Crippled cards!!!

[ufuk21p]

My friend just got an FX 5600 but it turned out to be one of those crippled ones (64 bit DDR). Man this sucks, I hate these companies who think that their customers are nothing but cash cows. ATI and Nvidia are at the top of this list of mine right now. How would it feel if you went to a gallery and bought a Mustang V8 and come home to realize that 4 of the cylinders do not work. This is not likely to happen with cars so you would go mad and take legal actions.
Most users who go and ask for an FX5200 are getting 64-bit DDR models and they never even notice it because most of them don't play 3D games on their PCs, they use it for office work or surfing the net. Still doesn't this sound unfair not to let people know exactly what they are buying.
How come many OEM manufacturers and shops including some online shops are misleading their customers and getting away with things. But its mainly Nvidia's and ATI's fault to not name these cards very clearly different that the other models. (In my opinion the crippling of the card is a stupid process anyway. Unfortunately, such will be the case with upcoming AMD processors as well )
If you have spare time just go to overclockers.com and Ed's article on crippled graphics cards. Link: http://www.overclockers.com/tips00546/
:grr:

[Wiggo]

Just stay away from XT versions of the FX line and SE versions of the Radeon line then ya should be fairly safe not to fall into that trap.

[PrairieDawg]

Not going to argue about the confusing tactics that video card manufacturers are useing these days (XT, MX, Ultra, SE, and EZ come to mind). However ... if we extend your car analogy: how many people buy a car without looking under the hood or at least doing a little bit of research? Yes the manufactures are using some questionable sales tactics .... what business doesn't? It is generally up to the consumer to buy what he wants and if said consumer has no idea what he/she is buying then who is at fault? Clock speeds and amount of RAM are generally in plain view on the box (just as engine size is often posted on the specs for a new car). Granted the person making the sale should also be knowledgable in his chosen feild but most have little if no real technical training (if they did then they'd prolly be the guys in the back building/repairing systems - not the ones out front making the sales). How many of us walk into a store and admit that we have no idea what we want? Usually the customer pretends to know just what they want and the salesperson is more than willing to make a sale without asking too many questions. Sorry your friend (as well as lots of other people) bought the wrong card but whos fault is it? Maybe he should take you with him next time.

[ufuk21p]

I may have over reacted but it won't kill manufacturers to label their prodcts clearly and more based on performance instead of numbers and letters and many other funny characters. Would it hurt to label Radeon 9600-64bit DDR instead of SE, or give it another number for gods sake. (Funny how, 9600SE resembles Special Edition and FX5600's XT subtly implies XTra )
I guess I miss the days of the 3Dfx where you had 'Voodoo this and Voodoo that' to choose from. I don't recall GeForce 3s being so varied also. My point is if we were forced to be so aware in all of the shopping decisions we make, we would find ourselves reading the vitamin and mineral values of cereals off the box(apologies for exaggeration).
:( :rolleyes:

[PrairieDawg]

No apologies necessary :) . I enjoy playing "devils advocate". You are welcome to your opinions and I'm not trying to say that they aren't valid in some respects.

[Wiggo]

Basically both companies are just tryin' to get more bucks per wafer out of their manufacturing processes so to make them just that bit more viable just like Intel has done with its Celerons since the PII days and AMD now does with its Durons.