9600XT

[truckless]

Hi guys, help me out here, i cant find any reviews ANYWHERE comparing the 9600XT 128MB against the 256MB version. How big is the difference? Is it significant? Also, I know ASUS is a reputable compnay, but what are they like with ATI cards?

Thanks a lot,
Later

 

[RRAMJET]

no difference

If he doesn't die, he'll get help!!!

 

[truckless]

so why a difference in price (and why make a new model?) Is it just that the difference is so small that it can be disregarded?

 

[Ion]

Heh dude, ever attend marketing class?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Actually you have to make sure that the memory is similar. With the R9600XT however I don't think they could get much worse than 3.3ns.

Really 256 mb will have little effect on that card, the only places where it would benifit, it is unlikely that the card would be able to use those resources fast enough. So unless the memory is the exact same type, an the price diff. is less than $10, then it's definitely not worth the extra money. Even then some people might say that $1 more is too much.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[scottchen]

My retailer carries the powercolor 9600pro 256meg cheaper than the BBA 9600pro 128meg, there's a 14 dollars canadian difference.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.575G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 275mhz 3-4-4-8 -Sapphire 9800np @ 432/760 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Yeah but a PC pro vs any other XT is different. That PRO (if it is that and not another PC naming trick) is likely cheaper memory than the BBA card. Some PC cards are ok, ut that's the 128mb variety. Unless you can check the RAM I'd say stay away from the PC ones, and then on top of that it is a PC card which doesn't make me feel warm inside the way the BBA cards tend to. There is also the substantial diff. in warranty too.

The thing with the XT is that the ram is so poor on the reference boards (3.3ns), that it would be hard to get any worse IMO.


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[HardWareBoss]

XT using 3.3ns. What's with that?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Don't know but unfortunately that appears to be the case with the early/reference boards.

Bad choice IMO.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[link]

there is no 256 version of the xt yet. there you happy?

 

[sweatlaserxp]

No, no, and no. You don't understand- 3.3ns refers to the latency, not the memory clock bandwidth. "Speed" is an ambiguous term when dealing with the hardware as a whole. The memory bandwidth is identical to the 9600 Pro: 600MHz. Second of all, a lot of times when sites like THG review a graphics card they are reviewing a "reference" model supplied by the vendor which may have some finer treatment in certain corners, like lower latency memory chips, although not in this case. And, finally, RAM may seem cheap, but certainly not the VRAM that is typically used in manufacturing a modern 3D card like the 9600 Pro and XT. Make sure you get your terminology straight.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Link, don't bother sharing your 'missinformation' with the rest of us. Lars is talking about the SPEED it is clocked at not the RATED speed for the memory chips. Both are set at STOCK 300(600)mhz, however the R9600Pro comes with 2,86 ns memmory and the early reference R9600XT boards came out with 3.3ns memory. Lars doesn't say anything about the quality of the memory modules, despite their being clocked at the same stock speed. THG doesn't do Overclocking benchmarks much, so it's not surprising it wasn't mentioned.

However he (using his Nickname <font color=red>Borsti</font color=red>) DID mention it in a specific thread talking about the subject.

<A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=373479#373479" target="_new">http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=373479#373479</A>


Perhaps you should read a few more reviews. And pay particular attention to these two which point out the memory modules;

<A HREF="http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTMz" target="_new">http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTMz</A>

Nice close-up here;

<A HREF="http://www.hardocp.com/image.html?image=MTA2NTgwOTg1MjhiY1l1Y0pIWmNfMV8xMl9sLmpwZw==" target="_new">http://www.hardocp.com/image.html?image=MTA2NTgwOTg1MjhiY1l1Y0pIWmNfMV8xMl9sLmpwZw==</A>

Now the Tech Report's Good Review (with a nice big pic of the memory module);

<A HREF="http://techreport.com/reviews/2003q4/radeon-9600xt/index.x?pg=1" target="_new">http://techreport.com/reviews/2003q4/radeon-9600xt/index.x?pg=1</A>

plus

<A HREF="http://www.motherboards.org/articlesd/hardware-reviews/1273_2.html" target="_new">"There are 8 memory modules on the PCB, 4 on the front of the card, 4 on the backside of the card. Each chip is a 16MB Samsung 3.3ns memory module giving a theoretical maximum memory frequency of 300MHz (600 MHz effective because of DDR memory). "</A>

I'd direct you to more but I don't have the time to look for the new links (which have since expired since I posted them first day they were reviewed), since it took 5 minutes to find the moved location for the Tech Report review.


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[link]

sorry, so where is everyone getting the 3.3 latency from anyway? i can't find it anywhere. vram isn't that pricey in the grand scheme of things. i'll put it this way, the cost difference between the 128 and the 256 version at retail or wholesale is more than the manufactures cost difference, and because you can find the two versions of "a modern 3D card like the 9600 Pro and XT" varying only $10 or $20, you tell me how much this memory is costing them to make. by the way you said “no, no and no” like you were going to prove me wrong on 3 points but you only corrected my oversight on the latency.

