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Best branded 6950 2GB?

LC155 said:
Hey everyone. :)

Was looking for a new build, and got recommended the XFX version of the 6950.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-...gpu-800mhz-1408cores-dl-dvi-i-dvi-hdmi-2x-mdp

How is this brand of card with the whole BIOS unlocking thing to a 6970? Also, with the time you guys have had to experiment with that, what is the success rate and is the card stil lfine some time after?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Almost all reference models will successfully unlock. There is a big thread about it in this forum. http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1572460
XFX is chosen by many due to their 2x lifetime warranty but that wasn't a real selling point for me as I don't plan to sell my video cards. I went with Sapphire due to past experiences with their GREAT customer and RMA service. Either way it is pretty hard to go wrong with any of the reference models.

Remember, to unlock it must have the bios switch.
 
Ok heres my question thats very similar to his: What is up with the XFX 6950 1Gb card? It has a really crap rating on newegg and it seems every other person that reviews it says they RMA'ed it for the same reason.

Btw i did choose 6950 2Gb by XFX for the double lifetime warranty because with 7xxx series coming out, the possibility of me selling it is relatively high. And you know a lifetime warranty is a real eye catcher for someone buying a used PC component.
 
I probably would have gone with XFX for the warranty if I was open to any brand, but I grabbed a Powercolor because it was an amazing price. I originally unlocked it to 6970 specs with no issues, but after reading more I went to a modified 6950 bios with the shaders unlocked and just overclocked via CCC for now.
 
N2OInferno said:
I probably would have gone with XFX for the warranty if I was open to any brand, but I grabbed a Powercolor because it was an amazing price. I originally unlocked it to 6970 specs with no issues, but after reading more I went to a modified 6950 bios with the shaders unlocked and just overclocked via CCC for now.
Click to expand...

Yeah the majority of the brands i hadnt even heard of (Powercolor for example) and XFX i had heard of. ( my 6950 was my first AMD card ). Yeah i also unlocked mine to 6970 then read the shady comments and aired on the side of caution and flashed it back. I havent found a good article or thread yet on the definitive way to do the "modified shaders unlock" so i havent done that yet.
 
N2OInferno said:
I probably would have gone with XFX for the warranty if I was open to any brand, but I grabbed a Powercolor because it was an amazing price. I originally unlocked it to 6970 specs with no issues, but after reading more I went to a modified 6950 bios with the shaders unlocked and just overclocked via CCC for now.
Click to expand...

Got the info on this? I need to know more about this whole OCing thing when I get this card.
 
NathanP2007 said:
Yeah the majority of the brands i hadnt even heard of (Powercolor for example) and XFX i had heard of. ( my 6950 was my first AMD card ). Yeah i also unlocked mine to 6970 then read the shady comments and aired on the side of caution and flashed it back. I havent found a good article or thread yet on the definitive way to do the "modified shaders unlock" so i havent done that yet.
Click to expand...

Radeon Bios Editor now has an actual option to unlock shaders. You literally just need to save a copy of your bios, load it up in RBE and change that option, save it and reflash the bios.
 
Vittra said:
Radeon Bios Editor now has an actual option to unlock shaders. You literally just need to save a copy of your bios, load it up in RBE and change that option, save it and reflash the bios.
Click to expand...

Lol wicked cool thanks. Even easier than the original 6970 flashing. Quick Question. After doing that i know people do a few more things, like OC the card (using CCC or MSI Afterburner) , what is the common great OC numbers? And besides the OC is there anything else to do or thats it?
 
NathanP2007 said:
Ok heres my question thats very similar to his: What is up with the XFX 6950 1Gb card? It has a really crap rating on newegg and it seems every other person that reviews it says they RMA'ed it for the same reason.

Btw i did choose 6950 2Gb by XFX for the double lifetime warranty because with 7xxx series coming out, the possibility of me selling it is relatively high. And you know a lifetime warranty is a real eye catcher for someone buying a used PC component.
Click to expand...

I just bought two. One was bad, the other is fine.
 
Monkey God said:
I just bought two. One was bad, the other is fine.
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lol well that's a response but its not very confidence boosting about a product. Is it a problem you think that either the card has or doesnt? Meaning will your good card eventually go bad or it doesnt have the defect the bad one had?
 
moussaka said:
I have an MSI because it was the best price when I got it. Have had no problems
Click to expand...

Ya for some reason it seems to be only XFX branded 1Gb 6950's. If you look at the reviews everywhere, the other brands are rated like you'd expect, very well. The XFX however like i said before, every other review is "i RMA'ed it cause it flicked black on my screen".
 
Aside from Warranties They are all the Same card... just different brand stickers.

I went with HIS because at the time it was 250 each instead of 270 or 280 for the xfx... After i bought them i never checked price again so idk if there all that price now but mine worked and unlocked perfectly and i OC them.
 
My vote goes for PowerColor also. Their prices are usually a few bucks lower, and I've read good things about their tech support and customer service.
 
vulcZ said:
My vote goes for PowerColor also. Their prices are usually a few bucks lower, and I've read good things about their tech support and customer service.
Click to expand...

My first hand experience with powercolor has been excellent. Only time I had an issue, they replaced the card in just less than a week. True that they are often a bit cheaper and often have good custom designs. Their LCS series cards are by far the highest clicking cards I've had.

The dual fan 6950s I have run cooler and quieter than my reference 6950 and cost about the same.
 
I have 3 Gigabytes, all unlocked and have been solid @ whatever the max in overdrive is.

Do NOT get XFX 6950s NO NO NO - their shitty non-reference design took over the same part number as the reference design - IE: if you order the 'reference' part number XFX 6950 you will most likely get the new shit version without the dual bios and the VRMs are of lesser quality. There's a post here about it.
 
Powercolor is a decent brand, My friend is still using a 4830 Powercolor it works great.
 
SeaFoam said:
I have 3 Gigabytes, all unlocked and have been solid @ whatever the max in overdrive is.

Do NOT get XFX 6950s NO NO NO - their shitty non-reference design took over the same part number as the reference design - IE: if you order the 'reference' part number XFX 6950 you will most likely get the new shit version without the dual bios and the VRMs are of lesser quality. There's a post here about it.
Click to expand...

Referring to both 2Gb and 1Gb versions?
 
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