Almost seems like an echo of last year's experience with the Sabertooth, Philly.
A lot of folks really like those RIVE boards -- well, now that I think -- I heard more about the MIVE boards. I don't see how you won't do just fine with the processor and RAM in the P9X79, though.
Times may have changed, but before reaching out to ASUS about my self-damaged Sabertooth Z77, I'd RMA's a board to ASUS in 2007. It was under warranty, and they turned it around in a reasonable amount of time.
Makes one think twice about shelling out for a top-end board, though.
Then again, maybe it WAS a paper-clip. I even worry about loose staples on my carpet and desk. Reminds me that I should run my Shark Navigator on the carpet tomorrow. Way overdue.
Also, in connection with the Sabertooth disaster, I'll say this: It DOES PAY dividends to go over the product with a magnifying glass just after purchase. But that's what got me into my trouble with the Sabertooth: I'd ordered an AsRock Z77 board, and the magnifier revealed -- not just BENT socket pins -- but worse. So I sent it back to the Egg, bought the Sabertooth in a bundle from an EBAy seller, and proceeded to damage that . . . damned . . . socket-pin -- which you know all about.