What would you do?

What should I do?

  • RMA it

    Votes: 25 78.1%

  • Keep it

    Votes: 6 18.8%

  • Other (specify in thread)

    Votes: 1 3.1%
  • Total voters
    32
F

Filburt

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
119
Okay, so as I'd noted in a couple threads...having some trouble with my GTX 275 experience >.<. The first card I got squealed during loading screens and such, and on top of that it overclocked poorly (after a lot of testing, 702/1512/1200 seemed to be the limit for full stability). If it didn't squeal, I would have just kept it because overclocking isn't top priority for me, but it's a nice perk.

So, I RMA the thing. I get back a card that seems to be even noisier. The squealing seems about the same loudness, but I get this sort of buzzing/staticky sound in menus and some other stuff that goes at lower FPS than the loading screens. For example, as I recall, I couldn't really hear much during the first two screens in GTA IV where it just has some disclaimer stuff, but then it would squeal once the logos his. Now, it has this buzzing sound during those first two screens. The previous card sort of made this sound but it was fainter. I can also now hear some buzzing/hissing sound while playing games that just run at high FPS due to ease of rendering. Granted, overall, I have a rather quiet system (S-Flex all around and only 120mm fans). So, that probably makes things especially audible.

This card does overclock very well. If I don't get too aggressive on the shaders (say, 1548), I've managed to push the core up to 774 (!), although higher shaders and lower core seems to actually end up being faster (738/1584). The memory seems to run up to 1296MHz. For whatever reason, I seem to be stuck at certain increments with EVGA Precision at least.

Anyway, I'm considering RMA again, but I'm worried I'll just end up with something even noisier that, on top of that, will overclock poorly, or that I'll at least end up with something worse than the first card while being just as noisy. I thought I'd sample some other thoughts on the matter before I did anything. I also have seen some suggest the problem gets better over time, while others say nothing happens. So, I'm wondering about that, too. I'd gotten sort of used to the idea of squeal in loading screens, since it's only a small portion of the overall gaming experience, but the buzzing seems to cover a wider range of situations and so I'm feeling especially bugged by it. On the other hand, 738/1584/1296 does make for a heck of a performance boost over 633/1404/1133...although I'm not sure I'll ever really need it. Since this is a time consuming process, it means I've been without a real functioning gaming rig for a few weeks now when factoring in the time of deciding what to do, setting up the RMA, shipping, processing, etc. So, I'm getting kind of bummed at that too >.<
 
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PC gaming is a quality experience, its a shame to spoil it.
RMA
 
My GTX 285 makes a lot of noise in certain situations where frame rates exceed 300 or so. I was ready to return it the first time I loaded Crysis and had that high pitched screech during the splash screens and menus it really was irritating. . .it also does it alot when running ATI tool. That said, the solution seems to be to use vsynch in any title where frame rates exceed a few hundred. I usually run vsynch on anyway, but I guess it wasn't on in Crysis, and when in the menus the fps were close to 1000 so the card would start singing. In many of my programs it just doesn't do it, even in some other titles without vsynch on (I tried FSX, FC2, Crysis, and Rise of Flight beta)

So after enabling vsynch in Crysis the only time mine does it now is in ATI tool, but if I find an application that doesn't enforce vsynch in the menus then it will get annoying fast.

As far as RMA'ing your card. . .well, when I called eVGA they told me to RMA mine, but that's a lot of hassle and downtime, perhaps getting a used card in return, and after all that you will probably find that the replacement does the same thing! I searched for others with this issue, and most people seemed to have the same problems with these cards so chances are the next card will do it too. . .so no, I wouldn't RMA it.

I for one will either live with it, or just return the card and hold off for the GTX 300s (which might do it too!) If the ATI drivers didn't hate most of the flight sims I use then I'd probably look at a 4890.
 
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8KCABrett said:
My GTX 285 makes a lot of noise in certain situations where frame rates exceed 300 or so. I was ready to return it the first time I loaded Crysis and had that high pitched screech during the splash screens and menus it really was irritating. . .it also does it alot when running ATI tool. That said, the solution seems to be to use vsynch in any title where frame rates exceed a few hundred. I usually run vsynch on anyway, but I guess it wasn't on in Crysis, and when in the menus the fps were close to 1000 so the card would start singing. In many of my programs it just doesn't do it, even in some other titles without vsynch on (I tried FSX, FC2, Crysis, and Rise of Flight beta)

So after enabling vsynch in Crysis the only time mind does it now is in ATI tool, but if I find an application that doesn't enforce vsynch in the menus then it will get annoying fast.

As far as RMA'ing your card. . .well, when I called eVGA they told me to RMA mine, but that's a lot of hassle and downtime, perhaps getting a used card in return, and after all that finding that the replacement does the same thing! I searched for others with this issue, and most people seemed to have the same problems with these cards so chances are the next card will do it too. . .so no, I wouldn't RMA it.

