Geforce FX 5900 Ultra VS Radeon 9800 Pro 256 mb

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SDOG34

Senior member
Apr 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

when you get 2D as good as ATI then come back and talk buddy


That's funny...last time I checked we were talking about 3D accelerators.
 

touchmyichi

Golden Member
May 26, 2002
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It's amazing to think how far vid cards have gone since last year. Look at the Ti 4600 nvidia released a year ago, the preformance level now is so much higher. The 5900 is scoring almost 5 times as fast as the 4600 in some of the tests. With all of this ATI and Nvidia rivalry and competition we are ultimately the winners. This is sending the graphics industry at a higher rate then it would have ever of gone. Blame the 9700 pro, which started this entire direct x 9 competition. The 5900 was supposed to be released a few months from now, but is being released now in order to compete. I expect ati to follow the pattern and release their new card as soon as possible. Because of all of this innovation we are getting great cards at amazing deals. Also since of all of this games are able to take full advantage of all of these new features. All of the games being released at the end of the year are looking amazing. So enjoy people!
 

Wurrmm

Senior member
Feb 18, 2003
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Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
Originally posted by: Rollo
CMDREDD
My real decision will be made by IQ more than pure speed. Right now ATI is still better, but Nvidia is getting better every release

LOL apparently you know something without even seeing the cards that the guys reviewing them don't?

Anand says nVidia's performance is BETTER than ATIs
Finally, NVIDIA's claim that their "performance" mode offers equal to or greater quality than ATI's is actually true. The tables have turned and now it's ATI's turn to play catch-up and make their performance mode look better.

What the? Anand likes the quality as much too...
Both ATI and NVIDIA's quality modes are virtually identical, you'd be hard pressed to find a difference between the two.

I see what you mean CMDREDD. If nVidia works real hard, their IQ will someday be as good as ATIs....
rolleye.gif


I don't think there's any "too close to call/draw" situation going on here. The 5900 owns all Radeons. I'll be a happier Rollo when one is sitting in my box.

when you get 2D as good as ATI then come back and talk buddy. Plus performance is crap...I run Quality

The 2d analog blur will likely be fixed by the time it is released for retail.
 

Harabecw

Senior member
Apr 28, 2003
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lets put things into perspective.
the $500 is for the *256MB* version. that is exactly what the Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB costs.
the 128MB version will be $400 and also a lower clocked version for $300.

And, they didn't do the crapjob like in the 5200/5600(cutting their performance by a lot). just different clock speeds, like the GF4 series :)
 

CheapTOFU

Member
Mar 7, 2002
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hm....
If you pay $500 to play $50 doom3 game, you are either really rich or really dumb..
I don't care how good doom3 looks..
If you want speed, spend $500 for a faster cpu, mobo, PS, case, and ram..
 

coomarlin

Senior member
Dec 19, 2000
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The 5900 looks pretty impressive. It's a nice comeback by nVidia. The super high quality numbers are fantastic! But with all of the hype over the 5900 don't forget though what ATI has done for the industry over the last 2 years. It was ATI that single handedly kept nVidia from becoming a monopoly. Matrox couldn't do it. Sis couldn't do it. No one else could do it. I've got a ton of respect for ATI after battling back from the Rage Fury days when they were badmouthed and just downright uncompetitive. I've always tried to support the underdog just like I support AMD. Anyway, this competition among nVidia and ATI is very healthy and leaves us with some kicka$$ video cards. As long as the price is right I wouldn't have a qualm about buying either of these brands. $500 is a little rediculous for any video card, but $200-$300 seems pretty reasonable.
 

theNEOone

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2001
5,745
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Originally posted by: Rollo
Bunny:
I never promised "50% across the board" and I don't know what "my kind" did. (I didn't know I had a "kind")

Anyway- you've got more to worry about than $500 VGAs. Shuttle XPC? I don't think nVidia is too worried about the Shuttle XPC market Bunny, they probably figure most people who have $500 for a VGA have a decent case?

