WTF? - Sapphire / RMA and handling of broken fans on Nitro+ RX470/RX480 - need to return card.

[funks]

Just a note for peeps who purchased Sapphire Nitro+ RX470's and RX480's with the much acclaimed END USER replaceable fans. One of my RX470's has bad bearings (making noises), so I contacted Sapphire Tech Support and here's the transcript. Basically, if you have one of these cards and you have a bad fan, expect to send the whole card back into Sapphire (what's the point of these removable fans?) and they'll replace it with a different card altogether which may even have more issues.

Note: I opted out of the Jet.com Free returns, when I ordered - I fully expected not to return the card for a refund if there's an issue and try to work with the manufacturer. Nevertheless, looks like the whole removable fan thing on the Sapphire cards is basically just advertising.

Please contact [email protected] and provide them a copy of the purchase receipt for the card, and let them know you have tested the fan units and one of them is defective.

Hello Tech @ AlthonMicro,

Per Sapphire Tech support - was told to e-mail you a copy of my Sapphire Nitro** Radeon RX-470 invoice.

Attachments:

Invoice
Support Ticket conversation with Sapphire Tech Support


My address:

XXXXX XXXXXX

Contact:

(XXX-XXX-XXXX)

Notes:

(See attached screenshot of support ticket) - States - "Please contact [email protected] and provide them a copy of the purchase receipt for the card, and let them know you have tested the fan units and one of them is defective".

Regards,

You are within the first 30 days of purchase, have you try contacting the original place of purchase for the RMA request?


Tech
Althon Micro Inc.
280 S. Paseo Tesoro
Walnut, CA 91789
909-594-9771 (Fax)

Hello Althon Micro,

I'm within 30 days but it also means that I have to pay for shipping the card back to them (out of pocket which will be at least 15-20$) for replacement and may not be in stock for a replacement. Seems like the whole point for the removable fans on the Sapphire Nitro** RX 470 (as advertised on Sapphire's site) is that a replacement fan can be sent out without requiring the end user to send the whole card back in.

Regards

That is not true, if the unit is consider DOA, dead on arrival they should send you a shipping label for you to send your card back to them for replacement or refund.


Tech


Althon Micro Inc.
280 S. Paseo Tesoro
Walnut, CA 91789
909-594-9771 (Fax)

Hello AlthonMicro,

I ordered two of these cards from Jet.com, and I just got off the phone with them and they don't have a replacement policy (only a return policy). They did tell me that I can return the card to them but it will cost me 5.99$ shipping ** 5% restocking fee.

I'll forward your response to Sapphire Tech support, I hope you guys can figure replacement fan thing out.

Regards,

Well just so you know, you will need to ship the unit back to us, and the unit we are replacing it with will not be brand new, that is why we always ask user to go back to the original retailer if they are within first 30 days.


Tech


Althon Micro Inc.

280 S. Paseo Tesoro

Walnut, CA 91789

909-594-9771 (Fax)

 

[Rvenger]

If your card is defective, Jet will still return it for a full refund and give you a label.

 

[Spartacus]

Ask them how much to BUY an out of warranty replacement fan.

.

 

[Suprfire]

I have literally returned a DOA Sapphire RX 470 (albeit, reference, not the nitro) to Jet.com after opting out of free returns and did not incur return shipping or restocking fees.

 

[funks]

I wanted a replacement but Jet.COM doesn't do that, so I asked for a refund through the site and selected the reason as a problem with the card. I'm down several dollars for the return shipping but I hope I don't get hit with the 5% fee - either way, FAIL on Sapphire for prominently advertising a feature and not actually having a process to do it. AlthonMicro (Sapphires' RMA company) wanted me to send the card (sending a card in nowadays costs at least 15$ to 17$ in shipping, box, and insurance) in and was going to give me a refurb replacement for which shipping a replacement fan was the fix.

NITRO Quick Connect
If there’s a fan problem, you don’t have to return the entire card – SAPPHIRE or our channel partners will send out a replacement fan directly to you! All the SAPPHIRE NITRO + Radeon RX480 and RX470 fans use our Quick Connect system. That means they’re easy to remove, clean and replace, with just one screw holding them securely in place.

 

[pendragon1]

I was just aboot to suggest hitting up their forum but it looks like you already did. i'd wait and see what they say there.

 

[Nobu]

They had mentioned someone who had tried to get a replacement fan in one of their videos a while back (for a non-defective unit, but that's besides the point), they had to turn them down because the infrastructure wasn't in place yet. I'd have thought by now they would have everything in place, but I guess not.