Trashed video card...

[steelaworkn]

I've successfully trashed another card. I burn one about every two years or so. Must find a better card. The last one was PNY. And the two before that were both Evga.or something like that. Any suggestions?

[Thetargos]

Err... What about XFX? Mine had worked juts fine

Sent on the move

[Dan]

Anything by Gigabyte using their high grade capactors and their ultra-durable2 and thick copper layer technology.

I've been eyeing this one. http://www.gigabyte.us/products/prod...px?pid=4068#ov

This one has a much saner price point, though. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=GV-N460OC-1GI

[PabloTwo]

When my previous desktop pc mother board bit the dust and I opted to build a whole new system, the single most expensive component in the mix was the video card. Based on the same chipset as Dan's "eyeing this one" Gigabyte card, I consider this puppy worth every cent I spent. My rational for laying down the bucks for this card was simple, I wanted to play modern games in Windows. I give build quality by MSI as high marks as I would Gigabyte.

[sonoran]

I've come to view hardware components as commodities. Buy the cheapest you can find that meets your needs and expect to replace it every year or two.

Currently using an EVGA GeForce 8400 GS, $39 from Fry's last summer. If it burned out tomorrow so what - a new one could be had for $25.

The rest is just hardware pr0n.

[Evil_Bert]

I second Gigabyte - I've never had any issues over long lifetimes with their gear.

I currently have an Asus video card, which seems to perform well enough (the shop was out of stock of Gigabyte) and it has a good reputation. I've also used MSI without problems.

i have a Gigabyte 550ti 1GIG Ram . not a problem with anything iv'e had from Gigabyte, where as Asus i have

[YeOK]

Just had to replace an XpertVideo 9800GT I fitted in 2008. Replaced it with an ASUS 550Ti. Personally I don't have a preference, if it lasts as long as the previous one I'll be happy.

[DBelton]

My experience with video cards (I use nvidia mainly) is that most brands are close to the same in quality of the components and all last for years with one exception. The fans. Fans are about the only part of video cards I have had problems with, and once the fan goes, if not replaced, the rest of the card follows quickly.

I have gotten to where I pretty much replace video card fans within the first month after getting me a new card, and use a quality fan instead of the crap-o-la fans the manufacturers put on them. (I even hobbled an old Nidec Gamma 30 fan onto one of them awhile back)

[RHamel]

I used to lose video cards, but then I started building my own machines, and used decent power supplies, and power surge protectors, and I haven't had a video card go bad since.

[YeOK]

Originally Posted by DBelton

My experience with video cards (I use nvidia mainly) is that most brands are close to the same in quality of the components and all last for years with one exception. The fans. Fans are about the only part of video cards I have had problems with, and once the fan goes, if not replaced, the rest of the card follows quickly.

I have gotten to where I pretty much replace video card fans within the first month after getting me a new card, and use a quality fan instead of the crap-o-la fans the manufacturers put on them. (I even hobbled an old Nidec Gamma 30 fan onto one of them awhile back)

Yeah pretty much the fan that failed on me, I was slow in replacing it. My own fault really.

[Dan]

My experience with video cards has been ... interesting ... at times.

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=233675
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=244333

Needless to say, I don't buy PNY video cards any more. The same thing from Sparkle, (The only difference being the capacitors and a better heat sink) is still working fine.

[steelaworkn]

Well, rats. Went out and got a card, Galaxy GT440 with 2gs of onboard DDR3. It was on sale and I had 75 Best Buy bucks to blow. Anyways, I get home, blow out the box, get the card in, and nothing. Thinking it is the monitor. Going to borrow wifey's and give it a shot. My monitor is a Viewsonic flat one from 2005.

---------- Post added at 03:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:06 PM ----------

Yup, that's it. Rats. At least I got a new video card out of it. However, this card is blinking the screen on and off. Hope that goes away.

So, what is the break-in period for new cards. Give it .500 hours like a new engine gets 500 miles?

---------- Post added at 03:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:18 PM ----------

Hmm...now I got to bum my neighbour up for an extra monitor. Hmmm, maybe I'll get that when I go over to borrow a cup of flour.

[Evil_Bert]

Originally Posted by steelaworkn

So, what is the break-in period for new cards. Give it .500 hours like a new engine gets 500 miles?

Yeah, that's about right. But don't forget to use the right grade of oil. And good luck finding the grease nipple.

I use motherboards with onboard video (that I normally have disabled), so that I can fault-find video problems, or have a fallback mode should the video card fail. It has come in handy a couple of times and the additional cost is negligible, IMHO.

[DBelton]

Originally Posted by Dan

My experience with video cards has been ... interesting ... at times.

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=233675
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=244333

Needless to say, I don't buy PNY video cards any more. The same thing from Sparkle, (The only difference being the capacitors and a better heat sink) is still working fine.

Dan.. I believe you have made ALL of your hardware problems very interesting and entertaining for everyone on here