Yes but Sapphire doesn't have a lifetime warranty and we know that XFX has great customer service and a double lifetime warranty.
Buying my 4890.. but.. which one?
- Thread starter Gothch1ck
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Yes but Sapphire doesn't have a lifetime warranty and we know that XFX has great customer service and a double lifetime warranty.
patonb
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And its 80 bucks more.
Drizzt
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That and...
Most 4890's can clock to 1ghz. And if it is reference you can tweak the voltage through software to get 1ghz.
My next card will be XFX for sure. ATI or Nvidia.
Despite the fact XFX has the best warranty and quality cards, all cards will overclock the same assuming they are of a decent brand. XFX cards are usually competitively at only a few dollars more then the lowest priced cards which makes them the best choice, that and they always have great packaging and their cooler desgins are cool 
go with the XFX! - i would just go vanilla XFX not o/c edition.
go with the XFX! - i would just go vanilla XFX not o/c edition.
snowsurfer
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Your points are valid, but:
- Both Sapphire and XFX make great cards, I've had both brands before and they are very similar quality.
- Sapphire has been making ATI based cards for ages but XFX just started a while ago.
- The cooling on the Atomic is well worth the 80$ extra. Not only is it factory overclocked, but at full load it will be at least 15-20ºC cooler than the stock non-oc XFX reference board (or any other ref board for that matter) AND a lot less noisy.
If the OP doesn't care about all that, by all means go with a reference XFX, I'm sure it's a good card. Forget about having a good OC with low noise and temperatures though. It's actually a pretty simple choice, you can't go wrong with any of them. Matter of priorities. I understood that the OP was looking for some OC and thought that the Atomic would make it easy for him....and easy on the ears and temps.
- Both Sapphire and XFX make great cards, I've had both brands before and they are very similar quality.
- Sapphire has been making ATI based cards for ages but XFX just started a while ago.
- The cooling on the Atomic is well worth the 80$ extra. Not only is it factory overclocked, but at full load it will be at least 15-20ºC cooler than the stock non-oc XFX reference board (or any other ref board for that matter) AND a lot less noisy.
If the OP doesn't care about all that, by all means go with a reference XFX, I'm sure it's a good card. Forget about having a good OC with low noise and temperatures though. It's actually a pretty simple choice, you can't go wrong with any of them. Matter of priorities. I understood that the OP was looking for some OC and thought that the Atomic would make it easy for him....and easy on the ears and temps.
snowsurfer
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Yeah, good luck and happy endeavours if you plan to voltage mod a reference card with stock reference cooling. Also, good luck on the "lifetime warranty" when you fry it due to voltage modding with inadequate cooling.
That's some very healthy advice that you're giving there....
Indeed. But if you look at the T-Rad2 for the G92 or similar, they cost about 40-45 € here. Add two good quality fans, another 20€. Add thermal paste, 5€. How much does that add up to? Almost the exact same price, but without the work. Not everyone wants to get into those hassles DIY-mode.
"""The cooling on the Atomic is well worth the 80$ extra. Not only is it factory overclocked, but at full load it will be at least 15-20ºC cooler than the stock non-oc XFX reference board (or any other ref board for that matter) AND a lot less noisy."""
I find it VERY hard to believe such lower temps would be achieved by their cards - especially for only $80 more 20C is A LOT of cold air.
And it's been stated before that XFX covers overclockers - if you blow your card from trying to get the best you can get - it is still covered in warranty - send it in and get a replacement.
If you can prove that your Sapphire Card can cool your stated 15C cooler then the XFX - the possibly it's worth the $80 jump - but I don't think your going to cool to 40C and under at full load.
I am ordering my XFX today.
I find it VERY hard to believe such lower temps would be achieved by their cards - especially for only $80 more 20C is A LOT of cold air.
And it's been stated before that XFX covers overclockers - if you blow your card from trying to get the best you can get - it is still covered in warranty - send it in and get a replacement.
If you can prove that your Sapphire Card can cool your stated 15C cooler then the XFX - the possibly it's worth the $80 jump - but I don't think your going to cool to 40C and under at full load.
I am ordering my XFX today.
snowsurfer
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On Hexus.net you will see it 13ºC cooler idle and 9ºC cooler than the XFX card at stock values - that means the Atomic fully overclocked (and a lot), the XFX on stock settings. My first comparison was erroneously taken from the 4870 from that article, as you will see, but this is still big.
Here it goes: HEXUS.net - Review :: Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 ATOMIC: 1,000MHz core - how fast is it? : Page - 9/11
I know I've seen it somewhere compared to another brand and the difference in temps was quite a bit higher, but I CBA to look for it any more. There is also a huge difference in SPL (sound pressure level - noise) in favour of the Atomic displayed in that and other articles. I'll spell that out, the Atomic fully overclocked is much quieter than the reference XFX on stock speeds under load. Much cooler, much quieter, much faster. Worth 80$? It is for me, but maybe that's the fanboy in me talking....
XFX covers overclockers, yes, but it will not cover you volt modding with stock cooling, at least not where I am.
Here it goes: HEXUS.net - Review :: Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 ATOMIC: 1,000MHz core - how fast is it? : Page - 9/11
I know I've seen it somewhere compared to another brand and the difference in temps was quite a bit higher, but I CBA to look for it any more. There is also a huge difference in SPL (sound pressure level - noise) in favour of the Atomic displayed in that and other articles. I'll spell that out, the Atomic fully overclocked is much quieter than the reference XFX on stock speeds under load. Much cooler, much quieter, much faster. Worth 80$? It is for me, but maybe that's the fanboy in me talking....
XFX covers overclockers, yes, but it will not cover you volt modding with stock cooling, at least not where I am.
hikaricloud
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People, play nice. That's going to be your only warning. We don't need any serious fanboy throws at anyone here.
The OP has ordered the XFX, and that's that. Any further issues and I will close the thread.
The OP has ordered the XFX, and that's that. Any further issues and I will close the thread.
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