TLDR: For the people who joins in late
I'll pop in to clear up this nonsense
Lots of people are posting on gut instinct and with absolutely zero knowledge on the topic at hand. When it comes to LAW, actual knowledge is critical and the only thing that matters.
The burden of proof - IS NOT - on the consumer during the warranty period if one is offered. This would be in addition to your statutory rights and consumer law does not apply to that.
You would have 6 years to make a claim if that warranty was not honoured/refused but that 6 years is the legal maximum, you would have to have an extremely good reason not to make money claim in a reasonable period (few months).
However since this is out of warranty, that isn't relevant and it - IS - up to the consumer to "prove" the item is innately faulty. This is - NOT DIFFICULT - "proof" does not mean you need to be Sherlock Holmes and have intricate knowledge of the production process of an item (etc). It means you need to know that it is faulty. That is to say, if it doesn't work, then it's innately faulty from day of purchase and that is "the proof", this is not a court of law where "proof" means "caught red handed and guilty as sin".
Likewise if the retailer had to prove the item was not faulty from purchase if in the 6 month period they would have to prove that the item was damaged by the consumer, be that accidental/neglect/abuse/etc. That is very hard to do because in that case they do need probable cause. Establishing probable cause is very difficult unless it's been physically battered.
There is no time limit as to how long a product should last.
The 6 years figure is spouted by the uninformed and that 6 year figure is the legal time you have to make a claim from when the fault developed and the issue was raised with the seller/manufacturer. That notification can be an email, phone call, whatever, as long as you have a record of it. You don't need to write a letter etc.
That 6 year figure applies to ANY civil matter of money claim and isn't just regarding consumer law.
So taking that into account, you have a top of the line graphics card that cost £600-£800 new.
It broke very close to the end of the statutory warranty period which means by definition that manufacturer would be very confident that the product was designed to not fail within that time period, or close to it. The cost of the product backs this up, otherwise the manufacturer would be losing money if it was expected to fail from wear and tear around that period.
So, that establishes that it wasn't designed to fail as it has. We then are able to short cut to that meaning you automatically win a claim.
How long should it last though?
Anecdotal evidence is absolutely fine in establishing this if you have a few sources....have a google, print off your research and use that as your basis for a claim at a hearing and when submitting your evidence on the moneyclaim website.
I would imagine that a google would turn up figures of between 5-8 years for a graphics card of this value and that the product is marketed as a premium well made product.
You are guaranteed to win.
I haven't claimed on tech products but have for a few things including a bed where the PU leather started flaking at 4 years and 11 months. Bensons For Beds didn't want to know and sent someone to represent them and I won and got a hefty payout including the costs to remove the faulty bed etc.
Also an office chair, similar situation and a dishwasher also.
However Bensons For Beds and other retailers of that nature are cutthroat and know how to tell a customer to get stuffed. A tech company is unlikely to be so harsh and will compromise - Once they have received the claim and evidence against them.
If the repair doesn't work out, just fill in the form and cough up the cash, you won't regret it and even if you do lose, which is not going to happen you will have had your legal remedy and won't need to think about this in the future every now and again with malice and hate
The real clincher in the consumers favour is that companies aren't actually that experienced at the actual hearing itself. A judge does not take the nonsense they give you over the phone in their customer service role, which they will use the same nonsense at the hearing. They will make judgement on law - AND compassion. As long as you are humble in your aims and are looking for justice but clear in your feelings, you can't lose - EVER.