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FX5900 receives an ATI card?!?!?! WTF?!
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FX5900
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 6:45 am    Post subject: FX5900 receives an ATI card?!?!?! WTF?! Reply with quote

You read correctly; i have been GIVEN a X800 Pro that was modded into a X800 XT.

I have to explain because this makes me look like a hypocritical ati-fanboy. I didn't pay for it. I didn't ask for it. It was given to me by a friend. He ordered a X800 XT which didn't arrive, so he bought a X800 Pro because he was impatient. He tried the 'x800 Pro to X800XT' mod and screwed it up. The shop he bought it from wouldn't take it back because he had visibly voided the warrenty. Then the X800XT arrived in the mail, so he gave the X800Pro to me -- assuming i would sacrifice the card to the nVidia Gods or something. Very Happy

I got the card working. Very Happy I told him, but he's so busy with X800XT at the moment, he said i could use it indefinitely. I'm not complaining, he owes me money.

He knows i dislike ATI, so i suspect he might offer to sell it to me very cheap if i like the card. But at the moment, i don't think so. I was reluctant to even put ATI hardware in my machine and install their drivers.

I've brought restored it to a X800 Pro. Here's some benchmarks:


X800 Pro Scores.
3dmark 2001 score 22700
3dmark 2001 score 18600 (4xAA, 16xAF)
3dmark 2003 score 9085



There you have it. Bet none of you ATIfanboys expected to read this. I am STILL pro-nvidia because i have already had problems with this X800 Pro already but I am reserving judgement until I've determined if it's because it's ATI or because it was modded.

Will keep you posted.


Last edited by FX5900 on Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:41 am; edited 1 time in total
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JanSolo
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm on the edge of my seat in anticipation.
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Blindside
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What was 'wrong' with it after the attempted mod conversion? Just curious as to what you did (i.e. Flash the BIOS etc.?) or how you discovered what was wrong with it.
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FX5900
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back. My FX5900 is still sitting next to my computer case getting cold. The X800Pro is still running reasonably nicely expect some DRIVER ISSUES i'll share with you. This firsthand experience with the latest ATI hardware only cements my dislike of ATI drivers that i've had since my first ATI.


Performance in Far Cry is somewhat disappointing. The card can't really handle resolutions above 1024*768 with 4xAA 16xAF -- drops below 35fps at the lowest point. I would have expected a next-generation card to run a next-generation game a lot better. It's not bad, but not mind-blowing like you'd expect.

I know us nVidia-fanboys condemn ATI's drivers, and honestly i dont know how you ATI owners put up with them. I'm not just saying this either. The Catalyst drivers need an overhaul. I've had to juggle between 4.4, 4.5, and the newest 4.6 release. And that's not mentioning the betas which some people use.

I installed Catalyst 4.6 and ran Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow; there's lighting glitches all over the place, all the shadows are gone, and Sam looks like a torchlight! So I played around with some settings; I found that turning off AA/AF resolved some of the lighting glitches. But WHY?!

So making a long story short, if i want to run Splinter Cell 2 with shadows I have to revert back to Catalyst 4.4.

Need I say more, that is just plain ****** ********. Mad


I miss the Forceware drivers. The billion red tabs ATI puts under display properties is enough to encite a raging bull. Smile So ATI loses points again for ergonomics & design.

Don't get me started with the twin monitors feature either... Mad nVidia does a better job in that department.

Driver issues aside, it is nice having a video card in my system with more horsepower. I just wish it worked as good as it could. The potential is there -- I felt ATI was messing me around with annoying issues.


Yes, the X800 Pro is faster than my FX5900, but it's more recent. The taste of more power only makes me want to try a 6800U even moreso.

