MSI Vs. Asus

[EarthboundHero]

Okay, so I'm now between 2 cards this one, and this one. The first MSI one is $30 cheaper and comes with a $30 MIR and $20 Newegg giftcard, so obviously that ones at the top of my list. But after reading the reviews it looks like it artifacts a lot and that it has coil whine. Does anyone have any experience with this cards? Which one should I get? Thanks.

[Semper]

The Twin Frozr series are notorious for coil whine. I have no experience with it, but nearly every single review i've seen has complaints of it.

I do not know if it has artifacting issues, however.

That said, Asus has sketchy customer service. They jumped all over replacing my motherboard (my support ticket was replied to and approved within 6 hours - with rapid replacement), but it's taken them in excess of three months [as in, i'm still waiting] (and two support tickets) to get them to respond about my dead 7870, and i've seen other reviews equating to the same treatment.

[TheSLSAMG]

I would go with the MSI. GPU issues are generally isolated incidents and MSI will stand behind their product. The coil whine is a known thing with the card, but I find coil whine is not intolerable.

[EarthboundHero]

The Twin Frozr series are notorious for coil whine. I have no experience with it, but nearly every single review i've seen has complaints of it.

I do not know if it has artifacting issues, however.

That said, Asus has sketchy customer service. they jumped all over replacing my motherboard, but it's taken them in excess of three months (and two support tickets) to get them to respond about my dead 7870, and i've seen other reviews equating to the same treatment.

Can you explain what coil whine is exactly?

[Semper]

 

some people can tolerate it, some other, however, it eats away at, much like myself.

[helping]

Can you explain what coil whine is exactly?

basically when the card is under load it makes an electrical humming noise, usually a high pitched squealing noise. This can either be very subtle or very noticeable. In the latter, your environment and PC fans might still be able to mask this.

 

Coil whine could still occur at idle, but it's less likely or less severe. Obviously not every card will have coil whine.

 

Also I'm partial to MSI, I've had some terrible experiences with Asus.

[EarthboundHero]

Alright thank you.

[EarthboundHero]

basically when the card is under load it makes an electrical humming noise, usually a high pitched squealing noise. This can either be very subtle or very noticeable. In the latter, your environment and PC fans might still be able to mask this.

 

Coil whine could still occur at idle, but it's less likely or less severe.

 

Also I'm partial to MSI, I've had some terrible experiences with Asus.

If the card I get does have coil whine, can I RMA it?

[Semper]

If the card I get does have coil whine, can I RMA it?

The answer could be both yes, and no. It depends on how MSI handles issues like this, and possibly what rep you get. Technically speaking, coil whine is not a manufacturing defect, and the card is fully operational.

[helping]

If the card I get does have coil whine, can I RMA it?

Asus? Technically you could, maybe, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

MSI? They may or may not let you RMA it, since it's technically functional without any flaws, but if they do at least you don't have to jump through 20 flaming hoops and an indeterminable amount of time with Asus.

[EarthboundHero]

Damn the price went back up to 230 for the MSI one.