9500/9500 Pro 256bit? What are they on!! [Archive]

PVR_Extremist

11-Dec-2002, 17:01

Can a tech head (ie not me) go over here and put these guys right please?

Sapphire claim their 9500's are on a 9700 PCB and that automagically converts it to a 256bit bus :o :oops:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23173

Thanks

Fuz

11-Dec-2002, 17:40

What are they on? They're on overclockers.co.uk. Just stick to Beyond3d.com and you should be right. :D

Dave Baumann

11-Dec-2002, 17:53

They are actually right though. On the 9700 PCB if you make a 128MB card then it will use the full 256bit bus width.

The board partners will transition across to the 9500 PRO PCB so they can correctly make 64MB/128MB 9500's and 128MB 9500 PRO's with only a 128bit bus.

Nagorak

12-Dec-2002, 01:40

It doesn't really make much difference, though, does it? I mean the original 9500 is not bandwidth limited to begin with since it only is 4x1.

PVR_Extremist

12-Dec-2002, 09:56

Does that mean the early 9500Pro's will be roughly equivalent to the standard 9700 Non Pro? (since i thought the difference between the two cards was bus width?)

Bargain if it is!

Clashman

12-Dec-2002, 15:08

No, I think what's being said right now is that there are two different PCB designs, 9700 and 9500 pro. Right now the 9500 non-pros are on the 9700 pcb. What that ends up meaning is that the 128mb non-pros are effectively operating on a 256 bit bus. Eventually, they will be moved back on to the cheaper, (and only 128 bit bus) 9500 pro PCB. So pick up those 9500 128mb ASAP. I believe that's what they were getting at. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ascended Saiyan

12-Dec-2002, 15:51

Whoah so does this mean that all current R 9500 pro's operate in such a bus. :o

I will definitely be checking this out since about 3 days ago I ordered one built by ATI from GameVe.This might explain those updated performance no. in recent reviews since in 3d mark the fillrate was almost identical which I thought was really strange.

Dave Baumann

12-Dec-2002, 16:02

Whoah so does this mean that all current R 9500 pro's operate in such a bus.

No.

ATI's Own 9500 PRO's are on the new PCB's (http://www.beyond3d.com/reviews/ati/radeon9500pro/) which makes them only 128bit. The board vendors should transition to these sooner or later.

Remember, for the 9500's its only those that use 128bit. And logically, if its a 9500 PRO on the 9700 PCB then really its a 9700 (non-pro) - I'm not sure if any of these have actually made it into the retail channel though, we've seen a few reviews of Sapphire 9500 PRO's (which were really 9700's), but thats it.

Doomtrooper

12-Dec-2002, 16:09

So if anyone wants a 256 bit bus 9500, better hit Powercolor, Hercules, Sapphire quick I guess...

Talking about board manufacturers Nvnews posted a link that Visiontek is coming back (I think it was xbit so take it for what its worth) but will be doing only ATI cores (yet will still support Nvidia products)..anyone got any real information...

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/story.html?id=1039126731

Oh and you can add Creative Labs to that too..

http://asia.creative.com/products/graphics/3db5rx9700pro/

Dave Baumann

12-Dec-2002, 16:22

Talking about board manufacturers Nvnews posted a link that Visiontek is coming back (I think it was xbit so take it for what its worth) but will be doing only ATI cores (yet will still support Nvidia products)..anyone got any real information...

They've been bought out by a company called 'Hartford', but they are doing NVIDIA, so says the latest reports.

Ascended Saiyan

13-Dec-2002, 20:07

Dave this is strange I just received my built by AT Radeon 9500 pro but when I go into Directx Diagnostic it recognizes the chip as Radeon 9700{NE} Rev. 0

Dave Baumann

13-Dec-2002, 20:18

Does the board look like the one in out 9500 PRO review, will all the chips across one side?

Ascended Saiyan

13-Dec-2002, 20:46

Now that you mention it yes they but I just found it strange how that the Diagnostic didn't recognize it as being a Radeon 9500 pro.

Saem

15-Dec-2002, 12:20

MMJ

22-Dec-2002, 11:49

I wonder how long until some crazy tries to hack a 9500 PRO to get a 256 bit bus. Then again, why would you since the 9700 PRO would become affordable when the hack job's cost would be all tallied up.

can't be done since they'll ensure 9500pro's have their own 128bit based PCB, probably why Sapphire have delayed them until after xmas.. the hope is that the current 128mb sapphire 9500's only have the 4pipelines cut off at software level; and thus flashing one with a 9500pro bios (when available) will turn the 9500 into a nice shiny 9700.

Clashman

22-Dec-2002, 16:15

Why wouldn't you try flashing them with a 9700 bios?

MMJ

22-Dec-2002, 19:19

Why wouldn't you try flashing them with a 9700 bios?

uses different type of ram i think m8.

i haven't really looked into it in any great detail.. i just know that one guys Radeon 9700 had Samsung memory and my sapphre 9500 is Hynix.. probably better to wait for Sapphire R9500Pro as then the BIOS will be practically identical providing it uses the same Hynix memory.

I don't really wanna go flashing my £135 R9500 with any old bios. :P

:)

oceanview

28-Dec-2002, 21:25

Hello, I've been asking this all over and not getting much response. I suspect it's because this card is new.

I orderd what was supposed to be a Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9500 PRO 128mb card. I got a card that has the following information on the sticker;

s/n: 180246 0039xx
Radeon 9500 128M
p/n: 1029422830 067378
board p/n: 109-94200-30

The board is red, has a small rectangular heatsink on the topright corner of the backside and the fan has an ATI sticker.

A search of the 102 p/n on ATI's site says it's a Radeon 9700.

So, what exactly do I have here?

Thanks...nice site by the way.

Dave Baumann

28-Dec-2002, 22:16

A.) How are the memory chips arranged? (i.e. all 4 on each side of the board at the top, or two at the top and two to the right hand side?)

B.) Whats the theoretical fillrate (single and multi texture) reported by 3DMark?

oceanview

31-Dec-2002, 10:57

First...thank you, to everyone for the replies and suggestions.

Ok, I emailed ATI again giving a brief overview of my problem and then the card numbers and description. It turns out that the card is a Radeon 9500 128mb. And, there was a datatable error with reference to the 102 p/n on this card. So, I promptly got a RMA number from the vendor.

The good news is, the other order I placed arrived and it IS a Radeon 9500 PRO 128mb. It's red, got ATI sticker on the back and on the fan, came with all cables, adapters and CD's.

Ok..Warp11....it's hammer time....

Thanks all, and Happy New Year...