What is it with me and Video cards lately

[GT98]

Ok I put together my current system at the end of January. I got all the stuff from Zipzoomfly and the ****ats there sent me an AGP X800 Pro Card instead of the PCIex one I need. I send the card back...and they sit on it for 3 weeks without getting a new shipment in. I call them and finally get a refund at the end of Feb. I place an order through Newegg for an Asus X800XL card. I get the card and take a look at it and find out that the ****ers sent me a X800 card instead of the X800XL card. I sent that card back last week via UPS and they get it last Friday. I'm waiting on an RMA status...which should take 2-3 days...NOTHING. I email them yesterday and they are like well we never got the card! I'm like WTF. To make matters worse I decieded to toss my recept from the UPS store since I assumed everything was going to be OK, since someone signed for it at newegg.com. Ugh...

[xortam]

I built my entire HTPC with parts I acquired through on-line stores and I didn't have a single problem with any of them.

I researched to find the best prices and then picked among the leading ranked stores and everything worked out smoothly (except a mis-purchase on my side).

[Wombat]

Zipzoomfly is a pretty crappy place. I'm pretty sure they used to be googlegear, which was also crappy.

[GT98]

I built my entire HTPC with parts I acquired through on-line stores and I didn't have a single problem with any of them.

I researched to find the best prices and then picked among the leading ranked stores and everything worked out smoothly (except a mis-purchase on my side).

This is the first time ever I had any problems with either site. Its just fustrating that its with the very same item from both places. If I didnt get in my new Dell at work with its X800XT video card, I wouldnt have been able to use it for the past 2 1/2 months.

[mmp121]

I've built 3 systems with hardware purchased from googlegear / ZipZoomFly & newegg and never had any problems. Heck I've gotten retail products when I purchase OEM parts from newegg. I guess I'm just lucky.

*knocks on wood*

[GT98]

well finally got my Asus X800XL card last week. I'm pretty happy with it since I can't tell the difference between it and the X800 I had in it. Their is a major improvement in Image quaitly and thats using DVI! I always thought that it didnt matter when it was a digital output.

[xortam]

I haven't kept up on the X800 line since its launch. What is the difference between those two boards and also the PE? What would account for a difference in IQ (DVI or not)? What is their uber card now ... still the PE, but an Express version?

[Wombat]

well finally got my Asus X800XL card last week. I'm pretty happy with it since I can't tell the difference between it and the X800 I had in it. Their is a major improvement in Image quaitly and thats using DVI! I always thought that it didnt matter when it was a digital output.

It doesn't matter. What you're saying really doesn't make sense. Maybe a driver setting? ClearType? AA?

[GT98]

Wombat,

What I ment is the Game Performance between it and the X800XT isn't that big...I couldnt tell the difference when playing Brothers in Arms.

The Visual quatily on the X800XL is alot better, it has a better picture...its more sharp then the X800XT. The X800XT is out of a Dell and I'm assuming its a OEM card that doesnt have as good compentents on it. Same drivers also.

[GT98]

I haven't kept up on the X800 line since its launch. What is the difference between those two boards and also the PE? What would account for a difference in IQ (DVI or not)? What is their uber card now ... still the PE, but an Express version?

The X800XL is more or less the same thing as a X800 Pro on a .11 process IIRC. The performance is about the same, but the card retails less then the X800 Pro and is equal to a 6600 GT in performance.

[Wombat]

Wombat,

What I ment is the Game Performance between it and the X800XT isn't that big...I couldnt tell the difference when playing Brothers in Arms.

The Visual quatily on the X800XL is alot better, it has a better picture...its more sharp then the X800XT. The X800XT is out of a Dell and I'm assuming its a OEM card that doesnt have as good compentents on it. Same drivers also.

I know what you're saying, and it's impossible. Unless you had a crap card that was transmitting noise (and thus corrupt data) all the time. The picture can't appear any sharper - your LCD is NOT analog. It has distinct pixels, and they will always appear equally sharp regardless of what's driving them. Assuming that you're using the same resolution, refresh rate, brightness, etc.

[az]

Only thing that it could maybe be are different gammas etc., but I don't even know how color information is sent via DVI, different color lookup tables in the cards shouldn't play any role, right?

AZ

[Kurt]

@Wombat: perception...maybe he WANTS it to look better