Sapphire Ultimate Radeon 9800XT Review

The Ultimate Radeon 9800XT isn’t for the average user. It isn’t for the Small Form Factor fans. It isn’t really for anyone looking for a standard 9800 XT card for that matter. It is for 2 kinds of folks: those that have to have as quiet a computer as possible without giving up performance, and those that have to have bragging rights. That’s what the extra money will get you.

The Ultimate is a great performer, quiet, and soon will be in an All In Wonder flavor (finally, a video card that weighs more than a cinder block). Certainly if that fits your need or tickles your fancy, more power to you. But for most consumers, the Ultimate is a bit of opulence you don’t really have a lot of use for. Sapphire has done a great job here, and deserves a pat on the back for trying to get as much as possible out of the R350 core, but the fact of the matter is that there just isn’t much more to get out of it. But, Sapphire isn’t responsible for that, and truly, the Ultimate Radeon 9800XT is a nice package, even if it’s potential user base is a little limited. Showing off the Ultimate to family and friends garners oohs and aahs, generates oodles of raw jealousy, and gives the user a feeling of power that a stock card just can’t do. Sure, it’s not a better performer in reality. But sometimes, perception is all you really need anyway. For those wanting to be the king of the hill, the Ultimate card is the way to go.

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Sapphire Ultimate Radeon 9800XT Review