Issues with Sapphire R9 295x2 8gig video card

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englandr753

englandr753

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Sep 4, 2007
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Hi,

I purchased this sweet looking card about 4 months ago and enjoyed it for 3 months then it began to flicker and distort my screen and began to flicker on and off then began to flicker so often I couldn't stand it any longer.

I contacted Sapphire and they appear to be a leason to the manufacturer that actually performs the RMA repair/exchanges. Their responses so far have been quick. After 2 days of emails I was issued an RMA and I shipped the card off to althonmicro.

I received the card in about 2 weeks. I immediately installed and the screen was back to normal. 3 days passed and then boom, the issues began again. I took out the card and put my spare R9 290x card in (luckily I had one of these) until I get word from Sapphire (althonmicro) that I have approval to RMA again.

Although its been irritating to have this issue with such a beast of a card, the support has been very good. Having my spare card has made it bearable to deal with tbh.


I will update as I get replies and keep everyone interested posted.

My other reason for posting this is my curiosity of anyone else experiencing failures on these cards? (sapphire or any other brand for that matter)

Thanks!
 
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No I still have the Antec 1200 watter. I was actually eyeballing the EVGA 1600 watt psu last night thinking that could be the only weak link in my rig at the moment.

I was debating on using another Corsair 1000 watt psu that I have lying around to test out in the meantime. It should handle the 295x2 by itself without the 290x card.
 
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I shipped the defective card today. The countdown begins until I get the official word from Sapphire which I would say should be next Friday or the following Monday/Tuesday.

I do think I will upgrade the PSU just to eliminate the question about my Antec 1200 watt psu's condition. The fact my rig runs buttery smooth with no issues with the 290x leaves doubt the 295x2 is too much for my psu.

I already have my eyes on the EVGA 1600 watter.

Any suggestions on any other good psu for tri 290x?


 
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I went out to find out how much power those cards gobble up.

At AnandTech, I found a system draw of 686 watts with the R9 295x2 in it.
And here on Toms, I found that a R9 290X could use 399 watts.

So we have 1085 watts possible max consumption with both cards installed.
I always multiply consumed watts by 150%. So 1085 * 1.5 = 1627 watts.
That puts you very close to the 50% load number, at least as close are you are going to be able to get to today.

There are a grand total of 4 power supplies out there that are 1600 watts.

Tier 1
LEPA G1600-MA G Series ATX 80+ Gold 1600W Full $189.99

Tier 2
EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 SuperNOVA T2 ATX 80+ Titanium 1600W Full $383.99
EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 SuperNOVA P2 ATX 80+ Platinum 1600W Full $326.99
EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 SuperNOVA G2 ATX 80+ Gold 1600W Full $297.99

I thought all 4 of the above would be Tier 1 units. But to my surprise, only the LEPA G1600 was.

Prices were pulled from pcpartpicker.com.

Now there is a difference here between brands. LEPA is only offering a 3 year warranty.
EVGA is offering a 10 year warranty.

My guess is that the majority of the price difference is due to the 10 year warranty. But hey, 10 years of warranty is a huge peace of mind factor.

But its your money. Pick one and live with it. :)
 
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I didnt catch the LEPA model when I did my last search. The tier 1 specs looks great along with the price. I guess I will read reviews and decide. I have another week or so before I have to have it so I have time to research.

Thanks for the input buddy. =D
 
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I got word back from Althon Micro that the fan wasnt working on the radiator so they think that burned up the card. My luck with the 295x2 has sucked pretty bad. They are giving the option to go back with the 295x2 or two r9 290x cards. I'm still debating.

The LEMA psu sounds great in price but there are a ton of RMA issues on it so I may go with the EVGA psu. Still debating, LOL!
 
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To be fair to sapphire, I emailed them directly about my experience and suggested to them that since I'm on my 4th try now, I would prefer to receive my r9 295x2 brand new, not refurbished as that avenue hasn't worked for me and is not only costing me shipping but now is costing althon micro/sapphire.

If they send a brand new unit I'll happily accept and leave positive feedback in every forum I'm a member of but if not I will do exactly the opposite.

Hopefully sapphire does the right thing.
 
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I cant believe the audacity of Sapphire and Althon Micro. Read the support thread and response from Sapphire so far:


"I know for a fact Althon Micro is trying their best to help you out. So pleas work with them."

That statement just pushed my button. I have done plenty to work with Althon Micro AND Sapphire. Just how many times to you expect a customer to return their defective products for repair before the customer realizes they are being hugely inconvenienced with shipping fees and no working product?...


