I'd rater have the Sapphire... Ben leist before this.

Will take XFX even though $6 over Sapphire for 1. superb tech support 2. lifetime warranty 3. 2xDVI.

^ - Lifetime warranty on a higher end card is a boon, though not for a $50 card, in 3-5 years it will probably be in a box in the garage...

I've just used XFX customer support and they responded... 7 day later and gave no information on how to resolve the issue than exactly what I already had wrote them and said I had already done and tried. Their customer service nowadays it no better than any other AIB. There was a time back 5-7 years ago XFX CS was very helpful and thorough, true... today I'd say for this card your just a number.

I last used XFX tech support about 3 yrs ago and they were very good to my non-expert problems/questions. I had fans on two $50 cards go bad at around 1 yr mark. I wished then I had XFX cards.

^ - While the Sapphire has a 2-Year, the fan/cooler was a big reason I point our members to that also.

The smaller fan of the XFX is nestled in the H-S; from experience they've the propensity run higher RPM, while collecting/trap more and bigger dust bunnies and with that improved odds of killing the fan early. While either can have a "strap on" replacement fan fitted you’ll then forfeit keeping it single slot. The Sapphire would absolutely have the enhanced cooling with that extrusion and being a two slot. Although, as you point out if single slot is what you have the room for them you must conclude to the XFX, while the native dual DVI can be accommodating for a quick dual monitors set up. So folks should factor all this into their decision.

It was a suggestion and a "heads up" to another that there was a similar substitute for less. But great discussion as to what folk should consider and look for in such deals.

I just blurted out initially but then I learned a couple of things with the "discussion".