RADEON 9800 PRO 256MB/9600 PRO=EOL >> 05:53 AM - Brandon Bell
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Well, I had intended to save this news for an upcoming article I'm working on, but considering the importance of getting this news out in a timely fashion, better to post it now.
Earlier this week, we learned from ATI that they have ceased production on the RADEON 9600, RADEON 9600 PRO, and RADEON 9800 PRO 256MB. The RADEON 9200 PRO has also been phased out, in favor of the RADEON 9600 SE. With the arrival of the XT line in October and the new product cycle for Spring '04 coming up, ATI must feel it's time to unload a few products. Keep in mind that this applies to the Built By ATI retail cards, ATI's board partners are free to continue with plans of their own. (In fact Crucial recently announced its Winter lineup, which includes the 9800 PRO 256MB and RADEON 9600 PRO.)
As a result, the RADEON 9200 continues to represent the low-end of the value market, while the RADEON 9600 SE is intended to compete with the GeForce FX 5200 Ultra. The RADEON 9600 XT is ATI's sole mainstream card currently in production, while the RADEON 9800 PRO 128MB and 9800 XT encompass ATI's lineup for the enthusiast segment.
In light of our recent Call of Duty performance numbers, we were just beginning to appreciate the RADEON 9800 PRO 256MB. Just as it was beginning to show its full potential, its life has ended. RIP.