Ok depending upon the layout and the memory interface you can get a 9800 se and soft mod it to a 9800pro or np... Also since the most common is the I-shaped meomry and center fdd connector can be soft modded into a 9500pro.. which is better a 9800se or 9500pro??

I'd go 9500 pro...at least you're guaranteed the 8 pixel pipes that way. Then get better cooling and oc the hell out of it. The 256-bit memory on the 9800se is attractive, but it's lower fill rate will really handicap it. Also, because each pixel pipe has a pixel shader unit on it, the 9800se will have much lower pixel shader performance than the 8-piped 9500 pro. Overall, I just think that the 9800se was crippled too much by losing those 4 pipes...if you're gonna go 4 pipes, get a 9600xt.

Well actually theres a modded 9800se-->9800pro driver thats unlocks the other 4 pipes, 80% chance to work, 30% chance that the 8 pipes will be working in order.. And if you do get lucky you'll have a kick . card that runns 5% slower then the 9800 pro... I think i'll take my chances...

And that 5% can be over comed by overclocking.

Only reason there are "SE" cards is because 4 of the 8 pipes failed their test. Now, that's not saying EVERY card failed. I don't know if I would trust it. The BEST thing to do is would be to get a cheap PCI card. So if your updating the BIOS on the 9800SE and it doesn't work, you still have working video card to get that 9800SE back to original BIOS.

The reason I said 9500pro is I'd rather not rely on luck. Sure, you stand a chance that all 8 pipes work, but what if they don't? Remember, although some se chips are fully functional, they didn't find their way onto an se card for no reason.