Radeon 9800 Pro Impressions

[MikeC]

My 256MB Sapphire Radeon 9800 Pro arrived from Newegg this afternoon. Tested on an Athlon XP 2700+ CPU, Asus A7NX8 Deluxe nForce2 motherboard, 512MB Corsair PC3200 DDR SDRAM and 21-inch Sony Multiscan E500 CRT monitor.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/radeon_9800_pro.jpg

I uninstalled the NVIDIA Detonator drivers using the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, shut the system down and removed the NV35. I installed the Radeon 9800 Pro and the latest official CATALYST drivers for Windows XP.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/catalyst_version_info.png

Went into the Direct3D settings, left the Main Setting at Optimal Performance, but disabled Vsync.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/direct3d_settings.png

Ran DirectX Diagnostics.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/directx_diagnostics.png

Ran 3DMark03 version 3.3.0 at the default settings.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/3dmark03_default_settings.png

And received the following results.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/3dmark03_detail_results.png

Ran UT2003 demo Flyby benchmark on DM-Antalus map. No antialiasing and no anisotropic filtering. Results are average frames per second.

Blue - 1024x768 - 174 fps
Green - 1280x1024 - 147 fps
Red - 1600x1200 - 106 fps

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/ut2003_benchmark_results.png

UT2003 demo gameplay tests using FRAPS (like I ran in the NV35 preview (http://www.nvnews.net/previews/geforce_fx_5900_ultra/page_2.shtml)).

- Played against six skilled bots on DM-Antalus.

- Direct3D, Normal Texture Detail, Highest World Detail, Normal Character Detail, Normal Physics Detail, Character Shadows On, Trilinear Texture Filtering.

- Hardware 3D Audio, All Voices / Announcements.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/ut2003_gameplay_results.png


2D Image Quality - Best I've even seen at 1280x960 at 85Hz.

3D Image Quality - Colors are rich and vibrant. 3DMark03 never looked better.

UT2003 Gameplay - Extremely smooth with no stuttering - even at 1600x1200.


A very impressive (and expensive) graphics card thus far! I can't believe I waited this long to try out an ATI graphics card ;)


Update - 06-18-2003: Interactive Antialiasing Comparison Page
http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/sapphire_radeon_9800_pro/images/aa_comparison.shtml


Update - 06-19-2003: Overclocking Tests

Default clock speeds were listed as 378MHz / 351MHz. I believe the standard clock speeds for the Radeon 9800 Pro are 380MHz / 340MHz.

Was able to run at 439MHz / 383MHz before artifacts appeared in the UT2003 Flyby benchmark. Had to throttle down to 414MHz / 374MHz to complete all four 3DMark03 game tests without artifacts showing up.

First result is at 378MHz / 351 MHz. Second result is at 414MHz / 374MHz.

UT2003 Flyby:

1280x1024 - from 147 fps to 155 fps
1600x1200 - from 106 fps to 116 fps

3DMark03:

GT1 - from 171.9 fps to 176.0 fps
GT2 - from 37.7 fps to 40.9 fps
GT3 - from 33.5 fps to 35.8 fps
GT4 - from 33.0 fps to 36.0 fps

Overall - from 5501 to 5876

Update - 08-20-2003: Battlefield 1942 Multiplayer Tests

Been a while since my last update, but I finally started working on a head-to-head gameplay performance article between the GeForce FX 5900 Ultra and Radeon 9800 Pro. I logged over 6 hours during the last few days testing BF1942 on the Radeon 9800 Pro and would like to share my results with you.

Testing consisted of using FRAPS to record frame rates while playing multiplayer games over the Internet. I joined servers that were running the Berlin map, which I found to stress the graphics sub-system more than the wide open desert and beach maps like Aberdeen and Wake Island. I only joined servers that had 18 or more players.

Here are my results at various resolutions and AA/AF with all in-game graphics and sound options set to the max. I found all of the settings "playable", but I was more competitive as a player when the minimum frame rate was closer to 40 fps than 30 fps. In my case, I would chose 1024x768 with 4X AA and 8X AF as the sweet spot for BF1942 on the Radeon 9800 Pro.


