128 or 256 mb video card?

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elcoro2005

Member
Aug 3, 2004
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Im thinking abouth getting a new video card, should i get the Radeon 9800 or should i go into the 256mb world? im looking for a -200 card... so what can you recomend me?
 
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ggnl

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2004
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The general consensus is that 256mb cards don't significantly increase performance in most games. Of course this will change eventually (Doom 3 seems to benefit from the increased memory) but for most of today's games you should be ok with a 128mb card.
 
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CVSiN

Diamond Member
Jul 19, 2004
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Id say that with the future in mind being that just about every cutting edge engine is most likely going to support large textures that you try to get 256 unless you dont do much gaming, or CAD or anything else thats extremely graphic intensive. 64 meg cards at this point in technology are extremely underpowered and will most likely make the unsupported cards list very soon on newer products.
 
HeroOfPellinor

HeroOfPellinor

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
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Originally posted by: elcoro2005
ATI Radeon 9800 PRO AGP 8X 256mb DDR Video Card w/TV-Out & DVI\ is it any good?
Click to expand...

It's fine, but is $50 less than a 6800 with 128MB that will annihilate it in Doom 3.
 
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DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
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The catch is that it is much slower than the 9800 Pro.

It's much more important to have a fast card than a 256 MB card. 256 MB on a slow card is utterly useless.
 
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iwantanewcomputer

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2004
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Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
The catch is that it is much slower than the 9800 Pro.

It's much more important to have a fast card than a 256 MB card. 256 MB on a slow card is utterly useless.
Click to expand...

definatly get the 9800 over that. if you want to play a bunch of high end video games without upgrading for 3 years, then get the 9800 pro 256if you want to spend more $ for great performance get the 6800

the 9800 pro 128 should be great for the near future though, the 128 ram might be a bottleneck in games two years away
 
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HermDogg

Golden Member
Jul 29, 2004
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I'd say go with the 128 good card rather than the 256 crappy. Trust me, you must learn from my mistakes... I bought a 256 card, and its nothing but crap.
 
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oupei

Senior member
Jun 16, 2003
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there's a 9800pro256MB at microcenter for $230 + $6 shipping, look in the deals forum

edit: oops, not $130, it's $230
 
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imported_jediknight

Senior member
Jun 24, 2004
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I'd go with the 256MB Radeon 9800 Pro.. if you get one with the R360 core, it can be modded into an XT simply by flashing the bios (you might need a VGA cooler, though..). Either way, that will void your warranty, so just be careful.

There was a website I saw about this.. but I can't find it.

Although personally, I'll be running mine at stock.. at least until I find something that really needs the boost..
 
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ggnl

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2004
5,095
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Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
Originally posted by: elcoro2005
ATI Radeon 9800 PRO AGP 8X 256mb DDR Video Card w/TV-Out & DVI\ is it any good?
Click to expand...

It's fine, but is $50 less than a 6800 with 128MB that will annihilate it in Doom 3.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: ditto

The only reason to get a 9800pro is if you absolutely cannot come up with the extra cash for a 6800. A 6800 with 128mb will blow away a 9800pro with 256mb in any game (especially Doom 3).

FYI, Doom 3 is a very important benchmark for a couple reasons. First, it is the most demanding game on the market right now, and games that place high requirements on your hardware tend to highlight the true performance differences between video cards (differences that might not be evident in less demanding games). Second, you can expect to see a lot of games based on the Doom 3 engine in the near future.
 
HeroOfPellinor

HeroOfPellinor

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
1
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Originally posted by: oupei
there's a 9800pro256MB at microcenter for $130 + $6 shipping, look in the deals forum
Click to expand...

That's $230 + $6 shipping. The 6800 Vanilla is $283 shipped from Newegg.
 
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Gurck

Banned
Mar 16, 2004
12,963
1
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sub-$200 cards aren't fast enough to really benefit much from 256mb of memory, and if that's your max price you'd definitely be doing yourself a favor buying a 128mb 256bit 9800pro. Amount of memory is one of the last things that affects video card speed, I'm not sure why so many people seem to think it's the only thing that counts. This misconception, combined with a credit card, makes for situations that make me shake my head in pity & disgust... Go read the Far Cry forums ;) There're a million posts along the lines of "WTF, my fx5200 won't play Far Cry - it has 256mb ram!!11"
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: elcoro2005
The price difference between the 9800PRO 128mb and 256mb is just 40 dollars.. so it isint worth it?
Click to expand...
it was for me . . . i paid $223 for my ATI 9800Pro 256/256MB shipped from NewEgg a couple of months ago and $15 for a Arctic-Cooling VGA Silencer . . .

i am running Doom iii at Stock 9800XT speeds (it IS an "XT") at 10x7 HiQ 8xAF/2xAA everything 'on' (except vsynch) with NO slowdowns or artifacting . . . worth it ;)

(!)

:)

anything "better" and you're gonna have to get a GF 6800Standard for ~$300 :p
 
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elcoro2005

Member
Aug 3, 2004
59
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0
Well i think im leaning towards the 9800pro 256mb and maybe flashing into an xt.

thanks for the help
 
HeroOfPellinor

HeroOfPellinor

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
1
0
Originally posted by: apoppin
Originally posted by: SonicIce
9800pro 256 is NOT ANY FASTER than 9800pro 128.
Click to expand...
NONSENSE. :p

Yes it is (~4-5% in newer games) and . . .

DEFINITELY faster (~10%) when (simply) flashed to a 9800XT

:roll:

The FACTS are in this link:

The Radeon 9800 Pro To Radeon 9800XT Mod Guide Rev. 4.0!
Click to expand...

LOL. I don't know about Rojakpot or whatever that site was that had no benchmarks, but here's a direct comparison between the 9800 Pro 128MB and the 9800 Pro 256MB.
http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews/review.php?dXJsX3Jldmlld19JRD01NjkmdXJsX3BhZ2U9Nw==

Looks like a 1% increase to me. :) And since we're discussing the performance difference between memory size, that's the relevent discussion.
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
Originally posted by: apoppin
Originally posted by: SonicIce
9800pro 256 is NOT ANY FASTER than 9800pro 128.
Click to expand...
NONSENSE. :p

Yes it is (~4-5% in newer games) and . . .

DEFINITELY faster (~10%) when (simply) flashed to a 9800XT

:roll:

The FACTS are in this link:

The Radeon 9800 Pro To Radeon 9800XT Mod Guide Rev. 4.0!
Click to expand...

LOL. I don't know about Rojakpot or whatever that site was that had no benchmarks, but here's a direct comparison between the 9800 Pro 128MB and the 9800 Pro 256MB.
http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews/review.php?dXJsX3Jldmlld19JRD01NjkmdXJsX3BhZ2U9Nw==

Looks like a 1% increase to me. :) And since we're discussing the performance difference between memory size, that's the relevent discussion.
Click to expand...
Great, ONE benchmark. :p

and i did mention NEWer games (FC/PK/Diii) :p

IF you get a 256/256MB Radeon Pro is is almost "criminal" NOT to flash it. :p

:roll:

of course, what is "relevent" to you . . ..

:roll:
 
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