Brands/Brand Loyalty?

[8ballslackz]

Hi guys,

So I'll be building a new PC in the next few weeks, so every day I check PC Partpicker for price changes. Welp, today I log in to find that PC Partpicker can't find a retailer for my Sapphire HD 7950. Now, there are obviously a slew of manufacturers that make the 7950, but I'm hesitant to switch because I know next-to-nothing about any of them. The Sapphire card was just a hair over $300, which is how much I'm looking to spend.

XFX sells the same card for around the same price, but has decidedly lower reviews than the Sapphire card. What'sgoin'on?

 

[zpwslayer]

Stick with what you know is a reliable brand. I've also owend and loved Sapphire brand cards and would return to them in the future. I've also noticed that xfx has a lot of bad reviews, but you never know if your goin to get a bad product until you hook it up anyway so I guess its just the luck of the draw when it comes to getting a good part. I personally wouldn't buy an xfx gpu. To many people have gotten bad cards from them, but they do make an amazing psu.

 

[Kindredsouls]

I agree with zpwslayer's comment, "Stick with what you know is a reliable brand." Good rule to live by. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Now with that said, I have owned an XFX card and its been a trooper, and XFX's warranty seems really good to me. I've always thought that XFX was one of the better AMD card mfgs - up there with Sapphire. I don't own a 7950 though.

 

[smorizio]

parts picker may have not found any cards right now do to them selling out. a high end card at that price is going to blow out the door real quick. I find using the part number info and google shopping you can find a few places that have the card and are true computer sellers. also amazon now is your friend for computer parts. when you look at vendors you have to see how fast and easy there rma is and there warranty terms. xfx used to have lifetime warranty on there nvidia cards then pulled the rug out from under people that bought there cards and then would not honner there warranty.

 

[8ballslackz]

Yeah it looks like Newegg sold out of the Sapphire 7950. So are there any brands that have a solid rep for AMD GPU's? It looks like XFX, MSI, Gigabyte, and HIS sell the same GPU at around the same price.

 

[dish_moose]

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=79518&vpn=11196-09-40G&manufacture=SAPPHIRE
How about this one?.
-Bruce

 

[Dashman9000]

For graphics I'm pretty much tied to Sapphire and MSI. I've had a lot of cards over the years an none are of better quality than the two aforementioned.

 

[zpwslayer]

I like msi also, great company.

 

[8ballslackz]

UPDATE: It looks like the Sapphire card has been discontinued. And looking around through other Manufacturers, it looks like others are sold out as well. Is the 7950 being phased out? If so, is there a comparable card for the same price(ish)?

Come hell-or-high-water, I WILL be buying a card on the 28th. The hard part now is finding one.

 

[8ballslackz]

Also, would it be advisable to go NVIDIA if all else fails? It looks like their 660 Ti shares specs with the 7950.

 

[zpwslayer]

Nvidia is also great, amd gets recommended alot because its price/performance. The anything in the gtx600 series cards are def worth looking into. Heres a chart for ya.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

 

[8ballslackz]

That's an awesome resource to have. Thanks!

 

[hizodge]

This could be of potential interest. If noise values mean anything to you.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7950-review-benchmark,3207-12.html

 

[amuffin]

XFX=EVGA of AMD.

 

[8ballslackz]

Good news! Newegg's got it back in stock. Bought before they run out again, haha.

 

[zpwslayer]

That's an awesome resource to have. Thanks!

No problem!