I was just happy to see they fixed the aniso and the noise, not so much because I cared much, but the rest of the world seemed to.



i don't have an XPC (see l33t mod below :p), but i'd definitely go for one. you've obviously haven't done your homework. the XPC can battle w/ the best of setups right now. pop in an nforce2 board and it can handle any AMD processor. their intel version also handles the 3.06.


and like someone else said, it's amazing to see landscape of the computer graphics industry. i love my ti4600, but THANK GOD FOR ATI AND THEIR 9700 FOR RAISING THE GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

i will def be picking up an fx5900 when they drop around $300ish
 

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
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Neoone:
i don't have an XPC (see l33t mod below ), but i'd definitely go for one. you've obviously haven't done your homework. the XPC can battle w/ the best of setups right now. pop in an nforce2 board and it can handle any AMD processor. their intel version also handles the 3.06.
Hmm. I guess I prefer my full tower/Antec 430W True Power, but to each their own. That thing is tiny, has no expansion slots, etc..


and like someone else said, it's amazing to see landscape of the computer graphics industry. i love my ti4600, but THANK GOD FOR ATI AND THEIR 9700 FOR RAISING THE GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
I think you can thank ATIs desire for profit more than God.

i will def be picking up an fx5900 when they drop around $300ish
You've got a while to wait. Have fun playing Doom3 at med details, 10X7, 30fps.
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
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Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
nVIDIA said flat out, that the NV35 was built for Doom III. So they are making no bones about it.

so does that mean that every other game will suck with it? :)

it's been done before...build based on one game or benchmark. My point was that ATi has had absolutely 0 time to even test the game with their cards drivers. This is clearly a disadvantage. Anyway like I said IQ is very important to me and if ATi still gets great visuals (still better than Nvidia's best) and is only a smidge slower then I know what I'm buying.


LOL, I highly doubt it... :)
 

mamisano

Platinum Member
Mar 12, 2000
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I wonder how all those people who purchased FX5800-Ultras feel now...Nvidia should have some sort of trade-up program like ATI.
 

coomarlin

Senior member
Dec 19, 2000
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Did anyone actually purchase a 5800?

Originally posted by: mamisano
I wonder how all those people who purchased FX5800-Ultras feel now...Nvidia should have some sort of trade-up program like ATI.

 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
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Originally posted by: mamisano
I wonder how all those people who purchased FX5800-Ultras feel now...Nvidia should have some sort of trade-up program like ATI.


If I owned one, I would be pretty damn happy now that I see what impact the new drivers have on the 5800.
Because even the 5800 is beating out the 9800 pro is most scenarios. Granted if falls behind in some cases pretty badly. But
overall its an incredible performance boost. I wouldn't trade it in just yet.
Keys
 

Jagercola

Senior member
Aug 23, 2001
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Serious question here and not trying to get flames, but where can I get a NV35? I know it will be ages if anywhere like circuit city gets them here. Anybody have an online retailer who typically gets new video cards in first, that is reputiable? Thanks
 

gururu

Platinum Member
Jul 16, 2002
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the 256mb 9800pro is a waste, pure novelty. The 5900U is a nice card, but really late
being a mid2003 offering. means that Nvidia will have had RELEASED 3 product lines by the end of
the year IF they want to compete with ATI. What?
Well, we all know ATI is gonna have the 0.13u R400 out by christmas....
That would have brought the 5600 to a 2 month product cycle and the 5900 to a 4-5 month product cycle.
 

Wurrmm

Senior member
Feb 18, 2003
428
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Originally posted by: CheapTOFU
hm....
If you pay $500 to play $50 doom3 game, you are either really rich or really dumb..
I don't care how good doom3 looks..
If you want speed, spend $500 for a faster cpu, mobo, PS, case, and ram..

I am buying this thing becasue I have not upgraded in a very long time. I skipped the GF4 series and I was about to get a 9800 pro but I guess I can stay with Nvidia. The extra 100 is for more memory that will better future proof the card. I will likely have the thing for as long my Ti500. I am neither rich or dumb, and am just upgrading to the top of the line like I did when my last card came out.
 

