The 8800gtx for a year and a half was unrivaled, people had no real alternatives in its performance envelope, but it wasnt much hotter or louder as any other cards back then. Maybe you have the gtx480 in mind? So you went from a 8800gtx to 8800gt to 9800gtx? A slight downgrade then a slight bump back up, and still no better than 8800gtx in the end? Funny choice of cards.
OK, I think that sets the tone in what to expect from you from here on.
The 9800gtx+ was not a rebranded 8800gtx. G92 vs G80. Aside from the die shrink, the mem bus was 256bit vs 384bit and more ROPs. The 8800gts 512mb was the rebranded 9800gtx. I have a feeling you never owned the 8800gtx btw.
Cheers.