WTH??? SoftMod Radeon 9500/9700 into 9800

[NFS4]

http://www.rage3d.com/#1047679608

 

[Adul]

omg

 

[chizow]

Looks like R350 is in fact nothing more than an OC'd R300. The optimizations ATi spoke of appear to be software, not hardware. I guess this is a fast-forward of the performance boost that was supposed to arrive in 3.3 and the "optimizations they found in the 9800 source path".

Not sure I'm gonna try it though, such a PITA with ATi 1-in-4's if something goes wrong.

Chiz

 

[Spicedaddy]

It's just using the 9800 path in the drivers, which are supposed to boost performance a little on 9700 cards. Scroll down a little, you'll see the ATI rep saying the driver improvements for the 9700 will be available in Catalyst 3.3.


There's no way you're going to get the core modifications brought by the 9800 on another card...

 

[Spicedaddy]

Originally posted by: chizow
Looks like R350 is in fact nothing more than an OC'd R300. The optimizations ATi spoke of appear to be software, not hardware. I guess this is a fast-forward of the performance boost that was supposed to arrive in 3.3 and the "optimizations they found in the 9800 source path".

Not sure I'm gonna try it though, such a PITA with ATi 1-in-4's if something goes wrong.

Chiz

No, that's not the case. People in the Rage3D forums compared a 9700Pro using the 9800 driver path, and a 9800 clocked at 325/310, and the 9800 was faster. The core is NOT the same...

 

[chizow]

There's no way you're going to get the core modifications brought by the 9800 on another card...

I'm sure the same was said of the 9500 non-pro, but we all know what happened with that debacle. I guess we'll just have to wait and see for further details.

Chiz

 

[Spicedaddy]

Originally posted by: chizow

There's no way you're going to get the core modifications brought by the 9800 on another card...

I'm sure the same was said of the 9500 non-pro, but we all know what happened with that debacle. I guess we'll just have to wait and see for further details.

Chiz

9500 is a 9700 with disabled pipelines, the transistors are still there.

9800 has a core with added features, how is a piece of software going to add transistors?

 

[sharkeeper]

9500 is a 9700 with disabled pipelines, the transistors are still there.

9800 has a core with added features, how is a piece of software going to add transistors?

The same way a sticker can add 25+ hp!

Cheers!

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: Spicedaddy

Originally posted by: chizow

There's no way you're going to get the core modifications brought by the 9800 on another card...

I'm sure the same was said of the 9500 non-pro, but we all know what happened with that debacle. I guess we'll just have to wait and see for further details.

Chiz

9500 is a 9700 with disabled pipelines, the transistors are still there.

9800 has a core with added features, how is a piece of software going to add transistors?

Of course, but where are you picking up your transistor count? That is the most obvious method of a core revision, but curiously no preview/review I've come across lists the transistor count.

Notice a number conspicuously missing?.

I double-checked AT and HardOCP as well, and there was no mention there either of the total transistor count.

Chiz

 

[Afro000Dude]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper

9500 is a 9700 with disabled pipelines, the transistors are still there.

9800 has a core with added features, how is a piece of software going to add transistors?

The same way a sticker can add 25+ hp!

Cheers!

You mean they don't?

 

[paralazarguer]

The core is NOT the same...

 

[ElFenix]

damn, read the damn link

I must note that after this mod the driver uses R9800 specific code for sure and the control panel displays Smoothvision v2.1, but I didn't managed any boost comparing to R9700 mode

 

[PhaZe]

wow




/me eyeballs his ti4200

 

[AdmiralTiger]

Originally posted by: PhaZe


/me eyeballs his ti4200

I'm eyeballing mine too.. can't wait to get rid of it as soon as the prices for 9700 Pro drop a little lower before I buy one myself! My fiancee will be glad that I'm going to buy the card - she's a graphic designer and she's stuck on a GF4 MX on a PCI bus!