It can be pretty hard to get a successful repair or replacement for PC hardware these days, as vendors can reject RMA claims on silly reasons.
GIGABYTE Sends Back Defective RTX 4090 Under Warranty, Denying RMA Request Citing User-Induced Damage; User Shows Pics Claiming No Such Damage
This isn't the first or the last time we are seeing a vendor denying warranty claims. However, it's important to understand where this is heading. It's well-known that vendors don't usually cover user-induced damage to hardware under warranty. Therefore, it's fair when a vendor rejects warranty claims if there is physical damage to the hardware, which voids the warranty.
However, in a couple of instances, we have seen how even microscopic damage has resulted in an RMA denial. The Reddit user u/Realcraser1 is the latest victim of such an incident. The Redditor says his RMA was rejected by GIGABYTE based on user-induced damage. He says that his RTX 4090 was under warranty until 2027, and while it was working just fine, it stopped working after he transported his PC.
This could have caused any damage to the GPU, but it's something that even GIGABYTE appears to have failed to explain to the user. GIGABYTE reportedly sent the RTX 4090 back, saying "Damaged by user, can't repair" and "PCB broken". However, the user claims he didn't receive any pictures from GIGABYTE showing the broken PCB. All he got was a GPU with two Red arrow stickers near the goldfinger.
GIGABYTE likely pasted those to show the user-induced damage, but neither the user nor anyone can spot a crack or even a scratch on the PCB. Perhaps the GPU got its inner layer damaged, but it would have been pretty helpful if GIGABYTE sent some pictures showing the same. Nonetheless, the user has now decided to send the GPU to either Gamers Nexus or Northwest Repair since GIGABYTE has refused to provide a replacement.
News Source: Reddit
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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