VTX3D what they like?

OmegaStalker · 19 May 2013 at 02:41

Hi, so I just put in a order for 2 VTX3D 7970s from OCUK and am a little worried because haven't heard much about this company and what I've heard doesn't sound too great so the question is has anyone dealt with VTX3Ds RMA before?

I've heard if you go to the manufacture to ever get a RMA you have to send it to Taiwan and pay for shipping yourself! Although someone did say the first year is dealt by OCUK I don't know though first time shopping with OCUK aswell...

Ive had some bad RMA experiences before and if I ever needed to again want to be somewhat sure I'll be dealing with decent companies...

Anyways thanks guys!

troops · 19 May 2013 at 02:55

Dont know for sure how good they are, the reason i stick with Gigabyte but like you say OCUK will deal with part of any problems.
Pretty sure i read somewere VTX3D use an Netherlands RMA centre.

OmegaStalker · 19 May 2013 at 03:07

Well from further reading and googling it appears the retailer is meant to responsible for the whole warranty period i.e 2 years but I'm not sure how true this is can someone confirm this for me please is OCUK responsible for the full 2 years warranty period this would make me sleep easier at night I think...

troops · 19 May 2013 at 03:11

I wouldnt worry about it pal, either will be ok.

humbug · 19 May 2013 at 03:18

I have a Powercolor, (exactly the same GPU made by the same...) had a Gigabyte WF 3x before it so I know the comparison.

Generally the coolers are not as good as more expensive ones, but they are not bad either.

As for the quality and the GPU itself they are just as good, they also overclock well.

All your paying for on the more expensive ones is the cooler.

Tonester0011 · 19 May 2013 at 03:21

Took just under a month for my rma to be completed for my card. Ocuk done everything.

OmegaStalker · 19 May 2013 at 03:27

Tonester0011 said:
Took just under a month for my rma to be completed for my card. Ocuk done everything.

You weren't charged for anything were you and ocuk provided minimal stress I know some retailers are a pita but never dealt with ocuk so besides time how were they?

Bodom · 19 May 2013 at 04:13

I had to RMA a 5870 Powercolor card (same company) OCUK took care of the whole thing took around 4 weeks ended up getting a brand new 6970 as a replacement so pretty good in my book

ArchAndroid · 19 May 2013 at 04:46

Bodom said:
I had to RMA a 5870 Powercolor card (same company) OCUK took care of the whole thing took around 4 weeks ended up getting a brand new 6970 as a replacement so pretty good in my book

Wow, that's very cool of them to upgrade your card like that. They must have run out of stock of the 5870 or perhaps AMD was no longer making 5000 chips.

mattf · 19 May 2013 at 07:21

Had mine and year and touch wood it has been fine. Cooler is not great imo

mattf · 19 May 2013 at 07:23

Mine overclocks quite well. It has given me good scores on 3d mark

Zeed · 19 May 2013 at 08:09

There before i put water block on it

This is my second VTX i had 6950 before that was flashed to 6970 and clocked well
This 7950 cloks good to 1240mhz max stable 1720 on memory but with artifacts

I dont know about RMA but good cards inmy opinion. Next one i will buy will be VTX to since i run on water i dont want pay extra for fancy cooler that is useless for me

PorkPieCat · 19 May 2013 at 09:16

humbug said:
I have a Powercolor, (exactly the same GPU made by the same...) had a Gigabyte WF 3x before it so I know the comparison.

Generally the coolers are not as good as more expensive ones, but they are not bad either.

As for the quality and the GPU itself they are just as good, they also overclock well.

All your paying for on the more expensive ones is the cooler.

you also pay for better pcb quality (copper? layers?) and components.

spixelspixel · 19 May 2013 at 09:32

PorkPieCat said:
you also pay for better pcb quality (copper? layers?) and components.

You mean like MSI's military grade components?

PorkPieCat · 19 May 2013 at 10:30

haha no. i did buy an msi mobo and an msi gpu, but not because of the stupid marketing

. i really like the metal twin frozr cooler though. i also previously owned the gigabyte and vtx3d 7970s, and both of them sagged like mad, but the twin frozr is rock solid and straight.

but yeah apparently amd cards have the best build quality in their reference pcbs, so it's almost always better to buy a reference pcb than custom (something to do with volterra vrms and bussmann chokes? don't quote me). the vtx3d has a "reference design" but it's not truly reference. not sure what that means though. warranty, cooler performance, reviews, etc. are probably more important factors...

