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Which manufacturer would you choose for Nvidia and AMD based graphics cards?

B

bgc99

Senior member
My current system has an Evga card. Just wondering what the current thinking is in regards to which manufacturer produce the highest quality cards of each type (Nvidia or AMD)?

Thanks,
BGC
 
It's a matter of preference I suppose...

I use Nvidia. I like the performance despite the higher price. AMD is cutting prices on GPUs so they are competing but mostly on the cost side.

Do you plan on going SLI or Crossfire?
 
For Nvidia I always buy EVGA and ASUS branded cards

For ATi, I would purchase Sapphire and XFX branded cards.

All because of warranties they provide.
 
I've read good things about Sapphire for ATI (AMD?) cards. According to the Sapphire website: "Sapphire is ATI's largest and best performing partner World Wide" Dave Orton, CEO ATI. I don't know if Sapphire is really the best or not, but if I was looking into buying a Radeon card, I think I would gravitate towards Sapphire at least initially.

I don't know which brand is best for nVidia cards. I've read that they're all pretty much the same; Galaxy, EVGA, XFX... So I don't know what my preference is. I've been shopping for a new card, and I've looked at the same card made by numerous different manufacturers. Quite frankly, it's been a hell of a time deciding which manufacturer to go with.

Then again, I wouldn't describe myself as being computer-savvy.
 
For me I've never a had a problem with these brands.

Buy;

Nvidia:
EVGA 8800GTS(Nov 06 to Feb 11. Burned out in a blaze of glory)
MSI GTX 460(Jul 10 to now)
Gigabyte FX5200(Can't remember when exactly I bought it but it's still running)

Ati/Amd:
Ati 9600xt(back when ati used to make and sell their own cards)
Asus 9700(2004-now.)

Avoid:
Palit
Jetway
and other 3rd party low end brands.
 
Nvidia: EVGA, Zotac and XFX.

AMD: Sapphire and XFX.

Avoid?

Nvidia: Galaxy. Their fans are garbage.

AMD: Apollo, only because they make some crazy, nonsense non-reference cards and look kind of sketch.
 
Thanks for the replies. My system is over 5 years old so I wan't sure what was recommended anymore. Of course, when I built it I used what seemed to be the most recommended manufacturers, alot of which seem to have fallen out of favor these days.

BGC
 
I've been a fan of Asus for either Nvidia or AMD due to all the hardware I bought from them has been problem free. But I've only heard good things about XFX and EVGA so they're both worth looking at.
 
NV = EVGA / ASUS / Gigabyte

ATI = XFX / ASUS / Gigabyte

Club 3D / Connect 3D used to be good. I have a X1800XL card from Connect 3D.
 
I think if your looking for HQ products, which usually means better quality components/better cooling solutions (some would consider Service care/warranty part of this too):

For AMD :
I think HIS should be up there, they have there IceQ line which is nice.
MSI has some Awesum cooling solutions too.
Sapphire they make decent enough designs (dont skimp on components) (missing good cooling solutions)
Asus: again the cooling designs.

For Nvidia :
Evga because of bold overclock versions, and adding decent cooling designs.
MSI again for awesum cooling solutions.
Asus those 3 slot big mofo coolers for the 580s, those are nice.


I guess the main differnce between HQ product, and a LQ one, is how much effort they put into noise/heat solutions. But components used on the board itself too, matter.
 
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Arkadrel said:
I think if your looking for HQ products, which usually means better quality components/better cooling solutions (some would consider Service care/warranty part of this too):

For AMD :
I think HIS should be up there, they have there IceQ line which is nice.
MSI has some Awesum cooling solutions too.
Sapphire they make decent enough designs (dont skimp on components) (missing good cooling solutions)
Asus: again the cooling designs.

For Nvidia :
Evga because of bold overclock versions, and adding decent cooling designs.
MSI again for awesum cooling solutions.
Asus those 3 slot big mofo coolers for the 580s, those are nice.


I guess the main differnce between HQ product, and a LQ one, is how much effort they put into noise/heat solutions. But components used on the board itself too, matter.
Click to expand...

Sapphire and asus have the best designed non reference PCBs imo. Asus will charge you for them, but sapphire usualy stick to regular prices. Sapphire have some awesome coolers.
 
