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Alive again.. Apollo HD3850 512M - $137.28 shipped / HD3870 512Meg GDDR4 - $157.28 shipped - NO REBATES

Engineer

Engineer

Elite Member
HD3850 - Click me!

Use your favorite cash back site for even more savings.

$137.28 shipped (less with cash back)

They also have the Apollo HD3870 with 512Megs GDDR4 for $149.99 + $6.98 shipping - $157.28 shipped.

HD3870 - Click me!

Smaller card. I had this card (HD3850) for several months with no issues (once I figured out the correct Asrock BIOS settings). I traded it for an 8800GT and wish I would have kept it considering the 8800GT issues (stuttering) with UT2004 and also the 8800GT gave me no improvements on the Apollo card (because of motherboard/CPU limitations I would guess).


 
How would this compare to the current 9600GT deal for $119 AR for a HTPC? My understanding is the 9600GT is a better gamer but this would be better at decoding HD (not needed at the moment but will need later) and does audio over HDMI (also not needed at the moment but would be nice for later). The 9600GT is cheaper after rebate but is it that much better of a gamer? And which is quieter?
 
Originally posted by: Spike
How would this compare to the current 9600GT deal for $119 AR for a HTPC? My understanding is the 9600GT is a better gamer but this would be better at decoding HD (not needed at the moment but will need later) and does audio over HDMI (also not needed at the moment but would be nice for later). The 9600GT is cheaper after rebate but is it that much better of a gamer? And which is quieter?
Click to expand...

I can't comment on the HTPC part as I really don't know. I do know that the card was quiet and relatively cool in that it never went past the low 60's at full load. As for gaming, I played UT2004 (not really a good test) and UT3 with full datail at 1600x1200 with no issues. The card (HD3850) scored 7800 on 3dMark06 using an E6300 system running on a 4X PCIe slot of an Asrock 775Dual-VSTA board. All non-overclocked.

Like I said before, it actually ran far better than the 8800GT that replaced it due to 8800GT driver issues. YMMV on other games, however.
 
Originally posted by: Spike
How would this compare to the current 9600GT deal for $119 AR for a HTPC? My understanding is the 9600GT is a better gamer but this would be better at decoding HD (not needed at the moment but will need later) and does audio over HDMI (also not needed at the moment but would be nice for later). The 9600GT is cheaper after rebate but is it that much better of a gamer? And which is quieter?
Click to expand...


That's the same queastion I would have. I thought I had heard that audio over HDMI was problematic for some. I want a robust card for HTPC specific duties, nevertheless, that is a nice price for the 3870.
 
The reviews show that a 9600GT is close to par with a HD3870, but the fact remains though that when those tests where done they had no ides that the 9600gt was being overclocked without them knowing, so its really hard to say if the 9600gt is really as good or better then a HD3870.

I had a 8800gt that I replaced with a HD3870, with almost that same cooler. I noticed NO difference with games, I noticed a bunch of my own personal problems with the 8800gt in testing it out, that the hd3870 did not exhibit. It is being used as a Game/HTPC and has been flawless since day one, playing everything I throw at it be it video or games. The thing that did finally sell me on ditching a 8800gt for mine was the crossfire x, I can at any tim dump in a HD3870x2, and still use this card with it.

Im in no means saying the 8800gt was a bad card, Im just a fan of my cash and getting the most from it. But till though, they rerun tests agin on the 9600gt with a mobo set up that is known not to secretly up the clocks of the card, to gain an advantage when being tested, I am completly up in the air as to what the 9600 can really do and where it lies if it becomes a real apple to apple test.
 
9600gt overclocked without them knowing? Uh, wow, yeah I kinda wanna see the story behind that... also curious why Nvidia isn't getting crucified at this very moment assuming they're behind it.

edit: found it: reading now.
http://www.techpowerup.com/rev...A/Shady_9600_GT/1.html


Woah, that's some news. I wonder if cranking the PCI-E bus provides more performance boost than directly cranking core clock through OC tools does.
 
Originally posted by: Lithan
9600gt overclocked without them knowing? Uh, wow, yeah I kinda wanna see the story behind that... also curious why Nvidia isn't getting crucified at this very moment assuming they're behind it.

edit: found it: reading now.
http://www.techpowerup.com/rev...A/Shady_9600_GT/1.html


Woah, that's some news. I wonder if cranking the PCI-E bus provides more performance boost than directly cranking core clock through OC tools does.
Click to expand...

They are even using that same trick on the 9800 series cards as well.
 
Originally posted by: Lithan
9600gt overclocked without them knowing? Uh, wow, yeah I kinda wanna see the story behind that... also curious why Nvidia isn't getting crucified at this very moment assuming they're behind it.

edit: found it: reading now.
http://www.techpowerup.com/rev...A/Shady_9600_GT/1.html


Woah, that's some news. I wonder if cranking the PCI-E bus provides more performance boost than directly cranking core clock through OC tools does.
Click to expand...

That comes from W1zzard. He is the guy who made the softhack for a lot of video cards.
 
I'm thinking that ATI is going to have to lower these again, and soon as the 9600GT can be had for as low as $105.99 after rebates and the 8800GS can be had for $99.99 after rebates (not to mention $159.99 - 8800GT deals and even a $169.99 - 8800GTS deal). Might keep an eye out for future (close) price drops.
 
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