BFG RMA issue

[Mrbarton]

Hello I'm new and am in a pickle.



I 8800gtx oc2 started having problems a few months ago so I called and set up an RMA. I took detailed pictures of the card before shipping in case it was damaged. It seemed to go well until I got my replacement card..... an 8800GTS OC. I called about the mistake and was told that I sent them a GTS and that they scanned the card and thats how they know. I know what I had.... a long, black, GTX. Not a shorter, green GTS.

Too the pics......I looked at the pictures I took days ago and found the issue.

The card I got new from newegg 2 years ago had the wrong bar code on the back. The picture shows my 8800GTX with the 8800GTS sticker. But other stickers on the card say GTX and the heatsink says GTX and my newegg invoice says 8800GTX.

The RMA woman told me it was another invoice for another card :frown: I said I had picture that show how this happened. She gave me an email for "complaints".


Will they ever believe me? and If they dont have a 8800 GTX then what card would not be a downgrade?

 

[SunnyD]

Oh Zap... paging Dr. Zap...

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: Mrbarton


Will they ever believe me? and If they dont have a 8800 GTX then what card would not be a downgrade?

9800GTX...about the same performance. 8800GTS 512MB would only be a slight downgrade, if that is what they gave you.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Call them up and demand to speak to the manager. Stay calm but be firm.

 

[error8]

It's not exactly a downgrade. 8800 GTS 512mb was a bit slower then GTX in higher resolutions and when lots of AA was used. BFG doesn't make 8800 GTX anymore, so it's impossible for them to give you one of those cards. I would say that is a nice RMA and there is no need to be upset.

And, 8800 GTS might even perform faster then GTX in some situations. link

In that link, there is an oced 8800 GT ( probably the same or a tad slower then a GTS) who performs faster then GTX in Stalker, a very graphically intensive game, because of the better optimized shaders.

 

[Mrbarton]

The price of the GTS at the time I got my GTX was $409. My GTX was $579. I dont think even a small downgrade is right.

 

[brblx]

different cards. that gts was the g80 320mb. i'm assuming they gave you a g92 512mb?

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: Mrbarton
The price of the GTS at the time I got my GTX was $409. My GTX was $579. I dont think even a small downgrade is right.

It doesn't matter the price if performance is the same.

 

[MarcVenice]

Eh, what if he plays at high res/lots of aa ? He's missing quite a bit of ram. I'd say a GTX260 192 shaders would be fair. Or a 9800gtx+ 1GB? If they don't have a 8800GTX anymore, they should give some as close as possible, but preferably better instead of slightly slower. That's called service. I'm not really going to slam BFG for this, but it would earn them credit if they got him something faster instead.

 

[Zap]

Hello Mrbarton, and welcome to Anandtech Forums.

Originally posted by: SunnyD
Oh Zap... paging Dr. Zap...

LOL. I work for BFG, but not in customer service or RMA. I'll try my best though...

Two issues here:

1) Mrbarton says he has an 8800 GTX that was somehow mislabeled as an 8800 GTS.

2) Mrbarton is questioning which card he should receive to replace his failed card.

#2 is easy to answer. If he really did have an 8800 GTS, then another 8800 GTS is a perfect replacement. If he really did have an 8800 GTX, then a 9800 GTX+ 1GB is the replacement. If that's not available then a GTS 250 1GB is the replacement. Really, the exact replacement will have to do with what cards are in-stock at the time, how much RAM, which factory overclocked level, etc. In any case, an 8800 GTS 512MB (if that's what was returned to you) is basically just an underclocked version of the 9800 GTX+/GTS 250 so it is somewhat close in performance. Again, just depends on what was actually returned to us.

#1 is a bit trickier. Tech support is an hour away from HQ (where I am) and so I can't just go look at the card that the user returned. Normally after an RMA is processed, the old card just goes off for repairs. If this was really recent then it might be possible to track down the actual card and try to figure out what went wrong. If it was "a few months ago" as indicated in the OP, then I'm not sure anyone can do anything about it as the card will be long gone. If it was really recent (as in a week or so) then Mrbarton should call BFG headquarters (number at web site "contact us") and ask for Jeff. He's the one that works with tech support on non-standard circumstances. Explain to Jeff what happened and he will try to hunt down the actual card you returned to figure out what is going on.

Note that while normal phone support is toll-free and someone will answer at all times (24 hours/day, every single day of the year including holidays) the number for BFG headquarters is not a toll-free number and calls will only be answered during normal business hours and if the person you are calling is at their desk and not on another call.

If it really has been a couple months, then I'm afraid nothing can be done about it. That would be like returning to a restaurant a month after you dined there with your receipt and a photo you took of the meal your waiter handed you that was missing a side dish... and wanting a free side dish.

Originally posted by: Mrbarton
The price of the GTS at the time I got my GTX was $409. My GTX was $579. I dont think even a small downgrade is right.

A downgrade in overall performance is not right. Because of design/architectural differences, the replacement card may not perform exactly the same or outperform the old card in everything. However, RMA replacements are chosen to be overall the equivalent or better in performance, meaning it may win a few and lose a few, but win more than lose.

Price has nothing to do with it because your $579 8800 GTX is not worth any more than an 8800 GTX that someone paid $530 for, nor is it worth any less than an 8800 GTX that someone paid $600 for. Pricing will vary depending on the reseller, supply/demand (some resellers raise pricing if demand is high or supply is low), whatever promotion is going on, when in the life cycle of the product it is purchased, etc.

For an example, let's look at GTX 260 pricing. That graphics card started out around a year ago at $450. A quick look at the latest hot deals finds cards as low as $145 (after rebates). So, for someone who paid $450 for their GTX 260, is their card still "worth $450 since that's what I paid for it?" If someone does an RMA on an original $450 GTX 260 and receives a current GTX 260 as a replacement, did that person lose value on their card since the replacement is "only worth" 1/3 what they paid? Or did they get a proper replacement because it is still a GTX 260 with near identical performance? Or did they get an upgrade since these new GTX 260 actually have 24 more processors? Thus, basing replacements on performance makes a lot more sense with computer parts than basing on original cost.

 

[Mrbarton]

Ok, I called and uploaded my pictures of the mislabeled card( my RMAed card was already tested and not there for them to look at) but they are sending me the right card now and a prepaid shipping label.

BFG keeps it place in my book for when I upgrade.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Mrbarton
Ok, I called and uploaded my pictures of the mislabeled card( my RMAed card was already tested and not there for them to look at) but they are sending me the right card now and a prepaid shipping label.

BFG keeps it place in my book for when I upgrade.

Well there. Good deal.

Zap - I know you're not in RMA's, but I knew you'd be able to steer him rightly.

 

[Mrbarton]

Ok I just got a 9800GTX+ 1gb

 

[Scali]

Very nice, I have both a G80 8800GTS320 and a G92b 9800GTX+ 512, and the 9800 is not only WAY faster, but it also runs less hot, and is very quiet.
I guess it's a nice improvement for you.

 

[1ManArmY]

great work BFG:beer:

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Mrbarton
Ok I just got a 9800GTX+ 1gb

That's just a "pre-badged" GTS 250, LOL.

 

[shangshang]

wow kudos for BFG!