This is a warning to anyone who owns a Sapphire GPU and needs to RMA their EOL card. Your experience might be better so treat this as a good read.

I own a Sapphire R9 280X vaporx tri-x which comes with 2 years warranty until June 2016. So May last month the card goes defective. No problem still in warranty so i send it back to the shop and the shop can send it back to the distributor. All fine and well.

2 days ago, 28th June i got news from the shop and told me the distributor cannot replace same card for me anymore because it's EOL. This is normal as the 280X is quite old and the distributor also ran out of R9 380 and 380X to replace for me.

So here comes the absurd part, compensate me RM100 or i topup RM1050 and get myself a shiny new RX480. Why RM100? because when they refer back to Sapphire my card is "out of manufacturer warranty" so Sapphire only CN(Credit Note) them RM100. For my case they make it "special" and give me the RM100. So i say a big NO, what kind of ridiculous offer is this.

Next day they came with another offer, this time ask me pay RM636 for a nitro R7 370! I say NOOOO and guess what they reduce the R7 370 to RM565..wow so generous..im beginning to feel special now

Onwards to today, they make me special again by reducing the top up to RX480 to RM1007 (RM950+gst)..now i'm being offered below market price i feel like i'm gonna be hauled up by MACC. Just now they revealed why i only get RM100...

card price RM1199/24 months = RM49.95 , warranty count as 2 months left so i get RM100

So what's missing until now? YES the "WARRANTY" I send in my card in the warranty time frame i should be given back the same card, if not a comparable card or compensate me more. They just use the excuse "out of manufacturer warranty" to compensate me RM100 or ask me top up alot for a new card. So whats the point of a warranty then, sapphire CN them RM100 nothing to with me..i send in the card in the warranty period and i should get back what a warranty is for.

The distributor is build tech and below is their site

http://www.build.com.my/

Shop given me the number for the person in charge and so far no reply in whatsapp, so i ask the shop to tell them to call me or reply me in whatsapp. That's it for now, if you find it funny please laugh..the RM100 can be funny lol and will be updated when i have any update.

tell them and say you can wait for the restock, ask how long their next restock.

can bring to court? make this a great example and save the sweat for customers after you.

i bought like 3 sapphire card b4..and nvr RMA any of the 3 b4,(sold away)
guess i will start to black list sapphire and POWERCOLOR gpu from now on...
my GPU powercolor they doing FALSE advertizing..i aready file a complain to KPDNKK oledi....but no respond from them almost 3 weeks liao

TS, if you have black & white proof that you sent in for RMA before warranty expired, go to consumer courts. They have to either give you back same model OR higher model but you top up to make for the price difference.

The point about the card is out of warranty when they refer back to Sapphire is NOT customer's problem. Whomever handling warranty at their end should be aware of the warranty status of each items customer sent in and keep track of it.

You have your rights as a customer, TS. Try approaching Consumer Court and ask for their advise. See what they recommend.

they have acknowledge that i send in inside the warranty period so i'm eligible for RMA

i didnt abuse my rights as a customer, i'm just asking for a reasonable compensation in this matter nothing more nothing less. They can came up with offer but at least be reasonable

filing a complaint is my last option, i'm not the kinda person who pushed anyone to their limit..i can have a good conversation with them to sort this out the easy way so no hard feelings to anyone and can move on

TS,

Yes. I have handled cases previously where the RMA model is EOL. Usually the supplier will give us credit memo for the price of the stock then it's up to us to make a deal with customer.

For eg let's say customer bought the product at RM 500. This means customer has a "credit" with the shop of RM500. If the customer then decides to exchange for something with retail price of RM 455, the remaining RM45 is burned. If customer decides to get something that's retailing for RM 650, then customer only needs to top up RM150.

That's, in my opinion, how this case should be handled.

yes this should be the way, even i expect it to be this way

half the value or so its reasonable, i can't ask them to pay me back full price

RM100 is just absurd

since i work at retail shop 10years ago, sapphire brand very seldom sold from my hand, majority is because after sales n service is very bad…somemore it's distributed by build technology…good luck to u 1st…now i got do some freelance also never buy the products supplied by them…filtered by me already…

so they got quite a bad reputation

i need alot of luck even that i don't think nothing good will come out of this mess

things like this what ruined a brand here

No, if the same model is out of stock, they MUST upgrade to a similar performing or better model for free. This is standard practice.

TS, buy your goods online from Amazon and deal with their Taiwan centre directly.

