9800SE softmod

[orangat]

Hi,
I asked for some budget options for a temp card in my earlier post and
after reading about softmodding which would've been the rage some time ago, I'm
now more interested in the 9800SE for its softmodding capabilities.

The powercolor for sale at newegg claims to be 256bit. I'm not going
to OC but just want to open up 4 more pipes to make it a R350 instead of R300
so it would be about a 9800.

Any thoughts?? Does Nvidia have softmod options? Is the powercolor still
using the good PCB?

 

[Jeff7181]

nVidia doesn't have any softmod options because in the last couple generations they haven't crippled a core by reducing the number of pipelines to create a value card.

You CAN flash the BIOS of some 5900XT cards to turn them into a 128 MB FX5950 Ultra... but that's not really a "softmod." It's just a BIOS flash.

Then of course you can overclock nVidia cards in the drivers by installing the coolbits registry patch.

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: orangat
Hi,
I asked for some budget options for a temp card in my earlier post and
after reading about softmodding which would've been the rage some time ago, I'm
now more interested in the 9800SE for its softmodding capabilities.

The powercolor for sale at newegg claims to be 256bit. I'm not going
to OC but just want to open up 4 more pipes to make it a R350 instead of R300
so it would be about a 9800.

Any thoughts?? Does Nvidia have softmod options? Is the powercolor still
using the good PCB?

Even if it is the "right" 9800se, you still only have a 50/50 chance of it working right. I tried it on two different powercolor cards (the 256bit w/ L shaped RAM), and both of them had image problems (the common 'checkerboarding') with the softmod enabled. Of course, it doesn't hurt the card any and if you just install the regular drivers you have a perfectly functional 9800se.

 

[Avalon]

The 256bit Powercolor is the way to go when softmodding a 9800SE. It's already clocked at 9800 pro speeds. That's very odd that both of yours failed, Pinwiz. I guess we all get unlucky sometimes. The Powercolor is supposed to have a success rate in excess of 65%.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: PinwiZ
Even if it is the "right" 9800se, you still only have a 50/50 chance of it working right. I tried it on two different powercolor cards (the 256bit w/ L shaped RAM), and both of them had image problems (the common 'checkerboarding') with the softmod enabled. Of course, it doesn't hurt the card any and if you just install the regular drivers you have a perfectly functional 9800se.

Only 50%? The Powercolor 256-bit memory b/width is what intrigues me. Why do all the Saphire card only advertise 128-bit? Its too bad you had checkerboarding.

 

[PrayForDeath]

I hear that the success rate of the PowerColor 9800SE's around 80%
Check out customers' comments on this card at newegg.com
Around 5 out of 50 had unsuccessful modding, and even if your card doesn't softmod, it performs better than a 9600XT/5700U since it has 256bit memory and clocked at 9800P speed, this is a good deal IMO.