9800pro 128bit

[jim1976]

So we went yesterday to buy some components for my friend's new rig.
We asked for 9800pro Sapphire 128mb, took it and left the store.
After we builted the system,formatted and installed drivers etc etc, we ran some benches to see what was going on.
I ran benchemall and the default benchmark from Farcry. It gave 35fps. I found it curious because with a similar system like mine (with same drivers) I was getting 44-47 fps.
Run dxdiag everything ok. Ran Atitool and WTF? Core 320(i think) / ram 290. I immediately thought of the 128bit 9800pro cards and I pressed properties. And yes it was a 128bit card.
To be honest I haven't checked the retail box in the first place,but I check the market and I haven't seen any sign of that bus. We immediately checked the retail box and WTF? It said 256bit!! :shocked:
And most of all I imagine the price should have been lower in the first place right?

I cannot believe the fraud that some ppl commit against us sometimes.
Today we are heading for the store. We will kick some serious butt$.

* just for info, do u know how this card perform in general? We might keep it for free

 

[LTC8K6]

There were lots of threads on that board when it came out. Sapphire initially called it a 9800pro, but later changed the name. I believe they agreed to some sort of compensation to those who had been fooled by the name 9800pro on a card with only 128bit ram.

It is essentially a higher clocked 9500pro. If you will look back at 9500pro benches, you will have a good idea of the expected performance.

 

[jim1976]

Yes but the box was sayin 256bit. Isn't that a fraud?

 

[LTC8K6]

I don't know if it's actaully fraud or if it's a result of Sapphire calling the card a 9800pro. That confused a lot of people.

If you paid for a 9800pro, you should definitely get a 9800pro.

You certainly have a legitimate complaint. I would not accept getting a 9500pro when I paid for a 9800pro.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Yeah it might just have gotten packaged wrong. If you want you can take it back. If not you can download the latest Omega Drivers and try your luck with the softmod. If that works there is no need to go through the hassle of returning it.

-Kevin

 

[jim1976]

The box said 256bit architecture. It's a complete fraud IMO.
I don't know and quite frankly I don't care,if it's a Sapphire mistake or the shop give the 128bit cards in 256bit boxes. As long as I paid for a genuine 256bit 9800pro as you said, I'm expecting this.

But if it's the shop that commited the fraud, man , they are in deep $hit.

 

[LTC8K6]

Softmod what? It's already an 8 pipe card, and you can't softmod 128bit ram into 256bit.

 

[jim1976]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Yeah it might just have gotten packaged wrong. If you want you can take it back. If not you can download the latest Omega Drivers and try your luck with the softmod. If that works there is no need to go through the hassle of returning it.

-Kevin

Thankz but I'll not softmod a card that I've paid for excessive money.

 

[LTC8K6]

256 bit architecture means the core is 256bit I believe, not the memory.

If the box says 9800Pro, and the card only has 128bit ram, then your complaint should probably be with Sapphire.

 

[jim1976]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
256 bit architecture means the core is 256bit I believe, not the memory.

If the box says 9800Pro, and the card only has 128bit ram, then your complaint should probably be with Sapphire.

Yeah but the ram is nowhere near 337.5 . 290??
edit * and the core is 320 IIRC. 256bit core?? Nowhere near 378.

 

[LTC8K6]

Here you go...Sapphire apologizes.

 

[jim1976]

That's not the box. :shocked:
Crosses his fingers and prepares for a fight....

 

[Duisigh]

There's no fight. You're right. They're wrong. You got frauded. They fix it.

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: Duisigh
There's no fight. You're right. They're wrong. You got frauded. They fix it.

But it looks like he got it RETAIL.

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
256 bit architecture means the core is 256bit I believe, not the memory.

If the box says 9800Pro, and the card only has 128bit ram, then your complaint should probably be with Sapphire.

No, memory. The core is DX9...128-bit from start to finish. Any mention of 64- or 256-bit is for the RAM.

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: Cerb

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
256 bit architecture means the core is 256bit I believe, not the memory.

If the box says 9800Pro, and the card only has 128bit ram, then your complaint should probably be with Sapphire.

No, memory. The core is DX9...128-bit from start to finish. Any mention of 64- or 256-bit is for the RAM.

It's pretty common for video manufacturers to call a card 256bit when the memory sucks. The GPU IS 256bit, as in specs of this PNY GF FX 5200:
http://www.pny.com/products/verto/geForceFx/5200agp.asp

In this case they are very specific that it is the GPU/core, but I've seen my fair share of internet descriptions that are significantly more misleading, like the same card listed at dealtime:
http://www.dealtime.com/xPF-PNY_20758396

'Data Width' 256-bit ?!? Sounds like memory to me, but we ALL know that there are no 5200s with 256-bit memory bus width.

Were I the OP, I'd first take the card back to the retailer. If they refuse, I'd take it up with Sapphire. In any event, I wouldn't keep the card, the 128 bit memory 9800"Pros" are severely overpriced.