Vapor-X 4890 vs GTX 275.

Building a new high end rig but I want to hold off on the new card line up coming out from both ATI and Nvidia so I will get a lower end card to hold me over until 1)new cards are out and 2)price drops a little on them.

I am using a EVGA classified motherboard in the build which means I can't crossfire but since this is only a tie over card that doesn't really matter at the moment as I will only use one.

Now I can get a Vapor-X HD 4890 1GB for around $200 which is a bit cheaper then the 275 1.7 GB model and as far as I see from reviews and from word of mouth the cards trade off on who is better depending on the game you are playing and at what res.

As a side note I am an nvidia fanboy but I personally find nothing wrong with ATI, they offer good cards at cheaper prices (though they usually perform a bit less).

I am looking at having this card for about 5 months.

yeah I was thinking the same thing as I am leaning towards the ATI 5000 cards when they come out. Even though no info has been released about them I already know they will likely be cheaper and drop in price faster. Also I loved what they did with the 4000 line up.

If you do decide on an ATI 4890 card, I would suggest you get this one from XFX. Since it will have a better resell value, specially with there Double Lifetime Warranty they have on there top end cards, compared to the 2yr (Parts/Labor) warranty Sapphire has on the VAPOR-X 100269VXL Radeon HD.

XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 $199.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150359

Be careful with those warranties, last i looked the XFX double lifetime warranty is only valid in certain parts of the world, North america i think.

Mactronix

Only repeating what i see on the site http://www.xfxforce.com/en-us/Feat [...] ranty.aspx
The important bit as far as this discusion goes is this bit.

*Double Lifetime Protection only available in North America (United

States and Canada). See XFX Support section for more details on the

Limited Warranty for XFX-branded products in North America.

Mactronix

No thats not what its saying at all its not a regional page its the international site. If its not bought in N/America/canada its not covered.

Mactronix

You know i'd say the 4890 because all the pc's ive had were ATI cards and i get outstanding performance besides ATI will make a better card then NVIDIA anyday.... i hope...

The 4890 is actually the best bang for the buck, several sites have proven this performance/price ratio. The 275 can sometimes be more powerful, depending on OC levels. While many sites OC the 4890 and show improved results, they usually do not crank it anywhere near its potential (1 Ghz core or as close as you can get). However the 275 is more expensive.

The vapor-x cooler is quite nice from the reviews i have read on this card, i was just looking at it for purchase too actually. Its a lot quieter than a 4870 at high fan speeds and runs cooler as well. If my 4870 didn't already play every game i throw at it with excellent performance i'd probably convince myself to get the vapor-x or similar 4890.

Get the XFX 4890, better reviews and flawless warranty....

See for yourself :

XFX HD-489A-ZDFC Radeon HD 4890 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814150359

SAPPHIRE VAPOR-X 100269VXL Radeon HD 4890 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102841

I found the Vapor-X even cheaper. $169 from amazon which means no taxes as well. No way I am passing it up.

Thanks for everyone's input.