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2 Questions about RMA's

Go to solution Solved by dalekphalm,

I have never had to deal with RMA's, I don't know what to expect.

Are you sure I will be getting back a refurb GPU? The store I got the GPU from hasn't has a 7950 on sale for almost a year, if not more than a year. I am not sure about anyone being able to fix the GPU.

If so then that's good, I won't need to mess with my drivers, I still haven't bothered to uninstall the old drivers, they aren't doing anything.

Basically this is how it generally works:

 

Store has X amount of days for a "return period", usually 14 to 30 days from the date of purchase. Within this time period, you can return the card for a full refund, if it is broken. You can also return it during this period if you simply don't like/want it, but most stores have specific requirements, like all the original packaging intact, and/or adding on a "restocking" fee of usually 10% to 15% of the purchase value.

 

Video Card itself has Y amount of years of "Warranty", usually 3 to 5 years. This warranty is provided directly by the manufacturer, but is sometimes facilitated through the retailer (You can basically always contact the manufacturer directly though).

 

After the "return period" has expired, but before the "Warranty" is over, you can "return" the card under an "RMA". RMA stands for: Return Merchandise Authorization. What this actually means is that you will return the card to the manufacturer (either directly to them by shipping it, or through your retailer, and they ship it out). The manufacturer will then either repair the card, or replace it - USUALLY but not always - with a refurbished card. Occasionally But rarely you may receive a brand new card as a replacement. This is quite rare though.

 

A refurbished card is a video card that was defective or otherwise returned to the manufacturer, and they have fixed the card and returned it to "sellable" condition. A refurbished card IS NOT NEW.

 

Some retailers, such as NCIX here in Canada, use the RMA process "internally" to simply handle their own returns/exchanges within the "Return Period". This can sometimes cause confusion.

 

In all likelihood, you'll get back a refurbished 7950. If the manufacturer no longer has any stock of refurb 7950's, and cannot repair yours specifically, then you will get an "equivalent upgrade" to something that is equal or better to your own product - most likely an R9 280. Keep in mind that this is incredibly unlikely though, as the manufacturer will likely have refurb stock of 7950's for a few years still.

So, recently my good old Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 7950 gave out and started artifacting, I live in Finland, so the only option for me was to send it back to the seller.

 

I had planned on buying the best gaming GPU available on the market after this one, but now that the GPU has died, and is being RMA'd I think that I will most likely be getting a R9 280, at some point.

This is where I have 2 questions.

1. Is it possible to just have the store discount the price of my current GPU of a 980 (example)? Then I would just pay the difference.

 

2. Considering how I payed 309€ for the 7950, 1 year and 9 months ago, would I be able to get that exact same amount of money back?

Heres the context for Q2.

A 280 cost about 250€ and 270€ max, a 280X cost 299€ max at the store. Recently I was told that the store can't actually give me anything that is worse than my original product. If my GPU is replaced with only the cost in mind I would be getting a 290, because it is the only GPU that is not below the price of my original and is also better, but performance wise I will get a 280, I think.

What the hell should I be expecting?

 

Regardless of that I would much rather pay for a discounted GTX 980, than get a 280 with no noticeable performance increase. I wanted my 7950 to last for at least the 3 years it had a warranty, I was supposed to get the latest and greatest after that.

 

 

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RMA is a replacement, not a refund.

 

You are getting back a refurbished 7950, not money or store credit.

Specs: i7 4790k, r9 280 windforce OC, 8gb hyperx fury 1866 RAM, z97 PC Mate, 256gb mx100, black pearl r4, 2tb WD Red (soon)

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RMA is a replacement, not a refund.

 

You are getting back a refurbished 7950, not money or store credit.

I have never had to deal with RMA's, I don't know what to expect.

Are you sure I will be getting back a refurb GPU? The store I got the GPU from hasn't has a 7950 on sale for almost a year, if not more than a year. I am not sure about anyone being able to fix the GPU.

If so then that's good, I won't need to mess with my drivers, I still haven't bothered to uninstall the old drivers, they aren't doing anything.

