ATI RADEON® 9800 Pro, (128 MB) AGP Video Card
Out of stock |
Similar in Graphics Cards
- Special Features: MPEG Decoder Card
- Graphic Processor: ATI RADEON 9800 PRO
- Card Interface: AGP 8x
- Compatibility: PC
- Installed Memory / Technology: 128 MB (DDR SDRAM)
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Some Ups and Downs, But a Great Card Overall
Pros
DirectX9 compatable ... Bump mapping, pixel shading, etc, etc ... Incredibly smooth graphics
Cons
Power supply issue
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a well-rounded, high-powered card without spending your salary on brand new cards, this is the card for you.
I've had my 9800 Pro for about a month and a half now, and I am very pleased with it. The graphics quality is a lot higher than it was with my old Geforce card, and I can run many games with options cranked where my Geforce would crawl. Ever try running Battlefield: Vietnam on a Geforce? Ouch.
In any case, the only flaw I can find with this card is some kind of power supply issue that is being widely acknowledged by the Radeon public community.
It seems certain types of power supplies aren't working properly with the 9800. Even though they put out more than enough juice to feed the Radeon's recommended specs, you may still get no signal on your monitor.
Fear not, you merely need to do a simple trick to fix this. Any time you do a cold-boot of your computer (that being when you shut it right off then back on, not a soft reboot,) you will need to unplug the power supply from the video card before you turn the computer on, then plug it back in when you hear the BIOS "Beep!" If you're good with electronics, I'd recommend installing a toggle switch for the power to save you opening your case and crawling under your desk every time you turn your computer on.
Despite this design flaw, though, I couldn't be more happy with my 9800. It's definitely pushed the marker up for the nVidia crew.
I have noticed a huge boost in FPS in all games compared to my Geforce.
In any case, the only flaw I can find with this card is some kind of power supply issue that is being widely acknowledged by the Radeon public community.
It seems certain types of power supplies aren't working properly with the 9800. Even though they put out more than enough juice to feed the Radeon's recommended specs, you may still get no signal on your monitor.
Fear not, you merely need to do a simple trick to fix this. Any time you do a cold-boot of your computer (that being when you shut it right off then back on, not a soft reboot,) you will need to unplug the power supply from the video card before you turn the computer on, then plug it back in when you hear the BIOS "Beep!" If you're good with electronics, I'd recommend installing a toggle switch for the power to save you opening your case and crawling under your desk every time you turn your computer on.
Despite this design flaw, though, I couldn't be more happy with my 9800. It's definitely pushed the marker up for the nVidia crew.
I have noticed a huge boost in FPS in all games compared to my Geforce.
