Asus, Sapphire, Sparkle? -> Nvidia - Help?

[kongsmoelf]

Hello fellow spacemonkeys:350:! Wasn't quite sure where to ask this but here it goes:

Uhm, I don't know if it'll be anytime soon, but I've been thinking about buying a new Video card with a Nvidia chip. (Or you could say a "Nvidia Video card" although I think that'll be wrong)

The thing is the chips are put on different companies cards. Let's say I want a Nvidia 8800GTS.. They are put on cards from ASUS, Sparkle, Sapphire etc. (ASUS GeF 8800GTS etc.) What would YOU recommend? Are there any difference on the company cards?

I know it's also a question about whether or not the 8800GTS have a 250 or 500 MB Video Memory.

Oh, and I'm talking company comparring. Whether it's a 8800 or a 7800 depends on needs and not whether it's file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Toby/LOKALE%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpgSaphhire and on.

Does this thread give ANY sense?:<

EDIT: Ups.. Sapphire does ATI. sry

[Katsurugi]

Yes. There is a difference between the different brands. Usually, Nvidia or ATI gives them the basic architecture to build the cards and there are minute changes in how they implement it to make the card. Since it's all based on the same architecture/technology, the model numbers are all the same.

I have a XFX card for my 8600GT. But usually, you would want to pick something like eVGA because they're awesome. Their cards aren't top of the line or anything, but they do work. The main reason to pick them is that they have a lifetime warrant which is something the other companies don't. Video cards are expensive and you don't want to pay for another one if it breaks.

[kongsmoelf]

Lifetime garanty8-O Now THAT's Big:razz: Forgot to say that I'll like it a bit cheap since I'm not the one with the most money available to spend on computer realated things. Don't know what'll be yet or when but I was thinking about a 8800 with 512 MB memory.

Now I'm not the expert and it'll probably be too expensive then, but is it possible for a heatsink cooler to be better than a fan? Or would it be cheaper just to buy a new fan now and then. (I'm thinking dust and such)