XFX Bilking the masses - replacing GDDR5 memory with DDR3

[toyota]

The Diamond website says 128 bit also.
http://www.diamondmm.com/6450PE31G.php

says 32 bit on the ASUS site also.
http://usa.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/AMD_Series/EAH6450_SILENTDI512MD3LP/#specifications

like I said it can be just a mistake on neweggs part OR the manufacturers. do you really think Diamond is using TWICE the buswidth and still charging the same amount as everyone else's 64 bit cards? and again have you EVER seen 32 bit memory controller mentioned in a review?

heck ACER used to list their cheap 1440x900 monitors as being true 8 bit. I contacted them and even their "engineer" said it was true 8 bit which was BS.

 

[happy medium]

like I said it can be just a mistake on neweggs part OR the manufacturers. do you really think Diamond is using TWICE the buswidth and still charging the same amount as everyone else's 64 bit cards? and again have you EVER seen 32 bit memory controller mentioned in a review?

Well I guess we could email them?

 

[toyota]

Well I guess we could email them?

well it would probably be a waste because I doubt they really care plus they would have to figure out who made the initial mistake.

 

[happy medium]

well it would probably be a waste because I doubt they really care plus they would have to figure out who made the initial mistake.

I just emailed Diamond's technical support.
I can't seem to find a way to get in touch with ASUS?

edit: OK, got in touch with ASUS also.
See if I get a email back.

 

[3DVagabond]

Apoppin is still the only person on the planet who believes that 2900xt was a great card, but every time he doesn't toe the Red team line he gets accused of favoritism. Didn't any of you guys read the 8800gts vs 2900xt shootout?

I was responding to the post I quoted. Now it seems I have to consider what was said in a thread years ago?

 

[timma]

it's also have 6670 1GB DDR3 @ gigabyte/asus,gigabyte 6670 OC use 10 cm large fan
and GTS 450 by asus/msi~
performance slower but save power.

 

[Gikaseixas]

OP's fault here. Newegg clearly says it's a DDR3 card. Some here are saying it's not a 6670 because of not using DDR5. Well, the GPU did not change, the memory did.

Just look at the 6950 1GB. Same GPU, different amount of memory and it's called 6950. The card in question here has DDR3 instead of DDR5 but has the same GPU.

In the end i do understand his frustration but if he had time to research Wiki i bet he sure had time to research Newegg. He was cautious enough to get some information off the web and did not do the same on Newegg. We all know very well that partners have several models out there. He also seems to be smart enough, at least knows more than the average joe to fall into a trap like this so i question the real motive behind all this.

 

[toyota]

a 6670 is NOT a gpu. it is a card. the 6570 uses the same gpu but has slower clocks and gddr3 with optional gddr5. it can be quite confusing as there are already enough official models as it is. I do agree that the op should be more aware as it does clearly say gddr3 in the title.

 

[Gikaseixas]

a 6670 is NOT a gpu. it is a card. the 6570 uses the same gpu but has slower clocks and gddr3 with optional gddr5. it can be quite confusing as there are already enough official models as it is. I do agree that the op should be more aware as it does clearly say gddr3 in the title.

I know that and i believe you know what i meant by the way you worded it.

6670 DDR3 is different to a 6670 DDR5 because of memory type (tech), not the GPU inside it. 6950 1GB is different than the full blown model because of the memory amount, not the GPU inside it.

 

[daveybrat]

The only reason Im attacking XFX is because their card is the one I purchased on newegg. All the companies should be ashamed of themselves. Anyway, Im getting an RMA number from newegg before this piece of worthless crap even hits my doorstep. I guess I should be happy I caught this so soon, even before I received the package. My incessant research pays off sometimes. I research my purchases before, during, and after purchasing. Still pissed that I have to go through the hassle of an RMA but thats what it is I guess.

You completely contradict yourself here......all that research you claim to do and yet you somehow missed the 'DDR3' in the main product description?

I see nothing wrong with companies making alterations to their products as long as they are clearly stated.....

 

[apoppin]

I was responding to the post I quoted. Now it seems I have to consider what was said in a thread years ago?

You should always consider the context. i always post what i believe - about either company. i have jumped to *both* AMD's defense and Nvidia's defense when i believed the situation called for it; i have also pointed out to my readers where i believe they fall short. i have been consistent here for well over 11 years.

^_^

 

[happy medium]

well it would probably be a waste because I doubt they really care plus they would have to figure out who made the initial mistake.

I got a response from Diamond.......

Your ticket details:

Subject: Diamond Customer Inquiry [ORIGINAL]
Ticket ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Department: TECHNICAL SUPPORT

New Update:


Hello,

The HD 6450 has a 128 bit memory interface.

And I noticed this on Newegg for the ASUS 32 bit card.
quote:
"Cons: 32 bit memory bus cripples the card's capabilities and buggy drivers kill it. I had the same experience with 7MC as another reviewer. Replaced with a GT430 and am loving my HTPC again"

So it seems it was not a error theses cards have a 32,64,or 128 bit memory.

 

[Madcatatlas]

Having considered the "problem" or the issue at hand, and considered how hard it must be to pick the right type of card when the information is available in the first line of the product name/title,
I have no choice but to trow my lot in with the rest of the posters that criticize the thread starters lack of cognitive ability.

And for the love of God, FIX the thread title. Something in me dies each time i see "Bilking the masses"...what does that even mean?!..

 

[Madcatatlas]

You should always consider the context. i always post what i believe - about either company. i have jumped to *both* AMD's defense and Nvidia's defense when i believed the situation called for it; i have also pointed out to my readers where i believe they fall short. i have been consistent here for well over 11 years.