Company you can trust


- More than 13 Years Exprience Management team in IT distribution Line

- Experience in IT Distribution Line

- Efficient Logistic with On Time Delivery

- Up to Date Online Accounting Package

- Organizes Warehousing System

- Efficient RMA Service

Pretty bad experience on your end then, Isolated imho.
Sapphire's distributor is JW powers located in Imbi Plaza. (at least they one that I deal with directly)
Last time when I fried my 6950, even during CNY season, they replaced it along with my motherboard in 3 weeks with a new card ( same model ).

This post has been edited by Gregyong: Jul 1 2016, 01:40 AM

I had a feeling its a con job from the shop, the distributor don't dictate reseller mark up pricing aka consumer pricing but they will give you a guideline pricing to sell, so how did the come up with the rm1199 /24 months figure(I'm assuming this is the figure you bought from the shop)?

if lets say they were to CN, they will only CN the shop purchase price, not consumer price, that's what I know cuz I work in distribution line.

Also, distributor would not waste their time to keep on offering replacement with top-up to the consumer.

I thought buying from elsewhere a hassle but now its even a bigger hassle going thru this

LOL!!!

i never do alot RMA, either sold it off still working or it breaks after warranty is over but this is the 1st time go thru such a bad RMA..there is always first time for anything right lol

RM1199 is the purchase price, the shop is just the middle in all this passing the message from distributor to me as the distributor themself can't be bothered to contact me

This whole mess is that my card is not covered anymore by sapphire, so what sapphire do is just cn RM100 to the distributor..distributor doesnt want to cover any more cost to compensate me so they came up with the calculation hence the RM100

to ts...would u like me to post this at thier fb page?
just to speed up the prosess

i can tell u is totally useless, now inside this company, operation n management messy like hell!

hahaha…this company a lot of story behind this…efficient RMA service??? really bullshit and talk cock…

can share about the powercolor gpu false advertising?

1024 stream prosesor issue.should be 1280
they use old box ,even resit also no write indicated i am buying a cut down version

This post has been edited by tlts: Jul 1 2016, 12:17 PM

how is your complaint going?

Had the same experience as TS with my MSI GTX460 where its in the final year of the warranty, offered to replace to 6790 since that model is EOL as well, requested for refund, got back rm270-300 which i don't remember.

at least they didnt ask you topup for the 6790, mine they offer me R7 370 a lower performance card and still ask me to pay RM500++ for it

Last time I sent a Core i7 2600k to RMA, I'm also get a called from Idealtech, they ask me to top up not sure RM100~200 for Core i7 3770k because they say Core i7 2600k already discontinued. Sometimes, we also depends on luck. If we lucky enough, we can use the graphic cards for more than 5 years without defective.

So far, from 10 years ago when I'm still a student. I've been using nvidia GeForce mx440, 7600GT, GTX460, GTX680 until now. My computer is still using GTX460, that card is still working well. Now I was bought a GTX1070 and make my GTX460 as dedicated PhysX. It's still working well.

they did call me once while i was driving hence no pick up thier call ONCE,then i call back and they say this number is for outgoing call only aka they will call back....and thats it never heard anything after that for 3 week.

This post has been edited by tlts: Jul 1 2016, 05:45 PM


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I had bad experience with my Saphire GC as well. Seems like its across the board...

looks like this is going to take ages if any action will be taken

not only me alone, mind to share your bad experience?

such bad experience makes us no sapphire anymore, one timed fooled is enough

is XFX RMA any better? or Powercolor? it seems Sapphire has 2 distributor, JW Powers and build Technology.

all HQ are in Taiwan right?

found this: http://i.imgur.com/aDAg27b.png but not really helpful, anyone with experience care to share?

This post has been edited by svfn: Jul 2 2016, 08:49 PM

XFX - HK
Sapphire - HK
Galax - HK

Who didn't respond to you KPDNKK or PowerColor?

Let me know la, I can investigate the matter (not with KPDNKK).

i did watsapp with powercolor (dun quite remember what name) say they will check with marketing department bcause he also dun know how it was advertize...i wait wait wait msg msg msg...keep say not yet not yet then i report je tired of waiting liao

i just post @ kpdnkk fb..hope can get faster respond there kekeke

Had a bad experience with Saphire brand. Dont know why I feel that their product is not as long lasting as Asus (Not to promote Asus, but an honest buyer review here). My Saphire product, esp GC, will die off right after its warranty period.

wow posting at kpdnkk fb really fast reply...so got a call from them jst to say its under ttpm...so i gonna make complain there haiz

Email to Sapphire direct and complaint about Buildtech.

This is a really crappy excuse.
Please complain to the Consumer's Tribunal about this.

From now on, if I am planning to buy any graphic cards, I will make sure that they are not distributed by Buildtech. Thanks for sharing.

