when is the RADEON 9500 PRO hitting the stores

[Chunkee]

How will this card compare to a Geforce 4200 or 4600? I am thinking of holding out for one?

curious

jcoria

 

[halkebul]

Should be available Late Nov/Early Dec. ATI 9500 (non-pro) is already available at newEgg.com

 

[ScrewFace]

I've seen benchmarks of the RADEON 9500 Pro and a GeForce4-Ti4200 will beat it handily. It barely beats out a RADEON 9000 PRO as it has just 4 pixel pipelines with only 1 texture unit per pipeline for a 1.1 Gigatexel fill rate (not very good). The card does support DirextX 9 and OpenGL 2.0 but who cares when their's hardly even any DirectX 8.1 games out yet. It does have ATI's 3rd-generation memory optimizations like in the RADEON 9700 Pro but it's just a budget card meant to compete with the GeForce4: MX's. It's also limited to 8.8GBs/second memory bandwidth because of its 128-bit (2 64-bit) memory controller.

I'd pass on it if you're a serious gamer but it may be good if gaming isn't a priority for you and want a good sub-$200 card.

 

[Eagle17]

ScrewFace, since I like the ti4200 I am not a FanATIc, let me correct you and say that you have seen the 9500 (non-pro) and that it can barely beet the 9000. the 9500pro is a fare better card and will also be in the same price point of the currently available 9500(non-pro). If you are so positive that you have seen the 9500pro in bechmarks please provide a link. Unless you can get the 4200 for a really good deal from someone upgrading to a 9700 than I would wait for the 9500pro. It should compete with the 4200 and if it is overclockable than it should even compete with the 4600. We Will see these final benchmarks in around 1 to 2 weeks...

To support this I will post this Link for you to see that the pre production 9500pro was able to beat the 4200 and compete with the 4400. and remember this was not even a beta board and early drivers.

I would also like to say one more thing that is a pleasant suprise to me and that is in all the reviews I have seen not a single reviewer has complained about problematic drivers... that is a real testament to ATI because of the horible fiasco that plagued the radeon and radeon8500 luanch's.

 

[EdipisReks]

Screwface, you are confusing the Radeon9500 and the Radeon9500Pro.

 

[bluemax]

Like Edipus said, you mixed the 4-pipe 9500 with the 8-pipe 9500 pro. HUGE difference.

 

[tart666]

Also, there are reports that 9500 128MB versions have exact same layout as 9700 Pro.

I mean, same reference PCB, same 256-bit memory, and the same chip! The same chip as 9700 pro, with the same markings if you remove the HSF. If the chips were sorted slower, they should be marked different, otherwise how can ATI tell, right?

All of this may mean that the slower clock / fewer pipes are only locked in the card's BIOS. Which means it may be possible to unlock them with software! Holy grail of overclocking is here!

 

[bluemax]

The above is pure speculation until people have them in their hands and doing it.

But it suuuure would be nice. 9700 for around $200 or less.

 

[GoodToGo]

Will this be available on black friday? That would be wicked

 

[gregor7777]

Originally posted by: ScrewFace
I've seen benchmarks of the RADEON 9500 Pro and a GeForce4-Ti4200 will beat it handily. It barely beats out a RADEON 9000 PRO as it has just 4 pixel pipelines with only 1 texture unit per pipeline for a 1.1 Gigatexel fill rate (not very good). The card does support DirextX 9 and OpenGL 2.0 but who cares when their's hardly even any DirectX 8.1 games out yet. It does have ATI's 3rd-generation memory optimizations like in the RADEON 9700 Pro but it's just a budget card meant to compete with the GeForce4: MX's. It's also limited to 8.8GBs/second memory bandwidth because of its 128-bit (2 64-bit) memory controller.

I'd pass on it if you're a serious gamer but it may be good if gaming isn't a priority for you and want a good sub-$200 card.

That's utter nonsense, please become more informed of the facts sir.

 

[vexingv]

I've seen benchmarks of the RADEON 9500 Pro and a GeForce4-Ti4200 will beat it handily.

ScrewFace, have u read the latest anand review...
from article

ATI is very concerned about making sure the Radeon 9500 Pro is a success, as it targets a much larger volume price point. Thanks to an improved driver, new board design with an optimized layout and a full 128MB of memory the card is able to compete with the GeForce4 Ti 4600 instead of being just barely faster than the Ti 4200.

my question is: how much will it cost? ti4200s will prolly be cheaper...but R9500 Pro will have DX9 support

 

[tart666]

But it suuuure would be nice. 9700 for around $200 or less.

yeah seriously.

Specifically the reports are pertinent to the Saphire 9500 128MB part:

• - it has the older PCB layout, same as reference 9700Pro
  - it has 8 RAM chips, 32bit each = 256 bit memory path, just like 9700Pro
  - The chip markings are the same as 9700Pro

Now all this means the extra pipes are only cut off in software

Btw, what do you guys think about the 9700 TX part that Dell is selling? It costs $180 less, has VPU clocked at 275MHz, 128MB. Could this be the 256-bit 9500? The price is certainly right.

 

[mamisano]

Have you seen the new Anandtech review? The 9500-PRO is between the 4400 and 4600 at regular resolutions and BLOWS AWAY the 4600 with AA on...

 

[stonecold3169]

Originally posted by: mamisano
Have you seen the new Anandtech review? The 9500-PRO is between the 4400 and 4600 at regular resolutions and BLOWS AWAY the 4600 with AA on...

Exactly... and from what I've heard, street price should be sub $200 on this guy, so we're talking probably around $175 when it hits newegg/googlegear/etc... and when the GF FX comes out, these will plummet in response. It's a good time to be a gamer, tahts for sure.

 

[cbuchach]

Just ordered my Radeon 9500 Pro from Mwave.com!!!!!!!!!!!! They say they have them in stock now!


It will be a great upgrade from my original Radeon 32DDR!!!!!

 

[tuan121]

Originally posted by: ScrewFace
I've seen benchmarks of the RADEON 9500 Pro and a GeForce4-Ti4200 will beat it handily. It barely beats out a RADEON 9000 PRO as it has just 4 pixel pipelines with only 1 texture unit per pipeline for a 1.1 Gigatexel fill rate (not very good). The card does support DirextX 9 and OpenGL 2.0 but who cares when their's hardly even any DirectX 8.1 games out yet. It does have ATI's 3rd-generation memory optimizations like in the RADEON 9700 Pro but it's just a budget card meant to compete with the GeForce4: MX's. It's also limited to 8.8GBs/second memory bandwidth because of its 128-bit (2 64-bit) memory controller.

I'd pass on it if you're a serious gamer but it may be good if gaming isn't a priority for you and want a good sub-$200 card.

Look at the new anandtech review. It beat the 4600 in most benches.

 

[gregor7777]

Originally posted by: cbuchach
Just ordered my Radeon 9500 Pro from Mwave.com!!!!!!!!!!!! They say they have them in stock now!


It will be a great upgrade from my original Radeon 32DDR!!!!!

Priced at $199 and in stock at Mwave now and that price should drop quick once it hits the market bigtime.

 

[Remedy]

I just heard Bestbuy will have it for 160 after rebate. Anyone else have a bestbuy in the area they can check and confirm this?