Recently my XFX GTX 280 XXX Edition Died after 2 Long Yrs and I'll be getting a New One. I'm Choosing between the 2 Cards: eVGA GTX 480 SC+ w/ High Flow Bracket & Backplate OR Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 1GB Vapor-X BUT I Prefer the one that have Long Lifespan, In other words I prefer Lifespan than Performance, I Underclocked my XFX GTX 280 XXX Edition from 670/1458/1250 to 602/1310/1102 just to have a Stable & Expected Long Lifespan but Still it Died after 2 Yrs. I Never really intended to buy a new Card as you can see how fast GPU evolved in this past 2 yrs, I bought GTX 280 on its 1st release & after a month ago GTX 285 appeared & GTX 280 Gone, after 2 Yrs GTX 280 to GTX 480. But my Card Died. . . So I have no choice but to get a new one. I'll still underclocked either of this 2 just to have Low Temps & Prolong its Lifespan but I still don't know which one is better when it comes to lifespan. Thanks
Lifespan is what it is. Will i live too 100 or will i die at 50. No-one here or anywhere can answer that question. If you can wait a bit, the new 6xxx AMD cards won't be long from release now. If you can't wait both cards would be good enough for most things for at least 2 years. Maybe the higher temps and power usage of the 480 will mean faster death, does it matter really cause both will have longish warranties anyway. Why on earth would you buy a 480/5870 for top dollar and then go underclock it? Why not just buy a 460 or something.
Dude, you answered your own question. You underclocked your card and still it died after 2 years. Doesnt that suggest the mode of failure wasnt clock speed. Temps kill. If you want to be sure of as long a service life as possible, just blow a fan at the graphics card to cool those parts that are hard to reach. Keep it at stock clocks and you will get the best out of it.
Just Like I Said I Never really intended to buy a new card but I had to cause my GTX 280 died, I'm buying the current latest so I won't be buying a new one for a long time, one that can handle future & current games in maximum playable settings that's why I'm choosing between those top of the line cards, why underclock it? of course to lower the temps & prolong its life, as they say "Nvidia cards tend to fail after a year or more when operating at 70c + since when it cools it can cause micro-fractures." I think its still the same, higher clocks means higher temps right? so I lower the clocks then I got lower temps, I chose Sapphire HD 5870 Vapor-X as one of my choices for the reason it runs on low temps in load like 55°C-60°C while GTX 480 runs hot at 71°C-90°C load for performance Still I'm having a hard time choosing between them. . . . I haven't really used any ATI card, I mean I've been always on nvidia.
@ rbin My GTX 480 is the same. It idles at just 55. However, when gaming, especially in Crysis/Mafia II it goes upto 96!!! It runs quite hot but I'm sure it will last at least a year... Anyway, I'm very sure I will be buying the GTX 580 or whatever else comes out well beforea year since I upgrade my pc 1-2 times a year...
If it does goes up to 96°C in Crysis or even on Mafia II with APEX Physx that's sure to Die in 2 Yrs time or Less! If all GTX 480 in exception to MSI Twin Froz & Zotac's AMP it'll be busy on RMA departments in a year! I guess I'll be going to ATI Sapphire Vapor-X that idles at 35°C and 60°C at load after all
The cards are designed to run at the clock speeds they are released. Get a card from a vendor with a decent warranty - EVGA and one or two others offer lifetime warranties I believe - but underclocking makes really no sense as you aren't utilising the card as they are designed, and i really doubt that it makes any difference to the lifespan at all. If you are really worried about temps, then dont get a GTX480 as they run much hotter than a 5870. The vapor X is a good choice - those coolers are great - and will keep the temps well within reasonable levels at stock settings.
Yes, but why try to fix something that isnt broken and wont be broken. They are specced to run at rated speed at very high temps, your standard temps arent an issue. Since you are paranoid, why not do as I suggested in my last post and blow a fan at the gfx card.
personally, i would just say buy an xfx card. xfx have a dual lifetime warranty, so if it does **** itself, you can just get it fixed/replaced under warranty.
