**B Grade** Graphics Cards. Opinions on longevity?

[cc2k]

Hey Guys, how you all doing?

So after around 4 or 5 years my 460GTX is on it's way out (Twice this year I had to do some "repairing"). Currently it is OK and still gaming but if it has broke twice this year then that is a sign that is hard to ignore.

So, I am very interested in the 760 series and notice Overclockers seems to have the cheapest ones but they are B Grade which I have had no experience with. I cannot quite afford to go over £100 on a graphics card, which seriously narrows down any good upgrades from the 460GTX.

Are there a few people here who have bought B Grade components and are pleased with them? Any problems and how long have they lasted. I know there is an element of chance involved as the product page states that they themselves do not know what is wrong with it, but I am just wanting to know what my chances of getting a bad card is.

Thanks guys!

 

[Tonester0011]

I buy Bgrade all the time, normally get some decent bargains from there.
Only ever had 1 problem (actually faulty) and that was sent back within a day under DSR.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy again, the risk of DOA is the same as buying new tbh.

 

[cc2k]

Hey Tonester, thanks for that. Overclockers do do the 90 day warranty which is very helpful and outs me at ease somewhat. I always think that stuff will break outside its warranty. If the B Grade item lasts me a year, then I would be a happy man. You certainly helped put my mind at ease.

I suppose the actual manufacturers warranty would become void when it is resold/returned to overclockers?

 

[Tonester0011]

Grey area, and i'd rather not speculate (as i really don't know that much! )

As the goods have been bought from a retailer the SOGA still applies, so even though they offer you 90 days there's nothing stopping you claiming for more, whether it's accepted is down to what you bought and how much you paid (pretty much)

If it helps, 90 days is plenty of time for anything to go wrong. My only faulty items bought from Bgrade was known to me within an hour.

 

[Trustdesa]

Just buy it if it is a good deal and as mentioned bgrade are still covered with the ex DSR so you can return it within 14 days and no one can oppose that (unless they are looking for trouble of course).

 

[andybird123]

Problem is the full soga only applies to goods sold as new, goods sold as second hand have far less rights under the "reasonable" test, your only grounds really are if it has a fault that wasnt declared, so dont expect any help beyond the 90 days offered, unless it hasnt been registered for warranty with the manf and then you might get away with doing that

Evga are usually really good about warranty, e.g. If you cant supply an invoice they go off the date they shipped it out, they aloow resales etc.

 

[varkanoid]

I wouldnt touch bgrade GPU's I have had a 7850 and a 780gti both suffered from crashes etc. Its a right pain you think you have a bargain only to find out you bought someone elses turkey.

I think imho most gpu's returned are either bad overclockers, coil whine or some other bad experience.

 

[cc2k]

Thanks for the answers guys! I might just go for it. It does say I get a 90 day warranty with the card on this description page so I am assuming I could just send it back if something happens to it?

 

[Trustdesa]

Thanks for the answers guys! I might just go for it. It does say I get a 90 day warranty with the card on this description page so I am assuming I could just send it back if something happens to it?

I would suggest to go for it and try to test it (in a fair way) as much as you can in the first two weeks as if it is sold online you are entitled to return the card WITH NO REASONS withing 14 days for a full refund (minus any voucher / downloadable content included, if any) else you can seek the advice of the Citizens Advice Bureau and make sure that they comply with the law as it is not a suggestion but A LAW.

Make sure you buy from a known store and not some doggy online website

 

[Litmoose]

Just buy it if it is a good deal and as mentioned bgrade are still covered with the ex DSR so you can return it within 14 days and no one can oppose that (unless they are looking for trouble of course).

Pretty sure that's no longer the case. I think the law changed not long ago and now you get charged a restocking fee which is % of the value of the item. Don't quote me on it, just what I read in other threads

 

[cc2k]

I would suggest to go for it and try to test it (in a fair way) as much as you can in the first two weeks as if it is sold online you are entitled to return the card WITH NO REASONS withing 14 days for a full refund (minus any voucher / downloadable content included, if any) else you can seek the advice of the Citizens Advice Bureau and make sure that they comply with the law as it is not a suggestion but A LAW.

Make sure you buy from a known store and not some doggy online website

it is actually here at Overclockers I will be buying the card from. I have never really bought a computer component before (Maybe a few Hard Drives). I normally buy a full PC. And what would some fair tests? I take it not a Burn Test or something like that but playing a few graphically intense games like BF4 and Skyrim?

 

[Trustdesa]

it is actually here at Overclockers I will be buying the card from. I have never really bought a computer component before (Maybe a few Hard Drives). I normally buy a full PC from COMPETITOR NAME REMOVED. And what would some fair tests? I take it not a Burn Test or something like that but playing a few graphically intense games like BF4 and Skyrim?

