AMD video cards

[Dead...Again]

OK, I have always bought NVIDIA video cards, and my last 3 have all been EVGA because of their excellent warranties. However, as it stands right now the 6950 looks like the best bang for the buck for what I am wanting to spend (~$300), so I am thinking of jumping ship. So here is the question. Who are the best AMD vendors? Who has the best warranties? Do any of them have lifetime warranties like EVGA?

[slice]

Sapphire, XFX, MSI, HIS, are all good.

I would look at this one

Sapphire 6950

also very good!

HIS 6950

[WalkinTarget]

No lifetime warranties across the board on their card offerings from any vendors as far as I know, altho Visiontek used to offer them back in the day.

No 'Step Up' programs either, so forget that as well.

I actually think that select cards from XFX offer a lifetime warranty, in fact its a 'double' lifetime warranty so the card can be sold to someone and still retain its lifetime warranty. I bought a Sapphire but I was less than enthused with its 3 year warranty, compared to eVGA - I just RMA'd an 8800GTS G80 card yesterday, bought in May of 2007 !! I contacted them not to RMA it but rather looking for a possible fix to it, and they said go ahead and RMA it.

[Skud]

I've had Sapphire, Xfx, and HIS. All have worked well and have lasted until the next upgrade. Only one that didn't was an Evga.

[Dead...Again]

Found this on the XFX website:

If you register the product online at http://www.xfxforce.com/ within 30 days of purchase, your limited warranty will be EXTENDED for the duration of your life. Registration within 30 days of the date of purchase is a condition precedent to receiving the lifetime warranty.***

Not sure if this applies to all their cards or just the Radeon HD cards.

[Caddys83]

I like to go back to xfx. But they are now part of the AMD bandwagon. boooo

[Schultzy]

I currently have a Sapphire. I had bought two, and one of them was dead.

I had an XFX (still do) 5870. Solid card.

I have had MSI nV cards, and I have another MSI AMD 6950 on the way. MSI did me right when my MSI 8800 died, so I went with them again.

Basically, the cards are more/less teh same if you're just going to plug it in and run it. When you start OC'ing is when you start needing more.


As stated above:
XFX, MSI, HIS, Sapphire

(in that order for me, tbh)

[Duke{CLR}]

Now the best deal for mobile video cards seems to be the 6990m its several hundred less then then the 580m for close performance and if I end up getting aobile did for bf3 ill be getting it.

For my desktops it would take a large amount of savings to get me from going with a card that is not from EVGA due to my experiences.

[majinsnake]

I like ASUS for them being a maker of any nvidia/ati-amd cards.

Short warranty (2-3 yrs), but their cards and fan heatsinks are certainly worth it. I like ASUS little fan utility called SmartDoctor that allows me to adjust the fan speed when I game. A similar software to EVGA's Precision.

Rivatuner hasn't been updated, so I stopped using it.


I don't know if the ATI-AMD cards are wired into the motherboard, so a software like Speedfan can control the speeds.

Also, I prefer to buy a card that looks like the fan will actually be long-lasting instead of buying a new fan to replace it. I had that problem with my EVGA 8800GT. Bought a fan that wasn't supported for the card, and it still worked. Luck.

[Schultzy]

I have found that Rivatuner has not been updated in forever because it seems that the CCC control panel now has the unlock feature for overclocking and controlling the fan speeds on the video cards. It seems to work rather well.

[Jed_Clampet]

Check out newegg.com. They have a XFX 6970 for 339.00 currently.

[Dead...Again]

Check out newegg.com. They have a XFX 6970 for 339.00 currently.

I went to their website, pulled it up for $339. Went to compare it to the 6950, and it went back to its normal price, $349!

[Jed_Clampet]

It sure did! 10 bucks is 10 bucks tho.

[Schultzy]

I picked up a Sapphire TOXIC 6950 that unlocked to a 6970...

I picked up a MSI Twin Frozr III that I am working on unlocking now... I hope it works *crosses fingers*

[Brian is Huh?!{CLR}]

I picked up a Sapphire TOXIC 6950 that unlocked to a 6970...

I picked up a MSI Twin Frozr III that I am working on unlocking now... I hope it works *crosses fingers*

tell me if u unlock it! i wanna unlock mines when i get one.