Will I be moving back over to ATI??? Not in a hurry. If i'd paid for this, i would be more upset than I am. I'll wait and see if Catalyst 4.7 improves things. Until then, if the frustration builds up too much for me, i always have my FX5900 - always ready to forgive me for sleeping with the enemy. Very Happy


feel free to post comments or questions. i hope my opinions aren't too anti-ATI for you guys. Smile
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FX5900
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blindside wrote:
What was 'wrong' with it after the attempted mod conversion? Just curious as to what you did (i.e. Flash the BIOS etc.?) or how you discovered what was wrong with it.


sorry i missed this.
I'll be straight with you - i don't know what was wrong with it. When i got it, it didn't work. Just a nice black screen. All I did was flash the re-bios to an X800Pro and it worked! My friend is a newbie when it comes to computers and very hasty in his purchases & decision-making.
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maga
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hmm....What CPU do you have, FX5900 ?
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FX5900
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2004 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

3.4GHz Northwood. Running at stock speeds at the moment. Was o/c to 3.8GHz with the FX5900.
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Blindside
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 1:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hear you on the far cry issues. When I was near the end in one of the "Caves" levels, I had some horrible issues with lighting and random polygons (triangles) showing up when looking at the walls/ceiling etc. I was running 4.4, then went to 4.6 for a bit better response.
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madda
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FX5900 wrote:
3.4GHz Northwood. Running at stock speeds at the moment. Was o/c to 3.8GHz with the FX5900.


that is sweet, what kinda fan you got to run that? or have you invested in water cooling?
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xxxx
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

well thanks for re-affirming ATI is crap. New cards same crap quality. Wink
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FX5900
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm still using the x900 Pro, and with no 6800U on the market yet, I'm starting to like it.

This scares me. And it's a very big problem. How could I, an avid nVidia fan, switch to ATI and remain creditable around these forums. Sad

thanks for the memories guys. i have really enjoyed arguing about nvidia and ATI. Will miss you all.

-fx5900
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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maga
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bill Gates wrote:
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!
You cannot leave FX5900.
Who will put the ATI owners in their place?


maybe the Matrox users ? lol Very Happy
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madda
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bill Gates wrote:
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!
You cannot leave FX5900.
Who will put the ATI owners in their place?


he cant put them in their place if hes one of them!!
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JamieK
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FX5900 wrote:
Back. My FX5900 is still sitting next to my computer case getting cold. The X800Pro is still running reasonably nicely expect some DRIVER ISSUES i'll share with you. This firsthand experience with the latest ATI hardware only cements my dislike of ATI drivers that i've had since my first ATI.


Performance in Far Cry is somewhat disappointing. The card can't really handle resolutions above 1024*768 with 4xAA 16xAF -- drops below 35fps at the lowest point. I would have expected a next-generation card to run a next-generation game a lot better. It's not bad, but not mind-blowing like you'd expect.

I know us nVidia-fanboys condemn ATI's drivers, and honestly i dont know how you ATI owners put up with them. I'm not just saying this either. The Catalyst drivers need an overhaul. I've had to juggle between 4.4, 4.5, and the newest 4.6 release. And that's not mentioning the betas which some people use.

I installed Catalyst 4.6 and ran Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow; there's lighting glitches all over the place, all the shadows are gone, and Sam looks like a torchlight! So I played around with some settings; I found that turning off AA/AF resolved some of the lighting glitches. But WHY?!

So making a long story short, if i want to run Splinter Cell 2 with shadows I have to revert back to Catalyst 4.4.

Need I say more, that is just plain ****** ********. Mad


I miss the Forceware drivers. The billion red tabs ATI puts under display properties is enough to encite a raging bull. Smile So ATI loses points again for ergonomics & design.

Don't get me started with the twin monitors feature either... Mad nVidia does a better job in that department.

Driver issues aside, it is nice having a video card in my system with more horsepower. I just wish it worked as good as it could. The potential is there -- I felt ATI was messing me around with annoying issues.


Yes, the X800 Pro is faster than my FX5900, but it's more recent. The taste of more power only makes me want to try a 6800U even moreso.

Will I be moving back over to ATI??? Not in a hurry. If i'd paid for this, i would be more upset than I am. I'll wait and see if Catalyst 4.7 improves things. Until then, if the frustration builds up too much for me, i always have my FX5900 - always ready to forgive me for sleeping with the enemy. Very Happy


feel free to post comments or questions. i hope my opinions aren't too anti-ATI for you guys. Smile


Well, i never use FSAA or Aniso, i never see any use for them.

I haven't noticed any problems with my card....you must have had your bad luck with pre-ATI Radeons
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