Insight into card makers???

[sheldonleigh]

I have been spending a lot of time researching different parts for pcs.

The main focus has been graphics cards.

Am I right in saying that Asus, Saphire, XFX etc etc all use the same processor to make say the HD6970??

If I am right then how can Saphire for instance charge so much more than XFX for the very same card.

I know that Asus has Voltage tweak ( Which doesnt make a diff in this card??) But thats a sales point,

not (In my mind) a justification to charge so much more for cards.

The real question I'm asking is, what brand do you favour and for what reason??

Looking forward to the answers

 

[thestepster]

yeah they will all use the same chips they are given from AMD and reference pcb's till they get round to designing there own boards, usually price differences are cause of custom pcb's and custom coolers (or brand name) and voltage tweaking options and that on the card, not sure personally how the 6 series amd's overclock but the 460's from nvidia were overclockin beasts and all there cards came with the voltage tweaking as stardard

u usually u cant go wrong with the big brands, ive had loads of different cards from xfx, sapphire, inno3d, vanilla reference cards, palit, bfg (dont exist now) to msi

 

[JezEngland]

The answer is ignorance. Thats why

competition chosen over need. ofc there are other reasons, this is the market your questioning. A lawyer/accountant could help

Sapphire got undercut by XFX. XFX is fairer and Sapphire is greedier. Consider the manufacturers service. And the retailer wants gain, who takes the money to the grave.

i played with a 2009 sapphire card and now i have a XFX 9800gt. The XFX is better. The circuit board was attracting drool.

Sapphire has a reputation of doing well with their custom builds and other stuff. Forum user called Squirrel recently recieved a Sapphire card and chips fell off.

Money, market, robbery, influence etc.

XFX might be doing a favour to the consumer, embrace that. High quality and cheaper.

Look for detailed photo's of the parts. Better parts are often visibly obiously better

I have read that Nvidia vs AMD vs Intel involves quality like AMD build cheaper stuff, the manufacturing is lower grade. AMD isn't a charity. In my experience top-notch Nvidia reference boards are better than AMD's top-notch reference boards.

Money and interest is the big factor. Do you spend a day at the go-cart track or get a new GPU

or do a half-day and have a mid range GPU

Sainsbury at a friends town sells Walkers crip at 75p. Its cheaper at a petrol station

 

[murphy7801]

Wouldnt say are any better build quality than sapphire had few of there cards ones gone wrong there rma process is ok there cost effective. Though my xfx 5970 black edition died from them in a week and that's when they were about £500.

 

[JezEngland]

ok. My XFX circuit board is nicer than the reference EVGA & POV 480 boards. The finish is a thick smooth matt black and the circuitry is amazing. ofc it's not as complicated as the 480's

15/01/2011: saphire vapour x's look good