R9700 Pro - OEM vs. Retail?

[ltj311]

I've noticed that the OEM versions of the Radeon 9700 Pro are a little cheaper than the Retail Boxes. Is it really worth the extra money to get the Retail? For what, an extra year on the warranty? Are there any risks in getting the OEM version?

 

[Oracle]

The OEM probably has lower VPU and Memory clocking. It's likely that it may be overclocked to reach the retail clocking.
I'm just assuming here. Someone else read something on this?


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[bront]

Actualy, ATI made the Pro and non pro lables specificly to not have the confusion about the clock on some cards (Later the LE became the lower clocked chip, but they never quite straightened everything out)

Any OEM you order at this point is likely an ATI white box product made by ATI, so you're probably safe.

If ignorance is bliss, then why is everyone so miserable?

 

[Bardic]

Go for the games in the retail, call work and tell them you have died, but will be back in a month. Play games all day and all night, until your girlfriend leaves you, and all the food in the house is gone.

Actually, what games come in the Retail? Anyone know? If they aren't any good, go with OEM.

 

[bront]

Go for the games in the retail, call work and tell them you have died, but will be back in a month. Play games all day and all night, until your girlfriend leaves you, and all the food in the house is gone.

Actually, what games come in the Retail? Anyone know? If they aren't any good, go with OEM.

Please find out before you call in dead.

If ignorance is bliss, then why is everyone so miserable?

 

[xxsk8er101xx]

I think the difference is less warranty and the only software you get is for the drivers. Nothing special. Just the card and the drivers. No box or anything else. Just the card and just the the driver cd literally.

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[Fionavar]

I have usually found that the retail can be found for not too much more than the OEM and you do not have to fiddle with o/c to what stock is in retail - for a few more $ usually worth it imo. Peace.

 

[chuck232]

And you don't have to worry about getting a Sapphire OEM card with 5ns RAM on a R8500....

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

 

[BigBiggist]

I had a question about this stuff too. Newegg has an OEM Sapphire Radeon 9700 Pro card. They will also have the retail ATI Radeon 9700 Pro card. What is the difference between the Sapphire and the ATI card? I know that there will most likely be a limited warrenty and no software bundle except for the drivers. If that is the only difference I will go for the sapphire. I just want to know if sapphire is crap or not.

 

[Ghostdog]

Yeah, I wanna know too. Because I heard that the Sapphire would be fine. That their version of the 9000 performed like the ATI retail card and that their 9700 is built according to the ATI reference.

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[chuck232]

It depends what it's clocked at. The Retail Sapphire cards are pretty good, but since they make quite a bit of ATi's OEM cards, which are clocked lower, an OEM Sapphire card would usually make me cringe. I suggest you email them and ask what it's clocked at.

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