HD6970 Reference, Non-Reference, Craziness ><

[ender11122]

So I am building a water cooled setup and was in the market for a reference 6970. After doing a little egg hunting I came across this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-356-_-Product

Has all the hallmarks of a reference design; AMD logo on the slot, backplate and bios switches. Unfortunately when i received it, it is a completely non-reference card. No backplate, no bios switch, not even same components on the PCB. Apparently HIS made a revision to the card using a non-standard design. When doing so, they continue to use the same model number that the original reference design used.

Cliff notes, HIS H697F2G2M is NOT an AMD reference design, no matter what HIS website tells you.



PART 2:

After research, it turns out XFX is pulling the same stunt.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-517-_-Product

The only way to tell is when you actually get the card it is obviously not the reference card, but they justify it by adding V1.1 to the model sticker on the card itself, but nowhere else.

 

[alcoholbob]

Someone posted this about a month ago regarding XFX cards.

 

[arnoldma]

i know the 6950 reference is good for unlocking, but whats the 6970 reference good for? why is it better than a non-reference?

 

[3DVagabond]

i know the 6950 reference is good for unlocking, but whats the 6970 reference good for? why is it better than a non-reference?

The water block isn't going to fit.

OP, maybe buy the Powercolor LCS HD6970? Already has the waterblock installed. Newegg doesn't have any, so you might have to look around a bit.

http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=314

 

[betasub]

Eww, another board partner pulls a silent revision. Not good for the after-market heatsink/watercooling crowd. Kudos to OP for keeping his post rant-free, despite the inner rage

 

[at80eighty]

Wow that bites. wtf is it with the manufacturers doing this lately?

What are the options in this case? do they allow you to return it, since it does not meet as per sales description?

 

[Jacky60]

It's just to save them a $ here and a $ there to increase their margins and often provide a less capable product and it stinks!

 

[Firestorm007]

Wow that bites. wtf is it with the manufacturers doing this lately?

What are the options in this case? do they allow you to return it, since it does not meet as per sales description?

This is bait and switch; no question about it. The card received is not what is pictured. I'd contact Newegg and return it minus any restocking fee and I'd also have them send me a free return shipping label.

 

[pw38]

There's no bait and switch and the manufacturer has the right to change their product at any time without notifying you. Newegg simply sells what's given to them so I wouldn't hold them to task. HIS should give updated info for their products to Newegg but are you surprised?

 

[3DVagabond]

There's no bait and switch and the manufacturer has the right to change their product at any time without notifying you. Newegg simply sells what's given to them so I wouldn't hold them to task. HIS should give updated info for their products to Newegg but are you surprised?

It could be as you say, HIS not informing Newegg of the changes in the product. It could also be Newegg not keeping their product info up to date on their website. It could also be Newegg direct importing the product themselves from a source in China, rather than the US distributor. They are big enough to do that. They are told the product is the same, but it's sometimes down spec'd without notification. Often the first shipment or two are fine and then they slip you the "cheaper stuff". The company I work for direct import product from China a lot. Chinese sources are notorious for changing specifications without informing you.

When that's the case we then contact all customers who might have received the product, if it went out before we realized it, and offer them to reselect another product, a partial credit for what they've paid us, continued use of the product until it can be replaced with the merchandise they were supposed to get, when we can source the original product, or, worse case, a refund. We then negotiate a price reduction for our next order from the supplier.

 

[ender11122]

In the end, Newegg was quick to refund me the entire purchase price, no restocking fee. They even sent me a shipping label so I didn't have to pay return shipping. I went with the Sapphire 6970 and my EK block fits beautifully.

Sapphire, BTW, changed model numbers for their 6970 board revision, so I will probably stick with them in my future AMD purchases.