^_^

Well to conclude on "apoppin and his "lifer" status on Anandtech forums", and make a point, it doesn't matter if you jump to both sides defense, if you jump for the wrong reasons or your defending a wrongdoing/mistake.

Critics are needed in all markets and in almost all situations, they often provide perspective that otherwise wouldn't be considered. Needless to say, but saying it anyway, most critics are worthless.

 

[Firestorm007]

nvm

 

[apoppin]

Well to conclude on "apoppin and his "lifer" status on Anandtech forums", and make a point, it doesn't matter if you jump to both sides defense, if you jump for the wrong reasons or your defending a wrongdoing/mistake.

Critics are needed in all markets and in almost all situations, they often provide perspective that otherwise wouldn't be considered. Needless to say, but saying it anyway, most critics are worthless.

It used to be "elite" before the changeover. i was the first video mod here together with Keysplayr. i never cared nor requested to have my elite status restored. It is not important to me; i have my own tech site and forum. i visit here to interact with some of the guys that i have known for over a decade.

i will agree with you that most criticism is absolutely worthless - like yours in the above-quoted post.
:whiste:

 

[happy medium]

I'm sure in the 4,000 times this page was viewed, we saved at least one person from being ripped off and gave many card buyers the knowledge how not to get ripped off by these poor business practices in the future.

I think the thread was a success and should be stickied for a few weeks..

 

[SlowSpyder]

I'm sure in the 4,000 times this page was viewed, we saved at least one person from being ripped off and gave many card buyers the knowledge how not to get ripped off by these poor business practices in the future.

I think the thread was a success and should be stickied for a few weeks..

No one is being ripped off. The companies that build these cards make non-reference cards all the time. This is just a non-reference card that sells for less. The OP made a mistake, that's all.

 

[Red Storm]

No one is being ripped off. The companies that build these cards make non-reference cards all the time. This is just a non-reference card that sells for less. The OP made a mistake, that's all.

This.

I'm sure in the 4,000 times this page was viewed, we saved at least one person from being ripped off and gave many card buyers the knowledge how not to get ripped off by these poor business practices in the future.

I think the thread was a success and should be stickied for a few weeks..

Not this.

 

[apoppin]

No one is being ripped off. The companies that build these cards make non-reference cards all the time. This is just a non-reference card that sells for less. The OP made a mistake, that's all.

At least someone may have more information than before. That's a service. And it gave you and posters here something to do.
:whiste:

 

[happy medium]

"Everyone else is doing it" is not a defense. The OP is right: XFX is a lousy company for doing it, just as the rest are.

It's a bait & switch on the part of these companies. Memory bandwidth massively affects GPU performance. A DDR3 6670 wouldn't be anywhere close to a GDDR5 card as a result. The kicker is that since they did this months after the product launches and reviews, all the reviews are for the GDDR5 cards (making no distinction about memory types because there weren't any DDR3 cards), meaning all the product reviews grossly overstate the performance of the series when the DDR3 cards are factored in. So buyers have every right in the world to be incensed when they go to get a product and have to play spec-hunter because the product was reformulated to allow a much lower performing product.

AMD needs to tighten the reins on its partners (or put them in a chokehold), as they're making AMD look terrible. NVIDIA wouldn't allow their partners to pull off these kinds of shenanigans.

At least someone gets it, good for you.:thumbsup:

 

[Firestorm007]

At least someone gets it, good for you.:thumbsup:

I'm just curious if it was the other way around if you would be so happy there, Happy? Somehow, I doubt that. This was no bait and switch. Anyone with any common sense can read a product description. By definition from Wiki:

Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud, most commonly used in retail sales but also applicable to other contexts. First, customers are "baited" by advertising for a product or service at a low price; second, the customers discover that the advertised good is not available and are "switched" to a costlier product.

I don't see where the OP was so "switched" to a costlier product. He went looking for a cheaper version card and got exactly what he wanted.

 

[happy medium]

I'm just curious if it was the other way around if you would be so happy there, Happy? Somehow, I doubt that.

If what was the other way around?What is "it"

"Everyone else is doing it" is not a defense. The OP is right: XFX is a lousy company for doing it, just as the rest are.

It's a bait & switch on the part of these companies. Memory bandwidth massively affects GPU performance. A DDR3 6670 wouldn't be anywhere close to a GDDR5 card as a result. The kicker is that since they did this months after the product launches and reviews, all the reviews are for the GDDR5 cards (making no distinction about memory types because there weren't any DDR3 cards), meaning all the product reviews grossly overstate the performance of the series when the DDR3 cards are factored in. So buyers have every right in the world to be incensed when they go to get a product and have to play spec-hunter because the product was reformulated to allow a much lower performing product.

AMD needs to tighten the reins on its partners (or put them in a chokehold), as they're making AMD look terrible. NVIDIA wouldn't allow their partners to pull off these kinds of shenanigans.

 

[tigersty1e]

This thread is pure fail.

It clearly says gddr3 memory. Since the dawn of time, card companies have come out with the same model cards coming in 2 memory sizes.... 256 mb/512mb....1gb/2gb. And they've also come out with different memory types.

I can just imagine another thread like this in an alternate universe. In that universe, AMD calls the 6670 with gddr5 mem the 6690 and the gddr3 memory as the 6670... the op makes a thread, "OMGWTFBBQ, AMD is rebadging their cards. The 6670 and 6690 are the exact same cards just with different memory. Stop it, you're confusing us. Bait and Switch!"

 

[Red Storm]

Seeing as how this is prevalent in just about every single product market out there, I look forward to the alerting posts in every thread here at AT reminding us all that companies sometimes sell variations of reference products, and even if they clearly point out said variation in the item's description it is still scamming and - most importantly - not your fault!