Sapphire HD3850 AGP - RIP!

fasteddy · **Sapphire HD3850 AGP - RIP! -** 06-14-2008, 11:22 | posts: 613 | Location: UK.

My Sapphire HD3850 has just expired... I just switched the computer on and was presented with a blank screen, checking the card, the fan spins but no video output...

Tried it in a different machine with the same results. Just sent it back for an RMA. That's the second Sapphire card I've had go in this way, after my old x1950pro died last year (the replacement is still going ok).

Dunno what to reckon... is it Sapphire's build quality?

No overclocking of these cards btw...

aircool · 06-14-2008, 11:51 | posts: 13,426 | Location: Devon, In A Little Town.

Sapphires build quality is fine from what I've had. I think its got something to do with the card being an AGP card - suggesting that theres more to go wrong increasing chances of failure.

How /what were the temperatures of the card before?

fasteddy · 06-14-2008, 19:19 | posts: 613 | Location: UK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aircool

Sapphires build quality is fine from what I've had. I think its got something to do with the card being an AGP card - suggesting that theres more to go wrong increasing chances of failure.

How /what were the temperatures of the card before?

Aye, maybe they're pushing the design envelope a bit with AGP. Doesn't bode well for a future 4800 series if it is!

It failed from a cold boot... after a short but easy life of occasional gaming. Temps got into the mid sixties or so during these sessions.

Ho hum, maybe I just keep picking bad apples from the barrel?

I'll keep my fingers crossed with its replacement when I get it...

evolucion888 · 06-17-2008, 17:48 | posts: 352 | Location: Puerto Rico

I has nothing to do for being AGP, both PCIe and AGP version uses the same PCI-E power cable, the only additional part that could fail in the AGP version is the RiaLTo bridge, which gets a bit hot and translates the AGP/PCI-E signals, otherwise, both versions are identical in PCB Layout, Voltage Regulators etc.

Quidam67 · 06-18-2008, 00:01 | posts: 26 | Location: New Zealand

I have a Sapphire HD3850 AGP. It has been completely stable from day 1. Note that I have:
1) Replaced the stock heatsink with a passive cooler (Accellero)
2) Overclocked the card using the overdrive autotune utility

ot but I did have a minor problem fitting one of the ram heatsinks when installing the accellero -the position of the ram-chip meant one heatsink hit one of the accellero's heat-pipes. So I had to re-position the heatsink such that it did not fully cover the ram-chip -it was either that, or not use it at all (or hack the heatsink so that it would fit)

ps. This was the first time I've installed a custom cooler on a Video card -it was a little nerve-wracking (knowing I was voiding the warranty) but well worth the effort. Guess I might have felt differently if I'd screwed the card up.

fasteddy · 06-18-2008, 16:47 | posts: 613 | Location: UK.

Well I've gotten my replacement Sapphire HD3850 AGP today!

Fantastic performance by my retailer (www.dabs.com) here in the UK. I only posted it to them last Friday and they even paid for that!

Set it up with dual monitors and have just been playing NFS Most Wanted, with the "Overdrive" tab of CCC on the secondary monitor, so I could monitor temps. On the menu screens in that game you get 100% gpu utilisation (don't ask me why) and the card hit 82 degrees C... ouch! So I've removed the stock cooler and fitted a Zalman that I had lying around, with ram sinks too. Card now hits about 60C max...

I hope this one lasts a bit longer... if it doesn't I'll just sack the lot and get an Intel quad set-up, sod it!

zer0_c0ol · 06-18-2008, 19:18 | posts: 1,843 | Location: mostar(BIH)

or just go pci-ex

agp i deaaad

Quidam67 · 06-18-2008, 21:48 | posts: 26 | Location: New Zealand

Quote:

Originally Posted by zer0_c0ol

or just go pci-ex

agp i deaaad

If AGP is dead why are you posting in an AGP thread?!? Oh, I know, to mess with AGP users because you are bored..

fasteddy · 06-18-2008, 22:00 | posts: 613 | Location: UK.

Well, people keep saying AGP's dead, then they bring another AGP card out... There's life in the old horse (donkey?) yet! Mine runs a treat with the 3850 in and with the dual core Athlon it is still a pretty capable system.

Quidam67 · 06-18-2008, 23:03 | posts: 26 | Location: New Zealand

What is funny is that I have 3 "other" systems that are all PCI-Express. They all score around 12000-13000 in 3DM06 (my AGP system scores close to 10K).

The point is, I decided that rather than tossing out all my old gear (as a hobbyist/enthusiast) I'd see if I could find a way to keep it running at a respectible performance level without spending too much coin. The m/b was rediculously cheap and I got the HD3850 AGP on a local auction site well below retail. Finally, I picked up the e4700 retail, but which again, was not at all expensive. I was then able to use all my other left over gear (ddr memory/psu/case/hdd/optical drive) which were previously gathering dust and then build a system out if it. Amazingly, I can use this system to play all the latest games at high settings (1360*768 LCD TV) including Crysis. My latest purchase (for this system) was the Auzentech sound card because of it's Dolby Digital Live capability -and I should mention, this card could easily go into a future system when I do retire this rig (along with the case;hdd; optical drive and of course the O/S).