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
10,460
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Mamisano:
I wonder how all those people who purchased FX5800-Ultras feel now...Nvidia should have some sort of trade-up program like ATI.
I haven't seen this since the old 3dfx vs nVidia days. It's somehow a bad thing when new technology comes out very quickly? I'm personally glad to have the chance to buy new tech. If I had a 5800, I'd be glad for the new AF fixed drivers, and the ability to play Doom3 faster than anyone but 5900Ultra owners.

Gururu:
The 5900U is a nice card, but really late
The 5900 is not late at all, it's right on time. The 5800 was late, but this was due to TSMC, not nVidia, as has been reported over and over by people like Anand himself. So just how is the 5900 "late"? Was it originally scheduled to come out at some point before this? Link or retraction?
 

dnoyeb

Senior member
Nov 7, 2001
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I don't think the $500 card is really meant to generate revenue. Its more of a marketing ploy to make the $400 cards look resonable ;)

Its also kind of like Chevy has the Corvette and Ford has the, umm...Well I guess Mustang. Anyway, its the flagship meant to make the company look good and those with that card look phi3rc3. Plus it allows them to show images from the $500 card in all their advertisements, when nobody is even buying that card.

The old trick used to be to show these "in-house" cards at shows as previews of whats coming up, but I think they gained more oohs and ahhs to show something in "production" even if the price is obscene.

Personally I have getting a 9700Pro from ebay for $250. I basically said I would get whichever came first
9500pro $150
9700 $200
9700pro $250

The 9700pro hit first...Lucky me :D
 

Frek

Junior Member
May 13, 2003
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HUH???? (in response to Rollo's posts)

DOOM III isn't even going to be out until fall and your already declaring the 5900 to be "THE" card for it. I'll give you this, you've got a lot of balls to make a statement like this knowing that ATI hasn't wasted any resources on optimizing drivers for a game thats 6 months out. Add to that there will be a new ATI card out BEFORE DIII.

I just really don't see how you can make a statement like the 5900 will be "the" card for DOOM III when you haven't even seen what ATI is going to do with DOOM III yet.

My prediction: You'll be eating those words by the time DIII does come out. I give at least 80% odds that ATI will have the top benchmarking card for DIII when it actually comes out.

Also the actual reviews of the 5900 do not say that the 5900 OWNS the 9800(scroll up to the post number 1 and see what I'm talking about). What they do say is that its too close to call the 5900 vs. 9800. All the reviews I have read all say the same thing, its too close to call because the benchmarks flip back and forth between the 5900 and the 9800. The 5900 by no means OWNS the 9800. From your posts Rollo I get the impression you think the 5900 totally dominates the 9800. Better go back and re-read the reviews but this time take off your nivdia-colored glasses first.

If I'm being honest I would say that the 5900 looks like a really sweet card, but I would not go as far as Rollo does and declare it to OWN all Raedons. In my opinion(as well as Anandtech) its way too close to call.

Will I be buying a 5900? Hell no, my 9700 Pro plays every game I have at INSANE frame rates. I'll be upgrading my entire system just before DIII is released. In all likelihood that will be an ATI 9900 Pro (or whatever they are gonna call their next gen card). On the very small chance that ATI does nothing between now and DIII (which just isn't gonna happen) I'll pick up the 5900.
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
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Spoken like a true ATI stockholder.....
rolleye.gif


Congratulations Frek, I hope you and your 9700 are very happy together. Now calm your pits.

Both ATI and NVIDIA are on top of their games now. You cant go wrong buying from either company (9800pro/5900U).

Be glad, because we (the consumers) are the ones that will benefit always. As long as competition is alive and kicking.

Keys
 

FacelessNobody

Senior member
Dec 13, 2002
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w00t on all the competition remarks. This kind of close competition is the best thing for us, and will hopefully/supposedly drive prices down. It seems that those of us who really scored were the ones who bought the 9700 Pro when it came out. We've had a kick ass card for many many months now (like last August or something?) that is just starting to slip towards the middle of the benchmarks :). I hope neither ATi nor nVidia stays on top.
 

gururu

Platinum Member
Jul 16, 2002
2,402
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Rollo:
The 5900 is not late at all, it's right on time.

