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New Bad Azz Video Card from ATi


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New Bad Azz Video Card from ATi
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Moogs
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-05, 09:56

Check this mother out...

http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01/05/x800/index.php

Hopefully this will drive the price of the 9800 Mac SE down $50 or so.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2005-01-05, 10:01

Now *this* is the card I've been waiting for. Single slot. Hell yes. How dare a video card take over one of my precious PCI slots!
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Wraven
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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2005-01-05, 10:04

That card looks sweet!
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Moogs
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2005-01-05, 10:05

No doubt. That thing can deliver some serious gaming / Motion-lovin' goodness I'd say. Although the 9800 Special Edition is no slouch either. What is ATi's tendancy with these things? The cards are $100 apart retail, but don't they usually drop the price of the next card in line when the next "greatest card 3µ@r!¡" comes out?

PS - I think Paul will agree this is a prime example of a "Spec Whore Certified™ Graphics Card".

...into the light of a dark black night.
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Luca
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-05, 10:35

Wow - this is an absolute badass card. Every bit as good as the GeForce 6800 Ultra. Mac users should appreciate it because of the low-profile design and low power consumption.

It might also open the door to potential video card flashers, though at the moment the prices for the PC and Mac version of the card are the same price. That's impressive given that the Mac version features an AGP Pro connection, ADC, and dual-digital output including dual-link DVI. That's a lot of features over your standard Sapphire/Powercolor/etc video card. It also doesn't need an auxiliary power connector.

I think the 9800 "Mac Special Edition" is just a AGP Pro version of the 9800XT, which generally sells for around $300-$350 on the PC side of things. It's not related to the 9800SE, thank god. It's pretty much a Radeon 9800 Pro with a higher clock speed and twice the VRAM. It ain't bad, but it is a generation older and $400 for it is simply too much.
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Wraven
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2005-01-05, 10:38

Luca,
Holy crap! I didn't even notice it doesn't require a molex connection. Very nice!
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Luca
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2005-01-05, 10:49

Actually I don't think the GeForce 6800 (either version) requires a molex connection on the Mac version. From Apple's pictures, they appear to be much longer than retail cards, and the extra length has a bunch of large capacitors on it. I think it just gets extra power from AGP Pro or something. Still takes up two slots, though, which could be a problem since the G5 has only three PCI slots.
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MCQ
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2005-01-05, 11:06

Good stuff. Expensive, but good stuff.

Now to wait for Anand's (of Anandtech) second Mac article which is supposed to be out today. Maybe if we're lucky, can see some comparisons on this vs 9800xt in some testing. At least he should have some tidbits from his trip to ATI.
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-05, 11:29

Hmm. Barefeats is reporting that it 'encroaches' on the second PCI slot. Ah well, I was thinking about getting an internal/external SATA adapter anyways...

Take a look at the size difference between the X800 and the 6800 Ultra though:




So it goes.
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The Return of the 'nut
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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2005-01-05, 11:46

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca
Actually I don't think the GeForce 6800 (either version) requires a molex connection on the Mac version. From Apple's pictures, they appear to be much longer than retail cards, and the extra length has a bunch of large capacitors on it. I think it just gets extra power from AGP Pro or something. Still takes up two slots, though, which could be a problem since the G5 has only three PCI slots.
the mac cards use the ADC connection on the motherboard directly in front of the AGP slot I believe. That provides a ton of juice for the cards.
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Luca
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2005-01-05, 11:50

Thanks for pointing that out! I didn't notice that but it's very observant of you - since the 6800 doesn't use any of that ADC power for an actual ADC port, it can just go straight to the card. I think the ADC standard requires something like 100+ watts because at one point it had to power that 17" CRT.
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Wraven
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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2005-01-05, 11:56

709,
You read that Barefeats article wrong. They are saying the 9800XT encroaches on the adjacent PCI slot - not so with the X800 XT.
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709
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-05, 12:12

Ah. So I did. *phew*

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The Return of the 'nut
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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2005-01-05, 12:18

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca
Thanks for pointing that out! I didn't notice that but it's very observant of you - since the 6800 doesn't use any of that ADC power for an actual ADC port, it can just go straight to the card. I think the ADC standard requires something like 100+ watts because at one point it had to power that 17" CRT.
yea, that 17 incher was a power sucker

this card sounds pretty sweet. hopefully after next week it'll be a BTO option for Power Mac G5s.
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Wraven
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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2005-01-05, 14:54

709 - No problem man. Just wanted everyone to know for sure that this card will indeed free up a PCI / PCI-X slot as opposed to the Nvidia route.