 

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Case Bitfenix Ghost, Mobo Asus Maximus VIII Ranger, CPU i7 6700K @4.2 Ghz cooled by Arctic cooling Freezer i30, (barely). GPU Nvidia GTX 970 Gigabyte G1 @1519Mhz core, RAM 16Gb Crucial Ballistix CL16 @2400Mhz. SSD 128GB Sandisk Ultra Plus as my OS drive. HDD's  1TB  Seagate ST31000524AS its OEM, 3TB Seagate Barracuda, 2x 500GB WDC Blue (RAID 0)

If it isn't working absolutely perfectly, according to all your assumptions, it is broken.

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Newegg > Mom+Pop shop/any shop in general

 

Hell if something happens before the refund date, you can refund the card and buy a BRAND NEW one!

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snip

Yep, that's how any company does RMA. the 7xxx series isn't even that old, they still have them in stock.

Specs: i7 4790k, r9 280 windforce OC, 8gb hyperx fury 1866 RAM, z97 PC Mate, 256gb mx100, black pearl r4, 2tb WD Red (soon)

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I have never had to deal with RMA's, I don't know what to expect.

Are you sure I will be getting back a refurb GPU? The store I got the GPU from hasn't has a 7950 on sale for almost a year, if not more than a year. I am not sure about anyone being able to fix the GPU.

If so then that's good, I won't need to mess with my drivers, I still haven't bothered to uninstall the old drivers, they aren't doing anything.

Basically this is how it generally works:

 

Store has X amount of days for a "return period", usually 14 to 30 days from the date of purchase. Within this time period, you can return the card for a full refund, if it is broken. You can also return it during this period if you simply don't like/want it, but most stores have specific requirements, like all the original packaging intact, and/or adding on a "restocking" fee of usually 10% to 15% of the purchase value.

 

Video Card itself has Y amount of years of "Warranty", usually 3 to 5 years. This warranty is provided directly by the manufacturer, but is sometimes facilitated through the retailer (You can basically always contact the manufacturer directly though).

 

After the "return period" has expired, but before the "Warranty" is over, you can "return" the card under an "RMA". RMA stands for: Return Merchandise Authorization. What this actually means is that you will return the card to the manufacturer (either directly to them by shipping it, or through your retailer, and they ship it out). The manufacturer will then either repair the card, or replace it - USUALLY but not always - with a refurbished card. Occasionally But rarely you may receive a brand new card as a replacement. This is quite rare though.

 

A refurbished card is a video card that was defective or otherwise returned to the manufacturer, and they have fixed the card and returned it to "sellable" condition. A refurbished card IS NOT NEW.

 

Some retailers, such as NCIX here in Canada, use the RMA process "internally" to simply handle their own returns/exchanges within the "Return Period". This can sometimes cause confusion.

 

In all likelihood, you'll get back a refurbished 7950. If the manufacturer no longer has any stock of refurb 7950's, and cannot repair yours specifically, then you will get an "equivalent upgrade" to something that is equal or better to your own product - most likely an R9 280. Keep in mind that this is incredibly unlikely though, as the manufacturer will likely have refurb stock of 7950's for a few years still.

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SNIP

Ok, that clear my confusion pretty well.

According to my friends the most likely outcome was that I would get a 280.

Assuming that I get my old 7950 back, what happens to the warranty? I am assuming that it is expired now, or does it still remain in effect?

 

Regardless of that I am most likely going to get it back next year, I was told not to expect miracles in terms of delivery. 

 

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If it isn't working absolutely perfectly, according to all your assumptions, it is broken.

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Ok, that clear my confusion pretty well.

According to my friends the most likely outcome was that I would get a 280.

Assuming that I get my old 7950 back, what happens to the warranty? I am assuming that it is expired now, or does it still remain in effect?

 

Regardless of that I am most likely going to get it back next year, I was told not to expect miracles in terms of delivery. 

Your warranty will remain in effect for the full duration, from the day of purchase. So if the original card came with a 5 year warranty, then any replacement cards will continue with that same warranty. It will not get extended in any way, but will continue as if it was the card you had all along.

 

How long ago did you buy your 7950? I highly doubt you'll get an R9 280.

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Your warranty will remain in effect for the full duration, from the day of purchase. So if the original card came with a 5 year warranty, then any replacement cards will continue with that same warranty. It will not get extended in any way, but will continue as if it was the card you had all along.