"Second of all, a lot of times when sites like THG review a graphics card they are reviewing a "reference" model supplied by the vendor which may have some finer treatment in certain corners, like lower latency memory chips, although not in this case."

before you go writing another half of your post only to leave it with a tail end that makes the entire rest of the statement moot, consider that it also makes for a boring read. also, i don't know if you are as bored as i am today but the last time some poo hole tried to out wit my got one torn fur'um. and i am vvvvvery bored today, so please post again so that i may bring thee.

 

[link]

on a side note, does anyone in here have the communication skills to carry on a constructive conversation without irritating the [-peep-] out people, other than myself? and if not, can someone please post amusing info instead of pure geekyness.

 

[sweatlaserxp]

Link, how do you expect to be taken seriously if you edit out your statements? It's one thing if you screwed up your punctuation or made a slight misnomer, but don't go around removing entire posts because then our responses are no longer applicable. Excuse us if some of us seem a bit fierce, but there are some guys on this forum that really do know what they're talking about. It may seem like "pure geekyness" but that's what we're here to do, and some people are really serious about it. I post here somewhat often, but usually it's to find an answer to a question because there are some reliable sources. Listen and learn.

 

[link]

dude, i have no problems with what you say, it is how you say it. i realized my mistake and admitted it, but the way people in THIS board come off as very rough. it is like the [-peep-] nexus of the universe. you can know all this stuff but if people can't stand listening to you talk then what good is your info? i know the difference between latency and measured speed and if i wanted to spend more time on being a serious dick instead of entertaining myself i would make sure each post was 100% accurate. i would rather be laughing. anyway, no hard feelings.

 

[Crashman]

The 9600 Pro and 9600 XT are basically the same card. The XT comes with a better cooler, higher core clock, and lower rated RAM.

It is a speed thing, divide 1 by 3.3ns, move the decimal 3 places to the right, and you'll get a number that represents MHz rating for the RAM. 3.3ns is cycle time, calling it latency confuses people.

The 9600XT comes with 3.3ns RAM, the 9600 Pro comes with 2.86ns RAM. The XT's RAM is rated at 300MHz, the Pro's RAM at 350MHz. Both are factory clocked at 300MHz arbitrarily, but the Pro offers the advantage of easy overclocking. And overclocking the RAM to 350MHz isn't really overclocking the RAM at all, since it was factory underclocked.

So the Pro comes with better RAM, the XT comes with a better cooler. Best performance option is to get the Pro, replace the cooler, and clock it to 500/350 (DDR700). The XT can't clock the RAM that high.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[link]

great post crash. you have explained a lot to me with this post and very easy to read.

 

[HardWareBoss]

Good info on 9600XT. Have not read that before. Now if 9600Pro goes to $100 I'll buy one.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well link when you come in here and say that we are providing misinformation (you conveniently edited out your spelling error too I see) while then spouting off some BS, yeah that merits you getting smacked down.

And the only people we can't stand 'listening to' (?) is you and people like you. Especially now that you are whining now because you were proved wrong, by a few people.

Wanna be funny, then do so while being accurate, especially when you are contradicting the correct information given right above you. It can be done, just ask anyone here, we'd all rather read one of GW's posts (which would be appropriate about now) than the drivel you call humour.

And surprisingly enough this wasn't the first time you made a jackass out of yourself after making mistakes;

<A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=376607#376607" target="_new">Example 1</A> and <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=376612#376612" target="_new">Example 2</A>

Regrettably this will also probably not be the last time we read your ignorant ramblings. The reality is you know so little and are obviously so insecure that you need to let everyone know it by trying to beat them down with the wieght of your stupidity.
Well, you know what they say, 'Empty vessels make the most noise'; and man you're sure making a heck of alot noise.


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[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Crash, don't forget that the R9600XT also come built on the new LOW-K waffers, and therefore has better overhead on the core to compliment that nice whiney cooler too.

MMmmm, Wine Cooler!


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[coolsquirtle]

nooo u can't let troll... i mean link LEAVE. U ALREADY TOOK SPUDDY AND POOPY FROM US. We need a spammer here to equal out the equation of the Graphtrix. Or else it will fall apart!!

RIP Block Heater....HELLO P4~~~~~
120% nVidia Fanboy
bring it fanATics~~ nVidia PWNS all!
SCREW aBOX! LONG LIVE nBOX!!

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Your version of Chaos Theory?

BTW, I had nothing to do with their removal, ask WS and many others here, I am strongly against banninb, the powers that be shouldn't be silencing voices, that is our job.

EDIT: But people like LINK spewing their jingoistic crap (especially about Canada) might make me reconsider my position for a special girl or boy this holiday season. Some things just aren't cool, but you'd really have to cross the line, and then I'd just add my voice to give a final push.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by TheGreatGrapeApe on 11/12/03 10:31 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[coolsquirtle]

YUP^^
I am the architect of the Graphtrix, you may call me Larry.

RIP Block Heater....HELLO P4~~~~~
120% nVidia Fanboy
bring it fanATics~~ nVidia PWNS all!
SCREW aBOX! LONG LIVE nBOX!!

 

[HardWareBoss]

Boy does that stink.