GPU Makers

[cypherotu]

Are there substantil differences between the card makes for graphics cards or are similar chipset so close the differences are small?

The major ones I have found for Nvidia cards are MSI,EVGS, BFG. which is best, differences?

 

[Green Radience]

The only substantial* differences are in the quality of the cards they make. Some videocard makers make better-quality cards than others, so they're less likely to fail. Also, some provide better warranties, so if thats important to you, then its something to consider. Other than that, there will always be some cards that the manufacturers overclock from the factory. These cards perform better than the "normal" version yet still have their warranties. However, if you're looking at the same product (same clockspeeds, etc) from two different makers, then the performance of the videocards will be roughly the same. Any anomalies are generally the fault of the person who bought the card.

Out of your list, eVGA is the best, however MSI and BFG are also great makers. Other good makers include XFX, ASUS, Leadtek, and sometimes Gigabyte. The only brand I would recommend against are PNY.

Edit: Almost all of the brands above are Nvidia videocard makers. ATi has it's own series of manufacturers. I know Sapphire and Powercolor are regarded as good brands, and I think that ASUS also makes ATi videocards, but I'll leave that to someone else.

 

[cypherotu]

Thanks, thats kind of what I expected

 

[SHAWN]

XFX makes poor quality cards and often show up DOA. Gigabyte is a good manufacturor.

 

[Orayn]

XFX cards aren't bad, per se, just not as consistent as the other maufacturers. Sometimes they go bad, but other times there's nothing wrong with them. Got an MX4000 from them a few years back and had no problems with it.

 

[Brtnboarder495]

Everyone is going to have different suggestions of which brands are the best for ATI and Nvidia, as everyone has heard different things and had different personal situations in which they may of recieved one in a thousand bad video cards.

The only real great brand for Nvidia that sticks out is eVGA.

The only real solid brand for ATI is Sapphire.

 

[Green Radience]

XFX makes poor quality cards and often show up DOA.

Ok, this is getting old. Back that up.

 

[infiltrator7]

Ok, this is getting old. Back that up.

yeah i agree. this is just a forum rumor that got started by someone a while ago, and it may have been true with that person, but XFX is a good brand. i've heard they run a little hot though.

 

[RicoDirenzo]

I just had to RMA an XFX 7900GT because of initial artifacting and slow frame rate. After awhile that cleared up but it just benched less that my expectations. I swapped it for a BFG 7900GT and that card is a monster! Oc'd with only a 1 degee C increase at load form 56 to 57 degrees C and went from 475/1320 to 550/1600 wihtout a hitch!!!

 

[Static_11]

I just had to RMA an XFX 7900GT because of initial artifacting and slow frame rate. After awhile that cleared up but it just benched less that my expectations. I swapped it for a BFG 7900GT and that card is a monster! Oc'd with only a 1 degee C increase at load form 56 to 57 degrees C and went from 475/1320 to 550/1600 wihtout a hitch!!!

proof