Sapphire voiding warranty on heatsink removal

[Sandbo]

I just bought my RX 480 and it's my first card from Sapphire.
To my surprise, there is a sticker on the back of the card trying to prevent user from removing the heatsink, which I have never seen from all my previous cards from brands like XFX and PowerColor.

Obviously, it is needed to take the heatsink off the board in order to clean it thoroughly, in particularly with a blower design like these RX 480 cards where everything is closed. This is simply necessary and I have done it numerous times with my previous cards and none died before I have swapped them out with a new card.
It is very unreasonable to have this as a way to block users out or as an excuse to void the warranty (or do they expect users to send the card back for cleaning dust alone?)

So to say, if this is truly what Sapphire means (I saw the similar terms on their site), try to AVOID buying Sapphire's card.

 

[ZeppMan217]

I remember reading somewhere that those stickers aren't legal in the US.

 

[silentbogo]

It's always been like that, as long as I remember.
Nothing "unreasonable" in preventing warranty claims on cards with chipped GPU die, or spilled/smeared LiquidPro.

 

[dorsetknob]

You should be able to clean the card by jamming the fan Temporarily , so it cannot spin then by using Compressed Air through the Fan slot, and by reverse blowing through the exit Slot. Cooling system should only be taken off for re-pasting when its eventually needed.

 

[Sandbo]

It's always been like that, as long as I remember.
Nothing "unreasonable" in preventing warranty claims on cards with chipped GPU die, or spilled/smeared LiquidPro.

One might say this is a way to protect their own rights against abuse of users who might damage the card this way.
But the truth is also the card can get dusty in a year and have serious degradation of performance due to heavy throttling,
while this could have been solved easily by cleaning and applying fresh thermal paste.
This effectively shorten the life-span, or at least a service time of card which could stay at a peak performance to maybe a year.
I couldn't concur that this is something resonable.

Unless they expected everyone to send their card back for cleaning.

 

[ste2425]

One might say this is a way to protect their own rights against abuse of users who might damage the card this way.
But the truth is also the card can get dusty in a year and have serious degradation of performance due to heavy throttling,
while this could have been solved easily by cleaning and applying fresh thermal paste.
This effectively shorten the life-span, or at least a service time of card which could stay at a peak performance to maybe a year.
I couldn't concur that this is something resonable.

Unless they expected everyone to send their card back for cleaning.

Which is great for people like us who are capable of performing such a task without damaging it. Dismantling a product voids on many other items.

 

[silentbogo]

Cleaning dust without removing the heatsink is easy(regardless of a fan type): compressed air+brush.
Usually I don't even bother with compressed air and use my mighty lungs.

Older cards used to be structured as laptop blowers - you could take the top cover off by removing some screws from the top.
Some newer cards also have the possibility to remove shroud/fans without the heatsink, thus not breaking the warranty seal.
On RX480 you should be able to do it by removing side screws and pulling the shroud off.

 

[AsRock]

Well XFX has these stickers pretty much on all their cards these days, how ever ZeppMan21 might be on to some thing, i know for the US if you ask XFX 1st they will back the warranty in the US how ever i in other places of the world can be a totally different story.

I have heard that some other company's don't allow it too and better of replying no comment .

Cleaning dust without removing the heatsink is easy(regardless of a fan type): compressed air+brush.
Usually I don't even bother with compressed air and use my mighty lungs.

Older cards used to be structured as laptop blowers - you could take the top cover off by removing some screws from the top.
Some newer cards also have the possibility to remove shroud/fans without the heatsink, thus not breaking the warranty seal.
On RX480 you should be able to do it by removing side screws and pulling the shroud off.

I guess you don't realize how much moister actually gets on it by doing that never mind any thing else.

Yeah some thing they do not tag with stickers is that shroud which would allow much better cleaning if the company does so your not allowed.

In the end if your up for taking the cooler off ask first and if they allow it guard that email with ya life hehe.

In fact when i do get a new card it be on my to ask list before buying.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I remember reading somewhere that those stickers aren't legal in the US.

i got that answer from MSI( not being illegal, but rather, not being an obligation US owners are held to), those stickers are not relevant for US owners, not to mention, i have used the 'ole, it fell off one day when i was cleaning story

 

[Sandbo]

Well XFX has these stickers pretty much on all their cards these days, how ever ZeppMan21 might be on to some thing, i know for the US if you ask XFX 1st they will back the warranty in the US how ever i in other places of the world can be a totally different story.

I have heard that some other company's don't allow it too and better of replying no comment .



I guess you don't realize how much moister actually gets on it by doing that never mind any thing else.

Yeah some thing they do not tag with stickers is that shroud which would allow much better cleaning if the company does so your not allowed.

In the end if your up for taking the cooler off ask first and if they allow it guard that email with ya life hehe.

In fact when i do get a new card it be on my to ask list before buying.

