ATi card manufacturers

[JonSimonzi]

I've been an nVidia loyalist for quite a few card generations. But I'm looking into going up to a ATi 4890.There is the common conception of what a "good" nVidia brand is, EVGA, XFX, etc... Are there the same with ATi brands? I'm eyeballing this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276) HIS 4890 just because it's $200 after rebates. And while I'm sure it's fine, just curious about ATi manufacturers, and people's views on them.

[Dapman02]

I've been an nVidia loyalist for quite a few card generations. But I'm looking into going up to a ATi 4890.There is the common conception of what a "good" nVidia brand is, EVGA, XFX, etc... Are there the same with ATi brands? I'm eyeballing this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161276) HIS 4890 just because it's $200 after rebates. And while I'm sure it's fine, just curious about ATi manufacturers, and people's views on them.

HIS is good, I have one of there 4870's and have nary a problem
XFX is the brand I would go for now though, lifetime warrenty, and removable heatsink, with warrenty intact.

[chuck4456]

SAPPHIRE.
Sapphire makes the boards for all of 'em anyway.
Make sure you've got a solid, high amp single rail power supply while you are at it.

[Quailane]

SAPPHIRE.
Sapphire makes the boards for all of 'em anyway.

Not trueeee

[Ach3r0n]

+1 on the HIS. No probs here either.

[hajalie24]

I thought sapphire and diamond were the worst lol.

Visiontek has lifetime warranty also.

[Neuromancer]

Never had a problem with Sapphire cards. And they make MOST of the PCBs not all of them.

"All SAPPHIRE ATI video boards are manufactured under 100% ATI production criteria including QC and outgoing system. Our monthly video board production capacity can reach a lofty 1.8 million and often topples this landmark figure. Our factory has always been the major manufacturer on ATI boards for most of the top ten tier 1 OEMs worldwide. "

Visiontek has lifetime warranty which is really a nice thing to have.

XFX is new to the Radeon market, but has been selling cards for so long now, we can expect them to have no problems with the transition (especially since it was announced over a year ago, and they have been making 4000 series cards for a few months now.

HIS IceQ's are among the best stock coolers on the market, but they do not generally release them for a few months after a card hits the market.


ASUS developed the VRM that enabled the 4890 to be released so can not really go wrong there.

Thats about all I would buy.

[Shadowmage]

Since you're already used to XFX, you might as well just continue using them :)

I would just buy based on price, though.

[CharlieCS]

4890 wouldnt be a grand step up over gtx 260 , you should wait a bit for new gen cards 5xxx gonna own .

[PhysX]

yeah XFX ftw dude, double lifetime warranty as well, if you sell it ,the person who buys it also gets a lifetime warranty :)

[JonSimonzi]

4890 wouldnt be a grand step up over gtx 260 , you should wait a bit for new gen cards 5xxx gonna own .

I know a 4890 isn't going to be a huge step above a GTX260. But, selling my GTX260 and buying a 4890 for $200, isn't really a huge step in price either. I see an i7 in the not so far future, and after that wouldn't mind trying 4890 CF.

[henzo]

I got 2 HIS 4890s and they are beasts. Very stable cards and HIS is the best ATi manufacturer that I have used so far. I had a couple Sapphire 4870x2s take a dive on me, even the RMA'd ones did it as well. Just my $.02.