release date

when does the 9600xt 256mb release?? Does anyone know, or does anyone have a good guess at when. I think the 9600xt will be a little better than my ti4200 4x agp for now since it does direct x9

I dont know about the release date...but you really dont need the 256mb, at least not for gaming, save some money and get the 128mb.

Yup 256 is not necessary today by any stretch and when it does becoem so you will probably find the 9600Pro is a back of the field runner anyhows

--Jakk:t

i hear with high settings call of duty uses over 128 and so does max payne 2 and half life 2

If you have extra money to spend on the card think about getting a 9800np/pro/XT, otherwise stick with the 128mb version.

128 is quite enough, newer games might utilize more. Or if you like really high settings 256 might help you out there.

- but other Gfx card changes would help you more

You don't need over 128. On a bloody G4 ti I can run 256 meg textures and everything else, including Quincunx and 8AA with CoD with no slow downs except for one level and otherwise it pulls a bit over 30 FPS at 1280x1024. The extra memory isn't needed. I can run the 256 meg textures on my 9800 "Pro" as well, yet it is missing 128 megs of needed ram for this. Save the cash IMO. The ram is slower and if you have a 128 meg apeture, even with 4x, bandwidth really isn't a problem for textures it seems going by the G4.

Also its worth noting these games only really fill the 128mb at top whack resolution, detail, AA and AF levels

Not what most of us play at

--Jakk:t

Unless you game at 1600x1200 and 32bit with AA and AF maxed you will never hit the other 128mb with data even. Just sitting there empy-waisting power and space. The first bits of data are filled then it moves on. So if 128mb data isnt even used the other half-just empty. Its like having a 8hp pushmower when 5hp is enuff. Why push that heavy engine around when you never use the other half of HorsePower- that is overkill.....:t