Replacing poor quality thermal pads on Gigabyte 3080 Gaming OC?

[Vidar]

Hi everybody,

So doing a little maintenance on my PC and I noticed an oily substance on my GPU cover, a quick google tells me that this is down to really poor quality thermal pads used by Gigabyte which I'm quite surprised about to be honest. I've also seen that they're not the best for dissipating heat, so have decided to change them out.

Have been looking at Thermal Grizzly Minus Pad 8's but they're ridiculously expensive. Can I ask what you guys would recommend as an alternative? I believe I need 1mm, 2,mm and 3,mm.

 

[Joxeon]

Either the thermalright odyssey or gelid extreme seem to be the best 2 options although if you're not mining then is it worth doing as it will possible void the warranty.

 

[Smiffy-UK]

Hey, I got a 3080 master, I had also changed all my pads, I purchased 2x gelid 2&3 mm pads and for 1mm I could only find Thermalright pads. All pads have a 12.8 W/mK.

Don't forgot to re-paste the chip

Good luck and I used the video of son of a techs 3080 master GPU tutorial.

Good luck.

 

[Vidar]

Is it the same pcb as the gaming oc?

 

[Sarge2255]

Hmm, warranty out the window!

 

[pp111]

I don't know why you worry about it, I mean if the card fails then you just send it back. But if you start messing with it, you are risking losing everything. If you want to replace the pads I would wait until four years is up.

 

[Smiffy-UK]

And who thinks you'll actually get a replacement card if It breaks. There ain't any so you'll get your money back. Warranty is pretty pointless in today's climate with GPUs. Especially Ampere.

 

[Benass]

Either the thermalright odyssey or gelid extreme seem to be the best 2 options although if you're not mining then is it worth doing as it will possible void the warranty.

Im wondering how the one can tell, if warranty is Voided. No sarcasm.

 

[Joxeon]

Im wondering how the one can tell, if warranty is Voided. No sarcasm.

Probably because the pads are different unless you can remove and replace the originals without damaging them which isn't easy as they tend to fall apart.

 

[random_matt]

Isn't a circular sticker on one of the screws?

 

[StephenJ]

Do all 3080s have really bad thermal pads ?

 

[xPETEZx]

Probably because the pads are different unless you can remove and replace the originals without damaging them which isn't easy as they tend to fall apart.

Question is if they will take cards apart or just test and confirm failed.
I think youd be able to fight them to prove the failure was because of the changed pads too. Esp with new right to repair laws.
Either way, its not as cut-and-dry as "you changed pads = warranty void".

Isn't a circular sticker on one of the screws?

I dont think many manufactures do that now? I think legality of that stuff was called into question? Might be making that up... but sure not noticed those stickers on newer hardware.

Do all 3080s have really bad thermal pads ?

It seems so.... I think some have better. Like the ASUS STrix I think isnt bad.

 

[Joxeon]

Question is if they will take cards apart or just test and confirm failed.
I think youd be able to fight them to prove the failure was because of the changed pads too. Esp with new right to repair laws.
Either way, its not as cut-and-dry as "you changed pads = warranty void".

I'd imagen with all the mining going on they will be inspecting the pads on RMA cards.

Doesn't the right to repair mean you have to get any repairs done by a qualified technician and not DIY repairs?.

 

[robfosters]

I don't know why you worry about it, I mean if the card fails then you just send it back. But if you start messing with it, you are risking losing everything. If you want to replace the pads I would wait until four years is up.

This. Just leave it alone if it’s working and at a safe temperature. People mess about with the hardware and then come on here moaning and complaining when they’re refused an RMA.

 

[Joxeon]

This. Just leave it alone if it’s working and at a safe temperature. People mess about with the hardware and then come on here moaning and complaining when they’re refused an RMA.

I totally get it if OP is mining and wants to change the pads but for gaming it's just not worth the hassle / warranty issues as temps are generally fine.

 

[random_matt]

Question is if they will take cards apart or just test and confirm failed.
I think youd be able to fight them to prove the failure was because of the changed pads too. Esp with new right to repair laws.
Either way, its not as cut-and-dry as "you changed pads = warranty void".

