XFX HD5870 XXX, my user story, 10 months after release.

[cadaveca]

•Thank you for your recent message regarding product HD-587A-ZND9. Our technicians are aware of your ticket and will respond as soon as possible during standard business hours (Mon-Fri) . At busy periods this may be delayed until the next business day.

48 hours, and then some, still no response. So you know what I gotta do? I gotta pick up the phone and call them.

Funny thing is, if you don't submit a ticket first, calling them is useless. So what ya gotta do is make the ticket, and as soon as you make it, call them, if you want a timely response.

Fortunately i have the time to do so, but I imagine some of us do not. They must be swamped with tickets, or 100% understaffed.

Maybe they should have hired more tech help instead of the "XFX Girl". NOt like I know hwat she really does...maybe she does tech support too!

 

[cadaveca]

Another day gone by, still awaiting response from XFX...

 

[cadaveca]

Got a response:

[ERIK_A 8/13/2010 2:35:27 PM] Hi Dave, I had to check with our parts department, unfortunately this particular revision fan isnt one we stock otherwise we would just send one out, for something like this it may require an RMA for the entire card. - Erik

Not to say I'm surprised...

 

[cadaveca]

Updates:

[ 8/13/2010 4:43:28 PM] Really? Geez...you know, other than the fan, this card works fine. Once the fan warms up, or if I tap it gently with my finger, the grinding noise stops, so it`s just the fan 100%. So, as I understand it, you guys cover me swapping out the cooler under warranty, as long as I don`t physically damage the card, right? MY main concern is keeping the heat from the cards exhausting out the back of the case...these cards run very hot, as does my cpu, all three currently very close to throttle, with both cards breaking 90c, within a few drgrees of throttle, and the cpu is just as bad. You don`t have a reference card there you can pull the fan off of? Also, tese cards were 875/1300 when I bought them, however, now you have changed the spec to 875/1250...how will that work? Is it possible for you to send me the first fan you receive in on an RMA`ed card?

[MARK_C 8/14/2010 12:06:31 AM] Hello Dave, I run the same cards at home in Crossfire. I had a heat spike when I added my second card too. I have Afterburner installed and I set up a customer profile for 20% at 50C and 100% at 100C. The fans follow that line and now my cards don`t break 80C. The bottom card barely breaks 70C. I would recommend that fan configuration. It is quiet at the desktop and a little loud in 3D but I use headphones so it isn`t an issue for me and the cards stay cool. We can`t remove the coolers from these cards. The factory requires that they are complete when we send them back. You can change the cooler without voiding your warranty as long as you do not physically damage anything. Keep the original coolers if you do this. They have to be in original condition if they come in here. The new spec on HD-587A-ZND9 is 900/1250 which makes up for the cut in memory bandiwdth. Thank you. Mark

 

[cadaveca]

Again:

[ 8/14/2010 12:39:41 AM] I have tried running fans @ 100%, and then temps are still mid 80`s.(cards seem to throttle @ 98c, load temp peaks @ 95c in a couple of apps, before the fan started to go.) It`s been quite a struggle dealing with the heat, even the heat coming off the card affecting PSU temps can be an issue. But that`s a minor issue to me...as long as the cards run properly, I couldn`t care less really, what temps they run at, as I assume that the bios/drivers should ensure that they would be fine. I have noticed that the fan doesn`t go over 60% though, I guess in an effort to lessen noise...so I did try higher speed...I couldn`t possibly deal with fans @ 100%....I have some pretty good heaphones, but can still hear the cards due to the proximity of the case on my desk. It`s pretty annoying...You guys, because you are the only ATI "OEM" that covers cooler replacement, should be selling after-market coolers directly, and add on a set of replcaement thermal pads for the original cooler for an added fee of like $20 or something...lots of people change coolers, and since you can`t get the original pads from anywhere else, I`m sure you`d sell LOTS. It will cost me about $35-$45 to send hte card back...I guess I`ll investigate alternate cooling options before asking to RMA the card.

[ERIK_A 8/16/2010 5:25:17 PM] Hi Dave, If you want to send the unit in just let us know. - Erik

Likely I'll just swap out the coolers myself. I like having reference card, and might not get the same back, I suppose.