So how's the case?

taking note of the case and the brand.. will definitely stay away from that distro.. point them to this thread show to them the damage because of this.

Goldfries and idealtech help me contact sapphire directly but no news yet

As for build tech I have decline all the offer, didn't agree to anything from them

So now I can only wait lol

btw which brand of gpu thats no need to send overseas for rma?

Then which brand is good for warranty exchange? Next time i skip Sapphire for sure.

Cukur, all my GPU never spoilt....only 1 time many years ago, bought what cheap plak brand "Eagle", immediately go home, immediately KO on DOA.

This post has been edited by Matrix: Jul 4 2016, 05:03 PM

XFX, Galax and Sapphire all have local distributor.

strange, maybe JW Powers RMA is not as bad as buildtech? afaik Sapphire is top tier for AMD like EVGA is for Nvidia, or maybe that applies only to outside Msia??

This post has been edited by svfn: Jul 4 2016, 05:31 PM

Zotac got local distro? My GTX 970 is Zotac...touchwood...

that powercolor veli cb la.just now call check my gpu status .she say not yet send to taiwan,reason is she only 1person at department atm..last week i call she say send aready to taiwan haiz very sianz ler like that..btw later go home must file report at ttpm sin

Yes. Have local distributor.

woot report ttpm need to pay rm5 linggit ka..haiz....mission abort la
btw i just wanna gain some exp in reporting haha

This post has been edited by tlts: Jul 4 2016, 06:50 PM

JW? for me, abang adik la…no different at all…

since I left this field 3 years ago, seldom catch up these already…cannot gv u answer for this…

no brand is safe from such thing, if you are bad luck it can happen

now i decline their offer, so they will go back to warranty department and...i have no idea..so wait again what they gonna decide to do

any update on this issue?

just got msg that they (build tech) waiting sapphire to make decision

thats all i got now lol

y not make a report at ttpm/kdnkk

top tier? ere not really...it just that they have the exclusive-first-rights to release their cards to the market first be4 other manufacturer.

sounds similar like like time nvidia reference cards? no?

dig the warranty TnC out and catch them from there

what i come across was....if the production line of such model have been stop and is unable to fix

most manufacturer will replace the almost same or equivalent of the product

what i heard from you....it is absurd, having me to pay for the new is ridiculous. i might give them a middle finger and also tell them what the f*** is warranty fo,r if you had me to pay for a new card.

This post has been edited by herojack41: Jul 12 2016, 01:17 PM

yup. I RMAed my 6870 toxic 2 times. The 2nd time they gave me 7850oc instead coz 6870 toxic eol.

and last year I RMAed 280x and 290 tri x without any issue. all done with viewnet

considering they still have stock they will surely replace

the 280 n 290 is fix or replaced?

Agree every bit of it.

And OMG. That derivation of refund value is an utter BS. Products sold with warranty are guaranteed to function as advertised within the warranty time frame. We BUY the product, we are NOT RENTING it. You can't just calculate a refund like that. It's not fair to us consumers.

Build tech is just another BS cinapek company. Shame. Will avoid it next time.

Bought a Sapphire 390 back in March'16. Better sell it asap right after Vega/Navi releases.

Thanks for sharing, TS. Best of luck on the RMA. I'm very interested to hear about the outcome of your case.

This is why i until now never have confidence buying Sapphire card..

yup both replaced

a card that have only 2 years warranty while others offer 3

not yet for now since they still acknowledge my claim, until sapphire also doesnt wana care then complain

yeap, absurd and ridiculous is the words, i say no and no so now wait and see how they gonna handle with sapphire

you are lucky man your card still can be replaced, too bad my case EOL and the distributor wana become a jack ass

the CN is the most absurd part

rm100 CN? tell them go to hell

yea lol RM100 is just

top up for RX480 is fine with me, but RM1k... if lesser i can think about it

i would not pay a single cent or accept any offer that required me to pay.

is still in the warranty period. go to tribunal they lose

most of the IT electronic distributor is the mother of jackass.

Acceptable if I top up for a better card since they can't replace but only give back rm100..they must be thinking some consumer are idiots will accept this

Any new update I will post here

The price is cheaper...but i rather pay more for warranty..

Top up RM 100 to change to RX480 I can accept. But RM 1000 is ridiculous.

Bookmarking this thread.

yes...is cheaper by rm50

i still pay more for the extra 1 year warranty

peace of mind

i will update when i got new news

I've E-mailed Sapphire your case again, no reply from them yet.

Sad case la yours, my ASUS HD7950 EOL also, I sent for RMA and they gave me CN nice nice.

