'Sapphire' vs ATI 'Proper' - significant differences? Worth Considering (Sapphire)???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hammer Toe
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Hammer Toe

I'm was considering upgrading to a new All-In-Wonder Card
(specifically the ATI All-In-Wonder 9600 Pro) when I became aware, for
the first time, of a line from/called 'Sapphire' and was wondering if
anyone was aware and could be so kind as to attempt to summarize the
DIFFERENCES (hardware, software and 'support') between them, pros and
cons of buying one specific card/brand over the other, etc.

Are (comparable) cards identical, essentially identical, or 'less'.

More importantly, what about SOFTWARE?

In the case of All-In-Wonder cards for example, what does one get in
terms of Multimedia Center software?

a) Identical To ATI's MM software?
b) Something good/very simillar?
c) Other?

What about Support/Software+Driver Upgrades?
Anyone have an opinion on how the two compare?

Overall, assuming that a comparable 'Sapphire' All-In-Wonder product
was available and cost less than the comparable ATI version, would one
be advised to still 'pay extra' for the ATI Product and why?

TIA.
 
Sapphire is one of the partners that manufactures cards for ATI, and they
sell them cheaper under their own brand name. Some models are identical to
the ATI hardware, some are not.

I've used several Sapphire cards and consider them excellent values. They
use standard ATI drivers. If all you want is a card that will play DVD
movies and games on a TV set, they're perfect.

However, with an AIW the software package is important. Make sure you know
what you are getting. There are plenty of other DVD players, but the
capture/tuner software is key if you plan to use those functions.

If an AIW is what you need, for a home-theater PC for instance, I'd get an
ATI.

Read some reviews of the AIW and see how many of the multimedia features you
truly need and want. They are complex overkill for some, vital necessities
for others.
 
PLEASE stay away from Sapphire: they generally sucks, their implemenation
sucks and I wonder if they follow Ati's strict guidelines and rules for
thermal solutions: heatsink too heavy and not properly placed risks to
damage the open die beneath!!
See my post above.
I repeat: stay away.
Try some other different makes such Gigabyte or go nVidias (equally fast and
much more better built)
 
-
Jopo75 stood up at show-n-tell, in [email protected], and
said:
PLEASE stay away from Sapphire: they generally sucks, their
implemenation sucks and I wonder if they follow Ati's strict
guidelines and rules for thermal solutions: heatsink too heavy and
not properly placed risks to damage the open die beneath!!
See my post above.
I repeat: stay away.
Try some other different makes such Gigabyte or go nVidias (equally
fast and much more better built)
Click to expand...

Yeah, go get an nVidia. So long, sucker.
 
Just so you know, the Built by Ati is actually built by Sapphire. Ati
manufactures the gpu's only and for their "Built by Ati" uses Sapphire as a
subcontractor. Alternatively, Sapphire also has their own brand.
 
Just so you know, the Built by Ati is actually built by Sapphire. Ati
manufactures the gpu's only and for their "Built by Ati" uses Sapphire as a
subcontractor. Alternatively, Sapphire also has their own brand.
Click to expand...

I know.
What I was wondering about is if Sapphire follow Ati's guidelines for
thermal (and mechanical solutions) or not.
I have the impression that Sapphire's cards are built cheaper that Ati's
reference ones.
 
Yeah, go get an nVidia. So long, sucker.
Actually you don't know what I'm talking about!
And I'm speaking of build quality.
 
I think you haven't ripped off any heatsink out of a Sapphire Radeon
9600 lately, to say that.
Mine has a passive heatsink too big and heavy to be placed "firmly"
only with 2 plastic spacers.
If you've red all my posts, you oughta know: instead you don't (see my
post at the top of this ng).
What about http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/radeon/pcolor-1.html?
Dumb-ass to whom?
Click to expand...

Well, since the article you link is about a PowerColor board and not a
Sapphire, I am a bit puzzled as to what its relevance might be.
 
I read your posts, dumb-ass. You have no clue.
You haven't understood anything: evidently another troll, get plonked
already.
Another troll who thinks he has the Wisdom, and all the others don't.
And, for your records, my posts refers to the Sapphire 9600.
You can't say that I've not a clue. And be polite next time (you have
attacked me first).
 
YOU seem to be the troll. Obvious, by your nVidia fanboi comments. I'll be
however I feel like being, towards you, shit-for-brains. Tell ya what...you
wanna go to nvidia, go. WTF are you doing here, bitching and whining, in
the first place? Seems you've either got too much time on your hands
(loser), or are a freak/troll. Which is it? Don't like? Use your killfile
dumbass...As I'm going to do, with you. Ciao, ****face.

-
Jopo75 stood up at show-n-tell, in [email protected], and
said:
 
I read your posts, dumb-ass. You have no clue.
I think you haven't ripped off any heatsink out of a Sapphire Radeon 9600
lately, to say that.
Mine has a passive heatsink too big and heavy to be placed "firmly" only
with 2 plastic spacers.
If you've red all my posts, you oughta know: instead you don't (see my post
at the top of this ng).
What about http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/radeon/pcolor-1.html?
Dumb-ass to whom?
Take care.
 
YOU seem to be the troll. Obvious, by your nVidia fanboi comments.
??
You crazy. Me an nVidia fanboi??
Change pusher.
I own three Ati cards, and I've been buying Ati for 10 years. Calm down: I'm
not a troll from nVidia ng.
I do want to say this: maybe Sapphire, to reduce costs, doesn't uses quality
heatsink in some of its models.
Visit this site and you'll know what I'm talking about:
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/radeon/pcolor-1.html.

WTF are you doing here, bitching and whining, in
the first place?
Click to expand...
Again, have you changed pusher???
WTF are you complaining about??
I'm (as you) free to express my thoughs, but in a polite way (unlike you).
Seems you've either got too much time on your hands
(loser), or are a freak/troll.
Click to expand...
See above.
Use your killfile
Click to expand...
I don't want to use my killfile.
dumbass...As I'm going to do, with you. Ciao, ****face.
Click to expand...
Ciao, testa di cazzo.
 
Jopo75 said:
as

I know.
What I was wondering about is if Sapphire follow Ati's guidelines for
thermal (and mechanical solutions) or not.
I have the impression that Sapphire's cards are built cheaper that Ati's
reference ones.
Click to expand...

In most cases, Sapphire uses exactly the same stock cooler as the
corresponding ATI card -- with the exception of the Sapphire ultimate
series, which use a more expensive silent heat-pipe solution.

The only "built-cheaper" versions I'm aware of are the black-pcb OEM cards,
which were actually designed and produced at ATI's request because too many
people -- like me -- figured out that they could convert a cheap Sapphire
9500 non-pro into a much more expensive 9700 Pro.

That was because Sapphire was using the same red PCB and memory layout on
both cards. ATI asked them to stop, because in that case Sapphire was giving
customers TOO MUCH value.

Sapphire redesigned the PCB to lock out the modders and reduce the
production cost. They are still selling the black cards, at bargain prices.
They're a good deal, but you get only what you pay for, not more.

In your case you are mad at Sapphire because you chipped the GPU when you
pried off the cooler. That might have happened on any card, not just
Sapphire's. You were actually lucky, because you voided the warranty but the
card still works.
 
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