Is the Ultimate 9800XT really worth $40 more than the regular 9800XT?

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: scoughlin1

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: StrangerGuy
You got to be crazy to buy a 9800XT now.

What would you buy? This?

:laugh: what is it with newegg's prices these days.. I feel sorry for the people that pay $50 more for that than I paid for my XT-PE

Actually NO ONE did . . . this year. Are you ONE of the LUCKY ones that actually RECEIVED an XT-PE for $435? :Q

In your possession? NOW? 😛

If so . . . you're just lucky :beer:

And NO! . . . that is NOT the Sapphire 9800Pro-256 card for $489; it is an OLD (very old) price and is NOT in stock. :roll:

(much) More REASONABLE is the (better) ATI 9800Pro-256 card (9800xt) for $266; CURRENT price and IN stock . .. of course, I paid $223 shipped last week . . . so for HALF-price, i got a card with more than half the performance of an XT-PE. 😛
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-361&amp;depa=1">ATI RADEON 9800 PRO Video Card, 256MB DDR, 256-bit; $266
shipped</a>

:roll:

 

[MrSmithers]

*edit* nm, answered my own question

 

[darkswordsman17]

Hey apoppin, where were you gonna be able to get a 6800GT but would have to wait til mid-July?

 

[MangoTBG]

Hey MichaelD, didn't you jump on the "Flash a 9800NP ---> 9800Pro" deal when that came around? I think you did or intended to, because I was helping you through it (the decision making)...

Anyways...
I'm back, but this time I'm with apoppin! I'm currently using my brand new "9800XT" in my new rig. I'm pretty happy with it. I still have this itch that I want to get the best of the best (x800/6800) but this card will suffice. Anyways, if you have any questions hit me or apoppin up.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Hey apoppin, where were you gonna be able to get a 6800GT but would have to wait til mid-July?

hot deals forum

Best Buy advertise the card and another retailer (temporarily) agreed to the PM . . .

i really wanted the Ultra but it doesn't look like this card will be in real supply this Summer . . . with the insane markups OVER msrp due to almost nonexistant supply . . . the XT (PE) would be my second choice but ati's ability to deliver is almost as bad as nVidia's.

The 9800XT is a proven design - in great supply and DIScounted - with 60-80% of the performance of the new cores; the 9800Pro 256/256 is an inexpensive "sleeper" as it can BECOME an XT with a simple BIOS flash (and maybe a better vga cooler) . . . looking at the current benchs, the XT is not embarassed to hang with the newest cards with very satisfactory FPS and features for ALL current games.

Good thing ati and nVidia dropped the ball; i might have OVERspent my budget for little-to-no noticeable improvement with my setup (my 19" monitor's resolution is best at 1152x864 @ 85hz) 😉

🙂

 

[darkswordsman17]

Ok, I see. I was gonna get mad at you for not keeping it so that you could just sell it to me....😀

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Ok, I see. I was gonna get mad at you for not keeping it so that you could just sell it to me....😀

IF i "scored" i'd be BRAGGIN' all over the forums now*
(why ELSE would i pay $500+ for next years $200 card?)

:roll:


😀

*Edit: as it is, i'm pretty annoying with my RadeonPro>XT "hot deal" . . .

be thankful for small mercies. 😉


😀

 

[Nebor]

Man, apoppin is on a rampage here.

I don't mind paying twice the money for 30% more performance.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Nebor
Man, apoppin is on a rampage here.

I don't mind paying twice the money for 30% more performance.

Good for you - you make the economy go. 🙂

ANYway, i won't be hanging around here too much anymore so i thought i get a last few points in. . . . and help where i can with "sanity" re: GPUs and new releases . . . "my" 9800Pro 256>XT "deal" is helpful to budget-minded (cheap) people like me. 😛

:roll:

(it's not like you're gettin rid of me; it's just that my upgrading is DONE for this year and i have less need to post here in GH/CPU/Video/Hot Deals (forget OT - it's a "kiddie wasteland" now) . . . . "you guys" have always helped me at critical times and this is my way of returning the favor. :roll:

Of course i'm opinionated; i have been accused of being an ATI fanboy for years (well i HAVE had ATI CONSISTENTLY - with only one short period with a GeForce256) but i AM saying that nVidia "wins" this round.

The 6800's drivers are a "Mess" - the worst launch since the Radeon 8500; ati's drivers will NOT improve dramatically whereas nVidia's will. 😉

i'll be around here to "remind" you when this all gets sorted out. 😉

:roll:

peace &amp; aloha

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: MangoTBG
Hey MichaelD, didn't you jump on the "Flash a 9800NP ---> 9800Pro" deal when that came around? I think you did or intended to, because I was helping you through it (the decision making)...

Anyways...
I'm back, but this time I'm with apoppin! I'm currently using my brand new "9800XT" in my new rig. I'm pretty happy with it. I still have this itch that I want to get the best of the best (x800/6800) but this card will suffice. Anyways, if you have any questions hit me or apoppin up.

Yep. I did; and I got a bum card, unfortunately. It will not run at Pro speeds. But it will run at 95% of Pro speeds. Currently at 370 Core/330 Memory with no artifacts or problems. This is darn close to Pro speeds. I am at the limit of this card. I tried the flash with disastrous resutls. Luckily it flashed back with no problems. *whew!* :Q

I will be getting a 256MB 9800 Pro and doing the 256MB 9800-->9800XT flash. I just cannot pay $400 for a card that will be worth $200 a few months from now.

 

[MangoTBG]

Originally posted by: MichaelD

Originally posted by: MangoTBG
Hey MichaelD, didn't you jump on the "Flash a 9800NP ---> 9800Pro" deal when that came around? I think you did or intended to, because I was helping you through it (the decision making)...

Anyways...
I'm back, but this time I'm with apoppin! I'm currently using my brand new "9800XT" in my new rig. I'm pretty happy with it. I still have this itch that I want to get the best of the best (x800/6800) but this card will suffice. Anyways, if you have any questions hit me or apoppin up.

Yep. I did; and I got a bum card, unfortunately. It will not run at Pro speeds. But it will run at 95% of Pro speeds. Currently at 370 Core/330 Memory with no artifacts or problems. This is darn close to Pro speeds. I am at the limit of this card. I tried the flash with disastrous resutls. Luckily it flashed back with no problems. *whew!* :Q

I will be getting a 256MB 9800 Pro and doing the 256MB 9800-->9800XT flash. I just cannot pay $400 for a card that will be worth $200 a few months from now.

Smart man. Btw, if you want a 9800pro 256mb->9800XT that is garunteed to work, let me know. I love the card but I've realized that my second PC won't be getting that much play and that I'd probably be happier with a 9600xt or something that costs less. So if you want one at a good price give me a PM (Good Price = <$265 or whatever the price currently is.)

 

[Cerb]

Worth the money?
ZM80D, when it comes, will be $37 at Newegg. Gee, that's pretty close to the $40 that the Ultimate there costs for the ZM80C-HP and RAMsinks. And I paid near $50 to do that to my video card.

If you don't care about it being passive, then it is not worth the money.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

this whole discussion is rather stupid, just buy a freaking 6800 (STANDARD, NOT THE ULTRA), its 299, comes with farcry, EVGA.com, and their IQ isn't bad, EVGA is pretty much nVidia's retail cards since they follow reference design on like 90% of their cards. it outperforms the 9800XT by at least 30%, is only 30% more in price, thats value

 

[CraigRT]

IMO the 9800XT isn't worth the money over the 9800 Pro, let alone one XT to another.

I'd never buy one of those XT cards. way too much money.