Changing graphics cards

4Xcut

Well i got an X850PRO thinking that i could flash to an XT and unlock the 4 extra pipes but alas i was led a stray by someone who shal remain nameless, you know who you are. The thing is that i had the idea that i could get an X800XL and oc the bejebus out of it and have my 16 pipes. Is this a good idea or stupid. Would i be easily able to find someone who would pay for a 3 week old X850PRO with all packaging software and games enough for me to buy the XL. Or would there be anybody looking to swap. This hasn't been fully decided yet so help by voting please.

Dooom

I'd say stick with the Pro and pick up an R520 when it comes out.

4Xcut

I only got the pro a month ago and if i wait till the R520 comes out will i not get much less if i sell it. If i was to get an XL i wouldn't be out much but getting the R520 would fuxxor the bank balance.

BadCharlie

I would stick with the pro also. The XL is not a great overclocker from what i have seen. Unless your going to water cool it or something. My brother has one its good but i think i would stick with the pro myself!

4Xcut

i logically know its not but i just kinda fell dissappointed about not being able to flash it to an xt. How much of a difference do the extra pipes make. Would my pro at 600 and 600 be better than an XL at stock pro speeds

unkel

4Xcut wrote:

Well i got an X850PRO thinking that i could flash to an XT and unlock the 4 extra pipes but alas i was led a stray by someone who shal remain nameless, you know who you are

Eh?

If you're referring to this, you were given sound advice...

airetam_storm

I advised you to get the Pro over the XL as it would not be feasible for ATi to cut the pipes.

But chips from X800Pro and X850XT looks identically. Doesnt it mean that ATI made two diff conveyers for two diff "modifications" of R480 chips, just to prevent modding for o/w addicted ppl. Im just imagine how its expensive, hard and unprofitable measures especially that every generation of chips lives about 1 years after ATi has to reconstruct all conveyer lines again for new chips and again to make two diff lines to product Pro and XT versions!? No sean, just be more cleverly. I think that its rumors about "specially destroyed pipes on FAB process inside crystal plates"!
I'm starting believe that there is very crafty "switch" in electric circuit. Very easy and early "version" of switch was all-known lasercut, after was "wrong" resistor bridge near chip(and btw this method was used by AMD on early K-5 cpus)...and to continue this list i want to say i think ATi think up new "switch" method and i heared rumor that it is "special voltage block that define/checks to discern special voltage loop/kink", i think it means that there are some diff between X850Pro and X850XT voltage circuit. Im not good electrician domesticity man but if some1 well-know in electric processes will take two cards X850Pro and X850XT from same manufacturer and will thoroughly compare it 1-by-1(not only visually, but with oscillograph and multilmeter(ohms, amperes)), i'm bet 100% that we will get interesting results and quick resolution how to mod X850Pro to XT version!

From here
http://www.overclock.net/showthread.php?t=28312&page=2&pp=10

DemonOfTheFall

Uh huh...

Going to trust the knowledge of some guy on a forum as to what goes on inside TSMC's fabs ? (or whatever company does the chips)

I really wouldn't believe what he just said at all. It's idle speculation about ATI's abilities to physically disable the pipes. Even if what this guy said was true then youd have to go hacking apart your pro card and changing resistors and all this crap. I bet this guy is just trying to sound edumacated, and like he has the balls to actually start hacking a 350 euro card with a soldering iron.

Who advised you that you could flash the x850 pro to xt ? noob whoever they were...

BTW, i doubt theres that much performace difference between the two. Instead of starting a poll on which to buy would it not have been easier to just google a couple of benchmarks ?

EDIT: http://www.beyond3d.com/reviews/club3d/x8x0/
They're pretty much the same, give or take

4Xcut

It was airetam_storm thatadvised me that it could be done.

Its not just about preformance its about the convienence(sp?) of changing if i was going to. And also what sort of money i would be up or down

Edit\What would actually happen if i flashed it and it only had 12 pipes? Could i not just flash it back to pro

DemonOfTheFall

I'd say that you wouldnt get the card to POST if you flashed an XT bios onto the PRO card.

If you just used rivatuner to unlock them then thats a different kettle o fish, if graphics got funked up youd just reboot the pc

4Xcut

I was going to be getting to be getting an arctic cooler so i will just whip out a magnifying glass and have a look for the laser cuts

DemonOfTheFall

Just Use Rivatuner!!!