At least this time, XFX was easy to deal with, and straight-forward...my last experience was far from that.

 

[mastrdrver]

Do you put space in between the cards on that board? I assume you do.

Maybe because of the side fan, but my regular XFX 5870 never gets over 75C. Granted I don't have it crossfired.....yet. Whats the room temperature for you 30C? I get those temperatures in 25-26C.

I have a hard time seeing how they get so hot. Though, maybe my card runs cooler than most as I just don't get the temperatures most do.

I love playing games. I'll play for hours on end and I never get over 80C. The card is always in the mid 70s no matter the game.

 

[cadaveca]

Temps, really, are rather irrelevant...the fan is dying.


However, for me, PWM load is only 75c-80c or so. Room temp is usually about the same as you, if not lower. But yeah, after a short period of time, the room will get VERY hot. @ 30c, there's not even any point to me trying.

Space ebtween the cards? You bet...no choice on this board, and nothing installed between them.

Case airflow is near perfect...taking the side panel off results in higher temps all around.

As I've mentioned in another thread, temps are under control with a 98CFM 120x38mm Delta fan blowing on them from the side door. I'm actually amazed at how relatively quiet that Delta fan is in comparison to the HD5870 fan....

One thing to note is that I have a Dell3008WFP, and it dumps alot of heat itself. But even running 3x 23-inc hpnaels puts off a fair amount of heat too.

I'll add too that I live @ 2080FT above sea level, so that must be considered as well, I guess.

Rig is in my avatar, BTW.

 

[mastrdrver]

Yea I've looked at it about every time I see you mention something about your rig.

I also forgot about the three monitors you have. I know my 28" Viewsonic dumps a lot of heat unless I have it set to text so it dims everything and runs cooler. But during gaming sessions yea, it can get warm though I've never had the room get over 26C but I also put my system so that all the exhaust gets blown around the corner in to the other room. Only the Noctua blows air up and out the top. I'm sure that helps some not to mention the higher altitude your at too.

After moving away from so many loud setups in the past 2 years I have to say that the current one use is the quietest I've ever used (not to mention to game with). I know the fan on the card never crosses 30% and I'm glad. I turned it up to about 50% and it was way louder with a deeper drone than my 4870x2 had that I could hear even while gaming. Thanks to the the 5870 and D14, my system is now whisper quiet even while gaming. Never thought that would be possible. Its really what is keeping me from selling the 5870 and getting a couple GTX 470s. I've become too used to the noiseless game play.

 

[cadaveca]

Well considering that I have the high-end Dragon platform, I guess high-end cooling would be called for, at least in my case.

All I can think about really is the Dell, Apple and HP high-end rigs...they all come watercooled too(I've said this before as well). And those guys are all about minimizing costs, and mazimizing profit. If the water wasn't needed, they'd not use it. I must jsut eb in one of those situations tha warrants them going to such lengths.

But, to cool it right, for me, wouold cost about $1000, once all is said and done. I am loath to maek that investment when I change my rig so often.

I talked to CooliT about thier HD5870 cooling solution...it seems a bit overpriced for what it is, but imay still end up going down that road when they release it.

I'm still waiting for the Crosshair4 Extreme before delveing into Thuban, even...so I'm kinda just in a holding pattern waiting for parts to be released before I can really do anything properly.

 

[Aceman.au]

Well... Don't complain when you're forcing the card above its comfort zone... That's my opinion...

 

[mastrdrver]

Yea though the fan on the card shouldn't be a problem. If anything it should be the last thing to have problems with imo.

 

[cadaveca]

Well... Don't complain when you're forcing the card above its comfort zone... That's my opinion...

Forcing? Running stock is forcing?


:shadedshu

I suppose you missed the part about the fan never going over 60% on it's own...it's that fact alone that lets my cards overheat...not anything i do, really. I am not responsible for bios nor driver programming.

Yea though the fan on the card shouldn't be a problem. If anything it should be the last thing to have problems with imo.

erocker's had at least one fail too, on his 5850's, so probably just something that passed quality inspections, or whatever. It's no big deal...however, other issues I've ahd that should have been no deal were made into big deals by XFX, and hence the thread...I mean...shit happens, and the fan dying doesn't really bother me at all. Getting good, honest support, of course, is something I bother about.

