Erm... 9700pro better than the Ti4600 when using FSAA or AF??
Sorry but 9700 series is an all round inferior card, the speed matchs up with a GeForceMx 480 - but as the Mx480 is actually almost 1/3 the price, why the heck would you want the 9700 ... Ahh yes because of the DirectX 9 compatibility, the DirectX which Micrsoft themselves have delayed AGAIN and rather than 8.x actually deals with media more.
I'd suggest if you have a friend who uses it, you checkout what is actually in it - because DirectX9 increases no speed and has very little in the way of updates over 8.1 graphically.
Also those update it does have for Graphics are being released as part of DirectX 8.2 because the core code is essentially the same it is just a minor lib addon.
That aside, 9700 is as most ATi cards a DirectX native - meaning on OpenGL applications it not only falls short of the mark but it actually makes you wonder why they even bother adding OpenGL support.
GeForce4 is unfortunately the only series of the card to have serious bugs, rushed for shipping due to Microsofts demands (which is why the Xbox ALSO has the same bugs)
The Quattro4 XGL 900 which isn't that much more than than a Ti4600 with 128Mb Ram can push almost 2x the speed, and be used in SLi combination.
Their power combined is noticeably LESS than a single GeForce FX 620 64Mb Ram!
On my pathetic Duron 800 | 512Mb Ram | nForce Chipset system it recieved 16,891 3D Marks
ATi are scuppered with the new card... and they can only hope to compete if they lower it into the budget under $150 market. As the GeForce FX 620 hits the market at $450!
Also DirectX 8 and 9 have GeForce ONLY functions, if the compatibility is so raw then why exactly have I a novice never had any errors conserning the card when programming demos for it?
gameSpace has yet to fall up a problem with my GeForce cards under OpenGL OR DirectX - whereas my Savage4 Pro is riddled with them and my RagePro you can just forget about even using.
At the end of the day ATi have a good card, but really can't be compaired to the GeForce - you only have to check the technical limits of the cards and benchmark scores to really see this.
Anata aru kowagaru no watashi!