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9500NP arrived and is now a 9700
- Thread starter GravY
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2003
Yeah, I like them. I've been using the nvidia omega drivers for some time. It 's too bad that for ATI cards they don't keep the overclock after re-booting. And I noticed the artifact tester will say no artifacts when a game will clearly show them, whereas the nvidia artifact tester showed artifacts when I could not see them in games.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2002
Ok so I've been reading a lot about this 9500np->9700/9800 softmod and I'm very interested. But I want some opinions, I currently have a PNY GF4-4600 and was considering purchasing the 9500np from allstar but after reading some posts on hardforum.com it sounds like this mod is very iffy. I read you have to have the 9500np PCB that has the memory in a "L" shape like the 9700's do for it to be worth while. If its not in the L Shape then the memory bus won't be 256bit like the 9700pcb(correct?).
Would it be worth it for me to purchase the 9500np from allstar to replace my 4600? Or should I save myself the hassle and get a 9700np Gold Edition that can do Pro speeds for 190-200$.
As it stands right now my 4600 runs very hot, it sucks! Its the hottest running peice of hardware in my system. I've already replaced the GPU fan with the TT copper cooler set & Artic Thermal Adhesive and its still very hot. Its not overclocked mind you.
With the 9500np overclocked to 9700 speeds does it run hot?
Would the 9700np run cooler then the 9500np~Overclocked?
Has anyone that purchased the 9500np from allstar had problems softmodding it? It looks like most people that ordered from allstar have had success stories.
My current 3dmark2001 score is 14,300 w/ a P4 2.4b @ 3.3ghz, 1gb twinmos ram, Gigabyte Sinxp Dual-DDR setup. I _WANT_ 17k-18k in 3dmark2001 I noticed a few of you have scores that high with the 9500np~Overclocked/Softmodded, thats the performance I want.
thx in advance.
Would it be worth it for me to purchase the 9500np from allstar to replace my 4600? Or should I save myself the hassle and get a 9700np Gold Edition that can do Pro speeds for 190-200$.
As it stands right now my 4600 runs very hot, it sucks! Its the hottest running peice of hardware in my system. I've already replaced the GPU fan with the TT copper cooler set & Artic Thermal Adhesive and its still very hot. Its not overclocked mind you.
With the 9500np overclocked to 9700 speeds does it run hot?
Would the 9700np run cooler then the 9500np~Overclocked?
Has anyone that purchased the 9500np from allstar had problems softmodding it? It looks like most people that ordered from allstar have had success stories.
My current 3dmark2001 score is 14,300 w/ a P4 2.4b @ 3.3ghz, 1gb twinmos ram, Gigabyte Sinxp Dual-DDR setup. I _WANT_ 17k-18k in 3dmark2001 I noticed a few of you have scores that high with the 9500np~Overclocked/Softmodded, thats the performance I want.
thx in advance.
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2002
- Location
- I don't know why, but...Deleware
...
the L shaped pcb is the easy part, just look at the picture on newegg or allstar to make sure. once you get it you still have a high chance of failure.
Nobody realy knows why, but it seems that about 2/3 of all 9500's that can be softmodded reject it. they get checkerboards, or other visual distortions. Some think it is probably due to damaged inactive pipelines being activated.
If you don't have the money get the 9500. If the softmod works you save $50, and if it doesn't you can oc the 9500's incredibly far, just about to the same speed as a stock 9700pro. If you want a sure thing, and the $50 won't kill you get the 9700np and oc it...either way you can't miss.
btw that 3dmark score is terrible. In my old 1800xp(not oc'd) 8k3a+ with a 64mb MSI ti4200(highest fully stable oc (not hot)) i can get about 12600 3dmark 2k1 with my stock intel cooler on the gpu. with the stock cooling i could hit like 12001 or so. I can probably get alot higher with my new cooler, but i just finished it and i have been to busy to try.
the L shaped pcb is the easy part, just look at the picture on newegg or allstar to make sure. once you get it you still have a high chance of failure.
Nobody realy knows why, but it seems that about 2/3 of all 9500's that can be softmodded reject it. they get checkerboards, or other visual distortions. Some think it is probably due to damaged inactive pipelines being activated.
If you don't have the money get the 9500. If the softmod works you save $50, and if it doesn't you can oc the 9500's incredibly far, just about to the same speed as a stock 9700pro. If you want a sure thing, and the $50 won't kill you get the 9700np and oc it...either way you can't miss.
btw that 3dmark score is terrible. In my old 1800xp(not oc'd) 8k3a+ with a 64mb MSI ti4200(highest fully stable oc (not hot)) i can get about 12600 3dmark 2k1 with my stock intel cooler on the gpu. with the stock cooling i could hit like 12001 or so. I can probably get alot higher with my new cooler, but i just finished it and i have been to busy to try.
- Thread Starter
- #47
WHQLbob said:
if you are to purchase a 9500np you will need the red PCB with the "L" memory, just make sure you buy the correct board..
would it be worth it? its up to you, do you have 150.00 to blow if it doesn't work? will you be happy with a 9500np if it fails?
