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Resolved Advantages of a Radeon 9800 Pro vs. Radeon 9600XT?

alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
Hey guys, Alex here.

As a PowerPC gamer, there are some times when I feel like I need a bit more GPU power to push my games a bit further graphically. Currently my system has the Radeon 9600XT 128MB, and overall I've been pretty happy with it. It's been able to play all of the games I've thrown at it around low/medium settings.

Just as a personal issue, I'd like to get a GPU where I could run my games at a higher resolution while maintaining a 50-70 frame rate. I've seen a few threads in the PowerPC forum about upgrading graphics cards and having great results, so I figure I'll give it a shot.

As most of you know, my Late '04 G5 (check my sig) has a 8x AGP slot. I've been looking for the best graphics card for it online and I keep seeing the Radeon 9800 series. I've seen the Radeon 9800XT, Radeon 9800 Pro, and the Radeon 9800SE.

Trying to keep in my $70 price range, I've come across a few options. I could buy a Radeon 9800 Pro PC card for $29 and flash it, or I could buy a pre-flashed Radeon 9800 Pro card for $67.

Would you recommend buying the 256MB PC card and flashing it, or buying the 128MB pre-flashed card? Is there another graphics card you could recommend for under $70 that would enhance my G5's gaming experience?

Info: I've asked my Uncle if he could do any soldering for modding/flashing a PC card for my G5 and he said he was capable. So I don't have to worry about that.

Here's the Radeon 9800 Pro for PC.

Here's the pre-flashed Radeon 9800 card.
 
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Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
A card that would trounce over any PowerMac G5 with an Radeon in an AGP slot is the ATI X800/X850. There's one on eBay right now for $80 you might be able to get. They are some of the most powerful cards you can get for your PowerMac.
 
zen.state

zen.state

macrumors 68020
Mar 13, 2005
2,181
8
Any 9800 will trounce any 9600. Thats really the simplest way to put it.

I had a 9600 in my main MDD back in 09 and I now have a 9800 in my main Sawtooth. The 9800 in the AGP 2x slot of my Sawtooth actually gets higher frame rates at higher quality settings than everything did on my 4x MDD/9600 combo.

The 9600 is decent but it's only on par with a Geforce 6200 or Radeon 9700 Mobility like the last PowerBook G4's had.

As long as a card has at least 128MB VRAM then the GPU is the thing to concentrate on. A 128MB 9800 will smoke any 9600 no matter the VRAM or XT tag.

Also, even though the 9800 auction page says G5 only it will work in a Sawtooth. It's the only G4 tower that never needs pins covered and I know 100% for sure that 9800 will work in both your G5 and Sawtooth. The 9600 are all AGP 4x only because they all only have one space in the pins.
 
alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
Intell said:
A card that would trounce over any PowerMac G5 with an Radeon in an AGP slot is the ATI X800/X850. There's one on eBay right now for $80 you might be able to get. They are some of the most powerful cards you can get for your PowerMac.
Click to expand...

I have read about the x800 and x850 cards as well. Will look for those on eBay right now.

EDIT: Just checked them out and I couldn't find anything 'Buy it Now' in my price range. Everything is around $150. Looks like I'll go with the Radeon 9800 Pro. Thanks for the recommendation though.


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zen.state said:
Any 9800 will trounce any 9600. Thats really the simplest way to put it.

I had a 9600 in my main MDD back in 09 and I now have a 9800 in my main Sawtooth. The 9800 in the AGP 2x slot of my Sawtooth actually gets higher frame rates at higher quality settings than everything did on my 4x MDD/9600 combo.

The 9600 is decent but it's only on par with a Geforce 6200 or Radeon 9700 Mobility like the last PowerBook G4's had.

As long as a card has at least 128MB VRAM then the GPU is the thing to concentrate on. A 128MB 9800 will smoke any 9600 no matter the VRAM or XT tag.

Also, even though the 9800 auction page says G5 only it will work in a Sawtooth. It's the only G4 tower that never needs pins covered and I know 100% for sure that 9800 will work in both your G5 and Sawtooth. The 9600 are all AGP 4x only because they all only have one space in the pins.
Click to expand...

Awesome. Glad to hear that I could put the card in either of my machines. If my G5 ever dies on me I know I can pull out the 9800 Pro and put it in my Sawtooth.

It really doesn't need tape covering pins? How?

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So the pre-flashed 9800 Pro is a good buy Zen? If so, will order it tonight.
 
zen.state

zen.state

macrumors 68020
Mar 13, 2005
2,181
8
I am 110% sure it will work in a Sawtooth and with no taping. It's all the ADC capable G4 towers that need it taped. That means Gigabit-MDD.

This URL backs up what I say:
"The ONLY G4 which doesn't require pin disabling is the AGP 2x, pre-ADC Sawtooth (10/100, not Gigabit Ethernet). If your G4 doesn't have the ADC power tab near AGP slot, you can skip worrying about this. ALL OTHER G4s, Cube included, NEED these pins disabled."
 
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alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
zen.state said:
I am 110% sure it will work in a Sawtooth and with no taping. It's all the ADC capable G4 towers that need it taped. That means Gigabit-MDD.

