GeForce 8800 vs 9600 vs 9800

I read that the 8800 GT XXX is better than a 9600GT XXX.

Why is this if 9600's clock speed is 740 Mhz and 8800's is 650 Mhz? What am I missing?

And which should I get?

XfX Nvidia GeForce 9600GT xXx

GeForce 8800GT 512Mb xXx

Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX

if you can afford a 9800 GTX you can definitely afford a 4850 which is better all of the above mentioned cards.

The 9600 GT is worse because it runs on a weaker GPU (G94) and has half the amount of stream processors

That'd be correct. Isn't nvidia's naming scheme wonderful?

The 9600 has less stream processors, but they work totally different. Here is a quote:
"For an extra performance boost during intense gaming situations, NVIDIA has designed the 9600 GT to offer 64 stream processors operating at the unmatched 1750 MHz shader speed."

and what about EAH 4580 it is still better than 9600GT or 9800GT? man...what I can see is 9800GT 9800GT 9800GT but all of them look different...its because they want to disturb us??? and the 9600GT some of them are more expensive than the 9800 series how I have to undestand this?

it looks like I will buy the EAH 4580.... what would you choose.... Radeon or nVidia?? and why? because a long long time before it was that the nVidia usually was leading

Thanks for your answer.... and the EAH looks better then the nVidia

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] 0gt-8600gt has some good info. Especially I like doomsdaydave11's point.