BERLIN MAP


1920x1440 - NO AA - NO AF

2003-08-18 20:02:59 - BF1942
Frames: 11288 - Time: 212686ms - Avg: 53.073 - Min: 32 - Max: 79

2003-08-18 20:06:35 - BF1942
Frames: 5348 - Time: 96919ms - Avg: 55.180 - Min: 41 - Max: 85


1600x1200 - 0X AA - 8X AF

2003-08-17 08:42:24 - bf1942
Frames: 21753 - Time: 398934ms - Avg: 54.527 - Min: 30 - Max: 148

2003-08-19 20:58:37 - BF1942
Frames: 12491 - Time: 232224ms - Avg: 53.788 - Min: 30 - Max: 239

2003-08-19 21:02:55 - BF1942
Frames: 15252 - Time: 263378ms - Avg: 57.909 - Min: 26 - Max: 195

2003-08-19 21:07:30 - BF1942
Frames: 13203 - Time: 242188ms - Avg: 54.515 - Min: 29 - Max: 195


1024x768 - 4X AA - 8X AF

2003-08-17 22:35:09 - bf1942
Frames: 18939 - Time: 234837ms - Avg: 80.647 - Min: 59 - Max: 139

2003-08-17 22:45:48 - bf1942
Frames: 40550 - Time: 469435ms - Avg: 86.380 - Min: 46 - Max: 159

2003-08-17 22:53:39 - bf1942
Frames: 57539 - Time: 763878ms - Avg: 75.324 - Min: 46 - Max: 137

2003-08-17 23:06:27 - bf1942
Frames: 19883 - Time: 230131ms - Avg: 86.398 - Min: 44 - Max: 158

2003-08-17 23:10:19 - bf1942
Frames: 18639 - Time: 199196ms - Avg: 93.571 - Min: 61 - Max: 202


1280x960 - 4X AA - 8X AF

2003-08-18 17:58:57 - bf1942
Frames: 19273 - Time: 378804ms - Avg: 50.878 - Min: 27 - Max: 99

2003-08-18 18:08:50 - bf1942
Frames: 26680 - Time: 442095ms - Avg: 60.349 - Min: 31 - Max: 104

2003-08-18 18:21:02 - bf1942
Frames: 35722 - Time: 601385ms - Avg: 59.399 - Min: 37 - Max: 108

2003-08-18 18:33:04 - bf1942
Frames: 23757 - Time: 421046ms - Avg: 56.423 - Min: 35 - Max: 110

2003-08-18 18:40:07 - bf1942
Frames: 25522 - Time: 429708ms - Avg: 59.393 - Min: 31 - Max: 115


1024x768 - 6X AA - 8X AF

2003-08-18 19:04:45 - bf1942
Frames: 17834 - Time: 306240ms - Avg: 58.235 - Min: 35 - Max: 100

2003-08-18 19:31:09 - bf1942
Frames: 20105 - Time: 299831ms - Avg: 67.054 - Min: 39 - Max: 100

2003-08-18 19:45:03 - bf1942
Frames: 25507 - Time: 370713ms - Avg: 68.805 - Min: 26 - Max: 140

2003-08-18 19:51:46 - bf1942
Frames: 15459 - Time: 226276ms - Avg: 68.319 - Min: 32 - Max: 123


ABERDEEN MAP

1024x768 - 6X AA - 8X AF

2003-08-19 22:42:44 - bf1942
Frames: 37272 - Time: 275166ms - Avg: 135.452 - Min: 58 - Max: 231



WAKE ISLAND MAP

1024x768 - 6X AA - 8X AF

2003-08-19 22:49:19 - bf1942
Frames: 90980 - Time: 724852ms - Avg: 125.515 - Min: 64 - Max: 289

2003-08-19 23:01:28 - bf1942
Frames: 75990 - Time: 805187ms - Avg: 94.375 - Min: 28 - Max: 268

2003-08-19 23:14:56 - bf1942
Frames: 20644 - Time: 213637ms - Avg: 96.631 - Min: 56 - Max: 174

[The Baron]

Oh Snap, MikeC's converting to the Dark Side! RUN!

(does this mean NVIDIA will hate you and only agree to send a Hammer if I review it? If so, I would not be morally opposed to you having the ATI card. ;) )

[-=Gib-McFragger=-]

hehe Welcome to the world of ATI, my friend. :afro:

Now overclock the biznitch! :angel:

[|JuiceZ|]

I can bare witness, I jst received the 128mb vers, and it is indeed a beast :eek:

Originally posted by -=Gib-McFragger=-
Now overclock the biznitch! :angel:

thats what I'm off too baby :afro:

[Skuzzy]

Has volt seen it yet? :D

[saturnotaku]

Damn, how come yours got heatsinks on the RAM and mine don't? :confused:

Anyway, try to OC that badboy and see what kind of results you can get. :D

[5150 Joker]

Originally posted by MikeC


A very impressive (and expensive) graphics card thus far! I can't believe I waited this long to try out an ATI graphics card ;)

Does that mean this website will soon be called ATi News? :super: :beer:

[creedamd]

Glad you like it Mike, your eyes deserve the best (right now) :)

[gokickrocks]

max out all your settings (you can leave your screen resolution alone if you want), you will be surprised that it is playable even at those settings...

