Radeon 9800?

[Shiznaught2]

I am looking to spend about 150 to upgrade over my GeForce 3 Ti, and I am looking at the 9800 series based on tomshardware guide benchmarks.

Help me find a good deal on this card as I am not well versed on the brandnames and all the different websites selling them.

I am looking at the Sapphire 9800 for about 140-150 at AllstarShop or Monarchcomputer, but I don't know anything about these shops and I don't know if OEM is ok.

Also I've heard that the 9800SE costs less, and that it's possible to unlocked the 4 out of 8 pipelines that are gimped, and it's a 9800 PRO! Link: http://resellerratings.dealtime.com/...D-137080835716

[bombledmonk]

The best prices are usually at www.newegg.com .

If you don't mind buying refurb here is a 9800pro for $154.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...type=Refurbish

Otherwise here is an OEM Powercolor 9800SE $145
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...131-236&depa=0
or the Retail for $150
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...131-248&depa=0

[evilphantomx]

ya might take a look at my FS thread here....

http://www.resellerratings.com/forum/t111065.html

i know that it is a little higher than what you want but if you are really interested....maybe we can work something out.

read the entire thread and you might be interested in the part about flashing this card(soooo... cool there arn't words to properly express it!!!!)

if ya look send me a PM and let me know one way or the other.....................(worth the trip i guarrentee it!!)

[Stealth834]

Like evilphantomx mentioned, you could buy a cheaper card (9600) and flash it to a 9800. There are FAQs on how to do this everywhere on the net. (good option if money is tight)

[bombledmonk]

Originally posted by Stealth834
Like evilphantomx mentioned, you could buy a cheaper card (9600) and flash it to a 9800. There are FAQs on how to do this everywhere on the net. (good option if money is tight)

That is not possible. The 9600 and 9800 are two completely different cores. It is sometimes possible to do what you mentioned within the same model line though.... like a 9800SE to a 9800pro.

[Stealth834]

Originally posted by bombledmonk
That is not possible. The 9600 and 9800 are two completely different cores. It is sometimes possible to do what you mentioned within the same model line though.... like a 9800SE to a 9800pro.

Ahh, I was under the impression (from a conversation I had with a friend) that people were rather stupid for buying expensive newer model graphics cards when you can flash the bios of older models to awaken disabled pipelines.

[evilphantomx]

it is possable to do but not from a 9600 to a 9800...lol..

sometimes the se's can be flashed up to a pro or like my 9800 pro i flashed to an xt....you can oc these up from there...a lot has to do with the core and ram on a given card(when certain cores/ram start to run out they put cores/ram from the next series on the old ones and software cripple them)...that's why it is so easy to flash the ati cards....real trick is to know/get one with the right hardware on it....