Good customer service will realize when a customer needs to be taken care of after a certain point after experiencing so many issues. 3x is the limit for me and most any reasonable customer.

I got a confirmation email from Althon Micro stating the cards were shipped but the tracking number they provided was incorrect. I emailed them so I anticipate a reply tomorrow with the correct number.

As for the replacement cards I am receiving, I am totally dissatisfied with receiving more reworked cards that will stand a pretty good chance of failure in the near future. Having 3 defective cards from your company in 5 months and 100.00 in shipping fees is where I am getting my opinion as would any other reasonable customer.

I was told by Althon Micro that they don't ship new cards and that any replacement card that I would receive would be refurbished. This is unacceptable after my experience with your product.

Think carefully how you reply as I will ether go away a happy customer that you are going to take care of or I will be the complete opposite and rant online about your company in every channel that I can find.

I'll gladly ship the two cards back at my expense but I want to know the card selections I have to choose from that are new, NOT refurbished.





2015-11-10 [06:49]

As much as we would like to help you, your regional point office is Althon Micro, only they will be able to assist you. As for the replacement unit, since we do not produce 295X2 anymore, we will not be able to offer you new replacement even if we wanted to. So if you are not happy with the cards they are offering you, you need to let them know. I know for a fact Althon Micro is trying their best to help you out. So pleas work with them.



2015-11-8 [05:55]

Hi,I wanted to give an update on my experience with Althon Micro. I've had defective cards and there's been a different issue with each of them. I'm being told that I have to receive refurbished replacements.

As a customer that is on the verge of selling the replacements as soon as I receive them and to never purchase sapphire products again and post my experiences online on the technology websites I'm a member of,I need someone from your organisation, not Althon Micro to handle this RMA properly.

What althon micro has agreed to do is send me either a reworked 295x2 or two r9 290x cards which is a generous offer but my sole problem is its another refurbished unit that could die a 4th time on me. I don't have any interest in that.

Please forward to your supervisor and see of you can do the right thing and send me a brand new r9 295x2 and get my issue resolved once and for all.

Thanks!



2015-10-23 [03:43]

RMA@althonmicro.com.



2015-10-23 [03:05]

What's their contact Info?...



2015-10-23 [02:36]

Please contact Althon Micro about your issue, since they are the one that help you with the RMA request.



2015-10-23 [02:14]

XXXXXXX

Thanks



2015-10-23 [01:43]

What was the last RMA# that was assign to this card?



2015-10-22 [21:13]

Hi, I'm having the same issues with screen flickering and going blank every few minutes like the previous two times. I no longer am interested in RMA'ing this card as I have already spent 90.00 in shipping + packing materials and have been a full month without the use of this card. I will need for someone to contact me about the option to exchange this card for another card or dual card setup equal to the value of my card. I'm very disappointed and have never experienced so much trouble from any product in my 16 years of PC ownership and enthusiast pc interest. Please have someone to contact me about the options and methods to exchange. I can be reached @ XXX-XXX-XXXX or direct email. Email is best. Thanks for your help

 
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You got it brother. I've been losing patches of hair in my sleep, lol! jk

But it has been a real hassle and its worrisome that I have to describe what customer service should be after so many issues with the same customer. One side doesn't know what the other is doing and that's a dangerous scenario.

I am about to reply to sapphires response so I will hopefully get a final answer from them tomorrow.

I'll keep everyone posted as this may go viral... =)
 
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This is the latest:


2015-11-12 [15:31]

Hi,

Yes, they have been responsive and did pay for the shipping this round to and from their location which is much appreciated. The package shipped the afternoon I sent my last message to you so at that time the shipping had not happened yet. You're correct, I don't want the units that are being shipped to me. They are both refurbished units and this is my 4th try at getting a product that works from your company. The only reason I agreed to having them shipped in the first place is the rep at althon micro agreed to either sending me another 295x2 or two 290x trix cards but the problem I ultimately have with this entire deal is that I'm receiving more refurbished products.

The more I thought about it the more upset and dissatisfied I have become because I was expecting the customer service to be stepped up to ensure that I get a good product and go away another happy customer for Sapphire but instead I'm told to be more patient and work with althon micro.

There's not a customer online or on the streets that would sit back on a 4th round of refurbished products and 730.00 later in product costs and shipping fees dealing with constant issues with defective products.

I just want to sum up what has happened so far for you so you can better understand where I'm coming from.

