Whore
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    Ok Terr, this is gonna be painfull but let try it!

    Usually, hardware change alot but ATI and Nvidia are stuck now, they are working on PCI-Express video card now who should be release in the 2st semester of 2004. ATI release their VPU for Radeon 9000 serie 1 years ago!!

    At first, they release 2 card each for each VPU. A Radeon 9*00 and a Radeon 9*00 Pro. The different was PRO was more performance because of the CPU/Memory Clock Speed has upgrade but cost more.

    But those card were getting very old!! ATI Radeon 9800 Pro (Who still the best card on the market) was release in February 2003! That 10 months ago and that damm old for hardware equipement!! So for christmas, ATI decided to renew is Radeon line. They release improve VPU, R360 for Radeon 9800 TX who have 42 more MHz in the VPU and 15 more MHZ in Memory. For the Radeon 9600, they had 100 MHz to the VPU and and nothing to the Memory MHZ)

    Right now, their 9 video cards from ATI on the market.

    Low-End : Radeon 9200 --> Upgrade to Radeon 9200 Pro --> Upgrade to Radeon 9200 SE
    Mid-End- : Radeon 9600 --> Upgrade to Radeon 9600 Pro --> Upgrade to Radeon 9600 XT
    High-End : Radeon 9800 --> Upgrade to Radeon 9800 Pro --> Upgrade to Radeon 9800 XT.

    Basically, it's the same, ATI is just keeping their Radeon line up to date with VPU clock/memory speed pumping!

    Hope I help! Happy X-Mas!

    P.S. VPU = Video Processing Unit
    -Simon \"SDK\"

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