Don't put competitors' names is against the rules

Yep they are very good (touching wood) at OC, I thought you were looking at some doggy refurbished parts website

Yes just try it with some games if it is ok within the 14 days you just keep or you'll send it back plus 90 days of warranty on a "second hand" item are still very good, so I would say go for it if the price is good!

 

[tommybhoy]

I would suggest to go for it and try to test it (in a fair way) as much as you can in the first two weeks as if it is sold online you are entitled to return the card WITH NO REASONS withing 14 days for a full refund (minus any voucher / downloadable content included, if any) else you can seek the advice of the Citizens Advice Bureau and make sure that they comply with the law as it is not a suggestion but A LAW.

Make sure you buy from a known store and not some doggy online website

Not any more, you can't keep the codes from here and send back goods.

Ocuk updated their terms and conditions that if you activate the free codes, the goods are non returnable.

Regards to gpu's-manufacturers would have to adopt some kind of pci-e security sticker that needed broken to prove you have actually tried out the gpu, otherwise, it could be sent back as handled for inspection purposes to see if you wanted it, then returned unused-you would then be entitled to a full refund minus postage under Soga.

Problem is the full soga only applies to goods sold as new, goods sold as second hand have far less rights under the "reasonable" test, your only grounds really are if it has a fault that wasnt declared, so dont expect any help beyond the 90 days offered, unless it hasnt been registered for warranty with the manf and then you might get away with doing that

Evga are usually really good about warranty, e.g. If you cant supply an invoice they go off the date they shipped it out, they aloow resales etc.

+1,

I said more or less the same the other day but was told it wasn't so.

 

[cc2k]

Don't put competitors' names is against the rules

Yep they are very good (touching wood) at OC, I thought you were looking at some doggy refurbished parts website

Yes just try it with some games if it is ok within the 14 days you just keep or you'll send it back plus 90 days of warranty on a "second hand" item are still very good, so I would say go for it if the price is good!

Thanks, edited it out, and thanks for the infomation. I dunno much about computer components warranty.

 

[andybird123]

Pretty sure that's no longer the case. I think the law changed not long ago and now you get charged a restocking fee which is % of the value of the item. Don't quote me on it, just what I read in other threads

you can take all "reasonable" steps to inspect the product "as you would in a shop", e.g. you can take it out of the box and look at it, arguably for a monitor you can hook it up to display something

if it is visibly used then they can charge a restocking fee, but if it can be resold as "new" bar opening the box then they can't

for second hand goods it is probably a bit more grey, as it is being sold as second hand and you would be returning it second hand, basically as long as your short term usage of it hasn't degraded it any further than it already has then they would be on very shaky ground to try to charge you a restocking fee for trying out second hand goods - if anything, if you want to be able to try something without getting stung for a restocking fee then a bgrade would be the better option

+1,

I said more or less the same the other day but was told it wasn't so.

sorry, correction, SOGA still applies (fit for purpose, as described etc.) it is just that goods described as second hand don't automatically get, e.g. the full 3 year warranty, so if it is described as having 90 days warranty, anything you try over that would require either the manufacturer to be really nice (e.g. EVGA) or you would have to try to take the case to court, which isn't worth the hassle, you could also try claiming on your credit card and making it plain the you DO intend to go all the way to court and they may well cave, even if really you have no intention of doing so

 

[tommybhoy]

I know, not worth the hassle tbph, sure it could be fine, but cards don't just go boom within a few days/weeks, it can happen at any time.

 

[leoncuprar]

Hi

I bought by 7870 B grade , must be two years ago, and have had no problems with it. I guess there is an element of risk but based on my experience I wouldn't have a problem going b-grade again.

 

[momo56]

Bought a B grade 780ti a couple of weeks back. Nothing but crashes and coil whine since. In the middle of an RMA atm.

 

[cc2k]

Bought a B grade 780ti a couple of weeks back. Nothing but crashes and coil whine since. In the middle of an RMA atm.

Did you get it from Overclockers or somewhere else? How easy are you finding the return process?

 

[Orangey]

Regards to gpu's-manufacturers would have to adopt some kind of pci-e security sticker that needed broken to prove you have actually tried out the gpu, otherwise, it could be sent back as handled for inspection purposes to see if you wanted it, then returned unused-you would then be entitled to a full refund minus postage under Soga.

I read an argument recently between someone who said putting the card in a PCI-e slot leaves marks on the gold fingers and you can see if it's been used that way. The other person said that's stupid as they do that in the assembly line to test them. I think maybe they use a JTAG port or something for that though...