Nvidia cards, do they still die?

[SilentDeath]

Hi,

Thinking of buying a new graphics card, simce im still using a very old x850xtpe.. 5 years old... actually have two of them... before that was another ati card, and before that was 3dfx :O

So a freind has gone through a couple of nvidia graphics cards (specifically a dead 9800? and a dead laptop both due to nvidia cards out of warranty).

Is buying nvidia still a risk that 6 months out of warranty, the gpu will die?
Im thinking to get a 295.

Thanks

[jim]

If you're bothered, just get a card with a good warranty. BFG and EVGA both do excellent warranties, to the point where the card will be archaic before it runs out.

[shaithis]

The 9800s and the laptop chips were exceptions, rather then rules.

I haven't seen or heard of any problems effecting other models and I am sure nVidia have worked that manufacturing "issue" out now.

But still, why buy a 295 when for only a small performance difference you can get the 4870x2 at a staggeringly lower price?

[TooNice]

I know that some of their laptop cards have a bad reputation, but I am not aware of the desktop cards being particularly prone to dying (sure it happens - just not more often than other brands).

[scaryjim]

I had an FX5500 running my HTPC for years without a problem. I've currently got an 8800GTX and that's not given a twitch in the almost 2 years I've been running it. As snootyjim says, if you're that worried about it go for a vendor with good warranty - you'll pay a bit more, but that's the price of peace of mind

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

My 8800GTS 512mb went kaput for no reason!! My 6800LE had issues with the capacitors emitting a high pitched whine.Many of the 6800LE cards were afflicted by capacitor issues. The Nvidia G84 and G86 have had many thermal issues too with many chips failing prematurely in notebooks. I hope my desktop 8500gt will still be OK though!

However I still have a 6200 and a 6600 which still work fine and my old 6600GT still works fine in a work computer.

So far my X1900GT,HD3870 and HD4830 work fine. My old 9500pro ended up in the computer of a colleague and is still going strong even now!

[Gibbo]

I've had Voodoo, Voodoo3, 6200GT and a 7600GS none of which have ever died.

Nowt wring with nVidia IMO

[Phage]

Never had a problem with them.

[Blaineoliver]

The ATi offerings are superior in my opinion. The problem with nvidia cards came from the notebooks where the chip got hot, cooled, got hot, this caused a similar thing to the xbox 360, where the solder goes out of place or cracks, and the chip gets damaged.

[Agent]

I've never heard of nvidia cards "just dieing" - sounds like the typical mudslinging you get between NV and ATI users. Pay no attention.

The only exception as above, was the laptop issue which was down to the packaging.

I use Nv these days as I find their drivers better for the applications I use. Plus CUDA is brilliant
You're not going to go wrong with either.

[Zak33]

I've never heard of nvidia cards "just dieing" - sounds like the typical mudslinging you get between NV and ATI users. Pay no attention.

The only exception as above, was the laptop issue which was down to the packaging.

I use Nv these days as I find their drivers better for the applications I use. Plus CUDA is brilliant
You're not going to go wrong with either.

well said. Just as many ATI card have died, I'd guess.

Go buy a GTX 260 SSC 192 core (the older version) from EVGA, which is uber value at Scan, and you'll have
A) Massive Power
B) Massive memory
C) near silence
D) a monster warranty
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/896MB...-x-DL-DVI-HDTV

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The HD4870X2 2gb is excellent value for around £241 delivered:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/2GB-X...-DL-DVI-I-HDTV

You cannot get an HD4870 1gb for £120 ATM so it is great value for money.

[pipTheGeek]

I haven't ever heard of Nvidia having poor reliability. Although I had an XFX 7600 which went green after a few years. I (and friends) share a collection of Nvidia cards that go to who ever needs them most, these are mostly AGP 6600's but there is also a 4000 series and a PCI-E 6600. I think this is pretty good reliability.

[Agent]

Although I had an XFX 7600 which went green after a few years.

Yeah, but that's because it's an XFX

[2Cold Scorpio]

Except for that laptop chip problem last year, I'ven ever heard of any widespread nVidia reliability problems. Heck, I bought an nVidia card for my desktop 18 months ago because my old laptop's GeForce 2 GO is 7 years old and still works (too bad the laptop itself doesn't anymore; the AC cable and batteries are both shot).

[rufeo]

only ever had one problem with a nvidia card that was about 6 or 7 years ago with my ti 4400, had that replaced a few times before getting a radeon 9600. have had a 8800gts 640mb and now a gtx260 without any problems whatsoever.

like others have said if you're really worried then get a bfg or evga card since their warranties last longer and the customer service is excellent.

you can't go wrong with either ati or nvidia atm. although you might want to consider going for a single gpu card so that you don't run into any potential performance issues in any games that might occur with a dual/multi gpu steup.