OcUK Value Vs. Brands

[Sambuka1989]

What is the difference between the OcUK Value line of graphics cards and the top branded cards like EVGA and BFG? Do these 'designer' cards have some secret ingredient or am I right in believing the actual fact is that there is not a spot of difference and that you are indeed paying up to £100 more for a fancy sticker and colour scheme?

Also, let me just add if you take the £50-£100 off the branded card and use it to couple a decent aftermarket cooler to stick on an OcUK card you will have a faster clocking and cooler card than the most expensive branded card in the same league for less money.

Would be good to see your argument OcUK reps .

 

[Rroff]

The OCuk cards are random OEM retailers, whoever they managed to get a decent deal off usually... the difference generally is the packaging, a full retail card will usually come with a nice bundle with all the cables, etc. and usually a couple of games or other goodies... with an OEM card the exact bundle will usually be just the card and driver CD, sometimes some cables...

They are also usually the cards that didn't make the grade for the factory overclocked lines so don't except them to overclock as well as retail cards, tho thats not a rule...

My OCuk 260GTX 55nm I bought recently was a sparkle card that actually came with loads of cables/connectors in a nice package and overclocks just as well as my BFG 260 MAXCORE OC.

EDIT: Another common difference is the OEM cards have a cheaper heatsink than the reference design, or only have the reference design heatsink while the more expensive cards have an uprated high end cooler on them.

 

[Helios1234]

The value brands could actually end up being better than the normal brands. The gtx275 on sale looks a like palit one and already comes with a better cooler. My own valuee branded card turned out to be a gainward which overclocks really nicely.

 

[Kelt]

The value brands could actually end up being better than the normal brands. The gtx275 on sale looks a like palit one and already comes with a better cooler. My own valuee branded card turned out to be a gainward which overclocks really nicely.

I'm not entirely sure that what you see in the photo is what you always receive.

Stand to corrected though!

 

[Rroff]

I'm not sure if it is a better cooler... the reference one is a huge fin array and fairly high end, the dual fan one looks good, but I'm not sure the heatsink part is as effeicent.

 

[gurusan]

I think the dual fan version may net better temperatures at lower sound levels, but it spews heat back into the case instead of out the back.

 

[Helios1234]

I'm not entirely sure that what you see in the photo is what you always receive.

Stand to corrected though!

From what I have read, only palit have actually shipped the cards ready to be sold today, hence why everything else is not in stock yet.

As for the cooler itself, I guess we'll have to wait for reviews to see if it's actually any good.

 

[Kelt]

From what I have read, only palit have actually shipped the cards ready to be sold today, hence why everything else is not in stock yet.

As for the cooler itself, I guess we'll have to wait for reviews to see if it's actually any good.

Yeh, I think if you ordered an OCUK value 275 now, you would get the Palit.

I should have stressed my comment was alluding to OCUK value products on an overall basis, not just this instance.

 

[Helios1234]

Yeh, I think if you ordered an OCUK value 275 now, you would get the Palit.

I should have stressed my comment was alluding to OCUK value products on an overall basis, not just this instance.

Ah right, sorry! But you're right, I was just pointing out that the current one is a palit but they could well be any brand. As I said my own value card was a gainward .

 

[roadie]

OcUK Value products only have a one year warranty. I think that's the biggest differentiator between them and branded, retail cards.