Generic 8800gt/ generic HD 3870

I was wanting to know abt cards of 'PALIT', 'GALAXY', 'INNO3D' make - who use non-reference designs. Many local shops where I am list them as 'generic cards'.

So, if any1 has used them, or knows abt them - pls join in to express opinion abt performance, noise, power comsumption, etc.

I looked at the net and it seems the Galaxy 8800GT 512 MB HDMI card is pretty good on features. Yet, one review has complained of its noise level.

So any1 pls?

The galaxy card you are referring to uses a dual slot cooler with a fan that spins at a constant 3000rpm. It was apparently made obsolete, but being australia, there is probably still stock around. There is also another cooler made by coolermaster with a zalman "flower" design (much quieter), but both cards have the same product code, so it's a hit and miss. You could ask the retailer about it, but I reckon the "local shops" you are referring to would include MSY which lists "generic" cards and has zero customer service .

FYI Palit actually makes cards listed under their own name, as well as XpertVision, Gainward and one other brand. Same as Foxconn makes cards for other companies who rebrand them, so in essence there is no difference between those, other than the sticker and possibly the cooler. Obviously if the card is manufactured by somebody else you can expect a difference.

@Kamrooz: In australia, life-time warranties aren't honoured, only 1-2 year warranties (at least from XFX).

@night_wolf_in: Reference design FTL! I prefer cards with better power circuitry. The Galaxy card Xanadu mentioned has an extra power phase and native HDMI (no adapter needed if only one monitor ).

If you get the one with the zalman cooler, it also has a jumper on the PCB that seems like it lets you swap between two VGA BIOSs, one with a 1.05V vGPU and one with a 1.1V vGPU. No need to flash the BIOS to make a minor voltage bump, and if you do flash the BIOS and screw it, you should be able to swap the jumper over and boot with the other BIOS.

umm, thats cools. actually i never thought that those companies will make something better if they change the reference design, (slower ram memory). but that is informative. thanks.

ATI used to have their own "built by ATI cards" along with "partnered with ATI" cards using the GPU with individual company variations. Since AMD bought ATI, I haven't seen those in the newer series.

Do you mean "reference design" when you say "generic"? Some companies stick close to the reference design, while others factory overclock or use different memory, coolers etc. I'm sure it's the same with Nvidia, which has never had their own branded cards.

I really miss the All in Wonders. Love to have an AIW 3850 for an HTPC! Those cards were never partnered, but were always "built by ATI".

Thanks randomizer, I got my eyes on these cards now, namely

GALAXY
PALIT
INNO3D
GAINWARD

1 yr warranty is not much of a prob with me as that is what I used to get back in my country. Even the 6600 gt that I have now (frm JANTECH) carried a 1 yr warranty.

This is the Galaxy u talked abt randomizer:


Look @ the Gainward



The core clock on this one seems higher.

I have my eyes set on these.

I saw the gainward review too and the heatsink problem. Unfortunately, that's the only decent review online. I hope that prob gets fixed and the price plummets.

Well - shudn't it?

With the 9000 series cards looming on the horizon and a further future lineage frm nvidia...
Also the introduction of the 3870x2 card...

Frm the last 1 month, I have been tracking prices - both the 3870 and nvidia prices have been sliding. The 3850 is around 250$ and the 8800gt's are around 300$; the generic ones being lower like around 270$ (these r the single slot cooler ones I think).

But then again u r more experienced in this field than I. So...

Buy Asus! It comes stock out of the box with the best utilities for fan control, temp, curent and OCing in the biz. Buying a card that is factory OCed is asking for trouble. There is no reason a device should be OCed while idle its just a waste of the devices life span.

No you are right, I've noticed the prices have been dropping quite a bit over the last 2-3 weeks, but I wouldn't say they've plummeted. The only time prices plummet is when Intel has price cuts.

If that's the case, then palit would have made them all as they are a contract manufacturer for many other companies just like foxconn.

The gainward is overclocked a little, the galaxy I don't think is. There's also a Gainward Golden Sample "Goes Like Hell" edition that is clocked even higher.

No, not at all. Unless you intend to keep the card for more than 8 years.

I have a Diamond 3870. Don't get Diamond unless you are good at video card BIOS flashing and/or using 3rd party software to make a card work correctly.

That bad eh?

My dad used a palit X800GTO, overclocked nicely with a hopeless cooler. Don't forget powercolor, they are among the cheapo brands too. I don't like them much, my powercolor x1950 pro runs at a constant (high) fan speed and there is no thermal diode or rpm sensor (even though it's a 3 wire fan). I believe the non-reference x1950 pro had the thermal diode, but I didn't have the cash for it at the time.