**UPDATE** CARD IS DEAD Problem with Sapphire hd 4870 1GB GPU

[evolucion8]

I would buy it if I were you, isn't a good idea to downplay the PSU requirements, a weak and dirty current from a PSU can kill the components inside your PC.

 

[MBrown]

The folks in the power supply section say that a 500w is plenty for a 4870 or GTX 260. I don't think that's the problem.

 

[Quiksilver]

Originally posted by: o3srt4me
Hello all,

*** So to all of you who have been helping me I really appreciate it and your are fairly familiar with my problem, well as of last night I stock clocked the GPU and the Processor, did some TF2 max everything for about 3 hours and called it a night, this afternoon I downloaded the Furmark and ran the Stability test at 1280x1024 with no AA and the card shot up past 93c in seconds, I immediately stopped the test. Thinking nothing of it I started call of duty 5 to play a few matches and within 45 seconds the screen went to gray and I began to smell a burning from my case. I assumed the worst that my 500w powersupply had gave way and fried everything...., tried rebooting and got nothing, not even a DOS screen. I immediately pinpointed that it was the card that was smelling so I pulled it out and put in my old 8800gt and the computer started up fine....

I must say that though my powersupply is the smallest recommended, the key thing to me at least is that it is recommended by ATI. I obviously can return the card for a new sapphire, but im wondering.....was it a faulty card from the beginning, and thats why it inevitably died 3 days later, or did my setup destroy the card.... I guess I will begin contacting newegg about where to go from here ***

If the card is still within neweggs return time, I'd send it back to newegg. Sapphire charges an RMA fee to RMA with them; plus the cost of shipping. Atleast with newegg you can talk to their CSR's and get the shipping fees waved.

 

[o3srt4me]

Originally posted by: Quiksilver

Originally posted by: o3srt4me
Hello all,

*** So to all of you who have been helping me I really appreciate it and your are fairly familiar with my problem, well as of last night I stock clocked the GPU and the Processor, did some TF2 max everything for about 3 hours and called it a night, this afternoon I downloaded the Furmark and ran the Stability test at 1280x1024 with no AA and the card shot up past 93c in seconds, I immediately stopped the test. Thinking nothing of it I started call of duty 5 to play a few matches and within 45 seconds the screen went to gray and I began to smell a burning from my case. I assumed the worst that my 500w powersupply had gave way and fried everything...., tried rebooting and got nothing, not even a DOS screen. I immediately pinpointed that it was the card that was smelling so I pulled it out and put in my old 8800gt and the computer started up fine....

I must say that though my powersupply is the smallest recommended, the key thing to me at least is that it is recommended by ATI. I obviously can return the card for a new sapphire, but im wondering.....was it a faulty card from the beginning, and thats why it inevitably died 3 days later, or did my setup destroy the card.... I guess I will begin contacting newegg about where to go from here ***

If the card is still within neweggs return time, I'd send it back to newegg. Sapphire charges an RMA fee to RMA with them; plus the cost of shipping. Atleast with newegg you can talk to their CSR's and get the shipping fees waved.

Most definately I will phone them ASAP, but I have been doing research and it seems that Sapphire is synonymous with having their cards burn up in the first week of usage...It was something that plagued the 512s and I havent seen it much noted with their 1gb but I must say that Its something you see alot less of being noted about the other 4870 distributors like Diamond, HIS, Powercolor etx... no
I dont want another sapphire, partially supersticious but also just because this whole endeavour has made me lose faith in Sapphire,the 4870 is an amazing card but I think HIS or the Powercolor card would better suit me.... Do you think newegg will be complaint with giving me a different card ( and I am fully aware that the problem could have been 100% my fault for having an inadequate power supply, but It did meet sapphires recommended usage....)


Also after this fiasco should I risk even installing the new 4870 before getting a new powersupply....obviously if this card were to burn out again that could be attributed to the problem, buuuut not really a financial risk I wanna take ahaha..ALSO a second idea, just take the refund and replace the card with a 4850x2....many options! suggestions???

 

[apoppin]

naw

i had my Sapphires work OK .. i had a 512MB version that is working fine in my friend's PC
- i had my ASUS fail, however .. the "dark knight" couldn't OC worth a crap

Sapphire is mostly a warranty issue .. maybe QC .. i think there are sometimes batches with higher defective rates than others
- it is the luck of the draw

good luck

what resolution do you game at?
4850x2 has pluses and minuses

just get a 4870X2
- and a new PS

 

[o3srt4me]

Hahahah I couldnt agree with you more, only problem is....Im 22... I work at starbucks, and Im poor hahahah! someday though!, yea the 4850x2 thing was more me just blowing smoke...I game 1920x1080 and like AA so Im sure the 4870 is a much more suitable card for me

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: Quiksilver

Originally posted by: o3srt4me
Hello all,

*** So to all of you who have been helping me I really appreciate it and your are fairly familiar with my problem, well as of last night I stock clocked the GPU and the Processor, did some TF2 max everything for about 3 hours and called it a night, this afternoon I downloaded the Furmark and ran the Stability test at 1280x1024 with no AA and the card shot up past 93c in seconds, I immediately stopped the test. Thinking nothing of it I started call of duty 5 to play a few matches and within 45 seconds the screen went to gray and I began to smell a burning from my case. I assumed the worst that my 500w powersupply had gave way and fried everything...., tried rebooting and got nothing, not even a DOS screen. I immediately pinpointed that it was the card that was smelling so I pulled it out and put in my old 8800gt and the computer started up fine....

I must say that though my powersupply is the smallest recommended, the key thing to me at least is that it is recommended by ATI. I obviously can return the card for a new sapphire, but im wondering.....was it a faulty card from the beginning, and thats why it inevitably died 3 days later, or did my setup destroy the card.... I guess I will begin contacting newegg about where to go from here ***

If the card is still within neweggs return time, I'd send it back to newegg. Sapphire charges an RMA fee to RMA with them; plus the cost of shipping. Atleast with newegg you can talk to their CSR's and get the shipping fees waved.

My friend's Sapphire 4870 1GB was DOA and when he got a replacement, it was bent. Works okay, but needed a BIOS flash to correct some problems. Not sure if they've corrected it in production yet, but it was performing like a 1 or 2 year old card rather than a 4870. The BIOS flash worked to bring it up to par, but Sapphire seems to have been having some QC problems...