Looking for reviews of Sapphire Radeon 9800np

[TheNamelessOne]

So I'm trying to decide if I should get this card OEM for $264. I'm looking for some reviews to help me decide. Or some user experiences would be nice too. Hit me up with some linkies.

[Mustanley]

It would be nice to know what type of memory chips it comes with. If it has 2.8ns samsung them jump on it. Mine is not a Sapphire, but the performance is second to none.

[TheNamelessOne]

Unfortunately that is unknown. Here is a link of where I want to buy from http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/product.asp?dept%5Fid=124&pid=7433&sid=99QRXXBLXHKV8KR2R6V9MNFHXP6T8SSC I doubt they will give me this information if I contact them. Unless all the 9800 np's they have have the same speed chips.

[Mustanley]

I've seen people saying that they are shipping with 2.8ns, 3.0ns and 3.3ns memory. The one I'm using came out of a Dell (built by ATI) and has 2.8ns. I've pretty easily overclocked the core and memory by over 100 MHz each. I've seen that most of the 9800 Pro's don't seem to overclock any higher than this, so I believe this is the best bang for the buck in highend 3D gaming cards.
Even if you don't end up with 2.8ns ram, you can likely clock the memory up to 360MHz or so with a simple 9800 Pro bios flash. Most 9800 Pro and non-Pro seem to be able to get the core clock over 400MHz no sweat.
BTW, the images of the card on the link you posted looks like 2.8 Samsung ram, but it's hard to tell, and also not necessarily the exact card that is being shipped.

[TheNamelessOne]

Thanks for the response. At stock speeds, how does the card compare to a 9700pro that is also stock?

[Since87]

Originally posted by Mustanley

Even if you don't end up with 2.8ns ram, you can likely clock the memory up to 360MHz or so with a simple 9800 Pro bios flash. Most 9800 Pro and non-Pro seem to be able to get the core clock over 400MHz no sweat.

Mine has 3 ns memory, and I haven't been able to run it stably above 314 MHz bus speed. I haven't flashed the bios though. I'm going to get ramsinks which might help also.

The core seems to run 420 MHz no problem though. I'm not comfortable leaving it there, till I get better cooling on it though. I run 390 MHz core routinely.

[Mustanley]

Flashing to a 9800 Pro bios netted me another 50Mhz memory overclock.

Thanks for the response. At stock speeds, how does the card compare to a 9700pro that is also stock?

From what I've seen the 9800np has maybe a 5% advantage at default speeds.

[TheNamelessOne]

5% advantage you say? Not bad considering its also forty bucks cheaper. Holy crap the price just went down $9 to $255. This must be a sign. I must get this card :D

[woodenman80]

Im looking at a 9800np Saphire too! but im (was waiting for a review).

Also website pictures are dodgy at best to go by!

But if anyone gets a sapphire post some links about what its capable, as they have just come out in the UK

We also have Powercolour available there cheap as chips but dodgy i here?