Sapphire 8500le 128MB versions - how to tell?

[dajo]

Does anyone know how to tell the Sapphire 8500le 250/250 version by looking at the box or by examining the card (without installing it)?

Amazon has the Sapphire 8500le 128MB for $74.99 shipped but even their electronics department couldn't tell me if it's OEM or retail, let alone anything about the model number.

Unfortunately, there seem to be four versions of this Sapphire card, ranging from 200/183 to 250/250. I know that Sapphire's numbers are in the format of "1022-9149-50-SA" and such, but does anyone know if that number is on the box or on the card?

Does anyone know if the 250/250 is even being shipped anymore? Seems like most the ones out there now are 250/200s.

I know that this is a long shot and that I'll probably wind up returning this item so I was hoping to find a way to tell which it is without actually installing it.

Thanks!

 

[Blooz1]

Dajo, the bad news is that there's seven versions of this card! I've done some research on this card, because I'm one of the people who got stuck with the super slow (250/183) 64Mb version....

This is from Sapphire, models #'s/features and some speeds:

1024-6149-50-SA NTSC/2nd RAMDAC/128Mb/DVI + TV-out
1024-9149-30-SA PAL/128Mb/DVI+TV-out
1024-9149-20-SA PAL/No 2nd RAMDAC/128Mb/250-200 speed/DVI+TV-out
1024-9149-4B-SA PAL/2nd RAMDAC/128Mb/250-250 speed/DVI+TV-out
1024-9149-2B-SA PAL/No 2nd RAMDAC/128Mb/250-200 speed/DVI+TV-out
1024-9149-50-SA PAL/2nd RAMDAC/128Mb/250-250 speed/DVI+TV-out
1024-9149-40-SA PAl/No 2nd RAMDAC/128Mb/250-250 speed/DVI=TV-out

There were no speeds listed for the first two models. These numbers are listed on a label on the back of the card, but I have no idea about boxes. At least with this info, if you can get the Sapphire m/n you'll have some idea of what the card is!

 

[dajo]

Thanks! That's exactly the info I was hoping for. I know the odds on getting the 250/250 are slim, but if I did it would be cool since, if I understand the reviews correctly, the 8500le oc'd to 300/300 outperforms the 9000 Pro 128MB. Personally, I'm planning on getting the 9500 128MB Pro soon, but I have four other machines to support at my house and some of the video cards are getting very old.

With this info I can examine the card without installing it and make a determination.

Thanks again!

 

[Blooz1]

Glad I could help. There's a total of 10 models for the 64Mb cards, including one that's clocked at 250/275! That's the one to find if you're looking for a 64Mb (m/n 1024-2149-70-SA)!

 

[dbal]

if I understand the reviews correctly, the 8500le oc'd to 300/300 outperforms the 9000 Pro 128MB.

I am also ready to buy a 8500LE with 128MB memory as a bargain but how can u be so sure about o/cing this card to 300/300 levels?? My research doesn't tell me the same for its overclocking headroom....

 

[dajo]

You can't! I've been looking at user reviews at various sites all day and there seems to be a great deal of variations on the overclock. It probably depends on the mem chips you happen to get and there's no way tell that until you have the cards in your hands.

 

[WienerDog]

Originally posted by: dajo
The 8500le oc'd to 300/300 outperforms the 9000 Pro 128MB.

Are you implying that a stock 9000 Pro 128mb outperforms a stock 8500LE? This gets more and more confusing every day. I thought the benchmarks on Tom's Hardware show the 8500LE outperforming the 9000 Pro in all of the benchmarks.

Did you make any decisions on which card to go with? I'm in the same market as you.