 

How long ago did you buy your 7950? I highly doubt you'll get an R9 280.

1 year and 9 months ago, still plenty of warranty coverage, the card has a 3 year warranty.

Everything considered getting back my 7950 goes along with my "after this GPU I will get the latest and greatest" plan.

 

I wonder what will be done to my GPU, how do they fix it. Do they just put it in an oven? My friend fixed his mobo that way... or at least claimed to. The more I use this forum the less I trust "information sources" local to me.

 

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Case Bitfenix Ghost, Mobo Asus Maximus VIII Ranger, CPU i7 6700K @4.2 Ghz cooled by Arctic cooling Freezer i30, (barely). GPU Nvidia GTX 970 Gigabyte G1 @1519Mhz core, RAM 16Gb Crucial Ballistix CL16 @2400Mhz. SSD 128GB Sandisk Ultra Plus as my OS drive. HDD's  1TB  Seagate ST31000524AS its OEM, 3TB Seagate Barracuda, 2x 500GB WDC Blue (RAID 0)

If it isn't working absolutely perfectly, according to all your assumptions, it is broken.

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1 year and 9 months ago, still plenty of warranty coverage, the card has a 3 year warranty.

Everything considered getting back my 7950 goes along with my "after this GPU I will get the latest and greatest" plan.

 

I wonder what will be done to my GPU, how do they fix it. Do they just put it in an oven? My friend fixed his mobo that way... or at least claimed to.

If it's 1 year and 9 months ago, then I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY *DOUBT* (oops lol) you'll get an R9 280. If you were within 30 days of purchase, then maybe. But your "friends" are most likely wrong :P

 

They won't put it in an oven. That is a poor-mans way of reflowing the solder on a board. They will have proper tools to fully diagnose and re-engineer the card if necessary. Most likely you won't even get yours back. They'll just put it into a pile of "to be fixed" cards, and take a new card out of a "already fixed" pile. Rarely will they actually fix and return your original card. It's too time consuming for a business to operate like that with an interchangeable part like a Graphics Card.

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If it's 1 year and 9 months ago, then I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY you'll get an R9 280. If you were within 30 days of purchase, then maybe. But your "friends" are most likely wrong :P

 

They won't put it in an oven. That is a poor-mans way of reflowing the solder on a board. They will have proper tools to fully diagnose and re-engineer the card if necessary. Most likely you won't even get yours back. They'll just put it into a pile of "to be fixed" cards, and take a new card out of a "already fixed" pile. Rarely will they actually fix and return your original card. It's too time consuming for a business to operate like that with an interchangeable part like a Graphics Card.

My English doesn't quite cover that sentence, I think you are missing the word doubt?

 

I just want to know what they do to the GPU to fix it, replace the chip? That's what I want to know.

Considering how they are giving me something from the "didn't get baked properly" cookie jar, is it possible that I will be getting the older revision of the same card. I know that gigabyte has 2 different 7950 Windforce cards, mine is the never revision. 

 

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Case Bitfenix Ghost, Mobo Asus Maximus VIII Ranger, CPU i7 6700K @4.2 Ghz cooled by Arctic cooling Freezer i30, (barely). GPU Nvidia GTX 970 Gigabyte G1 @1519Mhz core, RAM 16Gb Crucial Ballistix CL16 @2400Mhz. SSD 128GB Sandisk Ultra Plus as my OS drive. HDD's  1TB  Seagate ST31000524AS its OEM, 3TB Seagate Barracuda, 2x 500GB WDC Blue (RAID 0)

If it isn't working absolutely perfectly, according to all your assumptions, it is broken.

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My English doesn't quite cover that sentence, I think you are missing the word doubt?

 

I just want to know what they do to the GPU to fix it, replace the chip? That's what I want to know.

Considering how they are giving me something from the "didn't get baked properly" cookie jar, is it possible that I will be getting the older revision of the same card. I know that gigabyte has 2 different 7950 Windforce cards, mine is the never revision. 

The older revision of the WF 7950 actually was voltage unlocked... so that might be a good thing xD

 

I also have the newer revision of the WF 7950. No issues with mine though.

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