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9800GX2

Discussion in 'bit-tech Folding Team' started by JackOfAll, 26 Apr 2009.

  1. JackOfAll

    JackOfAll What's a Dremel?

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    As my old post on CPC forum is long gone .........There was a 9800GX2 thread where someone posted that OcUK were selling the Leadtek 9800GX2 card for £170. I bought a pair them. Two cards arrived. However, one of the cards was new and the other was not. Actually, on removing the card from the anti-static bag - it was a little beaten up - warped, a bit of the casing was broken, gouge on one side, badly bent PCI bracket and dust on fan blades. Not really what you'd expect for a card described as brand new retail. I called OcUK and RMA'd it on Thursday to receive a new card back. Got a call from them on Friday to say that they had opened both of the 2 units left in stock and they were also not brand new cards. They told me that these cards were in a better condition than the one I returned and that they would give me a £35 partial refund as well to sweeten the deal and the card they'd return would have the standard 2 year Leadtek warranty. Replacement 9800GX2 arrived yesterday. Obviously used but has not been in the wars. So, I'm quite pleased with the £135 for the second card.

    Now I just need to finish shuffling hardware between cases so I can get the pair of these folding.
     
  2. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    Well there was no way that I was going to take anyone up on that offer even though it was a good one... A few years ago (4 or so I think), shortly after I started bulding instead of just repairing and upgrading, and whilst I was still on the hunt for reliable online retaillers to buy kit from, I bought 3 Gigabyte motherboards from OcUK and put them in what were at the time top end systems. I sold all 3 systems and within 4 months of selling them I had all 3 back again, with faulty boards. I RMA'd the first two fine but when it came to the third one they just didn't seem to care. I couldn't get through to them on the phone for a couple of weeks and when I finally did get the RMA number for it and return it, its replacement was never received.

    The two things that came from that? I haven't bought a Gigabyte motherboard since, and OCuK haven't received an order from me since.

    If I had received second hand cards being passed off as new from a company like OCuK believe me, I would have been demanding more than £35 off the card as compensation, no matter what cards they were. If that card was warped there's a good chance it's had a W/C block on it at some stage. Large blocks that are overtightened tend to bend the board a bit.
     
  3. Vince_Kinslow

    Vince_Kinslow Folding Millionaire

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    I know this reply does not directly apply to this thread but my query is in regards to 9800GX2 that leegsx I think it was on the old forum posted he had 7 / 8 cards he wanted to off load to CPC folders now the old forum has gone I have no way of contacting him to buy some.
    Can any one shed any light?:wallbash:
     
  4. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    I haven't even seen him over here since the move I don't think. I hope he's here or joins eventually though, because he was a regular poster in the folding forum @ CPC!
     
  5. uncle_fungus

    uncle_fungus P/T Folding@home developer

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  6. JackOfAll

    JackOfAll What's a Dremel?

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    Unicorn,

    Well, I dare say we've all had our fair share of bad experiences with a variety of retailers. OcUK are not top of my list due to a past RMA experience which I won't recount here.

    In this instance I'm giving OcUK the benefit of the doubt. The 9800GX2 has been discontinued - no more being made. My understanding is that Leadtek are at fault here by sending refurbed cards that are probably RMA repairs back out in new boxes, etc. etc. and not stating that they are refurbed/reconditioned, mixed in with the last of the new stock they had of this card. OcUK have dealt with me in a what I consider to be a fair manner. When I raised the issue, they asked me to return the card for a new one. They called me on Friday, when they opened the remaining boxes (I believe they had two left on the shelf) they found that both of those were not brand new either. Aside from the fact that the replacement card did not have the peelable protective films of the sides of the card housing, you'd probably not realise this card is not new, unless you bothered to inspect it closely. No marks on the card, no evidence of screws on the PCI bracket, very, very light dust on the fan blades. If you didn't know what you were looking for, you'd be hard pressed to think you'd received anything other than a new card. The way I see it is that, fine, it's not a new card, it's refurbed, but it's warrantied for 2 years and it cost me £135. I believe that OcUK have acted fairly and properly. If they'd not called me on Friday and just sent another card, I would have hit the roof when it arrived. The fact that they opened two other boxes, called me first to discuss, gave me the option of a full refund, or sending another 'refurbed' card plus a partial refund. I think they did OK.

    P.S. The card I sent back - I'd never have kept it, discount or not. It was badly warped. I wouldn't have been happy plugging it into a mb.
     
    Last edited: 26 Apr 2009
  7. phoenicis

    phoenicis Retired Chimp

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    Have you managed to find reliable online retailers Unicorn? I am currently in the throws of a nightmare saga with Scan where I'm trying to get a replacement for a faulty GTX295 and their 3XS service promise would appear to be just a marketing ploy.

    I am just about to pull the trigger on three more cards in preparation for the Chimp Challenge and would really value input on suppliers with customer focus beyond the point of delivery.

    p.s. Glad your experience with OCUK ended well JackOfAll.
     
  8. JackOfAll

    JackOfAll What's a Dremel?

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    I'm not Unicorn, but my tuppence for what it's worth.....

    The less I say about Scan the better. Top of my s**t list.

    eBuyer gets my vote. Not always the cheapest on prices, but they've never failed to deliver next working day and their RMA has been prompt and efficient. Novatech also get a thumbs up from me.

    The Zotac GTX295 is back in stock at eBuyer. It's the ref card. (Well, all manufacturers are using the ref card as far as I'm aware.) Not a bad price at £385.20. No probs with the pair I bought.

    So am I! :eyebrow:

    PS. I've just been figuring out with the pair of GX2's - average of 18000 PPD, versus 26000 PPD pair of GTX295's. (Default shader clocks.) So for total invested - £335, for the pair of 9800GX2's, versus £770 for the pair of GTX295's...... pair of GTX295's produce 1.44 times more PPD, for 2.3 times the cost. I think another pair of 9800GX2's are my next purchase. (Not taking power used into account and scewed a little by the fact that second 9800GX2 only cost £135.) Food for thought, anyway.
     
    Last edited: 27 Apr 2009

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