i7 input

[Raserei408]

Simple swap though. Basically, when I see a recommendation like that, I take it as any good case in the price range. OP should just choose his favorite case from $80-120.

[rjbarker]

I've done as many as 3 re-installs of OEM OS's without having to make any phone-calls.....I'm beginning to think the phone calls are a "myth"......Retail OS's are a waste of money imho.
As far as installing an old verion of Vista / XP and then an Upgrade to W7 (to save a few dollars) on a brand new $2100 build with a nice Vertex SSD, not a chance, wouldn't entertain that idea at all.

As for Saphirre vs XFX....I've never purchased an ATI Card so no experience in that dept., however, I have read many Reviews here on HWC and many Posts as well stating the "poor customer support" with Sapphire, including a number of RMA's while the "Lifetime Warranty" of XFX and Customer Support is a no brainer imo.....

Perhaps things have changed over the past 6 months or so with Sapphire....

[Raserei408]

Well, I recommended Sapphire mainly because lots of other people tend to like them. I've never had much experience. MSI is actually my favorite 5xxx manufacturer, due to high quality and included voltage-tweaking. Not to mention the 5770 HAWK, which, I pray, will translate to similar 58xx cards. The thing OCed like crazy and the cooler works very well.

Also, question rj; why get an OCed 5870 for $500 when you can get a stock one for about $80-100 less, then OC it yourself up to the same specs? He's planning to OC as it is.

[rjbarker]

Also, question rj; why get an OCed 5870 for $500 when you can get a stock one for about $80-100 less, then OC it yourself up to the same specs? He's planning to OC as it is.

As stated, not all that familiar with the capabilities of ATI Cards, but if they're similar to nVidia Cards, higher Clocked (binned) Cards will most certainly OC a lot better than a Vanilla Card, their is never a "guarantee" that Vanilla Cards will OC well.....I generally stick to the "Mid-OC'd" Cards, not the Highest Clocked available and not the Vanilla Cards.....its preference really. Some folks have great luck OC'ing Vanilla Cards and other folks cannot get even a min OC out of a Vanilla Board...roll of the dice really ;)

[Fudd Rucker]

I wouldnt touch a sapphire card again if my life depended on it. Id spend teh extra couple of bucks on an XFX 5870 with the much better warranty process. Also there is an RMA facility in canada for quick RMA, sapphire you have to send to hong kong and thier terms are outrageous.

[rjbarker]

^^^ That is what I'm talking about.....folks tend to forget the importance of Customer Service and Support after the $500 purchase.....my 3 GTX 280's are still covered under a Lifetime Warranty and I know the Support / RMA Process is painless if I ever have to use it ;)

[Fudd Rucker]

Originally Posted by rjbarker

^^^ That is what I'm talking about.....folks tend to forget the importance of Customer Service and Support after the $500 purchase.....my 3 GTX 280's are still covered under a Lifetime Warranty and I know the Support / RMA Process is painless if I ever have to use it ;)

I have a great 3870x2 (cost me an extreme amount of money when i bought it new) thats dead as doornail here. It was about a month before the warranty ran up when the card died on me.Isnt it great when yuou spend 600 on a piece of hardware that dies after 11 months. Sapphire pretty much wanted the fingerprints from the last guy who touched it in the factory to give me my RMA . In the end i still have that piece of shit mocking me hanging on a wall.

[MarkOne]

Why are we talking about overpriced ATI here... 58xx are overpriced and 57xx are... let say not quite a gamer dream. Will not put a $ 150 GPU in a 1366 rigs.. as for xfire... well you all know what I think about it.

I will wait to see the GTX 470 before buy a new GPU. even if the price tag is to high... chances are that it will make drop the one of the High End ATI

[Hunt]

Originally Posted by Fudd Rucker

I wouldnt touch a sapphire card again if my life depended on it. Id spend teh extra couple of bucks on an XFX 5870 with the much better warranty process. Also there is an RMA facility in canada for quick RMA, sapphire you have to send to hong kong and thier terms are outrageous.

Didn't know Sapphire was so bad about RMA. Hopefully my 5770 Vapor-X doesn't kick the can.

I had a similar experience with Antec, and I'll never buy/recommend one of their PSUs again.

[Fudd Rucker]

I game a lot as well as a production machine, so the 5870 was cheap considering my other alternatives and seems to work great.