My Samsung RMA experience

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drizzt81

[H]F Junkie
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Jan 21, 2004
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Over the past three years I have had to deal with Samsung RMA three times. I had bought two batches of two Spinpoint SP1614C's from Newegg. They were purchased within a year of each other. Out of these four drives none are still alive.

They were run in a Dell SC420 for most of their early lives. The Maxtor drive that Dell shipped with the system died just over a year after I had starting using the system. At the same time, one of my SP1614C's died as well, so I am thinking that their early deaths are likely related to a power.

My RMA experience with Samsung thus far has been `ok'. I always thought that randomly shipping my drive to some address was sketchy and their lack of advance RMA did not make me very happy either. However, each time I received my replacement in a timely manner. I would say that on average I received the replacement approximately five business days after they received my faulty drive.

The first two RMAs were refurbished SP1614C's, but this time (March 2007) I got lucky. Since I wasn't really using the drive, I had not bothered to open the replacement's package, but just now took a peek: I got a brand new SP2004C!

All-in-all, I am a reasonably happy customer, though I would love to see advance RMA from them. Also an online Warranty check would be a nice addition to their website. I won't know whether my drive is covered unless I request an RMA.

I figured that I should share my experience.
 
Yes, thanks. I'd heard a few non-specific negative comments about Samsung's warranty service, and from what you write I suppose it had to do with lack of advanced RMA, which is puzzling indeed for a serious company.
 
I disagree- very few companies offer advanced RMA. The ones that DO offer it, usually require a credit card number for security.

WD- no Advance
eVGA- no Advance until recently, and still requires payment
BFG- no Advance
AMD- no Advance
Former ATI- no Advance
Kingston- No
OCZ- No
Corsair- No

Feel free to add to the list, and tell me which companies DO offer it as a standard service.
 
mavalpha said:
The ones that DO offer it, usually require a credit card number for security.
Click to expand...
This is surprising how? Otherwise people would "RMA" a hundred drives and the manufacturer would never hear from them again.
mavalpha said:
WD- no Advance
Click to expand...
Check again: they do advance RMAs. Seagate doesn't appear to. Hitachi doesn't seem to. Fujitsu doesn't. I think that pretty much covers disk drive makers.
 
I was speaking of drive companies, not all companies, and the ones that I've had experience with in the past -- WD, Maxtor, and IBM -- all did, as I recall. Of course, two of the three are gone now. I'm surprised to hear that apparently Seagate doesn't.

And I expect them to ask for a CC -- as opposed to what? They have to have some way to secure the fact that they're sending you a drive. It's not like they charge it.

I've had event to call WD support twice this week and was pleasantly surprised by them. They're not outsourced, the waits aren't overly long, and they're definitely on the ball and pleasant.

Update: It looks like Seagate only recently dropped this "industry-wide policy":

"Disappointingly, Seagate has abandoned the long available industry-wide policy of cross- shipping or advanced replacement in which they would ship the replacement hard drive immediately, and take a valid credit card number and hold it as insurance that we would promptly return the defective drive."

Anti-Terrorist Oath Required for Seagate RMA
 
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