Anyone own a Sapphire video card?

[CaptainJester]

I am looking to buy a new video card.  One of the cards I am looking at is the Sapphire ATI Atlantis 9600 PRO 256MB card.  I have heard of Sapphire before, but I don't know their reputation.  Would anyone who owns/owned one comment on whether it was ok or if you had problems?

Thanks.

[Matzon]

sapphire is fine
I would however, strongly encourage another card. 9600 pro 256 MB Ram is a waste of money.

get a 128 mb

These days I would recomment a GeForce 6600GT simple because they give the best bang for the buck.

[CaptainJester]

Thanks for the quick reply.  It is good to know that 128MB is sufficient.  However, the GeForce 6600 is a little expensive.  Here is the comparison of what I am looking at:

ASUS N6600 GT/TD/128(GF6600)	$277.00
ASUS N6600 TD/128(GF6600)	$177.00
ASUS V9570 LE/TD/128(FX5700)	$127.00
ASUS Radeon 9550 GE/TD	$94.00
ASUS Radeon 9600 PRO/TD/128	$137.00
ASUS Radeon 9600 SE/TD/128	$107.00
Sapphire Atlantis Radeon 9600 PRO 256MB	$129.99

All prices are Canadian dollars.

The GF6600 are both out of my price range.  So I thought that the ASUS 9600 PRO would be good.  It is just at the upper limit of my price range.  But then I saw the Sapphire on sale for $8 less and with more memory.  That is why I was considering it.  From the specs I have seen, it looks like the Radeon 9600 is better than the GeForce FX5700.  I would like your opinion on which card you think is better out of that list.

Thanks a lot.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[Matzon]

From that list, I would choose the one you did. Just make sure it's not an SE version or similar.

~100 CA $ isn't a lot for a graphics card! - at least in my book

[CaptainJester]

Thanks a lot for your help.

[darkprophet]

I have a Sapphire Radeon 9200 256Mb...not much to say about it really. Its probably as good as the 9200 goes...

haven't had problems with it so far...(except with tribal trouble which got rectified).

It supports ARB_vertex_programs but not fragment ( think it supports them under its own extension)

DP

[Alan_W]

I have a 9600XT 128MB in my other comp. Eclipsed by the lastest cards of course, but good value.

I agree with the comment on the 256MB version.  I remember reading some technical article explaining why the 9600 couldn't make really good use of that second 128meg.

[CaptainJester]

I agree with the comment on the 256MB version.  I remember reading some technical article explaining why the 9600 couldn't make really good use of that second 128meg.

Yeah, someone told me the memory is slower on cards with 256MB, so you don't really gain any advantage.

Thanks.

[ChrisM]

If you want a good performing ATI video card but don't want to buy the 800XT, get a 9700, not the 9600.  You can get one off eBay brand new (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=40158&item=5193687409&rd=1)

The 9700 is not as fast as the 800XT but BLOWS away the 9600 and is compatable with OGL 2.0 and DX9+.  It is what I currently use and the performance is great

-Chris

[CaptainJester]

Thanks for the info Chris.  I forgot about eBay.  I will definitly get a 9700 if I can find one <= $100(CAN).