Sapphire 9800 PRO

[orion446]

Can anyone give some input on this video card, I am thinking about getting one and want to hear from someone who has one or knows something about it. Thanx

 

[BW86]

its a good sub $200 card. Just make sure you get the 256bit version and not the 128bit version. Most come with an r360 core so you can flash your pro bios to xt bios, or just overclock it to xt speeds 😉

 

[jim1976]

Make sure as BW86 told you to check that it's not the Atlantis version with 128bit mem bus. If it's the 256bit with the r360core then it's a great card and if you don't want to flash it it's highly o/cable.

 

[AristoV300]

Even the R350's will run at XT speeds no problem. I personally am not a big fan of Sapphire but the 9800 Pro is a great value card these days.

 

[orion446]

Is flashing the XT bios difficult?

 

[orion446]

Sapphire vs Powercolor? which one

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: orion446
Sapphire vs Powercolor? which one

No problems with my Sapphire 128mb, 256bit 9800Pro here.

 

[jim1976]

Originally posted by: orion446
Sapphire vs Powercolor? which one

I would pick Sapphire , but Powecolor is misjudged IMO.
I've seen powercolor 9800pro O/Ced at very high levels...

 

[naruto1988]

Originally posted by: BW86
its a good sub $200 card. Just make sure you get the 256bit version and not the 128bit version. Most come with an r360 core so you can flash your pro bios to xt bios, or just overclock it to xt speeds 😉

or better yet, flash to XT bios AND overclock to XT speeds 😉 if you get a cooler to replace the stock one (like the VGA silencer 3), you can get some nice overclocks. my max is about 460/780. i can't seem to get my memory any higher than XT.

 

[nRollo]

I had one of these for 8 months, it's a great card. (until I got my 6800 and 6800GT, the best I had ever had)

I wouldn't flash the bios for a few more frames on this card.
a. The performance difference is trivial, you wouldn't be able to tell in use
b. having an XT bios doesn't give you the extra 128MB of better RAM
c. see above, and wonder why anyone would void there warranty for that?

OCing/flashing, etc is only worth it when you can get some noticeable gains. (e.g. my 5800NU 400/800 ran solid at 500/1000- that is a noticeable difference)

 

[naruto1988]

well...i did get some performance boost. my 3dmark03 score went from like 4900 to 5600.

 

[CraigRT]

Sapphire is awesome.. it's a good card.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: naruto1988
well...i did get some performance boost. my 3dmark03 score went from like 4900 to 5600.

Meh.

9800XT vs. 9800Pro negligible
Wow! 3.9fps maximum difference between a pro and xt! You'd really notice that!

difference negligible again
Holy Crap! 4.4 whole fps at an unplayable setting, less gain to be had at usable settings Doom3!

Measly Far Cry diofferences

Like I said, there are trivial gains to be had you'd never notice in gameplay. As far as a 3dmark boost, who cares? A higher number on a synthetic bench I start and walk away from so I don't die of boredom.