7970 Artifacting

So i own this XFX 7970 video card. I recently just bought 2 of these display port cables. I seem to be getting a lot of artifacting since i changed over to these. Artifacts even show up on the desktop. Simple things like a window being distorted or a button mirrored above it self.
Previously i was running with the HDMI port and DVI to HDMI adaptor to each of my dell U2410s (1920x1200). Never had artifacting in this setup. I did have one of my monitors just blink black for a second or two, but that didn't happen very often. Haven't had the monitor blink at all since I started using the Display Port cable, just the arifacting. I had to change my configuration when i bought my Seiki 50" 4k TV which needed the HDMI port to push 4K.

Is my video card the problem or do you think those are too cheap of cables? Thinking about ordering better Display Port cables. Also the artifacting happens even when i have the 50" TV disconnected from the video card.

Hello, Sorry you are having trouble.

The flickering on the previous monitors could have been the GPU, but also the monitor itself, as well as the cables/ports.

The Artifacting you are having is strange. Could be GPU, Monitor, Cable, or system RAM. If you haven't created a ticket at xfxsupport.com, please do so. In case we need to RMA it under warranty.

Can you try swapping GPU's? i'd start swapping components.

Thanks

XFXSupport said:

Hello, Sorry you are having trouble.

The flickering on the previous monitors could have been the GPU, but also the monitor itself, as well as the cables/ports.

The Artifacting you are having is strange. Could be GPU, Monitor, Cable, or system RAM. If you haven't created a ticket at xfxsupport.com, please do so. In case we need to RMA it under warranty.

Can you try swapping GPU's? i'd start swapping components.

Thanks

Click to expand...

I don't have any other monitors with display ports so i can't really try that out. I kind of doubt it is the monitor since both of them are acting the same. I have an older 5870 GPU, but it doesn't have display ports to test that part.

Is there a history at all with this video card having problems with the display port outputs?

Also i doubt warranty can do anything since i have had this card longer then 2 years and I am not the original owner. Bought used from someone here on [H]. When i get home today I am going to try hooking up the monitors via DVI and HDMI and see if i can narrow down the problem.

Is there a history at all with this video card having problems with the display port outputs?
- No Known issues.

When i get home today I am going to try hooking up the monitors via DVI and HDMI and see if i can narrow down the problem.
- Open a ticket, let us know what happens. PM me the ticket #, ill see what i can do.

Thanks!

if your getting the flickering while using a browser disable hardware acceleration....and no more flicker...otherwise 7970s have a problem with the constant up and down of the memory clocks in browsers
I myself cant recall ever getting artifact just looking at desktop....so that don't sound to good....would definitely try redoing the driver before sending it in

I have no idea how hot your VRM's are, but if they were anything like mine (and I was
experiencing artifacting as well like you) then you're probably going to want to do
something like what I did and chop off the bit of heatsink covering the VRM area.

XFX made the aluminum heatsink finned but closed on one side so that no air can pass
through to cool the VRM's... at all. I recently did this:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1833643

And now no more issues... period.

Littlestan said:

I have no idea how hot your VRM's are, but if they were anything like mine (and I was
experiencing artifacting as well like you) then you're probably going to want to do
something like what I did and chop off the bit of heatsink covering the VRM area.

XFX made the aluminum heatsink finned but closed on one side so that no air can pass
through to cool the VRM's... at all. I recently did this:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1833643

And now no more issues... period.

Click to expand...

i would like xfx's opinion if this voids the warranty.....i have now way to check vrm temps on mine afaik......not to mention all is well for mine...just wondering what our rep thinks about this idea

Looks like a vga problem time to call xfx.

Have you switched back to the old cables and seen if the problem goes away? That should be your first step.

So I found an active mini-display port to DVI adapter i had laying around. I am running both monitors off of DVI cables currently and everything seems to be back to normal. I am just going to blame the cheap display port cables.

I may buy some better cables in the future to test out my theory, but the DVI cables are working great now. Also the monitor using the display adapter is working fine, so i am ruling cheap cables were the cause.

Technically damging the heatsink like this voids your warranty, however this is an XFX DD cooler in which we have excess of. If you dont permanently modify the PCB, that would be fine.

You should strongly consider RMA'ing it instead though, as overheating VRMs and artifactings aren't expected or typical.

Please visit xfxsupport.com, register an account, register the card, then create a ticket.

Thank you

Didn't he fix it by just swapping the cables?nice to be able to rma if necessary but he seems good to go