When did they drop the X800XT?

[Lord Blackadder]

Why were the X800XT or 9800XT video cards removed as BTO options from the Apple store when they introduced the new G5? I find it odd that they would replace both those cards with the ostensibly inferior 9650.

ATI still sells the X800XT but the 9800XT has disappeared entirely. I wonder if the lower price of the X800XT hurt GeForce6800 sales too much? Or maybe ATI can't deliver enough X800XTs? It does seemt that Apple is encouraging use of the GeForce6800.

[Peyote]

For the first couple of days that the new Pmacs were out, when you clicked on the "Learn More" link under the displays section of the BTO page, it said that the 30" display required either the Nvidia 6800 or the ATI X850XT. the X850XT does not exist for macs as far as I know, and it is not mentioned on the ATI website. So while the 850 does exist for PC's, it's not in ATI's mac products page...however the 800 is.

So what does this mean? Your guess is as good as mine, but it's possible that Apple and ATI will start offering a mac version of the 850XT in the near future...or it could have been a typo, but how likely is that? I mean, I'm sure that link used to say that the 30" requires the X800XT...but why would that get changed to X850XT as a typo? Very curious.

[Lord Blackadder]

Good point, I can't believe that they would pull the X800XT off the BTO list unless they could replace it with an equivalent or better product. Maybe Apple is waiting for another upcoming speed bump to introduce it? (I doubt it)

Maybe the X850XT is having some teething problems and was supposed to be released with the latest G5 speed bumps, but wasn't quite ready.

[Abulia]

The X800 has always been in short supply since its stealth release. I feel fortunate to have gotten one. Might be that they (Apple) are just going to move onto the next one (X850).

Good for you, not so good for me. :)

[benpatient]

has anyone else noticed that with the updates to the eMac and the iMac, the single processor 1.8 PowerMac has the worst non-mini graphics card in Apple's desktop lineup?

And it costs more?

I don't really care for the asthetics of the iMac G5, and my experience with 1st and 2nd generation iMac displays has led me to swear off built-in displays for computers, but a 17" 1.8ghz iMac with 512 mb RAM and a 128 MB 9600 graphics card costs two hundred dollars less than the same machine with:
half the graphics card,
half the hard drive space,
half the RAM and
no display???

And they JUST updated PowerMacs, too...

I bet that 1.8 PM disappears or is updated soon...

[cr2sh]

Rubbish.

[quagmire]

To my memory the X800 XT was never in the BTO option box. It was always the 5200 Ultra standard for low end and mid, 9600 XT, 9800 XT, and the 6800 Ultra. They did have the 6800 GT as a BTO option, but that was killed within 2 months or so. Last month the 9800 XT was cut out of the BTO list.

[ChrisFromCanada]

To my memory the X800 XT was never in the BTO option box. It was always the 5200 Ultra standard for low end and mid, 9600 XT, 9800 XT, and the 6800 Ultra. They did have the 6800 GT as a BTO option, but that was killed within 2 months or so. Last month the 9800 XT was cut out of the BTO list.

You are correct. I have never seen the X800XT as a BTO option either.

[risc]

The X800 Mac Edition was only ever available from ATI direct, or resellers it wasn't a BTO option ever.

BTW anyone know what a 9650 is, is it just a 9600 with dual dvi for the 30"?

[ChrisFromCanada]

BTW anyone know what a 9650 is, is it just a 9600 with dual dvi for the 30"?

Yes I believe it is a 9600 core clocked at 9600XT speeds with 256Mb of VRAM and one dual link DVI port and one single link DVI port. Basically a cheap way to run a 30"

[risc]

Cheers for that.

[Nermal]

has anyone else noticed that with the updates to the eMac and the iMac, the single processor 1.8 PowerMac has the worst non-mini graphics card in Apple's desktop lineup?

And it costs more?

Yep, I noticed that too. In fact, I'm changing my 1.8 G5 order to the middle-config iMac because it's faster, has better video, bigger HD, built in wireless, plus a display, and it's NZ$120 cheaper! And I don't really need the expandability.

[Lord Blackadder]

The X800 Mac Edition was only ever available from ATI direct, or resellers it wasn't a BTO option ever.

BTW anyone know what a 9650 is, is it just a 9600 with dual dvi for the 30"?

Really? Since I can't remotely afford a G5 I haven't kept close watch on it, but thought you could order an X800XT-equipped G5 from Apple. Anyway, I wonder why they couldn't just make a dual link DVI version of the 9800XT? It must be a lot cheaper to produce the 9650...

[Platform]

You are correct. I have never seen the X800XT as a BTO option either.

Me too :rolleyes:

[Platform]

Yep, I noticed that too. In fact, I'm changing my 1.8 G5 order to the middle-config iMac because it's faster, has better video, bigger HD, built in wireless, plus a display, and it's NZ$120 cheaper! And I don't really need the expandability.

Yeah it is a very good buy comparing.....but apple has to update or remove..or if not why would they keep it :confused:

[denm316]

Yeah it is a very good buy comparing.....but apple has to update or remove..or if not why would they keep it :confused:


I think they keep it for the people who want something that will be upgradeable in the future. Things like dual-hard drives, dual-monitors and upgradeable video cards.

[MacsRgr8]

I assume both the X800 XT and 9800 SE are still for sale at resellers?

If so the lineup is still good:

Radeon 9600
Radeon 9650
Radeon 9800 SE
Radeon X800 XT
nVidia GeForce 6800 Ultra

Problem is though, if you want a new PowerMac G5 you can't get the X800 or 9800 as BTO. so this would make the higher-end Radeons extra expensive.
nVidia doesn't mind, I assume.... :rolleyes:

[Rincewind42]

I think either the 9600/9650 is a mislabel, or that Apple released with one card and is now receiving another. I say this because my custom order just posted an "upgrade" message that as far as I can tell the only difference is now it references a "Radeon 9650 XT" as opposed to "Radeon 9650".

All I really care about is that they ship my machine today like they promised :D, but a graphics upgrade (at least in name) is certainly welcome!

[danm]

I think either the 9600/9650 is a mislabel, or that Apple released with one card and is now receiving another. I say this because my custom order just posted an "upgrade" message that as far as I can tell the only difference is now it references a "Radeon 9650 XT" as opposed to "Radeon 9650".

All I really care about is that they ship my machine today like they promised :D, but a graphics upgrade (at least in name) is certainly welcome!

I know on the correspondence from Apple concerning my stock 2.3, they refer to it as a '9600XT', so who knows.

[Lord Blackadder]

I assume both the X800 XT and 9800 SE are still for sale at resellers?

It appears that the only card no longer available is the 9800XT. It isn't listed anywhere on Apple or ATI's website.

[MacsRgr8]

Not too much of a loss, as along as the SE is readily available.

The difference between the 9800 XT and 9800 SE is minimal.

Still, I find it interesting that no mid-level (9800 xx) grfx card is left as a BTO.
The 9650 256 MB VRAM is still low-end, despite its VRAM and Dual DVI...

[Lord Blackadder]

Not too much of a loss, as along as the SE is readily available.

True...the 9800XT had a rather short life, didn't it? And you're right about the lack of mid-level card. The 9650 is good, but there's a big gap between it and the mighty 6800.