Sprite · 19 May 2013 at 10:54

I picked up a VTX3D 7850 recently, it overclocked better than my MSI 7850, and the heatsink didn't seem too bad but the fan was fairly loud. I've only had it for about 2 months so far, but I've stressed it quite a lot, and it's been fine.

Yaayuh! · 19 May 2013 at 11:33

PorkPieCat said:
you also pay for better pcb quality (copper? layers?) and components.

This is quite important really.

VTX "reference" usually isn't apart from the layout, they use different components onboard to AMD reference.

You have to question why, and they're not exactly top tier so my guess is cost saving.

PorkPieCat · 19 May 2013 at 11:42

Rossi~ said:
This is quite important really.

VTX "reference" usually isn't apart from the layout, they use different components onboard to AMD reference.

You have to question why, and they're not exactly top tier so my guess is cost saving.

oh ok. i figured it was important but it doesn't seem to get spoken about much, which is why i wasn't sure.

i assumed the same about the vtx tbh. the capacitors are definitely cheaper, and given that vtx3d cards are often even cheaper than reference i feel it's not unsafe to assume that their angle is "value for money". still, this is really conjecture. on the other hand the vtx3d uses the same vrms but it has one more (which is a good thing).

spixelspixel · 19 May 2013 at 12:17

Rossi~ said:
This is quite important really.

VTX "reference" usually isn't apart from the layout, they use different components onboard to AMD reference.

You have to question why, and they're not exactly top tier so my guess is cost saving.

They might cut costs on unimportant things like packaging, shroud on the cooler etc. Or maybe they don't cut costs at all but just aren't as greedy

There's no proof that they use cheaper components. If anything I see much less complaints about vtx3d/powercolor/club3d (all the same company) than more 'premium' brands like msi or asus.

humbug · 19 May 2013 at 13:30

PorkPieCat said:
you also pay for better pcb quality (copper? layers?) and components.

They may well do. but i tell you what This was my last GPU, look at all that marketing humph there about durability and double layered circuitry....

Excellent cooler, no question about that, but if you want to talk about the PCB, the apparently supper doper one on that one was junk, it was thin, flimsy and bent where the Memory IC's meet the cooler, it wasn't just mine, you look at all reviews they all have that slight kink in exactly the same place.

It was also a pig to overclock, instead of dropping the driver and recovering like its supposed to it would just BSOD my computer every single time.

By comparison the PCB on this Powercolor is twice the thickness, arrow straight and solid, it has never BSOD my computer and overclocking it is child's play in comparison.

Looking at the build quality, the Powercolor has better construction and a solid alloy shroud compared with the flimsy plastic one on the Gigabyte, and also has cleaner soldering, the printed circuitry is also thicker and more substantial, it has real definition on the PCB as opposed to being pretty delicate on the Gigabyte.

Also, AMD have a certain standard set for third parties in the components they are supposed to use, about a year a go AMD had a go at (coil whining) Sapphire for using sub par micro capacitors.

MSI, how long is that list of problems with their GPU's as a result of cost cutting?

The thing with the (establishment) is they often get to a point where they feel their reputation alone will sell their products, and so they look to cutting corners.

VTX / Powercolor... i know and knew before i bough it that they often don't have Hynix Memory IC's, often, as they are on mine they are Elpida, and invariably only clock to 1600, on the 7950's the clock to 1750, not 1900 like a lot of Hynix IC's, but having said that on the Gigabyte 7870 the Hynix IC's invariably only clock to 1500!

Mine has a HS on the Mosfets, the Gigabyte one didn't and the VRM's as a result got a lot warmer, and like the Gigabyte mine has full Alloy chokes and Japanese Solid state Cap's.......

I hear what your saying, but. It would seem in reality its not what you would expect. Powercolor and VTX need to prove themselves, Gigabyte don't and i can see far more corner gutting on them.