Hate to ask...but which would YOU buy...9700 Pro or 9800 non pro?

[Andy22]

Assuming the 9800 non pro is around the $200 mark, the 9700 Pro is about $20 cheaper and both are slightly used. Worth noting that this will be the last time I upgrade the video card for a while.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[McArra]

If 9800 has Samsung memory go for it. If not.... well.... I don't know.

 

[Sideswipe001]

9800 will potentially be a better overclocker; but if you don't plan on doing that, there's very little difference between it and a 9700 Pro. I'd probably get the 9700 Pro if you had ZERO overclocking plans.

 

[VIAN]

9700 Pro

 

[Andy22]

Thanks for the quick feedback guys...I do not intend to overclock.

 

[McArra]

9700Pro then.

 

[gibhunter]

In all tests that I have seen, the 9800 non pro (NOT THE SE VERSION) is faster than the 9700 Pro with AA and AF enabled. 9800 also has more features, better DX9 support and doesn't have any of the bugs that are associated with the 9700 Pro like the wavy lines bug mentioned on Rage3D message boards. If the 9800 is the non SE (128 bit) model, then I'd definitely go for the 9800. Heck, check out this very site, you will see that the 9800 is simply a better card.

 

[Matthias99]

Here, perhaps this will answer your question.

They're within 2%(!) of each other on every single test, with or without AA and AF. The 9700Pro is a tiny bit faster in most of them because its memory is clocked a little higher at stock.

 

[CraigRT]

9700 Pro

 

[modedepe]

They perform almost identically, so I'd get the 9700 just to save $20 since you're not going to oc anyways.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: modedepe
They perform almost identically, so I'd get the 9700 just to save $20 since you're not going to oc anyways.

 

[Lonyo]

Use the $20 to then buy a nice new game (or part of one)

 

[Corporate Thug]

9800. newer core. benchmarks are nearly identical

 

[Brian48]

I'd go for the 9700Pro. Not sure which sites gibhunter was referring to, but in all the benchmarks I've seen, the 9700Pro was actually slightly faster than the 9800np when running at default. Although not by much, the difference is there. I lifted these charts some a review site somewhere, but I don't remember which one:

Chart #1 = UT2003k @ 1600x1200

Chart #2 = UT2003k @ 1028x768, 4xFSAA, 8x Aniso

Chart #3 = 3dmark2003, Mother Nature

 

[high]

9800 np...with or without samsung it beats 9700pro in 3dmark 01,03 every time. Awesome card.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: modedepe
They perform almost identically, so I'd get the 9700 just to save $20 since you're not going to oc anyways.

Yup, what he said...

 

[INGlewood78]

Dude..just overclock the 9800np a little bit...the core can go up to 380 for sure and the memory can go up 10mhz worst case...you get a better core with the 9800.

 

[Robor]

If it's got Samsung memory I'd go with the 9800NP and flash it to a pro or just overclock it. Yeah, I did read the entire post and I know you said you don't intend to overclock. But if you can get a 9800NP for around $200 you should jump all over it. Great card and it's very simple to bump up the core and memory speeds with the free tools available.

 

[Andy22]

Well...to end the speculation at least for my benefit, I posted a WTB post in FS\FT and got an offer for $230 for a 9800 Pro I couldn't resist the Pro at that price.