When it comes to graphics card RMAs, even if you’re the owner of one of the best graphics cards, it doesn’t always go smoothly. Reddit user kromz shared his ongoing experience with RMAing an ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, revealing that Asus declined to honor the warranty due to a small crack near the PCIe locking tab.
According to the owner of the GeForce RTX 5090, intermittent blank screens and system reboots had been persisting in the system where the Blackwell flagship was installed. After diagnosing the issue as stemming from their ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090, the Reddit user sent the graphics card to Asus for RMA. However, the company reportedly declined the warranty, citing a “surface irregularity.” It appears that Asus identified a small crack near the PCB edge tab area, which is not visible to the naked eye and was only detectable through microscopic examination. The company attributes it to customer damage.
The ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090, measuring 14.1 x 5.9 x 3 inches (357.6 x 149.3 x 76 mm), is a heavyweight, weighing 6.6 pounds (3.01 kg) on a scale. Needless to say, it’s a monstrous graphics card, so it’s vulnerable to damage if not handled or transported with appropriate caution. However, Kromz asserts that they installed the graphics card with meticulous care, consistently utilized the included support bracket, and refrained from relocating the system post-installation. “… all of that weight is supported by a single stress point on the PCB,” they said. “Honestly, that’s a design flaw waiting to happen.”
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Asus reportedly quoted the user $4,661 CAD for a replacement graphics card, which translates to around $3,357 by today’s exchange rate. That’s more expensive than buying one. When in stock, the ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 sells for $3,299.99. Even in Canada, where computer hardware is often more expensive, the overclocked model retails for $4,059 CAD.