Video Cards

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  • AcemanPB
    Exactly
    • Mar 2002
    • 1885

    #1

    Video Cards

    I am buying a new computer and have a question on the video card I couldn't figure out. I know many of you on AO build computers and stuff so I figured atleast one of you might could help me out.

    Alright my family is buying a Dell (we get a huge discount through my mom's work)

    This computer will be a Gaming PC

    I've decided on the Dell XPS, it comes stock with alot of nice stuff (gig of ram, 120gig hd, etc) The video card is where I'm unsure about. It comes "stock" with a Radion 9800 128 meg card. For 180 dollars more, you can upgrade the video card to a Radion 9800 Pro both cards are 128 meg cards and I don't really know the differnce between the two. What does the Pro have that makes it worth 180 dollars more?


    (Can't wait till I order it!!)
  • MarkM
    UK Cougars
    • Jul 2002
    • 2433

    #2
    You sure about your numbers? the card prior to the 9800 pro was the 9700, anyhow click here http://www.pcformat.co.uk/reviews/de...bsectionid=679 this magazine did an independent review in the May issue...doesn't look like the review is on the website as yet but check back as I'm sure they will include it. They gave it a 92% and the by line was "Athough far from being the next generation of hardware, the 9800 Pro beats all the competion". It also says that the Pro is 128 Mb DDR but a 256Mb will be available soon. Up to you but I'm sure more than one or two people will give you a hard time over your choice of a DELL...can't understand why but then the DELL pc's we get here are very expensive for what they contain...maybe it is a service/warranty thing there I dunno.
    Mark UK Cougars


    UK Cougars
    Sterling Owners Group. Member #39

    Comment

    • Pokaris
      Registered User
      • Sep 2002
      • 89

      #3
      I hope this "huge" discount is over 15% because that's pretty standard. The real deals are when guys find stackable 10% and 15% coupons or more for 25%+ off.

      To be a true Linux user I should say STFW (search the f'n web) but I'll go past my duty.

      I've never heard of a 9800 non-pro, heck ATI doesn't list one in it's products. But Dell is a big fan of proprietary junk that doesn't work with other computers, but that's just a technicians prospective. Anywho, Dell offers this wonderful help me choose button that gives you details.

      ATI Radeon 9800
      Controller Speed 325 MHz
      AGP Bus 8x
      Data Width 256 bit
      RAMDAC 350 MHz
      Max Res 1600x1200
      DVI Yes
      TV Out Yes
      Dual Display Yes
      Display Rotation Support Yes


      ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
      Controller Speed 378 MHz
      AGP Bus 8x
      Data Width 256 bit
      RAMDAC 350 MHz
      Max Res 1600x1200
      DVI Yes
      TV Out Yes
      Dual Display Yes
      Display Rotation Support Yes

      This blows my mind as a 9800 Pro should max at 2048x1536
      but as I said Dell and unique stuff is nothing new. So the only difference is contoller speed. Which wont matter if you know how to Overclock, if not and you want a few more FPS, go with the pro if its worth 180 bucks to ya. There's no major difference though.

      Comment

      • AcemanPB
        Exactly
        • Mar 2002
        • 1885

        #4
        I did search the web some and came up with the same stuff you did, but I didn't really understand what that meant (I'm not the best with computers) I guess I'll go with the "non-pro" because I really have no reason to overclock.


        The dicount my mom gets is pretty good (she works for Dell ) And yes there are other PC's I'd rather have but there isn't much I can do about it.


        Thanks for the help

        Comment

        • MantisMag
          Dim Sum
          • Dec 2001
          • 1895

          #5
          their "9800" sounds like a 9700 pro to me. i haven't heard of a 9800. and their 9800 pro is supposed to be running at 380 mhz according to ati spec. but if they're making they're not using ati branded boards i guess they can do whatever they want to them. if you want my opinion the 9800 pro isn't worth the premium they're charging. stick with the "98000"

          i'm one of those guys that's going to give you crap about getting a dell. i hate all of those computers. dell, hp, gateway, all of them. think about it. what parts of your computer are not listed in the specs? case, motherboard, powersupply. how high of a quality do you think they are? what do you think is the most common problems with them. motherboard and power supply! my dad is always fixing computers for neighbors and friends and such. the power supply was the problem on 3 out of 4. they don't list brands on anything. do you trust whatever brands they're buying and debadging? what kind of timings is the memory capable of? i would think that they buy the cheapest they can get while keeping numbers big. although they're not as much of a problem as the motherboard and power supply. i can't stress that enough how often they have problems with those two parts. and your motherboard WILL make a difference in performance.

          Comment

          • devildog
            I hate my user name
            • Oct 2002
            • 1530

            #6
            the difference is just clock speeds and bus speeds. pokaris showed that with his search, but im pretty sure those numbers are wrong, and it doesnt list all the specs.

            the ramdac should be faster, and memory speeds faster for the main part, id have to look up the other specs.

            all in all, the card is a little faster, graphics will look the same, but the pro version will be a little faster.

            its like saying both of our cars have a 427 v8 in em, but mine has a 427 hemi, which will put out a few more horses cause the pistons are a different shape. best analogy i could come up with
            Zaszczycają waszą ojczyznę

            just got back from iraq!!!