I would guess a 9500 at 9700 speed would be the same temp, they are the same card.. I however added a new cooler and am running well beyond 9700 speeds and have no heat issues.. the chip doesn't run too hot..
from what I have heard people are getting good cards from allstar.. like I had 3 good ones from Newegg..
I had a ti4600 prior to the 9500np and had 15k+ in 3dmark2k1, and with my 9500np - > 9700 I get just shy of 18,000 on a xp 2400+ 2.0ghz oc'd to 2.4ghz and the card running at 390/310.. and blister the Ti4600 in 3dmark03 by over 3000 points..
but it all ends up with you taking a chance to see if you get a card that works.. I feel that ATI is dumping their 9700 chips into the last 9500's as they have moved on to the 9800 and the 9600.. it's seems to me that the sucess rate has been real high as of late..
good luck..
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2003
WHQLbob- I think your 3DMark01 score is about right for not overclocking. I got 16,005 with my ti4600 overclocked to 336/751, and so would you if you overclocked yours. You could get 17-18K with a softmodded 9500np if you overclocked it. If you didn't overclock it your score would probably only go up 1000 points or so at the most.
i dont' understand why people dont' just spend the extra $30-40 for the 9500 pro. it already has all 8 pipes opeend, you just need to overclock it via flashing the bios and using a program like powerstrip. i did this and it's running great at 370/340.........
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2002
- Location
- Boulder CO
many people dont (myself included) because they are tempted to get far greater performance than the 9500pro will ever offer if the card successfully mods to 9700
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2003
torchedlh said:
Here's why (quote from Anandtech): "The Radeon 9500 Pro has two 64-bit DDR memory controllers instead of the four in the Radeon 9700 Pro. This cuts the 9500 Pro's memory bandwidth to half of the 9700 Pro at identical clock speeds, and puts it in line with the GeForce4's 128-bit DDR memory subsystem."
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2002
- Location
- Hell's Kitchen
Damn you people, now I have to buy a new videocard! 
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2001
@torchedlh
pelikan is right. The 9500pro has the 128bit bus compared to the 256bit of the 9700np (or modded 9500). So once overlclocked you will find the 9700np to be much faster in the fill rate tests. Yours is still very fast but a 9700np running at your clocks speeds (like mine) will be faster.
@GravY
Exactly which HSF is that you've put on your card and how did you secure it? I take it you removed the shim from around the GPU? I've already replaced the gunk with some Artic Silver but I've decided to change the HSF now as well.
I also noticed that the Omegas drivers don't keep the overlclocked speed after reboot. Isn't there a way round this?
I'm actually suprised the softmod is still working. It's a shame that these cards have the crappy Infineon memory on as this only seems to go to 297-310.
pelikan is right. The 9500pro has the 128bit bus compared to the 256bit of the 9700np (or modded 9500). So once overlclocked you will find the 9700np to be much faster in the fill rate tests. Yours is still very fast but a 9700np running at your clocks speeds (like mine
) will be faster.@GravY
Exactly which HSF is that you've put on your card and how did you secure it? I take it you removed the shim from around the GPU? I've already replaced the gunk with some Artic Silver but I've decided to change the HSF now as well.
I also noticed that the Omegas drivers don't keep the overlclocked speed after reboot. Isn't there a way round this?
I'm actually suprised the softmod is still working. It's a shame that these cards have the crappy Infineon memory on as this only seems to go to 297-310.
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2001
@ GravY
I came across a solution to keep the clock rates after reboot...
1. Delete the RadClock directory from "...Program Files\Radeon Omega Drivers" folder to uninstall the included Radclock utility.
2. Download and install RadClock (current version is 1.501)
- Install it to its default directory, not the location of the old app
I came across a solution to keep the clock rates after reboot...
1. Delete the RadClock directory from "...Program Files\Radeon Omega Drivers" folder to uninstall the included Radclock utility.
2. Download and install RadClock (current version is 1.501)
- Install it to its default directory, not the location of the old app
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2002
- Location
- Ft. Myers, Fl.
torchedlh said:
CLockspeeds don't have anything to do with the width of the memory bus...The modded np9500 has a 256bit DDR bus, the R9500PRO has only a 128bitDDR bus. That's why it boasts twice the bandwidth at equal clocks.....
The only difference between the R9700npn-Pro and R9700PRO is clockspeed.......
Difference between R9500PRO and R9700's are clockspeeds and bus width (128 vs 256)
Since R9500PRO's have their own PCB, no way to enable the other half of the bus...but since some R9500np's come assembled on R9700PCB's, we get the 256DDR bit bus automatically, and then it's just a matter of enabling the other pipes...
- Thread Starter
- #60
Wam said:
That is a ThermalTake Chrome Orb I had laying around from my 1.4ghz tbird.. I did not remove the shim at all, I don't know if mine was just lower than others but my GPU was sticking up above the shim, I have it secured with Artic Alumina which also tells me that it has made contact with the Gpu otherwise it would be laying on the bottom of my case right about now, However I am thinking about redoing it just to make sure it's making full contact..