I certainly did send them an email, anyway, I will be doing whatever I need with the card, it's not the most expensive one. Will see what they have to say.
I am just pissed when they didn't even care whether the customers could have difficulties cleaning it or not.

For XFX, that's a different story, on their website they actually mention this and can take it as special case.
http://xfxforce.com/en-us/support/xfx-warranty
This is what I call a reasonable thing to do. If the manufacturer is worried about taking off the cooler would affect the warranty.

 

[silentbogo]

I guess you don't realize how much moister actually gets on it by doing that never mind any thing else.

The amount of moisture is negligible. My lungs are mighty, but even then they are not mighty enough to leave permanent condensation at room temperature even with 75% relative humidity.

 

[sneekypeet]

Two ways of looking at this.....

1) Run card till it dies from the fur coat you assume will be inhaled into the blower style cooler, and then RMA the card when it does.
2) Return Sapphire card to wherever you got it from, and buy a card from a maker that is not sporting said stickers, or has in writing on their site that it does not affect Canadian users!

 

[rtwjunkie]

Honestly, Blower coolers have always had the least dust in them of any cards I have used. Hold the fan and squirt a little compressed air and you are all set.

Unless you don't have intake screens/filters?

 

[Sandbo]

Two ways of looking at this.....

1) Run card till it dies from the fur coat you assume will be inhaled into the blower style cooler, and then RMA the card when it does.
2) Return Sapphire card to wherever you got it from, and buy a card from a maker that is not sporting said stickers, or has in writing on their site that it does not affect Canadian users!

Thanks for the advices,
I would have paid a bit more for a XFX one if I knew in advance;
From Newegg this card cannot be returned but only be replaced, plus I really like the card and after having waited the shipping for 2 weeks, I am tired of the troubles;
I am only summing up my experience here, so others can decide with more information.

Honestly, Blower coolers have always had the least dust in them of any cards I have used. Hold the fan and squirt a little compressed air and you are all set.

Unless you don't have intake screens/filters?

Actually, I have 3*120mm intake with 3M Filtrate air filters, my computer on its own is a air purifier

Still it's not totally avoidable to clean occasionally; I like to get the full performance I paid for all the time

 

[Ungari]

Funny, this card is like one month old and already you feel the need to dust and reapply thermal paste?
I just use a small electric leaf blower to remove dust from the fans and inside the card about every 2-3 months while I clean the the entire case.
Call me strange but I don't even remove the card.
As to thermal paste, I figure that should be lasting until I replace the card which should about 18-24 months.

 

[Sandbo]

Funny, this card is like one month old and already you feel the need to dust and reapply thermal paste?
I just use a small electric leaf blower to remove dust from the fans and inside the card about every 2-3 months while I clean the the entire case.
Call me strange but I don't even remove the card.
As to thermal paste, I figure that should be lasting until I replace the card which should about 18-24 months.

Obviously I am talking about a long term issue that might arise.
Blowing is fine but I tend to renew the paste in a year which I probably cannot blow into place.

 

[Jetster]

Removing the sticker does void the warranty. This is nothing new. Even in the US. Just make sure the sticker is not damaged duh

 

[D007]

I just throw mine in the dishwasher to clean it..
Trust me, it works.. Just the card doesn't work right after..
But man it's clean!

 

[Ungari]

Blowing is fine but I tend to renew the paste in a year which I probably cannot blow into place.

I understand.
Applying thermal paste repeatedly is an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Call 1-800-Thermal to find a support group near you.

 

[RejZoR]

Honestly, Blower coolers have always had the least dust in them of any cards I have used. Hold the fan and squirt a little compressed air and you are all set.

Unless you don't have intake screens/filters?

Because you don't see the dust collecting on the fins because they are hidden under plastic shroud. But I can assure you the dust is collecting in there.

 

[AsRock]

Because you don't see the dust collecting on the fins because they are hidden under plastic shroud. But I can assure you the dust is collecting in there.

Yeah don't take much to block it either, although canned air will normally push it out to the fan for removal.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Obviously I am talking about a long term issue that might arise.
Blowing is fine but I tend to renew the paste in a year which I probably cannot blow into place.

Can I suggest you invest in decent filters, I've spent only time fitting high rated filers on all in pulling fans and I get zero dust builup and virtually no cleaning to do inside the case, I just sold my R9 390 in new looking condition straight out of the case and even my mate agreed it looked ridiculously unused despite it having been on most of 9 months flat out folding.
If you do indeed give a shit ,Show it fix your case up.

 

[Jetster]

Filters

 

[newtekie1]

But the truth is also the card can get dusty in a year and have serious degradation of performance due to heavy throttling,
while this could have been solved easily by cleaning and applying fresh thermal paste.

You can remove the shroud for cleaning without removing the heatsink. There are screws around the edge that you can undo to remove the shroud.

And modern thermal paste doesn't need to be replaced, it lasts a lot longer than the stuff from the 90s.

So, yeah, not really a problem.

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

It's an Amd card. It runs so hot that it burns the dust off on contact.