9800 Pro identified as 9500 Pro??

V8VENOM · Aug 9, 2003, 06:58 PM

I just picked up a new 9800 Pro 128MB (retail ATI box) and installed the Cat 3.6 drivers and under the Adapter tab in Display settings it says:

Chip Type: Radeon 9500 AGP Pro (0x4E45)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Memory Size: 128MB
Adapter Sring: Radeon 9500 Pro / 9700
Bios Information: BK-ATI VER008.004.008.015

There is a white label on the video board that says:
RADEON 9800 Pro 128MB with a S/N below, but this looks like it was just stuck on.

There is a part No (etched in):
PN 109-A05600-00

Anyone else have this issue, are your cards identified as 9800 Pro? I got this from Best Buy, sealed. I'm sure hope someone has just done the old buy a 9800 and a 9500 and swap lables and return the 9500 with 9800 lables on it.

~~craig588~~ · Aug 9, 2003, 07:42 PM

My friend has done that (not with a radeon, but with a GF4) Check your scores in 3dmark. If your fill rate is about 2200 or more you have a real 9800pro. Also, try the omega drivers they have been known to fix many of the weird problems like this. (unless, of course, if its a fake card)

jeuda · Aug 9, 2003, 07:43 PM

That is no built by ATI card. As related by ATI, Built by ATI usually does not contain alphabets. Part number is all numbers for BBA(Built by ATI)

jeuda · Aug 9, 2003, 07:46 PM

See for yourself. http://www.ati.com/products/index.html

V8VENOM · Aug 10, 2003, 02:49 AM

It was indeed NOT a 9800 Pro as per exterior box suggested. Either ATI messed up, or some loser bought a 9800 Pro, and returned a 9500 Pro and got his/her money back on a 9800 Pro. What I find interesting is what looked like a sloppy Inkjet printed label stuck to the 9500 Pro identifying it as a 9800 Pro (with a serial number that matched the box). It sure looks like either a Best Buy employee tried to rip off the company or some customer. But there ain't much one can do about etched PCB numbers without making it look like an obvious dupe job.

I exchanged it for a "real" 9800 Pro.

FYI. The 9500 score was about 25% lower than my old 9700 Pro -- so this was definitely NOT a 9800 Pro.

brazilian · Aug 10, 2003, 03:03 AM

What a shame...
I'm sure you are not the only one who bought a fake card....

The sad part is with people who doesn't know that much about hardware, and maybe it's using a tnt2 thinking it's a true geforce or whatever

**MIG-31** · Aug 10, 2003, 04:13 AM

thats a shame,it never happens the other way around to no such luck!

V8VENOM · Aug 10, 2003, 12:30 PM

I'm a strong believer in earning my way thru life, this type of activity just ultimately ends in misery for the participant(s) of such a scam.

Shadow Lady · Aug 10, 2003, 12:55 PM

mmm... this reminds me when I bought my t-bred 2100+ and for bein such a believer I ended with a palomino 2000+, the stupid board never showed the real ratting number so I thought it was ok, but after a time tried with cpu id to find out I had been cheat... the worse, the warranty was pass out -.- ohh well, good luck you were able to change it ^^

Dyre Straits · Aug 10, 2003, 03:01 PM

This is not the first time I've heard/read of this happening with purchase from Best Buy. In fact, there are other issues I have with Best Buy that leave me rather 'put off' by their advertising tactics and several other issues. Many in my family share the same thoughts. I've even come close to posting a Poll in the Off Topics to get an assessment of customer experience with Best Buy. My own vote would be rather low.

At any rate, I'm very happy to hear that you got a proper replacement. That's at least one feather in their cap.

tek · Aug 10, 2003, 03:34 PM

Slash their tires, if you ever find out who they were....

toddsmack2k · Aug 10, 2003, 04:09 PM

But at least you got finally what you were supposed to get.

Chaos · Aug 10, 2003, 04:14 PM

Good to hear you got it replaced....man would that ever suck bigtime....I know one e-tailor I will avoid like the plague

Shadow Lady · Aug 10, 2003, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by craig588
My friend has done that (not with a radeon, but with a GF4) Check your scores in 3dmark. If your fill rate is about 2200 or more you have a real 9800pro. Also, try the omega drivers they have been known to fix many of the weird problems like this. (unless, of course, if its a fake card)

mmm... 2200 on single or multitexture fill rate? cause if it is the multitexture one my 9500pro does 2700 MTexels/s