I need a new graphics card ...

[M4D]

I just blew my sapphire atlantis 9800 pro 128mb (RIP)
So i need a new card and figured id ask about see what everyone recomends i buy :mrgreen:
You will be influencing my decission :mrgreen .

I wouldnt mind grabing another 9800 pro due to overclocking capabilitys etc but im a little restricted by funds
so im on the look around for something under £200 (GB) pounds margin. Im not looking for something top knotch
like the recent X800 type of cards but need somethings to be able to play my regular games like far cry ut2k4 etc.

Heres a few i've found at the mo, i just wanted to know if you new any good places for graphics cards
or would recomend me some /one :) ...

Most probably one of these from here: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/9700_to_9800_Series.html
Or this one: http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/210160120

Im not really that bothered because performance wise all the 9800pro and xt's are around the same when overclocked
a little so heres a few more i picked out just for you to gimme some feedback on.

http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/210160120
http://www.savastore.com/products/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=Savastore&product%5Fid=10266215&pid=1
http://www.microlandtechnology.com/products.asp?partno=VC0603
http://www.cpucitystore.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=99
http://www.overclock.co.uk/customer/product.php?productid=16709&cat=416&page=1


Hope you can help me out a bit ...

[xTrEmEoVrClOcKr]

Well, I can tell you don't really trust the Sapphire 9800 PROs anymore, so just go with a ATI card insteed of Sapphire.

[Sjaak]

If you can find them - powercolor 9800pro. They have Hynix RAM 2.8ns that clocks way beyond the samsung that most 9800pros have, and theyre not too expensive.

[DexterPunk]

HIS 9800pro's have Hynix 2.5ns i think.. and an arctic VGA silencer and ram sinks all included.

[Sjaak]

HIS 9800pro's have Hynix 2.5ns i think.. and an arctic VGA silencer and ram sinks all included.

What do you mean by HIS - i have the HIS BIOS (someone told me that would fit powercolor cards....but someone else told me i had the 2.8)

[M4D]

My card was volt modded GPU and MEM but was running fine exept from i wanted to check the
thermal paste and reapply some as5 to put my mind at rest a little, Anyhow i took it out
of the case and reapplyed some as5 as per usual and when i put the card back in it wouldnt boot :(

I think when i re'screwed the vga silencer onto the card again i might have screwed it down
a little tight maybe or one of the mods might have been too much for the poor thing :( but i dont think
i did anything wrong as im uber carefull most times so to be honest i think its time had just come :mrgreen:

I was running XT speeds only with the original bios modded to XT speeds and was running the
mem and gpu voltage at only 2.8 mem and 1.75 gpu so that isnt really that high at all :S

Anyhow heres what i decided :mrgreen: I went shopping around and found this http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/210160120
It's a great price and looks to be the buisness but im hoping that the low price doesnt indicate
the 128bit version of the 9800 pro :( I sent them an email to verify but im still waiting for a reply :mrgreen: ...

[lilxvietxboi]

Looks like my BBA 9800 Pro.

"L" shaped ram = 256
n i dont think that the 256 are 128bit

but not sure because it is atlantis
most likely a 256bit though

[M4D]

I checked out the sapphire website and they do unfortunately do a 256MB 128bit radeon so im gonna have to wait
till i either get a reply or get my card delivered monday tuesday ish :D
But whatever i find out i'll let you know ;) .

Heres the link for anyone wanting a look http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9800-256-128.asp
And heres the link to the 256bit versions that im hoping to be getting http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9800proatl.asp

I have decided to buy the one above, This one: http://www.pcwcomponentcentre.co.uk/invt/210160120
But all i can do now is hope and pray ;) that it's the right one and if not then i'll just simply have to send it back ASAP :D .

Anyone know how to tell what version it is when i get it ? ...

[M4D]

Just got word back and ...

Good Morning,

Thank you for your enquiry. I have just been in contact withSapphire and have
been told they are all 256 bit versions.

Many thanks,

PC Component Centre Customer Services Team


So it looks like i got a good one :) and my delivery comes tomorrow :D ...

[Docta_Z]

Mmm sounds promising. Hopefully you don't get one of the "funny" models slipped in there.

[M4D]

Well i got my card just a sec ago already installed and tested with about as many things as i could throw at her :D

Runs sound as a pound and even got some nifty little heatsinks on the memory ;) Which i've never seen before ?
Running stock for a while so not to repeat my earlier mistake if i even made one ;) shows as a 256bit version in
ati tool and various other apps etc and i have 16 memory chips too :D all cooled by them little nifty remsinks i mensioned.

What i want to know now is there any definate possative way of telling the true core memory and other details of the card
without having to remove the heatsinks and bios backups etc ? Co's i dont want to be taking this baby to peices just yet if
i dont have to ...