Thoughts on the 5800 (non-ultra) versus the 9700 Pro?

[Cat]

Anyone care to comment on the two cards? I might return my 9700 Pro, because even though it performs very well, I can't stand the drivers. How much worse is the 5800 in your opinion? I probably won't be using AA or high anisotropic filtering levels. Thanks.

 

[Richdog]

I'd choose the 9700 PRO any day of the week, especially considering the 5800 you're considering isn't even the Ultra version! ATI's drivers may be a bit sucky now but thats something thats much more easily remedied compared to swapping your 9700 for an inferior card (performance-wise, noise-wise, and space-wise). And if you don't use AA or AF now you will do one day... Stick with it!

 

[BenSkywalker]

Given what you are looking for, I'd say you wouldn't be too let down moving to a GFFX 5800 non Ultra. It's mainly AA performance that is lacking comparing it to ATi's solution(AF performance modes are too hard to compare equally) and the quality of the AA isn't up to par with the R9700. I was fairly suprised by just how bad ATi's drivers still were when I got my R9500Pro, and they are getting worse regularly, as of this point I'm considering getting rid of my R9500Pro for a FX based board also. It would mean a performance hit for sure, at least looking at like price points, but it is annoying having so many games not working right. I have considered pulling the R9500Pro and throwing back in a GF2Pro I have kicking around, at least that ran all the games I wanted it to without problem. At the rate ATi is going, none of my games are going to work with the Cat3.6s

 

[CraigRT]

Both are good... but the GF FX just looks stupid IMHO and takes up a 2nd slot which I wouldn't want to give away. I'd rather have an R9700 PRO personally. but both I am sure would be good 3D cards!!

 

[blahblah]

Why don't you wait to see how much the 5800 (Non Ultra) will retail for and see if it is worth the money.

If you really need/want help on fixing your driver issues, try posting a Rage3d

Ask nicely and you will get help.

Stating thing like "ATI Driver sucks major A$$" will not get you anywhere.

People there are fairly knowledgable.

Oh, FYI, Cat 3.2 was just released yesterday.

 

[kylebisme]

ati drivers have been great for me, also the fx is considrably slower and has its own share of driver issues at the moment. seems to me you would be trading your horse for a mule.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

The 5800 should hit around $299 retail, and with the 9700 Pro going for $299 retail the best you could probably do is wait and trade someone you 9700 Pro for a 5800 otherwise you're probably looking at a loss of $ for going to an inferior card. If a 9700 Pro can keep up with a 5800 Ultra, than the non Ultra really isn't really sitting very pretty.

 

[Cat]

I've seen the Rage3D boards, they scare me
It's not a matter of posting about bugs. These things should have been taken care of by driver releases. The most recent one that I saw, which thankfully I don't suffer from, was CS hard locking if you hit escape. It just seems inexcusable to me.

Is the non-ultra going to be only available in dustbuster mode as well?

 

[kylebisme]

things do not just get taking care of by sitting back and wishing they will you know. i am guessing your problems are not the fault of drivers as the cs problem is none that i have heard before and you have yet to even mention anything else specifically. i have had a few issues with my radeon myself, i just asked around rage3d or contacted ati myself and the issues were all resolved in a very timely manor.


ohh ya it is 329$ retail, at least that is what all the adds for a 5800 non-ultra say that i have seen.

 

[Cat]

things do not just get taking care of by sitting back and wishing they will you know. i am guessing your problems are not the fault of drivers as the cs problem is none that i have heard before and you have yet to even mention anything else specifically. i have had a few issues with my radeon myself, i just asked around rage3d or contacted ati myself and the issues were all resolved in a very timely manor.

I haven't experienced this CS bug, but it's all over the Rage3D forums. I've had problems with Neverwinter Nights that weren't resolved with several patches. It was also affected by the same bug that caused stuttering in 3DMark03. Radeon bugs abounded in Warcraft III, as well. These were known issues, brought up by many people, and months is not what I consider a timely manner. I'm not fvcking paid to write the drivers, ATi's driver team is. I paid them so I could sit back and wish that they'd fvcking write drivers that didn't crash or provide incorrect output.

$329 doesn't seem bad to me, since I can return my 9700 Pro to CompUSA on Sunday, and spend 30 more bucks. At least I won't have to worry about drivers.