[lukar]

Damn, nice looking card :)

P4 2.8Ghz Ati 9700Pro 344/324 stock cooling,768mb RDRAM PC4200 Asus P4T533
DX9.0a CAT 3.4 WinXP SP!
5328
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=896226

[Compddd]

and it doesn't take up 2 slots!

[nin_fragile14]

Glad to hear it's working out for you, Mike. Just curious... did you have to pay for the 9800 out of your own pocket? That must have been quite a blow--not just the $500 but taking out the nvidia card. ;)

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by nin_fragile14
Glad to hear it's working out for you, Mike. Just curious... did you have to pay for the 9800 out of your own pocket? That must have been quite a blow--not just the $500 but taking out the nvidia card. ;)

He bought it from New Egg ;)

I'm sure taking out the nvidia card didn't blow, it was a gfFX5900Ultra, not a gfFX5800Ultra :p

[digitalwanderer]

Download Animusic (http://pdownload.mii.instacontent.net/ati/misc/demos/ATI-9700-PipeDream-Demo-v1.1.exe) NOW!

Watch and enjoy, then move the mouse around and pop yer brain! :eek: (Well, it sure popped mine!)

[volt]

:argue: :baaa:: :banghead:












































Nah! :D Good choice :)

[Fotis]

Enjoy your new cards guys!!:)

[Kombatant]

Originally posted by The Baron
Oh Snap, MikeC's converting from the Dark Side! RUN!

There, I took the liberty of correcting it for you :D :p

Enjoy :)

[scott123]

Time to re-name this web-site from Nvidia news, to VGA News.

[Ady]

Originally posted by saturnotaku
Damn, how come yours got heatsinks on the RAM and mine don't? :confused:


His is a 256MB DDR-II version.

[The Baron]

Mike, in a bit, I'll email you my Super Evil Benchmark of Doom settings in UT2k3. Guaranteed to remove any sort of CPU limitation...

[|JuiceZ|]

Originally posted by The Baron
Mike, in a bit, I'll email you my Super Evil Benchmark of Doom settings in UT2k3. Guaranteed to remove any sort of CPU limitation...

shoot me that email too man. Playin' Ut2k3 highrez w/ 16x aniso & 6xaa avg over 80fps is a sight to behold :afraid:

[Hellbinder]

Hey Mike check out the AA+AF in some games and let us know. It will be interesting to see your take on it, especially since you had an Nv35 in your system before this. Both Speed and Quality

That is a nice looking card. It looks like a Brute With all those Ram Sinks on it :)

hohumm... Still hanging with my 9700pro for a while..

[Alceryes]

Originally posted by digitalwanderer
Download Animusic (http://pdownload.mii.instacontent.net/ati/misc/demos/ATI-9700-PipeDream-Demo-v1.1.exe) NOW!

Watch and enjoy, then move the mouse around and pop yer brain! :eek: (Well, it sure popped mine!)


Even more interesting would be to get the OpenGL Wrapper from Rage3D and run the Dawn demo on your new 9800Pro (you thought it looked good on the FX5900 just wait till you see this......;)

It seems that NVIDIA's 'Dawn' demo actually look AND runs better on 9700Pro (and higher) cards - even with the added overhead of the wrapper interpreting FX specific commands.

More reading on the subject here...http://www.theinquirer.org/?article=9650

[|JuiceZ|]

Originally posted by Alceryes
Even more interesting would be to get the OpenGL Wrapper from Rage3D and run the Dawn demo on your new 9800Pro (you thought it looked good on the FX5900 just wait till you see this......;) [/url]

Yea the screenshots just don't do the image quality justice. I was fairly impressed w/ the Animusic demo as well, very creative & rather entertaining.

Will be able to compare these results to nv35 soon. Mike should be on later to reply to some of the comparison questions.

[kruiser]

Hey Mike,

Is there a 256mb version made by ati? If so, why Sapphire - is it well made?