Thoroughness of return inspection

[I Need Some Help]

Hey guys made an account specifically to post this. Let's say my friend(friend A) bought a creator pc with a nice 3090 in it.

Let's also say another friend(friend B) has the same 3090, but he water-cooled his and friend B's card developed a coil whine.

If friend A was returning his PC within the return period do you think NZXT would notice if friend B's card got put in friend A's housing and case and returned like that? Both cards work fine, friend B is just trying to get rid of the coil whine.

[Guest]

They have serial numbers and barcodes, yeah they would probably catch that.

[8-Bit Ninja]

So you want to return your GPU because its coil whining, and your friend is sending his back. It's fairly certain that due to the scalping NZXT will be keeping track of serial numbers for GPU's and ensuring that the correct one is returned. So I would strongly suggest you don't attempt this as it is illegal. 

[I Need Some Help]

Aren't they only on the actual case/cooling part of the card? Would switching just the physical  board be noticeable?

[Kilrah]

Well since it means removing the block and putting back the original cooler it'll be obvious the card was tampered with and the "warranty void" stickers will be gone.

[BondiBlue]

While the GPUs might be technically identical they're still different units with different serial numbers. I wouldn't do that if I were you. It's not the worst thing you could do with a computer return, but it's not great either. 

[I Need Some Help]

It just sucks waiting so long for a card, building water-cooled to keep it quiet, then boom coil whine. Friend B is big sad, I would obviously never attempt something of this nature.

[Kilrah]

I would certainly not take the risk of waterblocking a GPU right now, if I wanted a watercooled one I'd buy one that's blocked out of the box... if couldn't find one then run it on air until the situation gets back to normal. 

[I Need Some Help]

Too late for that now lol, I also thought about giving him the money he spent as parting it out might come close back to that price, just to eliminate the noise.

[Triggeravus]

I'd say it's pretty much guaranteed they keep track of serial numbers when it comes to $1500 or more cards.  Do they actually check the serial numbers of returns if everything's working?  

 

Might wanna shoot NZXT an email explaining the situation to be sure. 

[Andreas Lilja]

That's return fraud.

 

[dilpickle]

This is straight up fraud.

 

That said I doubt they will be checking serial numbers on a video card inside a pre-built. Unless something looks wrong to them.

[SansVarnic]

5 hours ago, I Need Some Help said:

If friend A was returning his PC within the return period do you think NZXT would notice if friend B's card got put in friend A's housing and case and returned like that? Both cards work fine, friend B is just trying to get rid of the coil whine.

This is commonly referred to as Fraud.

Not recommended. Don't do it.