 

[Octopuss]

I am not sure how it is in Canada, but aren't you allowed to have your money returned after third (?) RMA or something like that?

 

[cadaveca]

I don't know. I do know that many places offer a "NO LEMON" policy that is basically exactly that...

But I would think that'd be for one specific device, and I must say, I've only had to RMA 4890's more than once, sent in reference, got back non-reference that didn't work right(4850 performance), got sent back reference.

That RMA experience was about 6 months in total.

However, the card I received back from RMA is not the card that has the bad fan. So technically ths is the first real problem that I've considered an RMA for...the stock cooling apparatus shouldn't fail, especially since it's untouched.

But I can literally buy an aftermarket cooler for a few bucks more than shipping for this RMA would cost. It's already been done; the coolers for each card are sitting here on my desk...I just need to put them on.


But here's a problem I'm left with...if I RMA now, there's a good chance I will get back a reference card, that doesn't have this problem. Great. Gonna cost me some money though...but anyway, from XFX's response, I should just have to send them an email, or maybe give them a call, and I'll get an RMA number.

I could just change the cooling, and not worry about it...but then, as time goes on, the chance I get a reference card back lessens. And if I sell the card at some point, because the stock cooling has already failed, the new owner could RMA at any time...

But, no matter when RMA'd, the card that replaces it WILL NOT be guaranteed to have 1300 memory, and this card works fine at that speed, and then some. The spec for XXX cards on the shelf now is 875/1250, and mine is 875/1300, and as stated by XFX above, the new spec for my model is 900/1250.

The card I had previously RMA'd failed @ 875/1300, and overheated on the 900/1250 bios. I got back a 900/1250 card.

So, I don't really want to send the whole card back in..it works fine...and in my personal opinion, the card that I get back will have great potential to be inferior to this one.

I don't want my money back. I don't want a new card. I just want my card, with a working stock cooler, and that's currently not possible.

In that regard, XFX has failed my needs as a customer. I understand why they have failed, and that is not really within thier control, per se. They could step outside the box, and get me what I need, but clearly that's not going to happen.


So I still kinda have a problem.

 

[Super XP]

Interesting. Unfortunately, I live in Canada, and I do not think such law applies here. But I'm gonna check into that right NAOW!!!

Yes it does, there's something quite similar for Canada

 

[Widjaja]

I thnk with XFX they either make a great card or they really bomb out.

At one stage I bought a XFX 8800GT xXx edition with the max OC, revised shortened PCB and VF830 cooler.

I ended up going through 3 of them, all due to various reasons random faults ranging from heat, noise to performance until the seller offered me to change to another card without charge.

But then my brother has both a 280 and 480 from XFX which have no issues.

 

[dr emulator (madmax)]

phew i'm glad i didn't get one now i was going to get this card an XFX 1024MB GDDR5 ATI RADEON 5870 DVI / HDMI - Aliens vs Predator which still costs £329.12 or 512.97 bucks , but opted for a reference gigabyte version instead (about 20 bucks cheaper)

well i've had 0 problems yet, no flickering, just the card seems to get a little hot (yes i need to set the fan speed up in the bios but don't want to fool with it just yet)

wow all i can say is if you turn the fan up to 100% it gets damned loud
almost hair dryerish (if that's even a word) it ran dirt 2 virtually perfect using my current setup (ye don't look in my specs as i haven't updated them yet :shadedshu) will try cysis sp demo on this old ancient o/s (xp pro)

 

[cadaveca]

My cards are reference design, not made my XFX themselves, so my problems really don't reflect on XFX at all. IN fact, all the issues I have, except eyefinity ones, have been cooling-related, and as such, REALLY have nothing to do with XFX.

I don't blame XFX for the problems I have. Not at all. However, on my previous interactions with them, they lied to me outright, as well as insinuating that I myself was lying, and when I pointed out the obvious(which they failed in diagnosing), then my ticket started to go somewhere.

This time, they have been honest with me. +1 to them.

They are not willing to pull cooling from an existing card to replace mine. -1 to them, as if I send in my card, they have to send the cooler, plus a new card...they should be keeping the bare PCB for me to replace on of my cards, and shipping out the cooler from that card.

They will not cover shipping expenses for RMA. -1 to them.

