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staticfilter   09-02-2002 at 05:49:45 AM

when purchasing a cpu or video card, why is the retail version always more expensive? can anyone explain what the differnce is? thanks

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Black_Cat   09-02-2002 at 05:59:03 AM
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Retail versions of video cards often come with software bundles that include games, utilities, etc. Also you may get faster core and memory clock speeds.

Retail versions of cpu's just come with a heatsink/fan.

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

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Kzzrn   09-02-2002 at 06:22:55 AM
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For video cards, the retail also comes with a longer warranty.

Knowledge is the key to understanding

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Matisaro   09-02-2002 at 11:38:19 AM
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For ati videocards oem versions come clocked lower, this is not true of nvidia cards.

:wink: Heatsinks, if you dont overclock, use the <b>STOCK!</b> :wink:

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Victory   09-02-2002 at 12:37:22 PM
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Retail CPU's in most cases come with a certified HSF by the manufacturer. It'll also give you a 3 yr warranty in most cases 'out of box'. Many OEM's will also give you a similiar warranty if you buy a specified cooler from them as well.

:cool: Save heating costs on your home, overclock your PC!!! :cool:

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peter21   09-02-2002 at 05:01:56 PM
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Hi Matisaro i just bought an OEM ATI Radeon 8500 128 MB. I was wondering if you knew the difference in clockspeeds(and any other differences) of the OEM version with the Retail version.
thx

------
The only thing i know...

is that i know nothing at all.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by peter21 on 09/02/02 11:03 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

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Chuck232   09-02-2002 at 07:12:09 PM
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It depends. Use PowerStrip to check the stock clock speeds. Usually they're something like 250/250 or 250/230 for the OEM R8500.

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

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Crashman   09-02-2002 at 09:28:37 PM
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They came at 275/275, 250/275, 250/250, 250/230, and something slower (like 230/166 or something). Anyway, 250/250 was most common I think. Like the last guy said, get Powerstrip or something similar to check it.

<font color=blue>You're posting in a forum with class. It may be third class, but it's still class!</font color=blue>

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Dark_Archonis   09-02-2002 at 09:37:54 PM
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Are you serious? Man, is that cheap. Go figure, it's ATI.

Good thing I haven't bought any OEM cards from them.

- - -
<font color=green>All good things must come to an end … so they can be replaced by better things! :wink: </font color=green>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Dark_Archonis on 09/02/02 03:38 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

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Chuck232   09-03-2002 at 04:15:02 AM
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Quote :

Man, is that cheap. Go figure, it's ATI.


Hey, it's not <b>cheap</b> it's just that OEM distributers wanted to have a lower clocked card, so ATi made them, well UMC or whoever made them.

<i>Past mistakes may make you look stupid, but avoiding future ones will make you look smart!</i>

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LED   09-03-2002 at 04:46:01 AM
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Blame it on the lack of stringent reference design.

This sig runs too hot.

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Matisaro   09-03-2002 at 11:27:52 AM
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Quote :

Hey, it's not cheap it's just that OEM distributers wanted to have a lower clocked card, so ATi made them, well UMC or whoever made them.



It is cheap however that upon initial launch they were not labeled differently than retail and there was no warning they would come lower, also the naming conventions are flawwed in that while an 8500 retail is always 275/275 an oem can be any of 4 different speeds with little way to tell.

I personally think that is cheap.

:wink: Heatsinks, if you dont overclock, use the <b>STOCK!</b> :wink:

Reply to Matisaro
Grub   09-03-2002 at 03:07:15 PM
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I agree...that sounds pretty deceptive to me. If you buy a Radeon 8500, you expect to get a certain level of performance. It looks like you may not get what is advertised...that's deceptive marketing. Hmmm...Maybe ATI makes a special driver for these OEM cards that will lower the LOD accordingly. You know....two wrongs=right.

Just because you're not paranoid, doesn't mean they're not watching you.

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