Hot on a budget | 256-bit 9800SE -> 9800Pro Powercolor from newegg

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AACI_CIO

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
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Most of you have likely seen the guide to modding your 9800SE->9800Pro here:

http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=3&var1=101&var2=0

I just got a 9800SE 256-bit from http://www.newegg.com for $153 shipped. The card converted to a 9800Pro with a simple click of a toggle button in the Omegadrivers. Now I am clocked at 420 core 350 memory and getting 5900+ 3dmark for my $153 bucks.

I have heard hearsay that the conversion success rate on Powercolors is 70-80%. Hence, you are taking a bit of a risk, but you save around $40-50 vs. a full 9800Pro. Oh yes, this is RETAIL not OEM.

Links:

Newegg Powercolor 256-bit (ONLY GET 256-bit!):
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-236&depa=1

Omegadrivers:
http://www.omegacorner.com

EDIT UPDATES:

1) Stock cooling is usually sufficient for the stock 380/340 clocks even after a soft mod. My card did 420 core with stock cooling. Of course, the arctic cooler rev.3 will help your clocks. I achieved a massive 446 core 387 mem without artificats with the arctic cooler rev.3.

2) Sapphire 9800SEs are NOT a good choice. The memory is only 128-bit bus even though the config is in the "L" shape according to HF member DaveX. Most Sapphire cards that cost less than $200 are the 128-bit "9800pro" and should be avoided.

3) The 9800SE NON-MODDED is roughly comparable to the 9600XT with both at stock clocks. See Hexus review: http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews/review.php?dXJsX3Jldmlld19JRD02NTUmdXJsX3BhZ2U9Nw==

Hence, if you do get a softmod, you are saving serious $$ and getting massively more speed than the 9600XT. If the softmod fails, then you are still at 9600XT speeds. ;)
 
UrinalCakeMIx said:
And if yer SE is one of the 20-30% that doesnt work, theres always NeweggRMA!!!
Click to expand...
you're not going to find many fans here conning merchants like that...
 
Update after installing arctic cooler:

Running ATI tool as I type. I think my card is an unusual beast, but the results are astounding me:

Core: 446 MHz had no artifiacts for more than an hour
Memory: testing at 382 Mhz with no artifacts for more than 5 minutes (no idea where it will end up....)

That's right: $153 + $10 for cooler is giving me 446 core 382 (?)+ memory! I love this card.

BTW: newegg is sold out right now :(
 
I bought mine for $152 a week ago. Got all 8 pipelines working on my card. Got a benchmark of just under 40,000 on Aquamark with the compy in my sig (minus the 9100). I'm gonna put another Innovatek Graph-O-Matic on the core and some OCZ copper ramsinks once my budget allows for it. Great card and I like all of the accessories that come in the retail box.
 
Is buying a retail 9800 se for 153 then a heatsink to cool it down for 20 worth it compared to a sapphire oem 9800 pro for 170?
 
Er, $170 where? Are you talking about the 128-bit sapphire POS that is no better than a 9500PRO? The cheapest I have seen the 256-bit card online is $189 at non-reputables (thread in the forum for the gigabyte). Newegg.com charges $205+ for the 256-bit 9800Pro OEM.

Further, I got 420 core 350 mem with the stock cooling. With the arctic cooler, I get 460+core and 385+ memory. Don't ask me why the memory gained so much without extra cooling....
 
Selfdestruct said:
crap it was the 256bit oem but im not seeing it at newegg anymore. it was http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-268&depa=0 . Not there anymore though. It may of been 169.00 +10.00 shipping but I do know it was that cheap. Theres other posts in here about it. I was just wondering why save some money and end up using it to buy fans and heatsinks?
Click to expand...

You may be thinking of the HUGE newegg.com typo fiasco of a few weeks ago. Newegg showed the 128-bit card as 256-bit and caused a HUGE fuss and RMA situation. The same card is now there, but properly labeled as 128-bit for ~$160.
 
I have never bought a newegg.com refurb. Yet, from what I have heard, the quality is very hit or miss.
 
I picked up 2 of these back when they were going for $126. One softmodded perfectly, and the other was a failure so I gave it to a friend. A 9800se for $126 is still a great price.
 
Got my 9800 SE softmodded it smooth as silk...
Waiting on a Thermaltake GiantII to start overclocking it. But some low profile Ramsinks on it so it wont interfere with the Giant.(God that thing is a beast)
Will post results when I get that monster of a heatsink on.
 
Hartlove said:
That's right. If it doesn't OC, put it in Mom's PC... :p
Click to expand...

HaHa. Good one. I put them in my kids comps.

Also, got my 9600 pro from the egg on refurb for $91.00 and it doesn't quite make 500/700. I can get it to about 490, but alas no more v available on the intel mobo.
 
Might as well drop $190 on a 9800Pro, instead of trying to cool that SE. :confused:

[edit]Second thought... how does a 9600XT and that 9800SE compare? I'm thinking of getting a 9600XT, but there're so many choices, so confused. :(
 
1) About cooling: As I noted above, the stock black heatsink got me a 420MHz stable core in my Lian-Li PC-65. Your results may vary, but the stock cooler is just fine for stock speeds.

2) Other SEs that mod easily? Well, I don't think some of the others are 256-bit memory, so don't bother trying unless the card is 256-bit memory interface.

3) As I understand things, the 9800SE is about the same in 3dMark 03 as the 9600XT:
http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews/review.php?dXJsX3Jldmlld19JRD02NTUmdXJsX3BhZ2U9Nw==

Hexus shows them neck-and-neck in 3dmark03.
 
back in stock! I took a chance and ordered one for my 2nd rig. If it doesn't softmod succesfully oh well it's still a good card.
 
Only buy the POWERCOLOR card. DO NOT BUY THE SAPPHIRE 9800SE. In my other hardforum 9800SE thread, DaveX notes some interesting points:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=763511

According to DaveX, even though the sapphire has "L" shape memory, the card is really 128-bit! Avoid sapphire (or should that me assphire). :mad:
 
is the unmodded 9800 se better then a 9600 pro?

I'm struggleing with the 60 gamble(sP?) between the two
 
IISEVIL said:
is the unmodded 9800 se better then a 9600 pro?

I'm struggleing with the 60 gamble(sP?) between the two
Click to expand...
Right around the same and maybe a tad better. A few reviews have it running neck and neck with the 9600XT. The core is also capable of more advanced calculations as well, so there is some benefit (read: possibly better/faster AF filtering). The decent chances of activating 8 pipelines is a serious bonus.

BTW the only moddable ati cards are the 9500/9700/9800 series, not any of the 9600's.
 
but then again you can overclock your 9800 pro higher than that so it really isnt the same thing....also overclocking does wear on a card faster regardless of temps.
 
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