I could force them to pay...in fact, I could go to the courthouse right this moment and file suit for them failing to deliver product as advertized, plus warranty not meeting expectations. I could file for loss of time, value of the parts, as well as recover costs for downtime and frustration. I could push this far enough that I could have them banned for trading in Canada.

But for what? Because they bought some bunk cards form ATi? That will solve nothing, and potentially affect alot of other users negatively.

I think I'll call them up, and try to get them to send me a new cooler, even though they have already said they could not. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect them to do that, give nthat they will have to send this card back to the factory anyway, to be refurbished.


Frankly, I shouldn't even have to call them up, they should contact me, and make sure things are OK. I know that's expecting too much though. would bring them to an even rating from thier -1 right now though.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

My cards are reference design, not made my XFX themselves, so my problems really don't reflect on XFX at all. IN fact, all the issues I have, except eyefinity ones, have been cooling-related, and as such, REALLY have nothing to do with XFX.

I don't blame XFX for the problems I have. Not at all. However, on my previous interactions with them, they lied to me outright, as well as insinuating that I myself was lying, and when I pointed out the obvious(which they failed in diagnosing), then my ticket started to go somewhere.

This time, they have been honest with me. +1 to them.

They are not willing to pull cooling from an existing card to replace mine. -1 to them, as if I send in my card, they have to send the cooler, plus a new card...they should be keeping the bare PCB for me to replace on of my cards, and shipping out the cooler from that card.

They will not cover shipping expenses for RMA. -1 to them.

I could force them to pay...in fact, I could go to the courthouse right this moment and file suit for them failing to deliver product as advertized, plus warranty not meeting expectations. I could file for loss of time, value of the parts, as well as recover costs for downtime and frustration. I could push this far enough that I could have them banned for trading in Canada.

But for what? Because they bought some bunk cards form ATi? That will solve nothing, and potentially affect alot of other users negatively.

I think I'll call them up, and try to get them to send me a new cooler, even though they have already said they could not. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect them to do that, give nthat they will have to send this card back to the factory anyway, to be refurbished.


Frankly, I shouldn't even have to call them up, they should contact me, and make sure things are OK. I know that's expecting too much though. would bring them to an even rating from thier -1 right now though.

how bout asking around to see if anyone else has a similar stock cooler & just buy it off them for a few quid? its a lot quicker then dealin with RMA & it will probably cost a lot less too as you already spent a fair bit with the other RMAs

 

[cadaveca]

how bout asking around to see if anyone else has a similar stock cooler & just buy it off them for a few quid? its a lot quicker then dealin with RMA & it will probably cost a lot less too as you already spent a fair bit with the other RMAs

I have Zalman VF3000A sitting here for my cards. Gotta find soem time to get to the hardware store to get the right-sized screwdriver for the gpu screws. With 4 kids, and no car, that's not exactly an easy task.

The only reason I want to keep this card is that it does more than 1300mhz memory(1365). So I have no other choice in this situation but to buy another cooler...

Normally, I'd get back what I send in, but at this point, the card I bought has ceased to exist. The RMA costs aren't the hassle...it's the costs, plus getting back an inferior card that has me in a pickle. I refuse to pay to get back an inferior product.

As I posted above, XFX replaces 875/1300 cards with 900/1250 cards. In thier testing, this is better, however, they are not testing in the same fashion as I, nor are they even testing STREAM and OpenCL functions. I have them beat there...legally they are screwed should I decide to persue that, as replacement cards do not perform the same or better. They should have done a product recall, but did not. There is no listing for my card on thier site, and the specs for my product number are different. They've basically tried to sweep this under the rug...

So, in this situation, I do expect them to step up to the plate and deliver a home run. Too bad they aren't part of the big leagues, or I could truly expect that. While many people may not like Dell, they DO deliver in this regard.

 

[NAVI_Z]

my 2 cents:

bought 4 XFX hd 5xxx xXx series cards from newegg this past Feb. 1 was bad.tearing and

artifacting.Finally got around to rma the card at the beginning of August. Got it back in 2

weeks. I though it was bad and sent it back again. Got a replacment in 2 weeks. all in all,

two rma's from XFX in a month.Using the ticket system. not bad i'd say. +1 for xFx.