Help you make it viral la. I feel that it's nonsense https://www.facebook.com/goldfries.fanpage/...370795562946956

come I help it become more viral

sharing it on PC FB groups

Eventually we'll find out whether it's the shop playing a fool on consumer.

Never heard of any brand do things so stupid.

thanks again bro

now see how they gonna handle it

as for the shop, she say 1st time she encounter such bad RMA and she also pity me lol but nothing much she can do as it's all down to build tech..she is only the middle person passing messages to me

the imbi plaza 1 is direct distributor... rma my 6970 got back brand new... btw i think 280x got tons of restock.. maybe not for tri x but the dual X got many...

Well, Not to say that I have bad experience, but previously JW has some issues (or CML)... RMA 3870 takes ages, then say cannot repair and EOL, ask me pay 50% for 5870 or give me a mere RM200 CN... Meh... (one month warranty left)
Luckily after a month of negotiation, JW called and offered me an 4890 new RMA Set (But with only 7 day warranty) with only RM50 payment from 3870 warranty.... at least I didn't went Full Berserk...

Build tech wise, Well... leadtek is one hell of a good gpu that I've previously own, and previously their staffs are friendly, but didn't aware that things are going north with RM100 CN now...

leadtek models are good. heavy duty. those nvidia's in my cc still running good after 4yrs.

i also comment,like,and share

my Sapphire280 take almost 2 month to repaired.
slow but as long i get my card is ok.

my gtx660ti rma , at last gv me offer topup rm150 for gtx 970..pity u bro

I work at one of the major component manufacturing company, but this is not how things work with almost all the distribution channels. First the rma return date is the date u give ur card back to the shop. So if everything checks out, manufacturer replaces it. We send the credit note to distri and they pass the product to customer. There is no such thing as price/months. If within warranty period the manufacturer should replace or repair the product without any charge.
In case when there is no stock, the customer is given the option to choose whether he want to upgrade to different product with higher pricing, or something of similar price range is available, or whether he wants to wait for new stocks....

So bro, go to the distributor or shop and make them replace it. RM 1000 is not nothing... you made a purchase and entered a contract and retailer,distributor and manufacturer cannot reject to compensate for product issue.

Try contacting the Saphire directly from their website. Otherwise msg their fb page, they should be more open to solving this issue.

Had an issue with ASUS T100 and they took over 3 months to repair and replace twice, same day returned after the repair. It was like 4 months old. But later they replaced it with a new Chi. It turned out good but all the waiting was shit and was stuck with lot of delayed work coz of it. I guess RMA service is super horrible around here.

Yeah they're problematic, not sure if they have improved.

my suspect is they gonna drag your case till warrnaty period is over then force u to take any ridiculous offer they have or just ignore u

Just wanted to share my experience.. I have RMAed 3 times for my sapphire r9 290 reference.. the 1st and 2nd time the card gave artifact after few months of usage.. until they finally replace it with brand new tri-x. Even though it took me 3 times to solve my problem, im still satisfied because the RMA process only took 1months++ as they promised. And also customer service was great! Thanks to hikari

by now warranty period consider over, but at least they didnt yet go full on silence

and they told shop and then to me my card warranty is over at sapphire, for this comes this whole mess as they as distributor doesnt want to cover the cost replacing any card or more cn to me

the card is bought same place as you lol

she got no problem handling such thing, problem is with build tech push everything back to me

just can say i'm very bad luck in this whole thing

Asus? 10 years ago n today still same, service totally no improvement…

haiz…dunno how to say build tech liao…

u mean who 1st? Sapphire itself? build tech? JW power?

I was referring to to ASUS, it was in response to snjvirtual's post.

yes they have the foremost rights to release first, but are actually considered (at least in the US) to be the EVGA equivalent in making great coolers (for AMD cards), and generally perform better than Asus/Gigabyte/MSI ones (for AMD).

it's too bad Sapphire distributors arent as good here. actually SAPPHIRE already provide 3 year warranty for nitro 480 right now, their reference 480 is also 3 years. strange that locally is only 2 years... XFX was also only 2 years over here.

wow 3 times in 1 month? but at least you got a new one replaced.

This post has been edited by svfn: Jul 13 2016, 05:11 PM

widoy case.. it should no problem.. replacement unit if no stock@ EOL unit...

she done few rma for me without issue..

emhh distributors offer that price ?...

Heh i wonder if this case will go viral like what happened to Maxis.

help to share it haha. let Sapphire Technology Club take note of their distributors.

OP you can post to Reddit for better visibility, go on /r/AMD, and tag /u/vapor-x he works for Sapphire.

This post has been edited by svfn: Jul 13 2016, 07:00 PM