38 replies to this topic

[KitK]

Are there any graphics card manufacturers that you would avoid like the plague? For poor quality in particular, but certainly for lousy service and support too.

Here's a list to start with, but feel free to go outside of it.

ASUS
EVGA
GIGABYTE
HIS
MSI
POWERCOLOR
SAPPHIRE
XFX
ZOTAC



Thanks

[BinaryDuck]

Don't really know from witch one i would run, but for sure i would not run from ASUS.

I am just an ASUS fanboy. ^^

Edited by PsicoPato, 11 July 2012 - 10:04 AM.

[Veevslav]

I have the xfx and no problems. My past saphires were good.

[Ralen Sharr]

you got a specific reason for those? I have an ASUS gfx card and it works great. Several rather popular card makers are on your list.

I would avoid anything made by ATI because of many issues (mine a long time ago, and several friends more recently) with driver support.

People are going to buy and use what they like anyway.

[shadowhawk102]

have a zotac right now, and it works fine, i have and would get a asus again as i have never had a issue with a asus product.

[Feralsquirrel]

I've had XFX, HIS, Powercolour and Sapphire cards in the past- none ever had any problems and I used them for several years at least. As far as I'm aware EVGA and Gigabyte are also fine, no idea on the others but Asus I would expect to be fine.

Don't always count on the manufacturers though, if you're after a Graphics card you're best of looking at what particular specs you want and then narrow it down- pretty much if it's a "big name" card you can't really go wrong. That said, plenty of cards do go wrong but you have a warranty to fall back on, so no worries.

[Hexley]

To be honest any of those makes are fine although from personal experience I have found Zotac cards to be some of the best built and they have high quality cutsomer service.

[Odins Fist]

Graphics Card Companies to avoid
.
Zotac
ECS
Sparkle
Galaxy
Jaton Industires
Powercooler
.
The others in your list are pretty solid except Gigabyte and MSI, make sure you set your own fan curve to keep your cards cool this summer, it's easily done with programs like RivaTuner or MSI afterburner <--- about the only really decent thing MSI has going of late, but they could be worse, they could be in the list I threw out..

[MaxFool]

KitK, on 11 July 2012 - 09:57 AM, said:

Are there any graphics card manufacturers that you would avoid like the plague? For poor quality in particular, but certainly for lousy service and support too.

Here's a list to start with, but feel free to go outside of it.

Umm, is there a manufacturer that you have tried and wouldn't avoid like plague? Otherwise it looks like you are recommending using our computers without graphics cards.

[Mr Insane]

XFX, Saphire, are good. So are EVGA, where did you get the idea to avoid those??? I'm using a XFX 6970 right now, it dominates for the price compared to the 79xx series.

[Wonderful Greg]

It depends on specific model, not brand.
If we are talking, for example, standard AMD 7850 - all reference cards are the same. Only different sticker.
As for some particular advise, MSI Lighting and Twin Frozr series are very good. His IceQ also very good.

[Vitus1978]

Asus is generally the cadillac of video cards.... Custom PCBs and Cooling... But they do sometimes cost alot more.... Currently I'm running a powercolor 6950 (modded to a 6970) and all is well.

[Earl Whitehaven]

I've had EVGA cards and their service has been great. I had a 570 that had a fan problem and filled out an RMA and got a new one with a free warranty upgrade within 2 days. Got a 580 FTW edition now , and it has had no issues. I would recommend EVGA.

[Wonderful Greg]

Odins Fist, on 11 July 2012 - 10:10 AM, said:

Graphics Card Companies to avoid
.
Zotac
ECS
Sparkle
Galaxy
Jaton Industires
Powercooler
.
The others in your list are pretty solid except Gigabyte and MSI, make sure you set your own fan curve to keep your cards cool this summer, it's easily done with programs like RivaTuner or MSI afterburner <--- about the only really decent thing MSI has going of late, but they could be worse, they could be in the list I threw out..

Your list is... arguable, softly speaking.
Avoid MSI?! In what parallel universe?

Edited by Wonderful Greg, 11 July 2012 - 10:17 AM.

[Viper69]

I have a Gigabyte 5870 and it works like a champ. I guess if you poll enough people you will find bad opinions on anything. Heck Jesus probably has a few haters.

[Vulpesveritas]

KitK, on 11 July 2012 - 09:57 AM, said:

Are there any graphics card manufacturers that you would avoid like the plague? For poor quality in particular, but certainly for lousy service and support too.

Here's a list to start with, but feel free to go outside of it.

ASUS
EVGA
GIGABYTE
HIS
MSI
POWERCOLOR
SAPPHIRE
XFX
ZOTAC



Thanks

Okay, i have no idea where you are getting your brands.. .but.

Good companies;
Asus
MSI
Gigabyte
EVGA
HIS
Sapphire

Okay companies (good cards with meh customer support, or good customer support and meh cards)
Powercolor
XFX
Galaxy

Bad companies
Visiontek
Diamond
PNY
Zotac
Sparkle

[silentD11]

Vitus1978, on 11 July 2012 - 10:12 AM, said:

Asus is generally the cadillac of video cards.... Custom PCBs and Cooling... But they do sometimes cost alot more.... Currently I'm running a powercolor 6950 (modded to a 6970) and all is well.

It's hard to fit water blocks on them, and if I was going to go with a custom card I'd go with the MSI lightning or Hawk editions

[Latriam]

I have and have had sapphires for awhile with no problems I also have always run AMD with ATI cards and have not ever had problems except with the following condition CROSSFIRE
quite a few people I know including my own brother have all had the bottom card burn out in a crossfire system.

I would just upgrade to the single best card you can afford if your running intel stick with nvidia if your running AMD stick with ATI
IMHO and my experience that works best.

The software driver issue that other mention must have been before their "catalyst" i get warned of new updates and they download on their own. so even when star wars came out last year and i was beta testing ATI kept up really well. (expect some new ones because of this game actually)

[KitK]

Thanks for the opinions so far.

My suspicion was that this list was pretty solid, but if there was a cheap stinker in there that I'd regret later I wanted to weed it out now so I could focus on specs (and money) without that lurking fear. I am definately valuing your thoughts.

Thanks

[Wobbleside]

Strange.. I've had nothing but good luck with EVGA and XFX. Though I did finally have an XFX 9800 GTX finally die..