One of the worst tablet hardware and warranty claim experiences I’ve ever had the “pleasure” of having.

Asus really needs to buck up their quality control of the Nexus 7. When I first got the tablet on the 18th August, 2012 I started experiencing the dreaded screen lifting issue after a few days. Then I started having the screen flickering issue as well, which proved to be the last straw.

I then sent it in for warranty repairs on the 23rd August, 2012 at the Asus Malaysia Service Centre at Low Yat Plaza, KL. I checked on the status periodically from then. In the beginning, I was told that they were waiting for parts to arrive from Taiwan (they decided to change the whole screen and “top cover”). Fine, fair enough, I thought. Finally, on the 12th September, I was told that the parts had arrived, and it was installed and it was then at the QC testing stage to make sure everything is alright before releasing it to me. This “testing stage” went on for the next few days until I received a call on 19th September, 2012 (yesterday) to pick up my unit.

So off I went to collect it. The staff at the Service Centre told me that they had replaced the LCD and the “top cover” and showed me the proof of that. I then asked them whether they fixed the screen flickering issue as well. There was no answer from them. Instead, they switched on the unit, asked me to log into my Google account and test for myself?!

Never mind. So I proceeded to try and key in my credentials to log into my Google account. Notice I used the word “try” here. I just could not key in the required info properly! The touchscreen was acting up really badly, with most times either not registering my taps or registering my taps wrongly (tap/touch one spot on the screen, but the screen actually registers my tap/touch at another spot – imagine the nightmare of that while using the soft keyboard). I had “inherited” a new problem despite it being a new LCD!!! After trying for what seemed like eternity, I finally managed to log in. I then showed the staff the problem there, which they then tested for themselves and admitted the problem. They then told me to “re-send” in my unit for warranty claims.

The thing is, did the Service Centre really test the unit before calling me? The bloody thing was in the “testing stage” for at least 4 full working days. I seriously doubt they tested the unit as the latest screen touch problems were immediately apparent once you start interacting with the touchscreen. The other thing is, how can this happen with a brand new replacement LCD? Solve one problem, but give another? This is totally and entirely unsatisfactory. I can expect this from a no name product from China, but from Asus??!! Asus, you really, really gotta buck up with your hardware quality control and your after sales service. On top of that, apart from giving yourself a bad name, you are giving Google a bad name as well with such bad hardware quality control for the Nexus 7.

Now, I gotta wait AGAIN for my Nexus 7 to be fixed… and god knows how long a wait it will be this time.