XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died

tomblits · 08-01-2009, 02:23 AM

For background information,
Early June I assembled my first computer and it worked perfectly up until thursday.
Here are the parts:
SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223Q LightScribe Support - OEM
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBPK - Retail
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC ... - Retail
COOLER MASTER ELITE 335 RC-335-KKN1-GP Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail
Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM
XFX GS250XYDFC GeForce GTS 250 512MB Core Edition 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

On Thursday I went to turn my computer on and nothing happened. I don't even know how it happened, I believe I left my computer idling for a 2 hour nap and when I came back it was off and that's when it wouldn't turn on. When I say it wont turn on I mean I press the front power button and absolutely nothing happens, as if the power cord is unplugged. After 2 days and many hours trouble shooting I believe I have narrowed the source to my video card. The only way I can get the computer to turn on is if I remove my video card. The motherboard has no integrated video so I have to use a very old ATI Radeon x1600 pro that doesn't even require the power rail from the PSU. That's where I am at now! I've done a bit of browsing but I really don't know what my course of actions now is. Somehow my video card suddenly died in only 2 months and its from a reputable brand!?! If I call and complain to XFX will they likely replace it? Unfortunately my only other desktop is a Dell that has a PSU with about 320 watts and I assume something might break if I trying running it in their so I can't think of any way to test only the video card.

**manic** · 08-01-2009, 04:33 AM

First I think you were expecting to much out of the power supply.
2 12 volt rails at 18amps? You need 26amps minimum on the 12volt
rails to run that card. Sure you have 36amps combined, but then
you figure in the efficiency, which they say is 86%, which I doubt.
Then figure in the cpu,,,and other components, you are underpowered.
You should have a minimum of a 650 watt psu, quality. Ive had good
luck with ocz in the past, but I prefer corsair psu's. Xfx imo is not a
quality brand. There always the lowest price, there is a reason for that.
If I were you I would get a 750watt, and higher corsair psu. Evga makes
a solid video card, imo.

**Tyree** · 08-01-2009, 09:45 AM

Couldn't agree more with manic. XFX is known for problems and early failures.
My best advice, get a Seasonic or Corsair PSU with amply power, attempt to obtain a refund from XFX and get a quality card.
EVGA brand is always a good choice for Nvidia chipped cards.

tomblits · 08-01-2009, 05:46 PM

I'll see what I can do, I opened a ticket on the XFX website but this is my first time any computer part I have bought has defected. Is there any way for me to force them to refund or would I have to contact newegg about that? I think neweggs policy only covers 1 month and its been 2.

Phædrus2401 · 08-01-2009, 06:01 PM

Newegg's standard return policy is 1 year, you can check this by going to your newegg account, My Newegg, Order History, select "show all", find the correct invoice, find the part in the order, it should state what return policy it has, the standard return policy is 1yr, good for replacement (for cost of shipping) or refund (for cost of shipping+15% restocking fee). If it's something else click on it to read the terms.

Newegg's return policy is far better than XFX's.

tomblits · 08-02-2009, 08:22 AM

The return police is VGA Standard Return Policy.
From their website when I went to try to get the automatic RMA on it this is what came up:
According to our records, this item is still covered by the product manufacturer's parts warranty.
According to our records, this item is still covered by the product manufacturer's labor warranty.
This item was purchased more than 30 days ago and is no longer eligible for a replacement RMA.
So I'll have to work with XFX then.

**Tyree** · 08-02-2009, 03:28 PM

Newegg only replacesRMS's up to 30 days then you have to contact the manufacturer.

08-01-2009, 02:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
tomblits Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows 7 RC	XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died For background information, Early June I assembled my first computer and it worked perfectly up until thursday. Here are the parts: SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model SH-S223Q LightScribe Support - OEM G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10600CL9D-4GBPK - Retail OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC ... - Retail COOLER MASTER ELITE 335 RC-335-KKN1-GP Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black Processor Model HDZ720WFGIBOX - Retail Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive - OEM XFX GS250XYDFC GeForce GTS 250 512MB Core Edition 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P AM3 DDR3 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail On Thursday I went to turn my computer on and nothing happened. I don't even know how it happened, I believe I left my computer idling for a 2 hour nap and when I came back it was off and that's when it wouldn't turn on. When I say it wont turn on I mean I press the front power button and absolutely nothing happens, as if the power cord is unplugged. After 2 days and many hours trouble shooting I believe I have narrowed the source to my video card. The only way I can get the computer to turn on is if I remove my video card. The motherboard has no integrated video so I have to use a very old ATI Radeon x1600 pro that doesn't even require the power rail from the PSU. That's where I am at now! I've done a bit of browsing but I really don't know what my course of actions now is. Somehow my video card suddenly died in only 2 months and its from a reputable brand!?! If I call and complain to XFX will they likely replace it? Unfortunately my only other desktop is a Dell that has a PSU with about 320 watts and I assume something might break if I trying running it in their so I can't think of any way to test only the video card. Last edited by tomblits; 08-01-2009 at 02:36 AM.

08-01-2009, 04:33 AM	#2 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,255 OS: xp	Re: XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died First I think you were expecting to much out of the power supply. 2 12 volt rails at 18amps? You need 26amps minimum on the 12volt rails to run that card. Sure you have 36amps combined, but then you figure in the efficiency, which they say is 86%, which I doubt. Then figure in the cpu,,,and other components, you are underpowered. You should have a minimum of a 650 watt psu, quality. Ive had good luck with ocz in the past, but I prefer corsair psu's. Xfx imo is not a quality brand. There always the lowest price, there is a reason for that. If I were you I would get a 750watt, and higher corsair psu. Evga makes a solid video card, imo. __________________

08-01-2009, 09:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
Tyree Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: May 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,810 OS: XP Pro-7RC-Mandriva My System	Re: XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died Couldn't agree more with manic. XFX is known for problems and early failures. My best advice, get a Seasonic or Corsair PSU with amply power, attempt to obtain a refund from XFX and get a quality card. EVGA brand is always a good choice for Nvidia chipped cards. __________________ Posting your PC specs will help us to help you quicker and more efficiently.

08-01-2009, 05:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
tomblits Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows 7 RC	Re: XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died I'll see what I can do, I opened a ticket on the XFX website but this is my first time any computer part I have bought has defected. Is there any way for me to force them to refund or would I have to contact newegg about that? I think neweggs policy only covers 1 month and its been 2.

08-01-2009, 06:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,876 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died Newegg's standard return policy is 1 year, you can check this by going to your newegg account, My Newegg, Order History, select "show all", find the correct invoice, find the part in the order, it should state what return policy it has, the standard return policy is 1yr, good for replacement (for cost of shipping) or refund (for cost of shipping+15% restocking fee). If it's something else click on it to read the terms. Newegg's return policy is far better than XFX's. __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

08-02-2009, 08:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
tomblits Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows 7 RC	Re: XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died The return police is VGA Standard Return Policy. From their website when I went to try to get the automatic RMA on it this is what came up: According to our records, this item is still covered by the product manufacturer's parts warranty. According to our records, this item is still covered by the product manufacturer's labor warranty. This item was purchased more than 30 days ago and is no longer eligible for a replacement RMA. So I'll have to work with XFX then.

08-02-2009, 03:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tyree Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: May 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,810 OS: XP Pro-7RC-Mandriva My System	Re: XFX 2 month old Video card suddenly Died Newegg only replacesRMS's up to 30 days then you have to contact the manufacturer. __________________ Posting your PC specs will help us to help you quicker and more efficiently.