(computer set-up questions added!) Video Card: Radeon 9600XT 256MB vs 9800Pro 128MB
 

new question added 7 posts down!

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On pricewatch.com the XT is 142$ and the Pro is 150$

ATI's comparison charts are here:
http://www.ati.com/products/radeon96...o/compare.html
http://www.ati.com/products/radeon98...o/compare.html

now the 256mb version of the 9600 isn't included on this chart but I was wondering which would be the best buy?

Which 128 number is going to lead to better performance?
128 bit 256mb (with 9600) or
256 bit 128mb (with 9800)

The performance I am looking for is related to gaming mostly, with some possible audio processing in the future, but not a lot of video/number crunching.

If I get one of these it will be part of an upgrade package which will also include:
(MB) http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...130-457&depa=0
(Chip) http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...103-483&DEPA=0
(MEM) http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...220-030&depa=0
(HD) http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...144-352&depa=1

all feedback is welcome, especially about which manufacturer to buy from (ie Saphire, powercolor, etc.)

Aren't there also some pipeline, stencil buffering, pixel shader, etc. numbers you have to worry about? Not to mention clock speeds. My gut says go with the Pro, but only because I've seen too many "gimmick" less capable cards packed with memory to sell. The 9600 XT is not one of those, but I still think the Pro'd be a better idea. Or just wait for an AGP version of the 6600 GT to become affordable.

Go with the Radeon 9800 Pro. It'll kill a 9600 XT no matter the memory. Remember one thing however: there are two version of the Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB. The one you found for $150 is probably the 128-bit memory bandwidth version. Forget that shitcan...you want the 256-bit, 128 MB Radeon 9800 Pro. It's $200 US.

Another choice would be the Radeon X700 XT or Radeon X700 Pro or GeForce 6600 GT...but those aren't out in AGP yet, only PCI-E. They *will* be about in AGP soon though, so it might be wise to wait. They're also $200 US. If ya want a videocard ASAP, you can't go wrong with the Radeon 9800 Pro. Just about any manufacturer will work! If ya want a videocard for $150, then that's a completely different story. I'd check out the Videocard Buyer's Guide published by the one and only if ya need more information:

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=68344

PS: Everything else looks good, but I'd get the 1 MB L2 cache version of the Athlon 64 3200+. It's worth the extra money! Oh, and if you use Pricewatch, make sure to check out the company on www.resellerratings.com. That, or just shop at NewEgg. :)

-Lasereth

9800 with 256-bit memory definitely.

9600 with 256MB memory is just a gimmick to get people to think it is high-end with 256MB memory.

I have a Nvidia 6800 wirthg 256-bit 128MB memory. Would you take the 9600 because it has 256MB memory?

Thanks a lot for the responses, I wish that guide thread of yours was already a sticky, I wouldn't have needed to post this probably! I'm glad that I have cleared up how crucial memory is for performance vs. other factors. I suppose I could wait for the AGP versions to come out because the PCI-E was the only reason I wasn't going to get one of those.
and thanks for the reseller link, very good to know!

EDIT: I just realized in my post thread I wrote about judging a video cards performance for number crunching applications. :rolleyes:

Oh and is THIS a good processor? I don't know much about them(MB's), just that there are tiny differences that can make a big performance difference. Like this one is a "clawhammer" but one on ebay is a "newcastle" sorry im too tired to google this up right now hehe. I'll check back tomorow.

That processor you listed is blazing fast. It'd be a VERY good investment.

-Lasereth

Absolutely top quality advice. I just popped a 9800pro in my pc, upgraded from the 9600xt. Big differences.

Can't thank you guys enough!

Oh and I just opened up my case and I have a AGI 300W Power Supply, is that plenty for the new components? What would upping the power do for the system?

I just finished building my new system.

Asus K8N-E Deluxe
AMD 64 3200+ 512k L2 (better for overclocking and in the end it'll be faster)
TTGI 450w PSU
Chieftec Dragon Case
128MB Radeon 9800 Pro
SoundBlaster Audigy2 ZS Gamer
1GB PDP Systems PC3200
80GB Seagate 7200rpm 8mb buffer SATA
Lite-On Combo DVD CDRW drive

I'd say minimum 350w... you can get a 450w cheap usually.. remember though, you get what you pay for when it comes to computer hardware. :thumbsup:

Alright I'll look into power supplies, I just found this hard drive:
http://shop4.outpost.com/product/4008252#detailed
except w/ this HD it says it is a "UATA100" HD, will this still work like SATA or would I need a new card to get it to work? The drive is a lot better deal than the newegg one I was looking at (link in the opening post) especially with 5 year instead of 1 year warranty. So any advice? Sorry to keep more questions coming, maybe I should start a new thread.

That hard drive you listed isn't SATA at all. It's just a regular ATA drive running at "ultra" speeds (gimmick) of 100. The 5 year warranty is a good idea, however. But, I'd still check resellerratings.com about those guys.

Thanks for clearing that up, I think I'll just go with the Maxtor.