I dont think many manufactures do that now? I think legality of that stuff was called into question? Might be making that up... but sure not noticed those stickers on newer hardware.

It seems so.... I think some have better. Like the ASUS STrix I think isnt bad.

Still notice them on AMD cards. If Nvidia do not, then great, I need to get a block when Bitspower release the one I want.

 

[xPETEZx]

I'd imagen with all the mining going on they will be inspecting the pads on RMA cards.

Doesn't the right to repair mean you have to get any repairs done by a qualified technician and not DIY repairs?.

Its about cost, customer relations and PR at the end of the day. Refusing RMA's can lead to bad customer experience which end up leading to bad PR from posts on social media ETC.
The whole thing is also going to be a cost exercise to them. Lets say it takes 10 minutes to test a card without taking it apart. Yet takes 30 minutes to take one apart.
Is it worth an extra 20 minutes of time for the then process of 'proving' the customer changed the pads?
What if the customer then demands the card back (it still belongs to them.) Your agent might now damage the card further?

Ultimately I just dont see it happening regularly. If a card that looks perfect comes in for RMA, and when tested in a system artifcats or fails to boot, I just cant see the value for the vendor to take it apart for signs of tamper.

I think the people that have got cought out, are the ones that volunteered the information in the ticket. Like stating they fitted a water block or w/e.

And if its only "Qualified Technician" isnt the whole right to repair gone up in smoke? nVidia could simply state only our engineers are qualified. So either you or your local shop opening it up is void anyway.

This. Just leave it alone if it’s working and at a safe temperature. People mess about with the hardware and then come on here moaning and complaining when they’re refused an RMA.

Would you take this attitude with other items you own? What if the stock tyres your car came fitted with where not very grippy and made loads of noise. Would you accept it if the manufacture simply stated "Change the tyres and your warranty is void" ?

For me, I want my card to be QUIET. IF the VRAM temps keep hitting up to 100+, the fans ramp up more than they otherwise would need to.

Im also not sure there is many (any?) cases of people moaning about refused RMA's where the changed pads where the reason for the refusal. Happy to be wrong on this...but all I have seen is cases where people mentioned up front they changed to a water block for example and then had the RMA refused.


I just find it so odd how willing people are to accept such restrictions on the products THEY BOUGHT AND PAID for when it comes to tech.

I am not arguing that if somebody takes apart there card and cracks the die, warranty should cover it. But if somebody changed the pads for better temps / longer life etc, Id like the manufacture to PROVE that the changed pads are what caused the failure. Rather than it being something else totally unrelated. (Like a failing die or w/e)

Would you accept this with a new build house? Oh you put nails in the wall where we didnt say you could. So the warranty is void.
ITs so silly that we accept manufactures having such control over OUR tech items. And I really do hope that right to repair finally makes the Tech sector much more like the automotive one.

 

[Joxeon]

and PR at the end of the day. Refusing RMA's can lead to bad customer experience which end up leading to bad PR from posts on social media ETC.
The whole thing is also going to be a cost exercise to them. Lets say it takes 10 minutes to test a card without taking it apart. Yet takes 30 minutes to take one apart.
Is it worth an extra 20 minutes of time for the then process of 'proving' the customer changed the pads?
What if the customer then demands the card back (it still belongs to them.) Your agent might now damage the card further?

I don't think nvidia will care about someone going on social media complaining about a refused RMA when they can sell every card they make within seconds of them hitting the shelves.

Why wouldn't they take it apart? I'm sure they will want to know what caused the fault.

 

[xPETEZx]

I don't think nvidia will care about someone going on social media complaining about a refused RMA when they can sell every card they make within seconds of them hitting the shelves.

Why wouldn't they take it apart? I'm sure they will want to know what caused the fault.

Enough people complaining has more effect than you think. Maybe not for nVidia right now. But when times are better and people have a choice again they will certainly choose different.
Just look at EVGA. They always get hailed for there excellent support. For allowing water blocks etc to be fitted openly. And because of it they have a loyal following.

