GPU failure rates as listed here: http://www.techpowerup.com/88515/Study_Modern_Graphics_Card_Failure_Rates.html

• GTX 280 10%
• GTX 260 4.5%
• 8800/9800 3.25-3.5%
• HD 4870 3.25%
• HD 4850 2%
• HD 3870 2.5%

So which ought to be your vendor of choice? Note: The Fermi cards are likely to be even hotter than the GTX 280. So do you believe an expensive and hot card like that would have a similar failure rate to the GTX 280? Up to you.

ATi....

S3? WTH.. I might as well vote for matrox :)

Matrox rocks*.  At one point, Matrox was the company for video and video output on PC's.

*  Well, they used to....

Yeah Matrox used to rock. Their cards had the best image quality back in the day but they gave up on gaming to focus on the business end of the market. Stupid move in my view. You never give up a market segment. When you do, you let your competitors have a steady revenue to stream to attack the market you have receded too.

I have no loyalties to either company. I'm currently using a 9800 GX2.

Nvidia for all out performance (when they decide to actually release cards) and actual card reliability in my experience. People say other way round but... Seriously, 7600gs, 8600gts, 8800gt, now gtx260 216, none have broke. 1st ati card i got broke JUST after warrenty ran out, 4870x2. I now have a mobility 4850 in my laptop which i got late last year, hopefully that dont go. Cards to deaths for me so far, 4-0 nvidia, 2-1 ati. Ati wins for price to performance.

Yup Good old matrox.. they got sucked into the void of "bad drivers" and were never heard of after.. I had huge expectations of parahelia.. Oh well.. Millenium and mystique were pretty king of the road back then....