HEXUS.reviews :: ATI Radeon X1900 XT Shootout - PowerColor vs SAPPHIRE

[Rys]

Take one pinch of ATI, a double dash of Radeon X1900 XT, mix with Tarinder and garnish with SAPPHIRE and a sprinkle of PowerColor. Bake in a HEXUS oven at gas mark 580 and what do you get?

This, our first look at retail Radeon X1900 XT products available as we speak. In the market for such a pixel pusher? You'll want to join T in his analysis to see what's worth your pennies.

Comment in this very thread

[kempez]

No image quality pics/comments at all (apart from one sentence)? Thats what these cards are all about!

[colllision]

Hi I didnt note in the review any comments about build quality .I just recieved my powercolor 1900xtx and am quiet disturbed by it's poor build quality.Having just sold a 1800xt made by msi(or perhaps radeon) which was of a whole didnt quality stardard.Judging from the photos in your review I suspect your sample was little better.I am surpised it wasnt mentioned.My sample has a 5 mm bend in the board as it is bent like a banana over the heat sink.So much so that the metal in the mounting tray has been hammered to make fit .The quality of solder is apalling.In fact in all my years of electronics I have not layed eyes on a flow tank soldered board of this poor quality.Let alone a 1000$ au top of the range card.I cant amagine how dirty the tanks are that these boards when through. I will be amased if this card works at all and if it does .I dont have a lot of faith in it working for long. .My advice to ppl wanting buy a 1900 xtx is dont! until some promise of exceptable quality products is forth comming.
Regards Colllison

[kempez]

My Sapphire Radeon is fine mate...build is pretty good and no bend.

But still no image quality in the review

[DR]

All of the XTX's are made in the same factory by the same company at the moment

[colllision]

Are well,I wish I waited and bought a saphire.No more power color cards for me.It works BTW 68 degrees temps. not sure if that good or bad thing and it makes a lot of noise .
Regards colllison

[Answer?]

I have simlilar powercolor problems. I ordered a 1900xt from newegg, only to recieve a bent video card. In fact, it's memory cooler (the red heatsink held into the board by two plastic pins) had fallen off! Even the thermal tape was off. Not to mention the COPPER HEATSINK FANS INSIDE THE WHITE CASING WERE ALL BENT!!! It's as if the card was dropped onto one corner in the manufacturing process, before the white plastic cover was added. Also, the card isn't flush with the back of my computer case. The top slot's screw with the DVI connectors fits, but the bottom screw won't.

Did I mention it was DOA???? Thanks Powercolor!