You've been in the Blue Team for a while, so may as well stay there unless you have a compelling reason to move. Personally, I would get a 5870 on the criteria you gave - XFX are a good make, however .... I agree re underclocking, if you decide on a 480, dont, get a 460 with a quality cooling solution. The Accelerator Xtreme range of coolers for VGA cards would be a good choice. The biggest killer of cards is heat via overclocking. You would be better off with a 460 plus the relevant Accelarator Xtreme, than just a 480 if your concern is long term damage via heat and overclocking. Although I am an ATI fan for performance reasons, that 460 is the first good 4xx card NVidia have produced. Good value for money/performance, and they - at last - appear to be starting to get the Horrendous 4xx power, heat and noise under control. Regards Zy
I was discussing cooling with a m8 today, since I just got a waterblock on my HD5870. He has the same 23-26C idle with this card: http://www.zotacusa.com/zotac-geforce-gtx-460-1-gb-256-bit-675mhz-3600mhz-zt-40402-10p-367.html He told me that the duty cycle on the cards fan is pretty low even at full loads, and max temp under load for him didn't go over 60C. 34C on my card with water, 70C with stock cooler. Performance wise the card reaches the GTX470 and even follows the HD5870 in some things. EDIT: There are plenty of reviews regarding Zotac's GTX460 AMP Edition, check them out.
Whoa! All the Replies are Very Reasonable & Understandable, Thanks. I Believe Underclocking makes Sense, As Overclocking is a Great Source of Heat & Power Hunger then in Vice-Versa Underclocking gives Lower Temps & Power Efficiency, Therefore a Long Lifespan is Expected. Vapor-X is Indeed my current upper choice right now but I just red this rumors about HD 6000 Series cards being released this Oct, I guess I'll wait for HD 6000 Series & lets see the performance, heat & power efficiency. If it they didn't release it this oct well we can't have it like that, I'll be getting an 5870 vapor x. News Link 1 Link 2 Paranoid? Hahahaha. . . I'm not going to Mindlessly Waste my Money on a Disposable Graphics Card am I. . . . No Thanks, I Can't do an All out RMA'ing like you Guys are Capable of, Shipping Fees will kill me! lol Yet, Still High Temps such as 96°C above is a Killer Temp, Micro-Fractures are Unavoidable after the Cooldown, OR else its built in Military NASA Space Grade Components that can withstand an atmospheric reentry heat. Thanks! I Can See your Concern about Money/Performance & Energy Efficiency, Very Reasonable.
I was just thinking about your first post, and what you plan to do it kind of pointless. Basically you want a card to run cool and preferably forever?? As we all know, technology is advancing VERY quickly. In 2 or 3 years, the GTX 480 as well as the 5970 will be outdated... Also Cervat Yerli, the producer/director or crysis said that the current hardware is maxed out. What I mean to say is what's the point to buy a card and then underclock it so it underperforms? And you want it to last many years but it will NOT. You could go and buy a 5870 but after a few years it will be obsolete, especially considering you are underclocking it. What you plan to do is really pointless as many other have already said. I will give you an example, supposing I underclocked my GTX 480 to lower the temps by 10-20 degrees and also wanted to increase it's lifespan. It is indeed possible, but what will happen when Crysis 2 comes out, Bioshock 3, Mafia III???? My GTX 480, underclocked would struggle and would not play them smoothly maxed out.... Hardware really needs changing once to twice a year, including graphic cards. In the last 2 years, I have gone from a GTX 260 to a GTX 280, and from a GTX 280 to a GTX 480. Soon, when the next 5 series or so come out, again I will upgrade. I do not plan to keep my GTX 480 forever as it will be replaced over and over again, being further improved.
Get a GTX 480, period. Only 5870 I'd get would be either the MSI with Twin Frozr, it's pretty fast. Anyway, my 480 doesn't go above 65C (hot days and after hours and hours of gaming). Yes, I have some amazing case cooling but it's a great card and it spanks a$$. I wouldn't get a Zotac card though, I'm on my 2nd one, first one died after a week for no reason. Get eVGA!
Thanks, That will Do. . . I think Games won't Evolved that Faster. . . . Of course the Game Developers would consider making the game more economical for everyone to play, because unlike you (a rich guy) not all people are capable of upgrading their system yearly, there are also people that will wait for the very latest before they replace their card. . . . also, yes I underclock it to make the card more stable & cooler to prolong its lifespan but not to make it live forever, lets say from its guaranteed 2 years lifespan to 4yrs, surely gtx 580/680 or ati hd 6000/7000 series is already released by that time, and also the very time for people like us (the not so rich ppl) to upgrade our system. Thanks for the Suggestions! Highly Appreciated. . . I Already Chosen eVGA as one of my choices on my first post but what you said that its already your 2nd one on gtx 480 zotac disturbs me, it seems the ratio between ATI Radeon & nVidia defects is also disturbing
Should have read OP, yes-eVGA is the smart choice. I know at least a half dozen people that have the eVGA GTX 480 SC and have 0 problems with it nor ever did. I always have had great success with any eVGA card.
