Which 9800 Pro Should I get?

[Maklov]

I'm buying an ATi Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB (256-bit) in the next week. I have just one problem. I'm not really sure from what vendor to get the card from. I want to buy the card in the $200 price range, and those vendors are ATi, Sapphire, Powercolor, and others I don't know. Of course, there are vendors like ASUS that are much expensive, but I really wouldn't want to go over the $210 price mark. So, that brings it to two questions:
From which vendor should I buy a Radeon 9800 Pro for around $200? (Or less)
From which vendor should I buy the 9800 Pro in general? (Including expensive ones like ASUS)

(I'm talking about a 128MB, 256-bit 9800 Pro.)

 

[entium]

Sapphire is descent

 

[DonnieDarko]

The only 9800pro i've seen under $210 is the Sapphire. Did you see an ATI for under 210?

AMD64 2800+
MSI Neo-Fis2r
512mb Kingmax ddr400
Sapphire 9800pro 128mb

 

[sweatlaserxp]

Yeah, Sapphire is $209, and the retail ATi version is $225 (I'm getting these prices from newegg). I would go with the retail version as they're excellent quality and you get a two-year warranty.

 

[Maklov]

A regular ATi Radeon 9800 Pro is on sale for $200 at a Future Shop near me.

Edit: Actually, I was wrong. It's $299.99 CAD, which is about $215 USD. I'm thinking of going for ATi over Sapphire.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Maklov on 06/13/04 10:58 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[HardWareBoss]

Can you spend $239? Reason New Egg has HIS 9800ProICEQ at that price. That card is better than the ones you listed that you can afford. You can't spend $239 than buy BBA.

 

[Maklov]

I would spend $239. Unfortunately, I live in Canada, and NewEgg doesn't ship here. And I don't feel like paying $40+ for shippping from the US. Damn Canada. All we got is BBA and Sapphire.

 

[HardWareBoss]

Then buy BBA. It's better than Shappire.

 

[coylter]

Saphire sell 128 bit 9800pro. Saphire suck.

Athlon 2700xp+ (oc: 3200xp+ with 200fsb)
Radeon 9800pro (oc: 410/360)
1024mb pc3200 (5-3-3-2)
Asus A7N8X-X

 

[dhlucke]

They sell BOTH.

<font color=blue>________________________</font color=blue>
<font color=red>You are all going to go to Hell!

 

[DonnieDarko]

LOL the HIS card is huge!! That thing scares me. It reminds me of the 5800ultra. i'd be afraid of that thing falling out of the slot. I guess it's good because it'd be easy to overclock the sh*t out of it.

AMD64 2800+
MSI Neo-Fis2r
512mb Kingmax ddr400
Sapphire 9800pro 128mb
10K WD Raptor

 

[pauldh]

BBA has a better warranty, but doesn't Saphire make ATI's BB cards for them? Don't get me wrong, Retail BBA has always been worth a few extra $'s to me, but Saphire 256-bit 9800 pros are fine.


ABIT IS7, P4 2.6C, 512MB Corsair TwinX PC3200LL, Radeon 9800 Pro, Santa Cruz, TruePower 430watt

 

[HardWareBoss]

That's what I like about it.