1. I purchased this card through newegg and was excited to receive your product to install in my brand new high end rig. I used it for almost 5 months and began to experience occasional screen flickering and it became so bad I couldn't read 2 words on my monitor before it shut off. I got an RMA approval, shipped the card and received a new (refurbished card).
2. 3 days later it happened again. Identical issue. New RMA issued. Card shipped, tested by Althon micro and was proven defective. Another refurbished card was shipped and received and installed.
3. New replacement card immediately defective out of the box. Same identical issue with on screen flickering. Another RMA approved, shipped and tested again by Althon Micro, proven defective.

Problems found by Althon micro on each issue:
1. 1st issue, card tested and experienced same issue I reported. card replaced with refurbished unit.
2. 2nd issue, fan throttling not working on the card. Althon rep stated card overheated and damaged the card.
2. 3rd issue, fan not working on radiator. Rep asked if I noticed this and my answer was no.

I was asked by the Althon Micro rep to remove the card and install in another system. I did just that. I tore apart a perfectly working system to test this card and had the exact same problem.

My ultimate question is, do we just keep sending cards back and forth and keep receiving refurbished replacements into infinity or where does your company begin to realize a customer is being dragged behind the bus and measures above the normal procedures need to happen to get a customer taken care of? I realize this is unusual to have so many issues so maybe your company doesn't deal with this often enough to even think about the answer to the question I'm asking. The fact is, I'm in that situation and need specialized help outside of the normal process.

Can I ship my two cards back to you (at my cost due to me allowing althon micro to ship them out which is fine) and have a replacement card or cards that are new, not refurbished? If this can happen, I would like to know all of my possible options so I can make an educated decision?

Thanks for reading my rant and handling my issue.




2015-11-12 [01:29]

I undertand your frustration, i just check with Althon Micro RMA#xxxxx they paid for your shipping label and went the extra miles to get your card back from you to process it for replacement, and they told me that your units has been ship to you already. Right now i am under the impression that you do not want the two units that are send to you, and why didnt you tell them?

 
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Last reply from sapphire:
2015-11-13 [02:55]

We can unerstand your frustration, but trust us and Althon Micro we do not want this more then you do, it is also costing us money to send cards back and forth, you are not the only victim here. We are not in the states, if you send the cards back to us, you will be sending it to China, and shipping alone is not going to be cost effective. From what we understand, the last card that was send back had a bad fan unit on it. and its not because it didnt turn, there was a crack fan blade on the card, and the fan blad stops the card from spinning freely which could contibue to your issue, Althon told us there is no way the card was send like that to you, they know for a fact that it happen after the card was ship out. But as a responsible distributor, they still offer options for you to send your card back and continue to service it. There are no more new R9 200 series cards they can offer you, everything they have now are rework refurbish units. if you didnt want the 2 units, you should have talk to them and ask for other options, maybe pay difference for a new R9 300 series. I dont know what Althon Micro usually offers, but i am sure there is something they can try and accomdate you. But now the cards are send out to you, i dont think they will spend more money to get the cards back and try to offer you something else. Unless you are welling to pay and send the card back to them and ask them if you can pay the difference for new R9 300 series cards. This you will need to take it up to them.

 
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2015-11-13 [03:42]

Must've been shipping damage because if it wasn't like that when they shipped it and I didn't damage it, the only way it could've been damaged was during shipping.

As far as me selecting one of the two options mentioned althon micros response to me when I told the originally I wanted a new replacement card,he specifically stated they only ship out refurbished cards. If there was an option for them to ship a new card then that would've been the time for him to speak up and make that offer. That never happened.

At this point I'm cutting my losses with your company and sticking with brands I've had good experience with in the past unless someone in your company can do better than this.

Thanks for your time.



 
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so, what happened?

by the way. i have had a xfx 295x2 since last january (bought on ebay). luckily its been good, fingers crossed. though i too am pissed that no mini dp hdmi 2.0 adapter exists yet. i google it every day just in case.

also, i have a hx850i psu, with a slightly overclocked 4770k and slightly overclocked ram and never had a power issue.
 
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I posted a similar thread on hardOCP forum and they suggested that I post on Sapphire and AMDs facebook and twitter page. I posted on facebook but I havent had time to do the twitter thing yet.

Someone else on hardforum stated that I should contact Sapphire ED and that he may be able to lead me in the right direction. I have no idea who that is and am waiting for a response from them as to how to contact them.

At this point any avenue is a good avenue as the one Ive been on has been a dead end street.
 
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Update: Received 2 R9 290x trixx cards in place of the 295x2 and one of those cards are defective!! I'm filing a claim through newegg since Sapphire obviously cant properly handle the issue without them getting involved.

I'm gathering all off my email communications with Althon Micro and Sapphire to submit to newegg.

Lets see how this goes...
 
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