This URL backs up what I say:
"The ONLY G4 which doesn't require pin disabling is the AGP 2x, pre-ADC Sawtooth (10/100, not Gigabit Ethernet). If your G4 doesn't have the ADC power tab near AGP slot, you can skip worrying about this. ALL OTHER G4s, Cube included, NEED these pins disabled."
Click to expand...

Great. Ordering the 9800 Pro. Once my new card gets here and I put it in my G5, can I put the old card the Sawtooth? I'm talking about my Radeon 9600XT.
 
Zeke D

Zeke D

macrumors 65816
Nov 18, 2011
1,024
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I have a 9800 that gets artifacting, I would have preferred It to the 9600xt, but what can you do, right?
 
Zeke D

Zeke D

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Nov 18, 2011
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I would totally like that. Alas, no money = no new toy for me. Plus I gotta pay for textbooks for next week :(
 
Zeke D

Zeke D

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Nov 18, 2011
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There are weird lines and other artifacts on the screen. I can't figure it out, all the caps look good. I've had it about a year or so, but it has been in storage for awhile.
 
zen.state

zen.state

macrumors 68020
Mar 13, 2005
2,181
8
alexreich said:
Great. Ordering the 9800 Pro. Once my new card gets here and I put it in my G5, can I put the old card the Sawtooth? I'm talking about my Radeon 9600XT.
Click to expand...

From the last line of my first post:
"The 9600 are all AGP 4x only because they all only have one space in the pins."

Your eyes can answer that question for you in the future. One space = 4x/8x only. Two spaces = any speed AGP with a small amount of 4x cards left out. To put it in model specifics.. you need a Digital Audio or higher to use a 9600 in a G4.

Don't concern yourself with Zeke's issue. Artifacts = either the wrong ROM or simply a defective card. The 9800 and all ATI/AMD vid cards can all last 20+ years easily.
 
Zeke D

Zeke D

macrumors 65816
Nov 18, 2011
1,024
168
Arizona
zen.state said:
Don't concern yourself with Zeke's issue. Artifacts = either the wrong ROM or simply a defective card. The 9800 and all ATI/AMD vid cards can all last 20+ years easily.
Click to expand...

Totally! If it weren't for bad luck I would have no luck at all!
 
alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
666sheep said:
Bit late, but check those gaming tests: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/g5/Dual_g5_9600_9800_tests.html

9800s are in general hot running cards. Replacing stock cooler with more efficient one wouldn't hurt.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info 666sheep! Very resourceful.

Is this a good cooler?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271020808736?redirect=mobile#ht_5301wt_1154



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zen.state said:
From the last line of my first post:
"The 9600 are all AGP 4x only because they all only have one space in the pins."

Your eyes can answer that question for you in the future. One space = 4x/8x only. Two spaces = any speed AGP with a small amount of 4x cards left out. To put it in model specifics.. you need a Digital Audio or higher to use a 9600 in a G4.

Don't concern yourself with Zeke's issue. Artifacts = either the wrong ROM or simply a defective card. The 9800 and all ATI/AMD vid cards can all last 20+ years easily.
Click to expand...

I see. Hopefully my card is good. I'm guessing so, since it was pulled from a working machine. Should be no issue.

----------

Sorry for getting back to this thread so late haha I've been installing Mountain Lion and using it, as well as discussing in the OS X 10.8 forum section.
 
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Jethryn Freyman

Jethryn Freyman

macrumors 68020
Aug 9, 2007
2,329
2
Australia
Hey man, I got a 1.8GHz G5 tower just like yours, came with a 128MB Radeon 9600XT.

I upgraded it to a flashed PC ATI Fire GL X3 256MB, which is equivalent to a Radeon X800. With a little overclocking (and it's stable), it surpasses the fastest X850 XT cards.

I did a pretty thorough benchmark here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1348675/

I paid $149 for a brand new flashed FireGL on eBay. Works like a charm, I've hit 22,000 on OpenMark GPU bench with it.

Worth it, though still CPU limited for a lot of games.
 
alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
Jethryn Freyman said:
Hey man, I got a 1.8GHz G5 tower just like yours, came with a 128MB Radeon 9600XT.

I upgraded it to a flashed PC ATI Fire GL X3 256MB, which is equivalent to a Radeon X800. With a little overclocking (and it's stable), it surpasses the fastest X850 XT cards.

I did a pretty thorough benchmark here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1348675/

I paid $149 for a brand new flashed FireGL on eBay. Works like a charm, I've hit 22,000 on OpenMark GPU bench with it.

Worth it, though still CPU limited for a lot of games.
Click to expand...

I would've loved to get one, and looked into it previously but it wasn't in my price range.
 
alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
Just put the new card in my machine and installed the drivers as the eBay seller recommended. I can't tell if there is a difference or placebo is taking place. Seems that games are running better but I don't know if it's real or in my head.
 
alexreich

alexreich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 26, 2011
638
26
Hmmmm my machine scored lower in Geekbench (after several consecutive tests) that it did with the 9600XT.
 
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