Originally posted by: Grimbor
Actually, a more accurate comparison would not be the 9800 pro. It was the 9700 pro which was the first release of the high end for the ATI cycle that generation and it was not that long before the 9500 pro was released which was basically a slightly neutered 9700 pro which could be easily modded to 9700 pro speeds. The 9500 pro was in fact around the $150 range within months of the initial 9700 pro release. Also, keep in mind the 9700 pro was so clearly superior to it's nvidia counterpart for that generation that not much of a price war went on in the high end market since there was literally no cost/performance ratio that could justify a new buyer going for nvidia at the higher end.
We know the 520R will be close, probably quite a bit faster then the 7800. We also know both the R520 and the 7800 are geared to be released today, if both companies wanted, in a 32 pipe flavor. The ball right now is in ATI's court. If ATI goes very aggressive, we may very well see a card almost identicle in specs to the 7800 in the $150 range in 2 months. If ATI does not go aggressive, I stand by the $400 figure for an equivalent card to the 7800 in 2 months from this post date. Feel free to bump this up in 2 months.