I for one will either live with it, or just return the card and hold off for the GTX 300s (which might do it too!) If the ATI drivers didn't hate most of the flight sims I use then I'd probably look at a 4890.
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I guess the issue for me was I was ready to just put up with the same level of noise as the previous card, but this one has a buzzing/hissing sort of sound even on some older/less intensive games. It's not super loud, but it's obnoxious and the previous card was nearly inaudible when it did it (meaning they both do it, but this one is louder about it). Then again, I'm still divided in how I feel about it; hence asking you fine folks :)
 
Coil whine is a defect.

Defective units are eligible for a return (and an apology) from the manufacturer.

RMA.
 
I'm getting kind of a "zero tolerance" mindset towards hardware problems. Last few items have been a GPU and a LCD - I bug the heck out of customer service until they make it absolutely right - not just "kinda" right.

RMA it!
 
Okay, sounds like a consensus is building on it. I'm not a fan of putting up with defects. I guess I'm just starting to feel as though I'm going to always end up with some level of squealing, so I have to deal with a sort of balance between noise and possible overclocks or other "perks" I guess that would offset it. Thus, I'm worried about ending up with a worst-of-both-worlds scenario :(
 
Also, can anyone give me a good idea of what people, on average, manage in terms of overclocking? That would be helpful as I can't seem to find good info. There are stuff from review sites, but I don't know if they have especially good samples and whatnot >.<
 
Filburt said:
OK. I'm RMA'ing it. Wish me luck >__________________>
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you should, but keep in mind (this is just a personal theory with nothing to back it up) but I kinda think that coil whine is something of a PSU + card problem. my 8800GTX had that issue with my corsair, no other pus, and only when folding. my GTX280 didn't do it though.
 
Filburt said:
Okay, so as I'd noted in a couple threads...having some trouble with my GTX 275 experience >.<. The first card I got squealed during loading screens and such, and on top of that it overclocked poorly (after a lot of testing, 702/1512/1200 seemed to be the limit for full stability). If it didn't squeal, I would have just kept it because overclocking isn't top priority for me, but it's a nice perk.
.<
Click to expand...

The fact that it squealed is a reason to RMA that card, but the fact that it didnt exceed its manufactured specs isnt a reason to RMA that card. If the only reason you RMA'd it was the latter, your why companies are getting so hard to get good customer service from.

BTW, if you get squealing from two different video cards on the same things, the smart money is that it isnt your video card causing the problem.
 
Comte said:
The fact that it squealed is a reason to RMA that card, but the fact that it didnt exceed its manufactured specs isnt a reason to RMA that card. If the only reason you RMA'd it was the latter, your why companies are getting so hard to get good customer service from.

BTW, if you get squealing from two different video cards on the same things, the smart money is that it isnt your video card causing the problem.
Click to expand...

I am RMA'ing because of noise. If that were not the case, I wouldn't be RMA'ing this card as it overclocks exceedingly well. I just can't deal with the buzzing, though. At least on the other one it was just loading screens. On this one it's even during gameplay on older, easy to render games and it's driving me nuts >.<

I tried the cards on multiple computers to try to isolate my computer from the equation. I definitely considered that possibility, though. I just apparently have some lousy luck :(
 
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Got the new card. It still squeals, but it's a lot quieter and I'm not hearing the buzzing during gameplay, so I think I'll just stick with it. The squeal isn't ear piercing this time around, which helps :)
 
Nenu said:
Goodo.
How are your new overclocks?
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756/1584/1296 under the same conditions of the other card (730/1584/1296 on the 185.68; that card could do 738 on the .81s but those drivers were noticeably slower so it didn't matter). I haven't tried 774/1548 yet as that probably needs the .81s, and I like the 68s better. So, overall it's actually a better overclocker. I can't seem to break the 1600 barrier on the shaders, though; maybe I'm doing something wrong. The next strap from 1584 is 1620 and I haven't gotten through a couple runs of Fluidmark with it (seems to be the most reliable thing I've found for testing stability; if it doesn't crash on Fluidmark, I don't it crashes on anything else). I tried messing with the memory clock and that didn't help it. If I push the core down too low it ends up offsetting the gains from going higher on the shaders.
 
Sweet
Your limiting factors (for a given CPU performance) now will be temps/cooling and power supply stability, oh and luck.

Its worth noting that if you can get a more powerful CPU that nets you higher fps, that will make the card run hotter so you may have to reduce clocks to remain stable.
Its worth remembering that if you overclock your CPU more.
It took me quite some time to find the highest clocks that are stable in absolutely everything (GTX260 55nM, E8400).
On those few summer days where it is extremely hot, I take my case side off and blow cooler air into the room rather than reduce my clocks :D (or dont game on those days)
 
I have a Q9450 overclocked to 3.2GHz, 4GB CL3 DDR2-800. My case is a Centurion 590 w/ 5 case fans. So, overall, I've got pretty nice ventilation and I think I have a fairly fast computer :). I'll probably just run it at the stock clocks for now, though, as it has been fast enough. My next upgrade will probably be a new monitor, though, so the overclocking will be useful for that.
 
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