Is there a new Sapphire 9800pro?

It does have the 128-bit bus and is the 9500 Pro reborn.

Apparently the bus width is clearly marked on Sapphire's packaging.

 

No, it can be the same chip, the R3xx could work on either a 128bit or a 256bit bus. The 9500pro (128bit bus) and the 9700pro (256bit bus) had the same chip.

 

Most 9500 Pros are capable of reaching these speeds on the core as well.

 

I doubt most were reaching 380.

And what OC are the 9800 cores capable of?

Still I would like to see how the card performs in some benchmarks before I would take to recommending it. That 128 bit bus has to be an issue.

 

The 9800 XT is clocked over 400 MHz, granted it is an updated core with a few enhancments but overall it's built on the same architecture. I have clocked my 9500 Pro to over 350 without any sign of artifacting, and I know quite a few others that have had similar results. The real limiting factor (besides the 128 bit bus) is the low grade 3.0/3.3ns memory so the cards suffer from bandwidth limitations (usually with a max of 310 MHz).

9800 Pros can typically overclock to around 420 on the core simply because that is the limit of the architecture. You could probably expect around 4500-5000 in 3dmark03 with the 128 bit 9800 Pro, considering the 9500 Pro gets around 4k.

 

R300 Fan, 9700 PCB.. would have been more accurate to name it a 9700SE.
Still, I'm sure the ATI bosses wont complain when it comes to buying their Ferrari Enzo's - that happen to have garage tuned Mini engines.

 

Like it's ATi who has issued a mandatory directive to Sapphire to make a 128bit R350 and call it a 9800Pro, right? Sheeesh.

 

As you obviously have a different viewpoint I suggest just relaying that personal opinion here and refrain from the personal insults, it just makes you look silly.

For reference the 9800Pro and all ATI names will be copyright.

 

Personal insults...? Just what the hell are you talking about?
"For reference", no copyright has ever stopped AIBs from making a 9800SE with 128bit memory bus.

 

We're now heading in a different direction; firstly the 9800 "SE" was a new naming introduction. The SE was used as an identification to seperate the product from the 9800 PRO and 9800 NP.
The 9800SE is likely to be copyright and AIBs given permission to use it - if nothing more than the use of the product reference "9800".

Just to clarify, my comment about the Ferrari was tongue in cheek - unless you've heard of Enzo's with mini engines in it.
I expect Terry would prefer an Aston Martin anyway, far more comfortable inside.

 

I brought up the SE as an example because even though it's not on the ATi homepage, it's a perfectly valid product name - if it has 256bit bus ( thus the only difference from a regular or Pro 9800 is the disabled quad ) - the 128bit versions and those using 9700 PCBs are... tolerated, but not encouraged. At least that's what I've been told so far, and I suspected that the policy regarding this particular card would be something similar.

I must have misunderstood you though, it seemed to me that you're blaming ATi for Sapphire's misleading product name.

 

Last time I checked, there are no copyrights on names...
You can trademark a name, but you can't get a trademark on numbers. It didn't work for 586, it won't for 9800, maybe it would for 9800Pro.

 

My error, trademark not copyright (I was thinking of "ATI" "9800" and "xx" as being a formula). Maybe "9800" can be classified as part of a collective mark.
I've never designed any hardware where the product name is primarily numbers. Series reference followed by Model numbers - yes.

 

Well If I was ATI I would be very angry here is why.

If people start selling 9800pro's that are not, and customers buy them it will diluter ATI's good name. Just say you go to best buy and buy a $380 9800XT take it home and it is really a 9500pro would you be happy? I doubt it. If you bought a $172 9800pro even though you thought you had a good deal I would still be pissed that it wasn't a 9800pro like everyone else had.

ATI could simply tell saphire to rename it or else...

 

Maybe we should buy them all up, rename them to X800XT's and sell them straight back