Sapphire wants to replace my X1900XT with a X1950Pro

SiGGy said:
It's really concerning me that I built computers for people that might have to experience this as well.
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One of my major concerns too, in some cases I will have to handle the return myself and boy will they get it if they treat me that way.
Either way, they have demonstrated such a lack of concern for the customer, I will never recommend them again nor purchase from them myself.
This thread is serving a wonderful purpose.
 
I think it's really sad they wouldn't upgrade anyone to a 3850. If anything they should have just offered a 2900XT or something right off the bat instead of an inferior card if they couldn't swap the same card. At any rate, this does look very bad for Sapphire and unless I see it cleared up in some really thoughtful way I probably won't be purchasing from or recommending them anymore.
 
And they wonder why people buy nVidia cards? I've had to deal with their RMA "process" (read: hell) and for the love of god is it really that hard to have some semblance of CS? I mean most of the nVidia companys have some awesome tech support (plus their cards kick ATis ass bar the 38xx series).
 
Simpson5774 said:
Its sapphire, they prob could give a rats ass about customer support, and its the best ATI AIB partner.....

This is why nvidia has a definitive edge, their top 3 AIBs fighting it out for both the highest overclocked cards, and the best warranty. All three have lifetime replacement coverage, two of them let you overclock and use 3rd party heatsinks, one of them lets you transfer their warranty to someone else. And theirs sapphire with 1 one year of being raped in the ass, o yeah I learned my lesson with this x1950pro.
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I liked ATI, I really did... when it was Built By ATI. I imagine I won't be changing over to ATI until there are some lifetime warranties from the manufacturers.
 
I just thought i'd shamelessly bump this thread with my own tale of sapphire's RMA process. My 2900 XT 1 GB died, it would artifact during post even, so it was a lost cause. I started up the RMA process, and the replacement they offered me was... a 3850 1GB !!!

Ok, so i told them there was no way i'd accept that as a replacement (i'm not actively looking for a downgrade you see...) but i would accept a 3870x2 as a replacement. After 3 days of waiting, they said "sapphire has agreed to replace your card with a 3870x2"... Needless to say, i was ecstatic. Then, they charged me $35 for the RMA... No biggie, after all, the upgrade is considerable!! a week and a half later... the UPS man shows up in my driveway and i get my 3870x2!!!

Now, i raged about how sapphire wanted to shaft me for quite a while... then i realized, it's just good business for them. If they try this with everyone, and even 1 person says "ok" to the downgrade, they save money. And the people that say no way, well sapphire isn't any further behind to give them what they should, are they?

So here's my advice on the sapphire RMA process. Ask for the most expensive card you possibly can as replacement (ie if you bought a HD 2600, ask for a 3870). The worst they can say is no, and you can always meet halfway(ie HD 2600 for a HD 3850).
 
alexgheseger said:
I just thought i'd shamelessly bump this thread with my own tale of sapphire's RMA process. My 2900 XT 1 GB died, it would artifact during post even, so it was a lost cause. I started up the RMA process, and the replacement they offered me was... a 3850 1GB !!!

Ok, so i told them there was no way i'd accept that as a replacement (i'm not actively looking for a downgrade you see...) but i would accept a 3870x2 as a replacement. After 3 days of waiting, they said "sapphire has agreed to replace your card with a 3870x2"... Needless to say, i was ecstatic. Then, they charged me $35 for the RMA... No biggie, after all, the upgrade is considerable!! a week and a half later... the UPS man shows up in my driveway and i get my 3870x2!!!

Now, i raged about how sapphire wanted to shaft me for quite a while... then i realized, it's just good business for them. If they try this with everyone, and even 1 person says "ok" to the downgrade, they save money. And the people that say no way, well sapphire isn't any further behind to give them what they should, are they?

So here's my advice on the sapphire RMA process. Ask for the most expensive card you possibly can as replacement (ie if you bought a HD 2600, ask for a 3870). The worst they can say is no, and you can always meet halfway(ie HD 2600 for a HD 3850).
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It's going on 4 weeks since I sent the card to them and 3 weeks that they have had (or done whatever) with it.

If you read back a bit you can see I asked for a 3850HD. They said "it's not possible"...

I'm very annoyed sitting around just waiting now with no time line...

Not to be rude but It's sorta common sense that it saves them $$ sending people lesser cards. I'm really not so sure why you spelled that out and sorta made it sound like it's OK that they are trying to get customers to take a lesser card in hope that they aren't smart enough to know the difference. "good business" you say? Honestly how can you say that? They are trying to take advantage of the customer... What they are doing is basically stealing; there's no two ways about it.

Tell ya what you send me $300 I'll send you $100 back in 4-8 weeks once I can locate some replacement $$ for you. It's good business for me :)
 
I just upgraded a bunch of computers for a customer. They were not ATI this time.

