Which brand HD 2900XT ??

Banjo · 1 Jun 2007 at 12:21

Hi all,

I'm about to order a HD 2900XT, and the only question left is which brand to go with, I've done a little research into the warranty information for a couple of them but I'd like to know what you guys, as end-users/customers, think of them.
Also, I was wondering whether any of these three have warranties which allow for the stock heat sink/fan to be changed.

My choices are:
-HIS
-Sapphire
-GeCube

Any opinions/comments would be appreciated.

Banjo ;_;

Boogle · 1 Jun 2007 at 12:22

Sapphire comes with 3D Mark 06

All the cards are manufactured by ATI.

willhub · 1 Jun 2007 at 12:22

I think the sapphire would be the best to go for.

Any reason your going for an HD2900XT? A GTS performs just as good / better in some things, less heat, lower fan noise, less power consumption.

Squakingcow · 1 Jun 2007 at 12:32

Go for the cheapest one. They're all the same. And 3Dmark is free anyway (if you know where to look

).

Banjo · 1 Jun 2007 at 13:17

willhub said:
I think the sapphire would be the best to go for.

Any reason your going for an HD2900XT? A GTS performs just as good / better in some things, less heat, lower fan noise, less power consumption.

My main reason for choosing a HD2900XT is I quite recently upgraded my motherboard from an ageing s939 board to the board in my sig, which has dual x16 pci-e slots for crossfire. So in terms of future upgrades, a pair of HD2900XT's might suit my current set up well

I've seen all of them within £10 of £250 on various sites with various deals, all with the same sort of package included.

Is there any major difference in the warranty between these three?

Also, Squakingcow, everything's free if you know where to look

paradigm · 1 Jun 2007 at 13:19

Boogle said:
Sapphire comes with 3D Mark 06
All the cards are manufactured by ATI.

Really? Mine didn't come with 3dm06 :confused:

Gibbo · 1 Jun 2007 at 13:36

Hi there

All I will add is be wary of GeCube, we've sold there cards in the past and well never again. Slow RMA rates and higher failure rates than other brands. Guess thats why they are dog cheap but from experience with the brand I'd say avoid. The others are better options.

willhub · 1 Jun 2007 at 13:44

Gibbo said:
Hi there

All I will add is be wary of GeCube, we've sold there cards in the past and well never again. Slow RMA rates and higher failure rates than other brands. Guess thats why they are dog cheap but from experience with the brand I'd say avoid. The others are better options.

How would the GeCube's have high failure rates when the cards are all the same and made at ATi and the only thing they have done is put a sticker on them and package them :confused:

Boogle · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:14

paradigm said:
Really? Mine didn't come with 3dm06

My bad then

In the PR shots there is a 3D Mark 06 bundled sticker on the front of the box.

Boogle · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:15

willhub said:
How would the GeCube's have high failure rates when the cards are all the same and made at ATi and the only thing they have done is put a sticker on them and package them

Handling at the packaging facility. Too much static, or poor handling = higher failure rates.

Gibbo · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:20

willhub said:
How would the GeCube's have high failure rates when the cards are all the same and made at ATi and the only thing they have done is put a sticker on them and package them

Hi there

Handling, packaging, shippers, couriers etc.

Banjo · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:20

Thanks for your input Gibbo, much appreciated

Speaking of RMA rates, does anyone know whether HIS or Sapphire are better for that and similar things?

Banjo ;_;

Gibbo · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:22

Banjo said:
Thanks for your input Gibbo, much appreciated.

Speaking of RMA rates, does anyone know whether HIS or Sapphire are better for that and similar things?

Banjo ;_;

Hi there

Well its down to the Etailor to generally deal with RMA's especially concerning ATI's product. However depending on how good the RMA service the manufacturer gives to the Etailor may affect the speed in which the Etailor can turn around the product or offer a solution.

For ourselves Sapphire and HIS are very quick and offer us good solutions. Wheras GeCube were very slow and generally annoying and hence we have removed them from the OcUK site.

LOAM · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:25

my sappy 2900 came with 3D06 as did 2 other friends, are you sure you looked in the box ?

paradigm · 1 Jun 2007 at 14:32

LOAM said:
my sappy 2900 came with 3D06 as did 2 other friends, are you sure you looked in the box ?

No, I haven't looked in the box. I managed to get my card and HDMI dongle out via osmosis.

LOAM · 1 Jun 2007 at 15:56

paradigm said:
No, I haven't looked in the box. I managed to get my card and HDMI dongle out via osmosis.

That’s the problem then, by slowly drawing your card and HDMI dongle through the cellular structure of the box, you have failed at life.

Schnippzle · 1 Jun 2007 at 16:32

paradigm said:
No, I haven't looked in the box. I managed to get my card and HDMI dongle out via osmosis.

Hurah for sugar-based cards

Alexrose1uk · 1 Jun 2007 at 17:15

Hurah for sugar-based cards

That must be why loads of people say thier graphics are 'sweet as' then

Banjo · 2 Jun 2007 at 00:32

Thanks for all the replies everyone,

Puns aside, I'm still pretty torn between the HIS and the Sapphire variants of the HD 2900XT, can anyone give me any reasons (beside the tenner price difference

) to chose one or the other?

Thanks,

Banjo ;_;

Tom|Nbk · 2 Jun 2007 at 01:34

paradigm said:
No, I haven't looked in the box. I managed to get my card and HDMI dongle out via osmosis.

Leave that sarcasm in Motors

, did you check out the cds that came with the card 06 will most likely be included on there somewhere.

Banjo said:
Thanks for all the replies everyone,

Puns aside, I'm still pretty torn between the HIS and the Sapphire variants of the HD 2900XT, can anyone give me any reasons (beside the tenner price difference ) to chose one or the other?

Thanks,

Banjo ;_;

Both around as good as each other RMA wise, I'd go for the Sapphire