Radeon X800SE

[SamuraiOath]

Okay so i have this dilemna, I haven't upgraded my graphics card, i know i know, shame on me, but the coming around to which graphics card to get with a range of $250-$320 I have made the decission to either get the Radeon X800SE or stick with the 9800 Pro.

Now I have read a couple reviews on the X800SE and they said it's like a 9800 on roids lol... and that it would be a good by, newegg are selling them for $310.05 at the moment. Current Specs on the 800SE are:
256MB 256-bit GDDR3 (i think on the DDR)
425Mhz Core Clock
800Mhz Memory Clock
MAx res: 2048x1536@85Hz
now I'm not quite sure on the pixel pipelines it may have but to compare to the 9800pro, here are the specs, just for reference so you guys don't have to pull up another website just to compare yourself.

Sapphire ATI Radeon 9800Pro:
256MB 256-bit DDRII
380Mhz Core Clock
680Mhz Memory Clock
Max Res@ 32bit color: 2048@1536@85Hz
This card runs from $268-$279

now do you guys think i should go for the Radeon X800SE because to me, the specs look fine but there aren't many reviews out there on this card because i assume alot of people think because of the SE label that it's just another MX equivalent. Please give me feedback what you guys would do and any pros and cons and such. I really need to upgrade my card and also, any word on price drops and when which would way my decision to buy now or wait. Thanks guys, I appreciate your feedback.

 

[mwmorph]

the x800se is a 8pipe 3or 4 vertex shader card(cant remember which, probably 3) it's slow and crap. dont get it. stick to a 9800 and wait till the r5xxs come out.

 

[SamuraiOath]

thanks. I appreciate your feedback. =)

 

[Tyrant222]

you want to get a 9800 pro for 268-279?

put down the crack pipe.

 

[OnEMoReTrY]

Originally posted by: Tyrant222
you want to get a 9800 pro for 268-279?

put down the crack pipe.

9800 pro's are more like 160-180

 

[Gagabiji]

Originally posted by: OnEMoReTrY

Originally posted by: Tyrant222
you want to get a 9800 pro for 268-279?

put down the crack pipe.

9800 pro's are more like 160-180

I think you are missing the point. A X800SE is almost a 9800 Pro, except it's just repackaged to look newer, I think that's what Tyrant is talking about.

 

[mwmorph]

actually read the first post:
Sapphire ATI Radeon 9800Pro:
256MB 256-bit DDRII
380Mhz Core Clock
680Mhz Memory Clock
Max Res@ 32bit color: 2048@1536@85Hz
This card runs from $268-$279

it's the bad 256mb version. the 256 dosent perform that much better than the 9800pro 128mb. waste of money.
in yuor price range, either grab a 6800oc by bfg(250) or get a x800xl when it comes out in numbers at msrp (300)

 

[SrGuapo]

God I hope those aren't US dollars... Buy a 6800 NU for under $300. It will easily outperform a 9800pro (even a 6600gt can) and you may be able to softmod it to a 6800gt. It is a great card and will run all current generation games flawlessly...

 

[Reiniku]

i've never heard of anyone actually getting a 6800nu as far as a 6800gt. they can unlock pipes and oc it, but just unlocking is only by chance

 

[SrGuapo]

Originally posted by: Reiniku
i've never heard of anyone actually getting a 6800nu as far as a 6800gt. they can unlock pipes and oc it, but just unlocking is only by chance

Yes, but een a locked 6800NU would beat a 9800Pro pretty handily. Some manufacturers have had as much as 60% softmod success. Obviously it will never be a true 6800gt (since it only has 128 MB of DDR), but youcan get the performance pretty clse while spending much less.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: Reiniku
i've never heard of anyone actually getting a 6800nu as far as a 6800gt. they can unlock pipes and oc it, but just unlocking is only by chance

I get within a couple % points of performance as a 6800GT in 1280x960 and lower with my softmodded/OC'd 6800. It's nice. My PSU is holding me back from OC'ing the core, though.

 

[SamuraiOath]

Alright so you guys say that a 256mb card don't show any improvement in the performance side. Is it just that they haven't really put the extra 128mb of the cards to use yet or what because i was told that 256mb was always better so I'm kind of in the dark here. Care to enlighten me, and what about 256 bit because i heard they don't even use that extra 128 bit either... but of course i've been wrong quite a bit in the first couple of days of being on the anandtech forums and i'm sure i might be wrong again lol. Someone enlighten me before i make a purchase and end up making a mistake i'm going to regret XD.

Also I thought X800XLs were only going to be PCI Express and if not then when do you guys predict the AGP ones will be out, because that card had some nice specs for being only an estimated price of $299 once the supply gets out there.

 

[heedoyiu]

the x800xls right now are 340 i heard they can take down a gt
its messed up the aiw is agp yet the regular is pci

 

[2Xtreme21]

As far as RAM is concerned, 128 vs 256 only matters in cards that are fast enough to utilize the things that are stored on the chips. Having an FX5200 with 256MB RAM is pointless because it'll never be fast enough to run half the applications in a way such that information is stored on the RAM.

As far as bit-rate goes, 128 vs 256 is HUGE. Think of it as lanes on a highway. With 4 lanes as opposed to 2 lanes, you can have more traffic flow faster. Same thing with video cards: More information can flow faster.

What is your current card? If you're in dire need of an upgrade, splurge. Buy something that will last you a long time, and the 6800gt is your best option in that regard. If you really don't need an upgrade, I wouldn't get one until at least the next generation comes out. Anything 9600pro / Ti4600 and above can pretty much run current things well enough that you don't particularly need an upgrade.

 

[hans030390]

Get a 6800 something....GT, Ultra, NU, or maybe a 6600gt...but thats like $200

but you dont want a x800 unless you wanna upgrade next year also...cuz the 6xxx series has Shader Model 3.0, which will be a great benefit for future games if you dont upgrade often...if you do often, that sounds like a good deal for the x800se

 

[Spike]

Holy crap, another thread back from the dead... lol, that rymed! You guys do realize the last post before today was 1/31? I assume the OP decided by now what to get

-spike

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: heedoyiu
the x800xls right now are 340 i heard they can take down a gt
its messed up the aiw is agp yet the regular is pci

"take down a gt" is a bit out of context. The GT is slightly ahead in most benchies and so is still a faster card. When you consider price it's a whole different story as if you can get the X800XL for MSRP (like at compusa) you are only paying $300 instead of a GT's normal price of $399 (I got mine for $350). The x800xl is definitly the price/performance champ but I would not say it can "take down a gt"

-spike

 

[mooncancook]

yes, get the X800XL. I think it's available for $300 almost everywhere now (made by ATI). Runs HL2 super smooth at 1680x1050 on Dell 2005FPW. But if your monitor support no more than 1280x1024 then it's better to wait coz your 9800 should do just fine.

 

[heedoyiu]

yah xl is prob best bet right now it smokes the gt for price of 6800

 

[Concillian]

Let the thread die. This is the second time you've dredged it up. The guy's not likely reading here anymore, given his only posts were in this thread and the last one was over 2 months ago.

 

[imported_Noob]

Stick with the 9800 Pro and wait until the next generation cards come out.