AIW 8500 vs. AIW 9700 comparison?

[Xuttah]

I've searched Anandtech articles, and forum threads, and can't find a link to any direct comparison between these 2 cards. Now, I realize that most comparison's are with cards in the same category (i.e. 9700 Pro was compared to GF4 4600 most of the time). However, I'm planning on buying an AIW in the next few months, and while I do play games quite a bit, it's not the most important thing to me.

For the vast difference in price, is there a vast difference in performance between these cards? I would expect the 9700 kicks a$$, but is the 8500 still a viable card for today's (& tomorrow's) games? I know the 8500 doesn't support DX 9, but how many good games coming out this year will?

Thanks! Any links to comparison reviews is greatly appreciated.

 

[tenoc]

The AIW8500 is about as fast as an 8500le, a little slower maybe.

The AIW9700 is just as fast as a 9700 Pro as it has the same clock speeds as I recall.

The performance difference then is just as great as the non-AIW cards for gaming.

Check this anandtech article for non-gaming advantages.