In a few minutes I'm buying a Gainward GF3 Ti200 Golden Sample. Should I get an ASUS instead?

[Seyba]

Most of you know about this card, but here's a link anyway: !

I'm really close to getting this from newegg, but one question. I'm getting the $165 version, full name (ugh) "Gainward Geforce 3 Ti450 Power Pack!!! Golden Sample." I've heard there are two versions of this card. One is an earlier one that had no ramsinks and a red fan. The second version has ramsinks and a silver and red fan. The one listed IS the second version, right? Also, I heard it used a TIM between the core and the heatsink. Will I notice this if I want to overclock it? I've seen lots of threads about people with busted Gainwards.

If anyone can convince me otherwise, now is your time to do so. If I had to choose other than the Gainward, it'd be ASUS' v8200. I really have heard no problems with that card in any situation.

Thanks and merry Christmas(to me!).

 

[UncleRonnie]

Check out Toms Review of Titanium Boards
I hear the gainward is great, but the ASUS come with a good software bundle. Gainward and ASUS do not have good
tech support, PNY or Visiontek maybe be better because of the lifetime warranty and free t-support.

 

[UncleRonnie]

BTW, i you want overclocking, the Hercules is the way to go. It a bit more expensive, but i read a review (not on toms hardware)
somewhere and the o/c ed it to over Ti500 levels!

 

[Seyba]

I've read that. Although I'm really concerned that the Gainward I listed above if it has memory heatsinks or not. I've looked at the pictures, but I don't know what they are supposed to look like. Yes, I'm inexperienced in this area.

 

[UncleRonnie]

check out Gainward, maybe you can get some clues there. But if i were you, go the
PNY or Visiontek.

 

[RgrPark]

Buy the Gainward.
I just got mine from Newegg...YES it has ramsinks and YES it has 3.8ns Etrontech chips whereas Hercules or any other cards have 4.0ns chips.
ALL gainward ti-450 will OC to way higher than a ti-500...
mine goes to about 250/550
If you get any other GF3 ti-200 card, i don't know what i'd call you.

 

[Xtasy]

I wonder if i should order from newegg n i mite just get 3.8 ns memchips, or save $7 n buy a probably non -golden sample n probably non-3.8ns card from my local store.

 

[Xtasy]

RgrPark,
Wut did u do to get the ramsinks off, freeze n pull, or something else. If i order one i just got to know if i got 3.8 ns.

 

[Mem]

Go Gainward it has better 2D quality then Asus.

 

[RgrPark]

if you attempt to pull the ramsinks off, here's the best way to do it.
I pulled them off a PNY and a gainward so far...both uses frag tapes...
Gainwards tapes are a lot stickier if you can call it frag tape...it's kinda gooey ...you gotta be careful...
take a thin credit card (i used my military id) and slide it between the chip and the ramsink...work it in there by pushing it left and right...BE VERY careful about not accidentally pushing on one of those little rectangular capacitors that are sticking out on certain areas near the ramchips...once you got the card in a good ways, you can just tilt the card over and the ramsink will come off...
you gotta be careful...don't blame me if you knock off one of those capacitors! it happened to me once.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

ASUS has a much better chip for TV-out than the competition.

 

[Workin']

<< ASUS has a much better chip for TV-out than the competition. >>

NO nvidia-based board has what you could consider "good" TV out. None of them will output a full size picture that will fill up your TV screen.

I would get the Gainward (actually, I did, and from Newegg). It will overclock to speeds that are faster than a Ti500 amd the 2D is excellent. You don't have to worry about getting the original crappy version from Newegg.

 

[BFG10K]

I'd stick with the Gainward.

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< BTW, i you want overclocking, the Hercules is the way to go. It a bit more expensive, but i read a review (not on toms hardware)
somewhere and the o/c ed it to over Ti500 levels! >>

The Gainward Ti450 is more overclockable than any other Ti200 card. The Asus is also more overclockable than the Hercules/Guillemot card.