News - ATI launches FirePro V9800

[HEXUS]

4GB frame-buffer and six DisplayPort connectors for the ultimate Eyefinity-workstation.

Read more.

[Platinum]

What makes these cards so much more expensive in relation to the standard retail parts?, other than more memory.

[Percy1983]

What makes these cards so much more expensive in relation to the standard retail parts?, other than more memory.

Seconded, what is the actual difference?

[BullDogg]

What makes these cards so much more expensive in relation to the standard retail parts?, other than more memory.

Not a great deal, as far as I know.

The frame buffers are usually larger, but that obviously doesn't justify the price tag. You also have the 3-pin DIN port, though I'm not sure what that's actually for.

Otherwise, most of the differences are in the drivers. FirePro cards are optimised for pixel perfect accuracy and tuned to work exceptionally well with a very limited set of software products (CAD, etc). Apparently, you can perform a pretty good soft-mod on a Radeon card and turn it into the corresponding FirePro model, but I've never tried it myself.

In short, you're paying for very good driver support.

[OilSheikh]

ATi logo .... yaaaaaaaay!

[Sim0n]

Isnt the 3Pin DIN an external power supply ?

[latrosicarius]

I remember some old review saying the nvidia pro cars (the quadra) was not particularly good for games.

Are these good for games? In fact, what are they good at? Why would someone buy a pro card over a gaming card and vice versa?

[Percy1983]

I still remember at work seeing an invoice for 3 3870s a while back, so my company clearly doesn't see the benefit of the pro cards.