ATi Slashes Factory Warranty Period

EcPercy · Sep 29, 2005, 02:36 PM

A sharp eyed reader over at extreme overclocking forums noted that ATi has slashed its warranty period for all products from as much as 5 years to 1, effective from August 31st 2005. This means if you purchased your (video)card before August 31st you will still retain the standard 3 year warranty that was present on the top level cards.

While NVidia in co-operation with XFX has started offering lifetime and double lifetime warranties on it's selected ranges of cards, one has to wonder how this helps ATi win customers to its own product range.

The new conditions state: "ATI warrants to the original purchaser of the hardware product, that the product is free from defects in materials or workmanship under normal use and service for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase at retail." this applies to all videocards, while workstation products retain a 3 year warranty.

View: Customer Care @ ATi

Source: Neowin.net

Wesleyrpg · Sep 29, 2005, 04:05 PM

hmm, maybe another reason not to buy ATI at the moment.

pr0digal jenius · Sep 29, 2005, 04:36 PM

XFX - lifetime
BFGTech - lifetime
eVGA - lifetime

those are the big 3 nVidia card providers....

looks like the only competing ATi provider is Visiontek, which is usually kinda pricey and out of stock on the high end cards.

Sandok · Sep 29, 2005, 04:37 PM

ATI... Hmmm going downhill... I wish my ATI card had lifetime warrenty.

niceguyrichy · Sep 29, 2005, 04:40 PM

damn. that's bad news with my record of ati cards dying.

Erroneus · Sep 29, 2005, 04:52 PM

Hmmm is this a indication that the r520 series is a bit fragile?

dipstick · Sep 29, 2005, 05:19 PM

I am baffled by ATi's decisions as of late. What is happening to the company I so love

mike2h · Sep 29, 2005, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erroneus

Hmmm is this a indication that the r520 series is a bit fragile?

was wondering the same thing.
while companies will sometimes do things like that to reduce costs, it rarely if ever, actually pays of. look how fast most of the hd companies got away from that 1yr warranty thing a while back.
ati is going to have to change this policy or lose customers.

SFOSOK · Sep 29, 2005, 06:25 PM

Damn guys, I think ATI si goin to have to make th R520 and R580 its savior soon. I hope they are as good as most think, if so then I will see a large price drop in for the 7800GTX and other cards around the board in the future.

SexPistoL · Sep 29, 2005, 08:16 PM

Sad news for sure

The_Neon_Cowboy · Sep 30, 2005, 05:44 AM

Quote:

WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS

THIS WARRANTY IS ONLY APPLICABLE TO NEW PRODUCT SERIES
RELEASED BY ATI AFTER AUGUST 31, 2005. PRODUCTS RELEASED
PRIOR TO THIS DATE ARE SUBJECT TO THE PREVIOUS WARRANTY TERMS
AND CONDITIONS.

Just so people are clear, thier not touching the warrenty on aleady released cards.

Quote:

A sharp eyed reader over at extreme overclocking forumsnoted

Must be cool to be sharp as a "spoon"

It been discused @ rage3d
since the 17th and i'm sure even earlier else where. It's like peopke
are noticeing a month after the fact and now its "new"

Quote:

Originally Posted by pr0digal jenius

XFX - lifetime
BFGTech - lifetime
eVGA - lifetime

those are the big 3 nVidia card providers....

looks like the only competing ATi provider is Visiontek,
which is usually kinda pricey and out of stock on the high end cards.

At first people thought it was all cards having their warranties
shortened. These only effect the built by ATI cards (they are MFG
by sapphire).Only affects any cards that will be newly released.
Other makers (Powered By ATI) are free to offer up what ever
warranties they want. That would mean comanies like ASUS, Hightech,
PowerColor, Gecube, Sapphire, Connect3D, Abit , Gigabyte, Visiontek,
Diamond Multimedia. CELESTICA, rosewill, Elsa , MSI , Info-tek corp, etc....

Who ever they are "could" still offer longer warranties and likely will...

Seriously not a good thing but I wonder what was their thought
or cause behind this. Weather it their decision or something
their kind of forced into by sapphire or what? There is a lack of
information behind the reason why?? I think some explanation is due.

Just means the build by ATI cards will be a little less popular. It doesn't
effect me one bit becouse I useally don't have a card as long as a year.
People will just buy the powerd buy ATI more. I'm sure ATI doesnt wan
to compete with the powerd by makers anyways. Even thogh they probubly
make more money selling direct. That why the built by ATI are useally a little
more expensive. Only thing I can think of is thats just a way to make the
divsion clearer.

As long as the powerd by makers are still offering 3-5-? year warrenties
It won't be a problem for ATI or well anyone really. ATI will just sell more
"cores" and less cards.

Sep 29, 2005, 02:36 PM	#1
EcPercy HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Iraq Posts: 1,535 Rep Power: 0	ATi Slashes Factory Warranty Period A sharp eyed reader over at extreme overclocking forums noted that ATi has slashed its warranty period for all products from as much as 5 years to 1, effective from August 31st 2005. This means if you purchased your (video)card before August 31st you will still retain the standard 3 year warranty that was present on the top level cards. While NVidia in co-operation with XFX has started offering lifetime and double lifetime warranties on it's selected ranges of cards, one has to wonder how this helps ATi win customers to its own product range. The new conditions state: "ATI warrants to the original purchaser of the hardware product, that the product is free from defects in materials or workmanship under normal use and service for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase at retail." this applies to all videocards, while workstation products retain a 3 year warranty. View: Customer Care @ ATi Source: Neowin.net

Sep 29, 2005, 04:05 PM	#2
Wesleyrpg DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 23 Rep Power: 0	hmm, maybe another reason not to buy ATI at the moment. __________________ MSI Megabook M510C Mobility Raedon 9600 64Mb Standard 350/460 oc'ed 400/520 P M 2.1, 1Gig DDR333, Hitachi 60gig 7200RPM 01=13,500 03=3,275 05=1118 Aquamark03=27,797 FFXI=5857

Sep 29, 2005, 04:52 PM	#6
Erroneus Get off my lawn! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 13,419 Rep Power: 119 System Specs	Hmmm is this a indication that the r520 series is a bit fragile? __________________

Sep 29, 2005, 06:25 PM	#9
SFOSOK 939 Goin Strong Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,033 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	Damn guys, I think ATI si goin to have to make th R520 and R580 its savior soon. I hope they are as good as most think, if so then I will see a large price drop in for the 7800GTX and other cards around the board in the future. __________________ Warning - Explicit Content Preceeding METAL!!

Sep 29, 2005, 08:16 PM	#10
SexPistoL DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UK Posts: 604 Rep Power: 0	Sad news for sure __________________

Sep 29, 2005, 04:36 PM	#3
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	XFX - lifetime BFGTech - lifetime eVGA - lifetime those are the big 3 nVidia card providers.... looks like the only competing ATi provider is Visiontek, which is usually kinda pricey and out of stock on the high end cards.

Sep 29, 2005, 04:37 PM	#4
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	ATI... Hmmm going downhill... I wish my ATI card had lifetime warrenty.

Sep 29, 2005, 05:19 PM	#7
dipstick HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: USA Posts: 3,609 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	I am baffled by ATi's decisions as of late. What is happening to the company I so love