Should i take it?

[phantomxc]

So basically I just wanted to get your guys opinion on this. I purchased an X800 XT PE way back when they were $500+ video cards. Now, 1 year later it is dead. (Sapphire btw) So I filled out the RMA crap and sent it in. For one, there is no way to check on your RMA status. I actually had to email them asking whats going on. So I get an email back saying they do not have my card in stock and there is no way for them to tell when they are going to get it. So basically they offered me an X1600 Pro 512 edition. So I did a little researched and saw that my card easily killed the X1600 Pro.

So I replied back saying that mine was better and if you were to replace it with a different video card it would have to have equal or greater performance. and I get this back...

Dear sir,

I need to revise this with my boss. Because replace to X1600 PRO 512M AGP is from manufacturer's instruction.

Any questions, please email me back.

blah blah blah. So im assuming this is the offer they do to anyone with this kind of problem. 5 Hours later i get this...

Dear sir,

ATI manufacturer provided us the replace card for X800XT PE. I revised
with my boss who will offer X1600XT 256M, if you don't want to replace X1600
PRO 512M AGP.
If you still need the original card, we can not guarantee when will we
get this card from manufacturer.

Any questions, please email me back.

So im a little confused about the first sentence. Doesn't really make any sense, but they offered a little better video card. So i busted out google and did some research again and i was still a little dissapointed. At any normal resolution my card would basically kill this one also. So im not sure what to do. I want my original card back but I also dont wanna wait 3 months while using an onboard GF4 MX. Its painful... I mean I dont think I could get a much better video card for AGP and I definately dont have enough money to upgrade. What would you guys do? your thoughts and opinions would be appreciated. (btw i usually read the forums everyday, been coming here for a year + ^_^)

 

[F1shF4t]

No dont accept the x1600. That card is no where near the performance that ur original one was, see if u can talk them into sending u a newer card like a 7800gt or something. Thats what i did when my 6800 ultra died.

Now here is the biggest point when ur talking to them U have to offer the options, if u wait for them to make one up for u it will never be a good deal cause remember they are in it to make money. So if u want a good replacement research into other products they are offering and u like and suggest them to them, give em a list of suggestions.

one good way is to suggest a much more expensive card, u know they will say no, but then u can work ur way down to the less expencive one which u in fact want, that way for them it will seem like a good deal.

its a good practice to try as in fact when i buy parts i save quite a bit of money just by talking to the people, if u want something u have to do it urself.

Thats just my suggestion, i use it, and always save a few bucks off my purchases. Also it pays off to seem noob, dont explain the features advantages of the card just mention thats it seems like a good replacement price and feature vise, remeber a lot of those people would not be able to tell the cards appart all they look is the price, so make it work for u.

 

[Golgatha]

See if you can get a vanilla X850XT AGP out of them. That's pretty much equivalent to what you had.

Edit: Sapphire doesn't make an AGP X1600XT that I can find. If you want to switch to PCIe, then ask them for an X1800GTO.

 

[Elfear]

Don't do it. It's their responsibility to provide you with a card equivalent in performance to your dead one and if they can't do that than they should send you a better one.

 

[Tanclearas]

I'm pretty sure I would be asking to deal with his manager directly. First, there is no comparison between your original card and the one they are offering. Second, if they can't replace the card in a reasonable amount of time (1 week max for what was a top-end card), then they should step up and offer you something that is at least equivalent to your previous card.

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Don't do it. It's their responsibility to provide you with a card equivalent in performance to your dead one and if they can't do that than they should send you a better one.

They probably know they can't send him a better one in AGP unless they buy him a 7800GS.

 

[F1shF4t]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Don't do it. It's their responsibility to provide you with a card equivalent in performance to your dead one and if they can't do that than they should send you a better one.

See their obligation is to provide a card similar "value " to the one u had. If u want something done and not be forced to accept a worse card give them suggestions.

Like i mentioned before my 6800 ultra died the manager there wanted to send me some quadro card which in gaming performance was similar to a fx5700. So what i did was have a look on their site find the 7800gt and suggest it to them to give me that as replacement. I mentioned how the 7800gt cost less than what i paid originally and how it was cloked slower lol etc (u know what i mean, talked a bit of crap). And guess what now i have a 7800gt, if i didnt do that i would be stuck with a crummy quadro card.

 

[selfbuilt]

Problem seems to be that that the highest-end AGP model Sapphire ever made was the X800XTPE (which is obviously discontinued). There closest contenders are the nearly as old X850pro (definitely much slower than yours - they don't seem to have made an AGP X850XT), and the X1600Pro (again, definitely slower).

You are probably best to go up to the manager, although I'm not sure what kind of satisfaction you will get (they can't give you cards they don't make, i.e. nvidias!). Perhaps PCI-E X1800XL, if you are willing to make the switch? Good luck with it!

* hugs his own X800XTPE - don't die on me baby! *

 

[Golgatha]

Just get any trade from them you think you can get at least $200 for on eBay and then buy something off the FS/FT forums here. I honestly think this is your best option.

 

[phantomxc]

Ok so ive done some thinking and there really isn't anything better for AGP for them to replace my video card with. So It had crossed my mind that maybe I could talk them into sending me a new motherboard if I took the X1600 XT. Like the RD580 ^^ I would still have to buy a new processor ram and power supply which would take me a pretty long time to get but anyways... Would that sound worth it? I wanted to build a new gaming machine eventually, and I could also get another one of those video cards later for really cheap and go crossfire O_O

So does that sound reasonble? both of those together is still less then what I paid for my X800 XT PE. (I didn't know alot about video cards back then and I payed extra for the PE >< ) I mean if they cant offer me a comparable agp video card I think the mother board equals it out.

 

[phantomxc]

bump!?

 

[Extelleron]

Try asking for an X850XT if they can get one, or perhaps even an X800 Pro/X850 Pro. If not try asking for an X1800GTO PCI-Express or X1800XL.

 

[CCityInstaller]

I would ask for a better performing PCI-e Card (like the X1800GTO or X1800XL) before I would take a subpar AGP card and a new motherboard. You can certainly sell the PCI-e and then use the money to buy a new AGP card, or get a nice used one off of the FS/FT forum.

 

[RussianSensation]

Ask for the $ back or equivalent or better product replacement. In this case X1600 series anything doesn't fit any of these criteria.

 

[phantomxc]

Well, they shot down the motherboard idea pretty quick... So basically they said they have to order my video card the X800 XT PE from ATI themselves. So im wondering how long that will take. I was starting to get a little mad in the emails as they dont answer any of my questions directly. All the emails I have sent mentioned well is there any kind of time for that or an ETA, which they never answer. My last one was well what is the time frame on your boss actually ordering the card from ATI. Tomorrow if I dont get a real answer im going to call ATI myself and ask a few questions. Sapphires Customer support hasn't been very good at all, not sure im going to buy from them again. Even though that X1900 XTX blizzard looks pretty sweet ^_^.