Nvidia = ? ...Haven't bought one since getting a BFG.
AMD = XFX / Sapphire

I don't care for Sapphire's RMA policy and process, but the two cards I've bought from them have not gone bad before.
 
bgc99 said:
Which manufacturer would you choose for Nvidia and AMD based graphics cards?
Click to expand...

That is kinda like asking what kind of truck to buy, a ford or dodge, chevy or ford, toyota or nissan,,,,,,. Depending on who you ask, your going to get a different answer.

I think it all boils down to personal preference.

In the late 1990s I was buying nvidia. For the past 6 or 7 years I have been buying ATI. The most recent video card I bought was a nvidia gtx 460 for my son. The next card I buy for myself will probably be nividia. After buying ATI for the past 1/2 decade, I think its time for a change.

Just do your research, and buy a good ranked card within your budget. I have had good luck with Sapphire cards, and that is what I mostly buy.
 
Arkadrel said:
I think if your looking for HQ products, which usually means better quality components/better cooling solutions (some would consider Service care/warranty part of this too):

For AMD :
I think HIS should be up there, they have there IceQ line which is nice.
MSI has some Awesum cooling solutions too.
Sapphire they make decent enough designs (dont skimp on components) (missing good cooling solutions)
Asus: again the cooling designs.

For Nvidia :
Evga because of bold overclock versions, and adding decent cooling designs.
MSI again for awesum cooling solutions.
Asus those 3 slot big mofo coolers for the 580s, those are nice.


I guess the main differnce between HQ product, and a LQ one, is how much effort they put into noise/heat solutions. But components used on the board itself too, matter.
Click to expand...

Except for HIS, I have heard and read that their RMA/warranty can be shoddy and a real PITA. I used to have a X1900GT IceQ3 though. Nice card and wonderful cooler.

I have read, been a long time though about bad RMA service with Sapphire. Dont know if it still holds water or not though, as I will not purchase their products.

For me, EVGA is the first choice when it comes to Nvidia. And ASUS or Gigabyte would be second and third.

ATI, Id go with XFX anytime of the day or night. Seems they have great warranty and RMA. And right now, arn't they the only ones that applies a warranty to the 6990 when you "flip the switch" ?
 
For nVidia:
- Heard mostly good things about eVGA, ASUS and MSI.

For AMD/ATI:
- Would go with Sapphire, XFX, ASUS or MSI.
 
Sapphire and Gigabyte. Sapphire has great prices and selection. Gigabyte has been doing good with their Windforce coolers. Msi has greating cooling, but I just feel meh about them. XFX has the warranty going for them.
 
good:
sapphire
gigabyte (i might get a twin frozr version in the future)
msi
xfx
asus
anything with a beefy non-reference cooler
a top-binned card

avoid:
powercolor
jetway
zotac
galaxy
palit
jaton
cards with reference cooler that has a big beefy cooler offered by the same manufacturer with the same gpu.
 
Texashiker said:
That is kinda like asking what kind of truck to buy, a ford or dodge, chevy or ford, toyota or nissan,,,,,,. Depending on who you ask, your going to get a different answer.
Click to expand...

No, I was asking if you want an Nvidia design, what manufacturer would you choose and the same for AMD. I wasn't asking if you would choose Nvidia or AMD.

BGC
 
Sapphire makes fantastic cards. Evga gives great warranty service. I also miss BFG

Over the years, every Nvidia based card, with exception to 1, fried on me within a couple years. One old BFG mx440 still marches on. I never knew about the "baking" trick back then to fix video cards, as of the ones that did die, were due to pattered screens that I now hear are quite often fixable.

Of all my ATI based cards, all live on when I passed them down except for one, a branded ATI 9800 pro, that died due to a seized fan. I could actually smell it burning when I got home. The entire fan assembly melted off the card and fell to the bottom of the case!hehe

I just ordered my first XFX card. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I wanted to get another Sapphire card, but got such a great deal on the XFX I could not turn it down.

EDIT actually my oldest son is still running my old BFG 7600gs in one of his old machines. That makes two for BFG still living a long life.

Nvidia, BFG or EVGA ( I wish BFG was still with us)
ATI: Sapphire all the way. I am hoping XFX is as good.
 
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i had one run with gigabyte video card, the problem was i had both gigabyte mobo and graphic card and no matter what i try the darn driver won't install i had to manually download the driver from nVidia's site to get it done, the card it self is great still good condition.
 
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