Having seen all these threads about bad capacitors on video cards, I happened to note that my X1900XT has all ceramic caps (not even a polymer on there). Seeing as it is a 5 year old card (still runs great), I am surprised that more recent models continue to rely on more failure-prone electrolytics. Does this have to do with certain shortcomings of ceramics that could not be addressed, or does it have more to do with planned obsolescence?
-
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
Check the price of Tantalum and Ceramic SMD capacitors. After you're done crapping kittens tell us what you're going to order next. Remember that those come in fairly small values so you need to stack a lot of them to equal the capacitance of a typical electrolytic. -
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
I do realize that ceramics are more expensive. However, the X1900 series does not make use of stacks, and is relatively sparse in terms of what you would expect in order to make up for the lack of electrolytics. So I do not think cost is an issue, at least in that regard. It would seem that the PCB is more inductor-heavy to make up for the lack of capacitance.Comment
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
A card failing means you need to buy another one. This keeps the companies in business.Comment
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
Figured as much. Too bad you don't see more quality parts. But it seems people are even willing to buy parts they know will likely fail; seeing how Xbox 360 sales stayed strong despite the whole RROD issue, for example.Comment
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
well, people want newer faster things anyway... why make somehting last longer than its usable life?
then again, most people do not know how to recap things...sigpic
(Insert witty quote here)Comment
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
Checking Digikey
16v ceramics max uF is 680uF [have to call, the 150uF 16v is $25.25]
25v ceramics max uF is 470uF [$37.75 each]
50v ceramics max uF is 220uF [$34.26 each]
Now the 4v are cheap [under $2] if you buy 2000pc but they max at 100uF so you would need 50 to 60 to have enough bulk capacitance for a VRM Vcore.
Just using them there would add $50-$100 to the cost of the motherboard.
I for one would like to see some photos when you get them all soldered in.
Your video card is counting on the bulk capacitance in the PSU and on the board [to the slot] to keep it from dropping out on transients.
I wouldn't consider that a quality design...
.Mann-Made Global Warming.
- We should be more concerned about the Intellectual Climate.
-
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr Seuss
-
You can teach a man to fish and feed him for life, but if he can't handle sushi you must also teach him to cook.
-
Comment
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
agreed. I really hope you were not using a gutless wonder with it or else your video quality will be in the toilet (or your gpu will be toasted). epic fail to the designers there.Originally posted by PCBONEZ View Post
that said, it is with noting my gateway/jabil kadoka slot A board is all tants, but it is the only board I have see like that.sigpic
(Insert witty quote here)Comment
-
Re: Electrolytics vs Ceramic
I did have it running with a "520"W Aspire unit for a while, haha. It's on a PC P&C (non Teapo) unit now, though. The VRM section does seem to use some very complex silicon, so it may be possible that the designers intended to mitigate transients actively, rather than passively. There are 7 switching transistors, each coupled to its own inductor, so it seems that they did not necessarily skimp on input filtering/regulation. Looks more like just a different, rather unorthodox implementation.Originally posted by ratdude747 View Post
Anyway, here is a shot of the reference design (transistors are covered by a heatsink, there are seven of them): http://www.xbitlabs.com/misc/picture...ler_bg.jpg&1=1Last edited by Trinite; 01-10-2011, 01:00 AM.Comment
Comment