128MB 9800Pro + HL2 Coupon for $225.00...Funky fan?

H

HOTPOOP

n00b
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Jun 11, 2004
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I recently fell into the scam of the 128-bit 9800Pros. I took that POS back so now I'm hunting for a REAL 256-bit 9800Pro.

Here's what I've found.

I checked about 1781984156489156 times that it's 256-bit, and its clocks seem fine. The only thing that bothers me is its fan...Look at these pictures:
31017098_2.jpg

31017098_1.jpg

31017098_4.jpg


I've had a couple people tell me that this fan has been used on the 256MB versions...Is this true? Is that a good or a bad thing? :p

Thanks!
 
IceDigger said:
I didnt know there was a scam with 128bit 9800 pros, they are all 256bit to my knowledge. Unless your mistaking that 128bit with 128MB. Although the 128MB cards perform similar to the 256MB cousins.
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No, in the past few weeks sapphire has been selling 128 MB, 128bit, 325/600 "9800 Pros"
:rolleyes:
 
w00t, I hope you're right! I heard that Sapphire is shipping most of their 9800pros with the 360Core rather than the 350.

How can you tell that it's the XT core? Just the fan?
 
Yeah, that is fucked up. I think they should have put more of a flag on it, but I guess they knew no one would buy it. Almost ranks up their with the GF4mx bullshit.
 
creedAMD said:
Yeah, that is fucked up. I think they should have put more of a flag on it, but I guess they knew no one would buy it. Almost ranks up their with the GF4mx bullshit.
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I'd say its prett damn equal. hehe Aww....brings back memories when I bought my Ti500.



Buddy: Hey I bought a GF4 really really cheap! I paid X amount!! I have a better card then your Ti500!
Blackwind: Hmm that DOES sound pretty cheap...which GF4?
Buddy: er...MX?
Blackwind: Ahhh! no wonder...it performs like a GF2. :D
Buddy: Wah! Arggggg!
Blackwind: Walks away cracking up...

a little time well spent before letting that money burn a hole in your pocket prevents one making mistakes. :D

Video Card makers.....the used car salesman of our era.
 
Yes, it's true that HS/F has been used on the 256 MB version. They first came out (IIRC) in the Dell OEM realm. Then after sapphire realized there was a demand they started making them. They were basically 9800xt's downclocked to pro speeds. You probably have a 9800xt with 128mb memory (r360 core) The way you identify it is by popping off the heatsink and cleaning off the thermal paste. It'll say the model right on the core (it's probably a 360). There are applications that will identify the core, but most of them do not support ID-ing the 360 core (reports them as a 350). You may need a bios flash to get the proper voltages to take that chip all the way to xt speeds, but you may just get lucky ;D
 
diredesire said:
You may need a bios flash to get the proper voltages to take that chip all the way to xt speeds, but you may just get lucky ;D
Click to expand...

Supposedly the bios flash does not boost voltage. It's all done on the card with voltage dividers. I have heard of people getting faster ram with the flash, due to higher latencies with the XT. I just got the same card last week. (r360 on XT pwa w/ hynix 2.8) It does 445 core but only 375 memory w/o artifacting in 3dmark. I think the samsung memory is much better.
 
I read on this forum a while ago that the 128 9800 pro isn't really a 9800 pro.. i think newegg mislabeled the product. they say it's supposed to be like a 9700 or something.
 
Yep...Mine probably ran about that. I got about 32,000 with AM3 which I THINK is the average non-clocked score for the 9600XT. It prolly is for the 9700 non-pro also. :)

Now I'm really glad I took that card back...Phew. :D
 
Look at these pictures:

Here's my card:
31017098_2.jpg


Here's a 256MB Pro from NewEgg:
14-102-290-09.JPG


A 9800XT from NewEgg:
14-102-319-04.JPG


The regular 9800Pro from NewEgg:
14-102-268-03.JPG


The general architecture of my card looks very similar if not identical to the 256MB verion and the XT. The regular 9800Pro looks a bit different the way some of the doodads are arranged.

I really hope these pictures are correct. :D
 
The brushed aluminum heatsink is what I have too. It's supposed to suck. Some website has pictures - there are only heat fins on 2 sides. :(
 
Thanks for the link, very informative. The link says that the card is stable at stock speeds which is all I need. :)

When I decide to overclock in the future I'll probably just order the VGA Silencer that comes on the IceQ 9800s.
 
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