Any drawbacks to buying an OEM card rather than a retail?

[dreIU]

Well I know that one comes with a box (retail) and the other doesnt. But is there any warranty issues with that?

I am also asking because newegg has the OEM sapphire 9800pro for 208 USD with free shipping at the moment, while the retail one is just a tad more, at 225 USD with free shipping as well.

Thanks for any thoughts!

[SpaceRangerJoe]

I would let the software it comes with be the deciding factor. When I bought my sound card, I got the retail instead of the OEM because it came with like $80 worth of games. If the retail comes with or something you want, then go with that. If not, get the OEM. The warranties should be the same.

[snyper1982]

other than making your wallet weigh more, because you will save some money, no... well for the most part.

[dreIU]

Well the software with the retail is really irrelevant to me... it comes with a Tomb Raider game, which I will never install. It also comes with a PowerDVD that seems to be of a different version than that of the OEM version (PowerDVD 5 for the retail, and the CD of the OEM just says PowerDVD)... but that is probabily irrelevant.

So then if the warranty is the same, then my question has been answered... Thanks.

[Max47]

I really dont know if this is true or not because retail and OEM are both mass produced. But i have heard, dont know where, that Retails are made with better components. Where as OEM i believe are made to be put in dell's, Compaq's, Packard bell's and other companies products like that. And they dont spend as much money into making the cards. BUT like i said i dunno if thats true i have never really had two of the same cards OEM and retail to compare.. and even if i did, I wouldn't(unless the difference was signifigant) consider it very accuratly judge between the too, because alot of times its luck of the draw on how well the cards overclock and preform... lol as you all know some of them come dead and even die shortly after you get em Retail or not.. So i think its hard to determine really

[SpaceRangerJoe]

OEM hardware just doesn't come with all of the extra software junk that you get with the retail box. There is no physical difference in the hardware. The difference is just what is included in the package.

[SharkDiver]

I really dont know if this is true or not because retail and OEM are both mass produced. But i have heard, dont know where, that Retails are made with better components. Where as OEM i believe are made to be put in dell's, Compaq's, Packard bell's and other companies products like that. And they dont spend as much money into making the cards. BUT like i said i dunno if thats true i have never really had two of the same cards OEM and retail to compare.. and even if i did, I wouldn't(unless the difference was signifigant) consider it very accuratly judge between the too, because alot of times its luck of the draw on how well the cards overclock and preform... lol as you all know some of them come dead and even die shortly after you get em Retail or not.. So i think its hard to determine really
Ive heard the same thing just as you said it.

[Evnas]

Originally posted by Max47
I really dont know if this is true or not because retail and OEM are both mass produced. But i have heard, dont know where, that Retails are made with better components. Where as OEM i believe are made to be put in dell's, Compaq's, Packard bell's and other companies products like that. And they dont spend as much money into making the cards. BUT like i said i dunno if thats true i have never really had two of the same cards OEM and retail to compare.. and even if i did, I wouldn't(unless the difference was signifigant) consider it very accuratly judge between the too, because alot of times its luck of the draw on how well the cards overclock and preform... lol as you all know some of them come dead and even die shortly after you get em Retail or not.. So i think its hard to determine really

Yes, OEM cards are made for OEM manufacturers (IE: Dell, etc) but these days they arent made any differently. They are made on the exact same production line, and use the exact same parts. In the past it was that case (that OEM cards had cheaper ram, etc, and werent clocked as high), but not anymore