FYI - I like both ATI's and Nvidia's top-end cards - no reason to start a war in this thread (not saying anyone is - just want to prevent it before it starts). That being said, I think when I FINALLY get my Mac - I am actually thinking of getting a PowerMac (I know - I am all over the place as far as what my eventual Mac purchase will be), if this card is a BTO option by then I will DEFINITELY go this route (as I want a KICKASS card that still gives me plenty of room in my case).

Cheers,
Wraven
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709
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-05, 15:01

Agreed. With a Kona2, Atto UL4D and soon to be purchased SATA RAID card, I didn't know what the hell I was going to do with my upcoming tower. Now I do.

So it goes.
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Gargoyle
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2005-01-05, 15:12

Being a counter strike lover, I have one of the PCI Express versions of this card in my PC... Yep, its damn tasty! Hmmmm
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Luca
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2005-01-05, 16:38

Wow, look at some of those BareFeats benchmarks. On the graphics-limited tests (Halo, UT Flyby, Quake 3), the X800 XT edges out the far bulkier 6800 Ultra, and it indeed doubles the performance over the 9800 XT. Also of note is that the 6800 GT is almost equal to the 6800 Ultra in every test, even though it's $100 cheaper.
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Wraven
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2005-01-05, 16:58

Damn,
I did NOT know that the Mac platform was able to play "recent" games like Halo for Mac and UT2K4 at 1920x1200 in the mid 40's to 60's frame rates with eye candy turned up - looks like Wraven is getting a shiny new Dual 2.5 (or Dual 3.0 ) GHz PowerMac in Q2 2005. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Did I just refer to myself in the 3rd person? Nice... :smokey:

Cheers,
Wraven
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Xaqtly
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2005-01-05, 18:49

Yeah, that and the recent price drop on the cinema displays have me figuring out ways to afford a new rig. Well, I can write it off on taxes... hmm.
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Luca
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2005-01-05, 18:54

Hmm... Wraven, my PC rig cost me like $1000 and it plays those games at least as well as the PowerMacs can. My video card is a plain GeForce 6800 (non-GT, non-Ultra), which is approximately between the Radeon 9800XT and the GeForce 6800GT.

But yeah, it's good to see that it's at least possible for Macs to play recent games at high settings. It just costs a helluvalot more to get one that can do so. Think of it as an added bonus for those of you who are buying one for other stuff.
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SonOfSylvanus
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2005-01-05, 19:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wraven
Did I just refer to myself in the 3rd person? Nice... :smokey:
I don't even know why
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IonYz
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2005-01-06, 00:18

Quote:
Originally Posted by Xaqtly
Yeah, that and the recent price drop on the cinema displays have me figuring out ways to afford a new rig. Well, I can write it off on taxes... hmm.
Its sad here though. I'm glad I purchased a friends GeForce 3 from his Quicksilver otherwise I wouldn't be able to use this 20" with my Cube. Also never plan on upgrading/purchase an Apple system for games again. I'd be better off to build a gaming PC. Alas the pricing for 2-port DVI KVMs can't be cheap

Glad ATI finally released a new card Mac side. It has a place as the size-conscience alternative to Nvidia's offerings. I also miss 3D overrides (on my Cube). Whenever a screensaver, iTunes visualization, anything with 3D would alias I'd just add it to my list profile list and bump up FSAA. It was beautiful.

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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-07, 09:45

Good news: ATi has dropped the price of its cards except for the new one obviously. Radeon 9800 Special Edition Mac is now $299 msrp.

[edit: are there any key features or APIs this card must support, aside from Pixelshaders (which it does), in order to get the most out of Tiger?]

Last edited by Moogs : 2005-01-07 at 10:18.
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Wraven
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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2005-01-07, 09:54

Luca,
Point well taken - I have a ~$1000 PC sitting under my desk that can play the aforementioned games just fine. But believe me, I will be doing a LOT more than just gaming on my new Mac.

Cheers,
Wraven
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Moogs
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Join Date: May 2004
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2005-01-07, 10:20

My Apple cart is primed for action (23" ACD, Radeon 9800 Special Edition), pending more information requested above, and Apple updating their database to reflect the new prices. This is... you know, great. Now all I have to do is get about $2000 in my bank account.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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