I won't argue with this, because you must know this beyond a shadow of a doubt.
However, with the 5800 fiasco, I'd bet that it was even pushed for an early launch.

BUT, the broader question is: Is the 5900 too little, too late? Technologically its late, because we've had
similar performance to it for nearly a year already. That's a damn shame. Its taken them a long time
to catch up. But I guess later is better than never.



 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
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Actually gururu, I think Rollo was right when he said that the NV30 was late. That is why the release of the NV35 seemed so soon after the NV30 was released. NV35 would appear ( from a 6 to 8 month product cycle standpoint ) to be right on time. As for to little?
Not quite. It is performing as good or better in all but splinter cell. And has taken the crown back for now. As for too late?
How? The ATI product cycle was just released with the 9800 pro. So now Nvidia counters with 5900 ultra. Back to business as usual for these two graphics competitors. I think its not too little to late, but just the right amount at just the right time.
Kudos to Nvidia for overcoming the monumental setback of the NV30.

P.S. I heard the new FCPGA 5600ultra is no slouch either, offering up on par or better performance than the radeon 9600pro.

I have always used 3dfx until Nvidia came along with their Riva TNT. From then on I was hooked. Until the Radeon 9700 came along, nothing touched Nvidia. So I bought one of the Sapphire 9700's. Great card. no doubt.

enough for now, I'm getting winded... :)
 

gururu

Platinum Member
Jul 16, 2002
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I agree that the NV30 was late, I meant that the NV35 may have been rushed to make-up for the NV30.
I am not saying its a bad thing. I praise Nvidia for stepping up in such a trying time. Its what a company has to do
to survive and thrive. And the CEO has definitely shown his mettle.
But I still ask whether it is too little too late, because Nvidia has lost video card domination. This is good for the industry, but not for Nvidia investors. But, if I were in any way involved with Nvidia (employee, shareholder), I'd have to feel like so much ground has been lost.

Keysplayr2003, honestly, I share your sentiments, I wouldn't have it any other way. It is very exciting to see this competition. Overall, I'm glad with the way things have progressed. I just think we shouldn't be so quick to concede a throne until one of the companies comes up with a truly revolutionary product. It gets tiresome when the throne changes every two months. IMO, the R300 started a revolution, and still owns the throne. THe next real battle IMO will be between the R400 and NV40. Everything between now and then are just R300s or NV30s with band-aids.

gururu
 

Frek

Junior Member
May 13, 2003
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Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
Spoken like a true ATI stockholder.....
rolleye.gif


Congratulations Frek, I hope you and your 9700 are very happy together. Now calm your pits.

Both ATI and NVIDIA are on top of their games now. You cant go wrong buying from either company (9800pro/5900U).

Be glad, because we (the consumers) are the ones that will benefit always. As long as competition is alive and kicking.

Keys

Hehe...yes yes, wasn't trying to sound like a ATI fan boy, honestly I'll buy whoever has the best card, I don't stick to one company.

I've been a very very very long time reader of these boards and the statements made by Rollo just forced me to have to speak up and say something(hence I finally joined the forums). I'm tired of people claiming things that are clearly false. I will agree with anyone that atm buying either the 5900 or the 9800 right now is a good choice. I bought my 9700 pro right when it was released and I've been enjoying the very best IQ and frame rates money could buy up until last month when the 9800 came out. I don't feel the need to upgrade again just yet because I can play all my games silky smooth with AA/AF turned up at 1280X976 resolution.

I anticipate having to upgrade around the time DOOM III comes out (plus HL2 will be coming out about the same time). Right now I believe that the new ATI card coming out this summer will be the fastest thing you can get. If I'm wrong I'll glady buy the 5900.

The point of my post was that anyone who declares that the 5900 is "the" card for DOOM III or says that the 5900 dominates the 9800 is seeing the world through nvidia-colored glasses. Both cards are too close together to declare a clear winner(although many will try from both sides of the fence).

As you said all of this is really good for us the consumers, prices will fall while performance goes up.