PC Gamers: I need some advice on upgrading my video card

[SoloStoffe]

This summer I bought a computer I intended for gaming, and for the most part, it's a really good computer IMO. However, as I didn't build it myself and instead bought a pre-built from HP, I didn't know that the video card that came with it wasn't very good for high-quality gaming (A 2 gig AMD Radeon HD 6570). So I'm now going to get a new card, preferably one with high performance and a not-too-high price. What I've had my eyes on for a few weeks now is an AMD Radeon HD 6970. However, here comes my questions.
I've found different manufacturers of the card, with prices ranging from 2500 to 6000 swedish krona (1 dollar ~7 krona). The cheapest one, which I don't see any difference in the specifications among the more expensive one, comes from a manufacturer called "VTX3D". I'm wondering wheater or not there is any difference from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Also, more importantly, is this card actually good?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

The cheapest one, which I don't see any difference in the specifications among the more expensive one, comes from a manufacturer called "VTX3D". I'm wondering wheater or not there is any difference from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Also, more importantly, is this card actually good?

The HD 6970 is the 2nd best single GPU graphics card currently available, with only nVidia's 580 GTX beating it in performance.

There can be a huge difference between manufacturers. Quality of subcomponents is the big difference - a card crammed with substandard parts is far more likely to suffer a critical failure than a card from a reputable manufacturer. A cheap card won't stay cheap if you have to have it in the shop one week out of every four.

If you want the absolute best quality, go for Asus... but be warned, if something does go wrong, the turn around on manufacturer based repairs for Asus kit is nasty. Asus stuff also tends to cost the most.

For good quality, Gigabyte and MSI are definitely go-to brands. On base models MSI tends to be cheaper but Gigabyte are very good at adding extra features without hiking their prices too much.

For acceptable quality at a good price you're looking at Sapphire, HIS and XFX. Mostly the cheapest kit around that you can trust to not blow up the first week you have it.

As far as AMD GPU card manufacturers go, those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head that I'd recommend to anyone.

 

[phazaar]

As you're in Europe, I'd put EVGA into the list on a par with GB and MSI - their quality is comparable, and their warranties are awesome.

I'd also downgrade XFX (and maybe HIS) to the lowest possible 'grade'; if you have a problem, you will not see a solution for love nor money.

As things stand at the moment, the best value for money is probably an MSI Twin Frozr (3 if you can, 2 if not), it'll overclock like a beast without breaking room temperature. I'd consider when you want to upgrade, what games you're looking forward to and what resolution you're running on as with the 6970, its pricepoint vs performance increases mean you have to have a damn good reason not to get a 6950 for 2/3 of the money...

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

As you're in Europe, I'd put EVGA into the list on a par with GB and MSI - their quality is comparable, and their warranties are awesome.

Didn't mention EVGA because they don't make AMD GPU cards.

I'd also downgrade XFX (and maybe HIS) to the lowest possible 'grade'; if you have a problem, you will not see a solution for love nor money.

Yeah but at least they're unlikely to fry the first week you have them... unlike certain brands I could name.

According to techhead lore, HIS are perfectly fine cards until you have a problem with one. From that day on you will have nothing but trouble with HIS cards.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Hmmm, it seems you have to use a modified 6950 BIOS but it is still possible to unlock the shaders.

Yeah, it's an unsupported firmware hack to unlock the 6970 abilities on a 6950... which even attempting to do voids warranty on the card and any responsibility on the manufacturer's part for damage the card may cause to other subsystems.

 

[phazaar]

As you're in Europe, I'd put EVGA into the list on a par with GB and MSI - their quality is comparable, and their warranties are awesome.

Didn't mention EVGA because they don't make AMD GPU cards.

Hahaha you know, in all my years, I've never once noticed that!? This is what you get for spending too long shopping and not long enough reading

I'd also downgrade XFX (and maybe HIS) to the lowest possible 'grade'; if you have a problem, you will not see a solution for love nor money.

Yeah but at least they're unlikely to fry the first week you have them... unlike certain brands I could name.

According to techhead lore, HIS are perfectly fine cards until you have a problem with one. From that day on you will have nothing but trouble with HIS cards.

I'd subscribe to pretty much all of that

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

As you're in Europe, I'd put EVGA into the list on a par with GB and MSI - their quality is comparable, and their warranties are awesome.

Didn't mention EVGA because they don't make AMD GPU cards.

Hahaha you know, in all my years, I've never once noticed that!? This is what you get for spending too long shopping and not long enough reading

Apart from Asus, GB and MSI, it's not uncommon for card manufacturers to mostly or entirely go with either AMD or nVidia... Of course Asus, GB and MSI happen to be comparatively huge compared to their competitors (in diversity of products if nothing else).

I'd also downgrade XFX (and maybe HIS) to the lowest possible 'grade'; if you have a problem, you will not see a solution for love nor money.

Yeah but at least they're unlikely to fry the first week you have them... unlike certain brands I could name.

According to techhead lore, HIS are perfectly fine cards until you have a problem with one. From that day on you will have nothing but trouble with HIS cards.

I'd subscribe to pretty much all of that

I'd never recommend a HIS card to someone unless I knew them well enough that I could step in and help if things went tits up. I'd never recommend an XFX card to anyone except under special circumstances. I also wouldn't recommend Sapphire... not because they're bad but because they're acceptable cards that usually sell at good card prices, so I figure fuck paying for a Sapphire when for the same money I can get a Gigabyte or MSI card. Of course, if you can get one at the same price as a HIS or a XFX, I'd recommend it but then again, I'd say that about all of the better quality cards, too.

I'm dreading the day I have a HIS card give me a problem... I'll have to start paying for MSI GPU cards after that. (I love MSI, only mobos I've used for the past 5+ years but the money saving I can get on a HIS card while they still love me makes them the better option for me)