9800np reccomendations

[azntiger0586]

i am planning to get a 9800np from sapphire. i dont plan to overclock the card. but just is there more then 1 version of this? if so, would any version make a big difference for a non-overclocker? and would a 9700p be better then a 9800np for a non-overclocker? many thanks

 

[Corporate Thug]

9800np is slightly better than a 9700 pro. sapphire is a good name, i'd got for it. i think powercolor makes a 9800 non pro but i would still get the sapphire

 

[Questi4110]

Wrong, the 9700pro is clocked higher than the 9800np. It is fairly easy to overclock both cards but the 9800np i think can go further. All you need is a simple program where you move a slider up and down and then test to see if your games have artifacts in them.

Hope this helps

 

[rickon66]

A lot of people(including myself) have been having good luck with the Sapphire 9800np's from newegg. The Samsung 3.3 memory has been overclocking nicely. Mine is stable at 430 core & 370 memory and I have not tried to run it higher yet.

 

[azntiger0586]

so in general without overclocking.. is 9800np better then 9700pro , i dont plan to overclock.

 

[Questi4110]

not without overclocking, the 9700 is better in terms of performance. However, i think in the future that 9800 card will have more use since it has more features which would make games look better (search for 9800 in forums and there is one post that also has a 9700pro comparison with the 9800np or the 9800np to 9800 pro).

 

[rickon66]

The difference in performance between a 9700pro and a 9800np are negligable. The 9800 has some enhancements that may prove worthwile in the future.

 

[azntiger0586]

Originally posted by: rickon66
Mine is stable at 430 core & 370 memory and I have not tried to run it higher yet.

is this with using stock fan and heatsink that came with 9800np sapphire from newegg?
did u flash your bios to 9800p?

 

[rickon66]

430/370 is with stock heatsink&fan, but I do have plenty of case airflow. This card has run so good that I did not even taken off the heatsink/fan to check for thermal compound, which I usually do. I did flash it to the pro bios and I am using Cat 3.6 drivers with radclocker. I have got it set to boot at 400/340 and only set it higher to benchmark, etc.

 

[dripgoss]

I second that vote for a Sapphire 9800np. I too got the Samsung 3.3 version (only from allstarshop.com) for $250 plus free shipping. I have it running stock HSF @ 400/350 boot with no artifacts or issues of any kind... I didin't even have to flash to the Pro BIOS. It's amazing how solid this 3.3 RAM is at 350.

If you buy the 9800np, you owe it to yourself to install the newest Omega hacked drivers (based on cat3.6). No soft mods, no messy volt mods... Just use the included Radclocker to bump that sucker up. It's so easy and painless to OC this card, you have no reason NOT to... I'm not a numbers and benches kinda guy, but I noticed a huge real world gaming improvement over the stock Cat3.6 and card out of the box at 324/290!!!