Components fail. They always do. I cant see there being any value in having it taken apart to learn from that. Not unless they fail in a very strange unseen way.
Also means employing far higher skilled testers.
To do a basic RMA, you could get anybody to slap the card in a test rig and run through a suite of tools to test the card.
Getting somebody to delicately take apart the card, then determine if anything has been changed from stock is going to take much more training and time.
And all for what? To catch out the handful of users that changed the thermal pads on a card to refuse the claim?

I would imagine it goes like this: Set a public policy of not honouring warranty claims if products are tampered with. Whenever presented with obvious signs of tampering, or an admission of such tampering from the customer - reject the claim. (So if I admit in the ticket I fitted a waterblock or changed the pads easy to reject the claim. Or if I send in a card with the cooler removed ... again easy) But if a card comes back that looks normal, which I would imagine is virtually every card.
As your policy above has probably 'scared' the majority into not touching it.
Now take apart the card and look for signs it was changed. And like I said... this part still belongs to the customer at this point. So your tech better not damage it themselves.
Now you get into he-said-she said claims. You need to prove I damaged the card. All it takes is for either bad press or worse somebody actually taking it to court. Suddenly the cost of just replacing the customers £650 or even £1400 card is just insignificant compared to reputational damage or legal costs.

Maybe I am wrong... and every RMA'ed card gets taken apart and forensically looked over for aftermarket parts. But from a business perspective it makes no sense to me. (Cost of hiring experience techs to carry out the work on possibly 100s of cards to find the 1 card that they can reject...saving them £650...)


Given how happy you seem to be to take manufactures side on this, curious if you do that in the other items you own.

 

[robfosters]

Its about cost, customer relations and PR at the end of the day. Refusing RMA's can lead to bad customer experience which end up leading to bad PR from posts on social media ETC.
The whole thing is also going to be a cost exercise to them. Lets say it takes 10 minutes to test a card without taking it apart. Yet takes 30 minutes to take one apart.
Is it worth an extra 20 minutes of time for the then process of 'proving' the customer changed the pads?
What if the customer then demands the card back (it still belongs to them.) Your agent might now damage the card further?

Ultimately I just dont see it happening regularly. If a card that looks perfect comes in for RMA, and when tested in a system artifcats or fails to boot, I just cant see the value for the vendor to take it apart for signs of tamper.

I think the people that have got cought out, are the ones that volunteered the information in the ticket. Like stating they fitted a water block or w/e.

And if its only "Qualified Technician" isnt the whole right to repair gone up in smoke? nVidia could simply state only our engineers are qualified. So either you or your local shop opening it up is void anyway.




Would you take this attitude with other items you own? What if the stock tyres your car came fitted with where not very grippy and made loads of noise. Would you accept it if the manufacture simply stated "Change the tyres and your warranty is void" ?

For me, I want my card to be QUIET. IF the VRAM temps keep hitting up to 100+, the fans ramp up more than they otherwise would need to.

Im also not sure there is many (any?) cases of people moaning about refused RMA's where the changed pads where the reason for the refusal. Happy to be wrong on this...but all I have seen is cases where people mentioned up front they changed to a water block for example and then had the RMA refused.


I just find it so odd how willing people are to accept such restrictions on the products THEY BOUGHT AND PAID for when it comes to tech.

I am not arguing that if somebody takes apart there card and cracks the die, warranty should cover it. But if somebody changed the pads for better temps / longer life etc, Id like the manufacture to PROVE that the changed pads are what caused the failure. Rather than it being something else totally unrelated. (Like a failing die or w/e)

Would you accept this with a new build house? Oh you put nails in the wall where we didnt say you could. So the warranty is void.
ITs so silly that we accept manufactures having such control over OUR tech items. And I really do hope that right to repair finally makes the Tech sector much more like the automotive one.

You should RMA any card you believe is faulty. You shouldn’t try to repair such an item yourself imo. Only do it if you are prepared to void the warranty.

And as for your tyre and house analogies, they are ridiculously stupid.