Check This Out: I Ordered One

[clocker]

Have you any way of monitoring the card's temp, adam?

[adamp2p]

Originally posted by clocker@19 December 2003 - 02:03
Have you any way of monitoring the card's temp, adam?

No actually I have not. But after only 15 or so minutes of game playing I inspected it to find that it was very hot to the touch. And this was the result of only mild overclocking.

That is what prompted me to seek better cooling.

[clocker]

I understand.

However, without a more accurate method of monitoring ( "very hot to the touch"
is, ah, hardly scientific), then you'll never know if your chosen solution is effective ("Well, now it's sorta hot, but maybe a tad bit less than before").
You can see the problem, I'm sure.

[adamp2p]

Originally posted by clocker@19 December 2003 - 03:40
I understand.

However, without a more accurate method of monitoring ( "very hot to the touch"
is, ah, hardly scientific), then you'll never know if your chosen solution is effective ("Well, now it's sorta hot, but maybe a tad bit less than before").
You can see the problem, I'm sure.

I see where you are going there; I guess I assumed you already are in the know about the 9800 pro not being a sufficient cooler issue.

If you have done your share of reading throughout the volumes of 9800 ATI Pro reviews on the Internet you would encounter the authors repeating the same mantra over and over again:

"The stock ATI cooler is not the best for overclocking..." (OSTTE)

[abu_has_the_power]

adam, buy a temp monitor probe like the 1 i have. i stick the probe in the hs of my card, and it read the temps far more accuractly than "putting ur hand on it"

[atiVidia]

hey ADAM!!!
just wanna make sure u catch this

1) ur ati card is now officially a 2slot solution, eh?
2) bfgtech.com has ramsinks (but they may not fit so... plus theyre not out yet...)

[adamp2p]

Originally posted by atiVidia@19 December 2003 - 05:59
hey ADAM!!!
just wanna make sure u catch this

1) ur ati card is now officially a 2slot solution, eh?
2) bfgtech.com has ramsinks (but they may not fit so... plus theyre not out yet...)

I know it will take 2 slots, thats okay with me because I have 2 open right now.

[atiVidia]

im just saying... cuz ur ATI now has a cooler that puts it on par w/ an nVidia solution

[adamp2p]

Originally posted by atiVidia@19 December 2003 - 06:22
im just saying... cuz ur ATI now has a cooler that puts it on par w/ an nVidia solution

I never said I had any problems with Nvidia's cooling methodologies...

You just get crappy framerates with high AA and AF with Nvidia's graphics cards, thus I veer away from their products...until they do otherwise, and the gaming community confirms that as we have unanimously agreed the former.

[adamp2p]

Okay, earlier today I got the thing. I followed the step by step instructions that were included and within 15 or so minutes it was going. Except at first I could not tell if the fan was on or not because it was so quiet.

And yes, it does take up two spaces in the PCI slot area (no, not two plugged in but two altogether spaces). Not a problem, though, because I have space to spare.

When I finally got to testing the overclockability, I learned that the biggest limitation is in the memory, not the core. And although I read reviews throughout the internet of folks with the Sappiretech 9800 pro overclocking to speeds of 465/378,

that must have been at lower resolutions without AA or AF because all I could sqeeze out without any tearing on the screen was 450/355 (1280X960 @ 75 Hz with 4X AA 8X AF in both Open GL and Direct 3D)