Radeon 9600 pro

[Randy]

I have a 9500 pro 128mb and my son likes the way the cards runs and wants to
buy a new card for his computer and wants it to be at least as good as the
9500 pro so I was wondering how the 9600 pro compares to the 9500 pro? He
can't afford the 9800 pro so it needs to be under 250 U.S. dollars. The 9600
pro is on sell at Best Buy for $169 after a 20 rebate.

Thanks
Randy

 

[Sept1967]

The 9500 Pro uses the same core as the 9700/Pro version. You would have to
catch a 9700 or better to match the 9500. The 9600 cut the rendering
pipelines from 8 , to 4 . So the 9600 is a higher number model, but less
powerfull.

 

[Greg R]

I thought the 9500 Pro only used 4 pipelines?
So if this isn't true, then what is the difference between a 9500 Pro and a
9700 Pro?

 

[DaveW]

The 9600 is slightly slower than the 9500, BUT the 9600 is DX9 compatible,
unlike the 9500, and the newest games are using DX9.

 

[DaveW]

The 9600 is slightly slower than the 9500, BUT the 9600 is DX9 compatible,
unlike the 9500, and the newest games are using DX9.

 

[Randy]

Dave,
To set things straight the 9500 pro is DX9 compatible. I have the card. But
I did think the 9600 pro was a bit slower.

Randy

 

[Sept1967]

Wrong - 9500 Pro provides full support for Microsoft DirectX 9.0

 

[Sept1967]

Both have an 8 pixel pipeline (thats why ATI stopped making them - too good,
for the price)
9500Pro has a 128-bit DDR memory interface and a slower clock speed.
9700 and Pro have a 256-bit DDR memory interface .
But they both use the SAME core. And they are BOTH DX9 cards.

Here is a good chart showing the difference between 9500's and 9700's

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=Mzk2

Where the 9600 has a 128-bit DDR memory interface and only 4 pixel pipeline.
(They should have called it a 9400)

 

[Randy]

I guess you read my post wrong. I have the 9500 pro and my son wants a 9600
pro or the 9700 NON-PRO if we can find one. so nowhere did I mention the
9500 NON-PRO. Anyway thanks.

Randy

 

[PM]

http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic/20030416/radeon_9600-03.html

PM.

 

[Todd Howard]

The 9500 IS DX 9 compliant......for like the third time.....jeesh...
TH

 

[Dark Avenger]

I have a 9500 pro 128mb and my son likes the way the cards runs and wants to
buy a new card for his computer and wants it to be at least as good as the
9500 pro so I was wondering how the 9600 pro compares to the 9500 pro? He
can't afford the 9800 pro so it needs to be under 250 U.S. dollars. The 9600
pro is on sell at Best Buy for $169 after a 20 rebate.

Thanks
Randy

Maybe the 9800SE is something... the 9600 is not much of a step
"higher"

A 9800SE will be a good step up and can even be modded into a fully
working 9800 Pro ( 50% failure chance )

 

[J.Clarke]

The 9600 is slightly slower than the 9500, BUT the 9600 is DX9
compatible, unlike the 9500, and the newest games are using DX9.

Bullshit. Why do you insist in repeating this bullshit about the R300
boards not being "DX9 compatible"?

No DirectX 9 compatibility features were added to the R300 chip to get
the RV350 and R350 used in the 9600 and 9800. What was added was the
ability to implement pixel shader instruction sequences far longer than
is required by the DirectX 9 standard, and this was done primarily to
remove nvidia's ability to claim that that feature was some kind of
advantage for their boards.

 

[Skid]

Dave, no matter how many times you post this, it's still not going to be
true.

All Radeon 9500 series and higher fully support DX9. Read the specs and
reviews. You keep confusing people by reposting this error, and people keep
having to correct you to set the record straight.

 

[Skid]

A Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9600 Pro is $149 (no waiting for a rebate, no tax
and free shipping) from www.newegg.com

But if $250 is the limit, the ATI OEM RADEON 9700 ATLANTIS 128MB DDR 8X AGP
BULK at NewEgg is a much better performer. At $239, it will beat the 9600
Pro out of the box and can usually overclock to a 9700 Pro.

 

[Randy]

Thanks I'll have him look at that one. I take it that Atlantis is a good
company for Powered by ATI cards? And I have heard NewEgg is a good online
place to buy? I don't buy online much. Always used the local stores but cost
may push me to online shopping.

Thanks to all for the tips.

Randy

 

[Skid]

Sapphire is the largest of ATI's OEM partners and makes many of the cards
ATI sells under its own brand name. I've owned several and consider them a
real bargain.

Likewise, I've never had anything bad to say about NewEgg, one of the most
reliable online vendors around.

 

[Randy]

Thanks again,
I talked to my son and after work tomorrow his will order the card...

Again thanks for the info.
Randy