It's been years since I have used nvidia in cad systems but all 16 computers are now nvidia powered. So long ATI
 
SiGGy said:
*snip*
Not to be rude but It's sorta common sense that it saves them $$ sending people lesser cards. I'm really not so sure why you spelled that out and sorta made it sound like it's OK that they are trying to get customers to take a lesser card in hope that they aren't smart enough to know the difference. "good business" you say? Honestly how can you say that? They are trying to take advantage of the customer... What they are doing is basically stealing; there's no two ways about it.

Tell ya what you send me $300 I'll send you $100 back in 4-8 weeks once I can locate some replacement $$ for you. It's good business for me :)
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Well, that's a PITA. 4 weeks you've been waiting? Ridiculous... Have you hit up Althon for a tracking #? I know i didn't get contacted until i asked if the card was shipped yet.

Okay, maybe i should have said this. It's good business FOR THEM. They save money by shafting the consumer, and no ones the wiser. It's reprehensible to be sure, but these days many companies are just trying to get whatever they can out of us(Yes, there are lots of good companies). I'm not saying it's OK, i'm just saying that it's not surprising.

Your point about how they are stealing is very valid. What they are doing may not be the theft we're used to, but it is theft nonetheless. I was just trying to tell people to expect this crap, because to sapphire it is prudent to give the cheapest replacement possible, regardless of whether it's a true replacement or not.

If you know what kind of stunts they are going to pull, you can better counter them.

I apologize if i ramble...
 
I agree, it is theft.
They are also putting time pressure on you to make you take the lesser deal.
Not quite extortion, perhaps someone knows the correct term?
 
I pinged them again yesterday morning since it has been about a week sine our last correspondence. I try communicating once a week; as I don't want to get them on my bad side. Although I'm sure one of them has read these posts and figured out who I am.

He said they're getting a shipment in from China that should be in next Monday.

So it'll be another 2 weeks of waiting I guess... Waiting until next Monday then another week for shipping as I'm sure they won't use any express type.

I only worry that they will ship me a broken/flaky card... can you imagine paying to send it back then waiting all of this time... AGAIN!
 
For the nvidia fanboys here, in the ATI forum... I've read plenty of stories of nvidia owners getting screwed for service also. Its not just ATI

It has to do with the company selling the card... and nothing to do with the basic brand of card.
 
tc17 said:
For the nvidia fanboys here, in the ATI forum... I've read plenty of stories of nvidia owners getting screwed for service also. Its not just ATI

It has to do with the company selling the card... and nothing to do with the basic brand of card.
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I guess you didnt read the bit about Sapphires own Customer Service forum is treating customers like dirt.
Thats entirely independent of who you bought it from and what this thread is all about dur!

You must be one of those ATI fanboiiis lol.
 
So Monday came and went, not a word from sapphire. I had to e-mail them.

Then an email from them saying Wednesday a shipment should been in and they would email me. No e-mail.. So yet again I emailed them...

Then again on Thursday "a shipment" would be in they would e-mail me... No e-mail.. again I have to send them an email

I'm now beginning to lose patience with this process...

I'm 5 weeks into in now...

I keep asking for them to send me a 3850 512MB but they just ignore anything I say about that.
 
If you have a friend who is a lawyer, now is a good time to have them print up and sign something on their letterhead in a less friendly and more business tone than what you have been using.
Those types of things show companies like this you mean business and its time to stop screwing around.

Edit: and if you're a college student at a major university, most likely they have a lawyer to help students out for free. just ask around and someone can point you in the right direction. in my town, the local law school also uses their students as interns to help out the general public as well. I dont know if this is of any help to you though.
 
They responded to me today... They offered a "HD 2900PRO 512MB "

I took it; I need to be able to use my workstation again. And the 2900PRO isn't bad, especially when compared to the x1900xt I sent them. I see it as an nice upgrade actually.


So in the end I'm happy, but the wait time in the RMA process with Sapphire forces me to look at Nvidia for the future (EVGA because of their support).

I hope someone at Sapphire reads this and gets the process sped up. I'm not really a gamer and this hit me hard not being able to use my workstation to get work done.
 
sprtnbsblplya said:
If you have a friend who is a lawyer, now is a good time to have them print up and sign something on their letterhead in a less friendly and more business tone than what you have been using.
Those types of things show companies like this you mean business and its time to stop screwing around.

Edit: and if you're a college student at a major university, most likely they have a lawyer to help students out for free. just ask around and someone can point you in the right direction. in my town, the local law school also uses their students as interns to help out the general public as well. I dont know if this is of any help to you though.
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I don't think siggy's situation is in need of any legal action lol. That's a normal timeframe for a Sapphire RMA
 
SiGGy said:
They responded to me today... They offered a "HD 2900PRO 512MB "

I took it; I need to be able to use my workstation again. And the 2900PRO isn't bad, especially when compared to the x1900xt I sent them. I see it as an nice upgrade actually.


So in the end I'm happy, but the wait time in the RMA process with Sapphire forces me to look at Nvidia for the future (EVGA because of their support).

I hope someone at Sapphire reads this and gets the process sped up. I'm not really a gamer and this hit me hard not being able to use my workstation to get work done.
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dude thats a sweet deal you got there.
although the time frame sucks :/
 
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