            Comment

            • MantisMag
              Dim Sum
              • Dec 2001
              • 1895

              #7
              Originally posted by devildog
              the difference is just clock speeds and bus speeds. pokaris showed that with his search, but im pretty sure those numbers are wrong, and it doesnt list all the specs.

              the ramdac should be faster, and memory speeds faster for the main part, id have to look up the other specs.

              all in all, the card is a little faster, graphics will look the same, but the pro version will be a little faster.

              its like saying both of our cars have a 427 v8 in em, but mine has a 427 hemi, which will put out a few more horses cause the pistons are a different shape. best analogy i could come up with
              maybe i missed it but where does it say the bus speed is different? the only specs missing are the number of pixel pipelines and textures per pixel pipe. everything else if you want to know you can figure out with a little math. i would assume they're running at 8 pixels per clock 1 texture per pixel pipe making 8 textures per clock.

              what do you mean ramdac speeds AND memory clock speeds? the ram should actually be running 340 on DDR for an effective 680 mhz. so if that's the actual memory clock and not the effective. which i sure hope it is. then they're actually running faster than ati specs.

              i don't know much about cars but i do know computers. and i'd say it's more like us having the same engine but i gave mine a full tuneup and maybe chipped it. just squeezing out a few more horsepower and making it run more efficiently.

              Comment

              • MarkM
                UK Cougars
                • Jul 2002
                • 2433

                #8
                ATI Radeon 9800Pro specs are

                Chip - ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
                Core clock speed - 380 Mhz
                Memeory Clock speed - 680 Mhz DDR
                RAM - 128Mb DDR (256Mb to follow)
                RAMDAC - Dual 400Mhz
                Max res - 2,048 x 1,536 at 60 Hz
                AGP bus - 1x/2x/4x/8x
                Connections 1xDVI, 1xVGA, 1xS-VHS out

                This from the magazine review I quoted above and if you want to check what the maker says .... http://www.ati.com/products/pc/radeon9800pro/specs.html
                Mark UK Cougars


                UK Cougars
                Sterling Owners Group. Member #39

                Comment

                • devildog
                  I hate my user name
                  • Oct 2002
                  • 1530

                  #9
                  Originally posted by MantisMag


                  maybe i missed it but where does it say the bus speed is different?
                  i was talking about memory speeds and memory bandwidth



                  the only specs missing are the number of pixel pipelines and textures per pixel pipe. everything else if you want to know you can figure out with a little math. i would assume they're running at 8 pixels per clock 1 texture per pixel pipe making 8 textures per clock.
                  well arent you cool im sure you just "assumed" all that

                  Originally posted by MantisMag


                  what do you mean ramdac speeds AND memory clock speeds? the ram should actually be running 340 on DDR for an effective 680 mhz. so if that's the actual memory clock and not the effective. which i sure hope it is. then they're actually running faster than ati specs.
                  what does that have to do with anything?

                  what im trying to say is that its gonna be faster (most likely) than the non-pro model, same as if you look at the nvidia geforce fx 5600 and the fx 5600 ultra, some of clock speeds and bandwidths are gonna be better (you dont have to look it all up and get all technical on us again), just proving a point

                  here is a list of FULL specs: http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic...800pro-02.html

                  i couldnt find any specs on the non-pro model
                  Zaszczycają waszą ojczyznę

                  just got back from iraq!!!

                  Comment

                  • -=Squid=-

                    #10
                    If you need more than 128 meg video card, I would love to see the game. Stick with the regular.

                    Comment

                    • MantisMag
                      Dim Sum
                      • Dec 2001
                      • 1895

                      #11
                      Originally posted by devildog
                      well arent you cool im sure you just "assumed" all that
                      yes my assumption is that they are going to be the same as the official values for the 9800 pro. i have no idea about the 9800 but as the 9700 pro also uses those values then i ASSUME that it's not going to be any lower. dell doesn't actually say so these are all assumptions.

                      Originally posted by devildog
                      what does that have to do with anything?
                      you said "the ramdac should be faster, and memory speeds faster for the main part, id have to look up the other specs." i asked what you meant by ramdac speed AND memory speed. aren't they the same? then i pointed out that dell's is actually faster than the listed speed for cards made by ati. if you were saying the pro version should be faster than the non-pro then no. ram speeds are the same according to the stats from dell, which pokaris posted and i also took a look at myself to see if the other specs were there. you posted. i replied directly to your post. that's what it has to do with anything.

                      Originally posted by devildog


                      what im trying to say is that its gonna be faster (most likely) than the non-pro model, same as if you look at the nvidia geforce fx 5600 and the fx 5600 ultra, some of clock speeds and bandwidths are gonna be better (you dont have to look it all up and get all technical on us again), just proving a point

                      here is a list of FULL specs: http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic...800pro-02.html

                      i couldnt find any specs on the non-pro model
                      you complain that there isn't full specs and then complain that i got technical. what's your problem? and if you want to play around with THESE are FULL specs. then those aren't full specs either. that doesn't have peak memory bandwith or texel fill rates. some fairly important numbers. although they can be figured out from the other specs if you know how. and a lot of those other "specs" don't really matter. do we need to know the names of their architecture schemes? do we really need to know how many transistors it has?

                      sorry Aceman. if you need some help with all these numbers feel free to pm me. i'll explain what they mean as best i can.

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