A rant about the low quality QC in the hardware market.

[kindai]

So a week or so ago I finished a new build. Nice specs, top end equipment.

Asus X670E crosshair extreme mobo
7900X CPU (temp cpu while waiting on the X3D chips)
64 GB Skill 6000mhz DDR5 Ram in 2 dimms.
2x 850x 2tb NVME drives
Asus 4090 TUF
Corsair Axi1600 PSU

Lian Li OD11 XL
EKWB Quantum distro plate
EK Quantum CPU block
EK Quantum GPU block
EK Quantum ABP
3x Quantum 360 Radiators
10x Be Quiet Single wings 4 pro fans
EK quantum fittings throughout


As of today, the following is being RMAed.

Motherboard - Faulty VRM. Confirmed by Asus.
GPU - Intolerable coil while. Can be heard in another room when its really singing.
Quantum distro plate - The D5 pump has a high pitched squeal at 30-60% duty cycle that actually gives me a headache after 15 or 20 minutes.
Various EK fittings - The finish on them seems "uncured" is the only way I can describe it, like its wet paint still while the rest has dried.
Various EK fittings - Machining faulty
1 fan (DOA)

Honestly, dropping so much money into a new rig and half of it having to go back is beyond annoying.

I will say and must stress OCUK have been absolute superstars throughout. No fuss with raising the RMAs to get things sent back, but now I'm without a new rig for probably another month while various bits are tested / sent for repair / replacement.


Rant over. I know. Cool story bro. First world problems

 

[rare]

I would hate to be a first time DIY PC builder these days. It’s a minefield in terms of knowing what to look for and coming up against problems.

I do think in some respects QC has got worse rather than better over the years.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Asus motherboard, Asus GPU.......

 

[Haz123]

I will agree with your frustration on a lot of fronts.

I had a 3.1 ddc EK pump that had a horrendous squeal, I changed it for a 4.2 ddc that is absolutely fine.
I have an Asus RX 6800 that was perfect with the stock cooler on it but once I put a waterblock on it I get terrible coil whine in certain situations. It is a lottery with coil whine at the moment and the anecdotal evidence is that Asus and MSI 4000 cards are using higher quality capacitors and having more whine than the lower quality capacitors in other brands.
Not had any issues with the EK fittings I have received, always met my needs and not noticed machining errors. Have EK gpu block arrive today and not fitted it yet but looks ok on first inspection.

Asus mobo, for such a high end board I can see why you are annoyed. I think Asus are relying on their name and marketing whilst supplying average components at inflated prices, they are not my first, second or even third choice for a mobo.

Yes these are absolutely first world problems but if you want a PC that is in your eyes perfect you have to enforce rigorous standards or just put up with coil whine and poor quality. Nothing you have purchased is from the bargain bucket and you should expect a level of quality from those components.

I will add a rant of my own. EK ...... PRINT A ********* INSTRUCTION MANUAL AND PUT IN THE ********** BOX.

 

[tamzzy]

Asus motherboard, Asus GPU.......

and paying the brand tax as well...ouch :/

 

[kindai]

Unfortunately ocuk didnt stock the meg godlike this time around

 

[Wing-Man]

Quantum distro plate - The D5 pump has a high pitched squeal at 30-60% duty cycle that actually gives me a headache after 15 or 20 minutes.
Various EK fittings - The finish on them seems "uncured" is the only way I can describe it, like its wet paint still while the rest has dried.
Various EK fittings - Machining faulty
1 fan (DOA)

that's all EK and the fan could be too???
EK the name is way bigger than the company and it all just pumped out of china. i would not use a single EK part is a loop now days unless it was a must

 

[Wing-Man]

and paying the brand tax as well...ouch :/

i have only ever had one asus GPU, a RX580 8gb, and with the fans at 100% is throttled under all loads. i said i would never buy an asus gpu ever again.
the VRM have no direct contact heatsink and the fans was mount no wear near them. it was not the cheapest 580

 

[Haz123]

that's all EK and the fan could be too???
EK the name is way bigger than the company and it all just pumped out of china. i would not use a single EK part is a loop now days unless it was a must

You are entitled to you opinion and can spend your own money how you like but the EK kit is made in Slovenia and not China.

I have issues with EK kit but do not spread misinformation , this is not Fox News.

 

[Wing-Man]

I do think in some respects QC has got worse rather than better over the years.

i think its more, there was nothing on a the market so the QC guy was told to take a day off.

 

[Wing-Man]

You are entitled to you opinion and can spend your own money how you like but the EK kit is made in Slovenia and not China.

assembled, this is a drum thats been beaten

if all parts of a retch spanner are made in china, but put together in UK that retch spanner is legally made in England.
so if you make a cooler plate in china but finish the machining off in Slovenia....
if all of you fans are pumped out of china but the stickers are put on in Slovenia
if the pumps are made in chain but fitted to the res in Slovenia

do you see where this is going

 

[Rroff]

i have only ever had one asus GPU, a RX580 8gb, and with the fans at 100% is throttled under all loads. i said i would never buy an asus gpu ever again.
the VRM have no direct contact heatsink and the fans was mount no wear near them. it was not the cheapest 580

Last time I bought an Asus GPU the box, etc. was for one model (8800GT), but the core on it was for the next model down (8800GS), it had the full amount of VRAM soldered on for the model on the box but couldn't access it all and the board had a mixture of features from both models, the firmware was for the lower model (EDIT: But GPU name string was the 8800GT). Absolute nightmare to sort and eventually OcUK sent me a new GPU from another brand as Asus were incapable of understanding the fault - to them the GPU booted up fine and could run 3D Marks without crashing so to them no problem...

 

[Haz123]

assembled, this is a drum thats been beaten

So so many things that are absolutley fine and or great are built in China. If you do not like Ek products then leave the xenophobia out of its or add in just about every other PC component to your bias because they are almost all linked to China.

 

[Wing-Man]

So so many things that are absolutley fine and or great are built in China. If you do not like Ek products then leave the xenophobia out of its or add in just about every other PC component to your bias because they are almost all linked to China.

my point is the price... i would have a blind guess at 90% or watercooling parts coming out of china. but EK there the price kings, but no better
the OP stated when spending this much on a build you expect better, but what you get is a different sticker in most cases

i see you changed paths fast on that one... there nt made in china..... if you dont like EK

Phanteks ARGB fans started life as MetallicGear, same stuff different stickers, all pumped out of china

 

[Haz123]

I agree with the issue of EK pricing being over the top. I just got a waterblock form them (ocuk supplied ) for £200 and i know the Alphacool version was £150 buit i went for the look I most liked so I made a consumer choice, looks over price. In 6 months time I may be cursing EK and never buy fromm them again but the other stuff I have bought is nice even if it is overpriced.

I would really really like an instruction manual though, this really annoys me.

 

[Iron Man]

Not surprised about the Asus part failing as my 3090 strix failed as well despite the product literature describing it as being hand carved by god. As long as you buy from a reputable retailer like ocuk that is good with refunds and replacements you should be good. Hassle though when getting a new system up and running to have so much failing.

 

[Wing-Man]

agree with the issue of EK pricing being over the top.

back in the day(lol) i had full EK systems, they was king. but then they started to outsourcing things. then people had broken rubbers or missing rubbers. flaking nickel, parts not built right.
at some point they may have been 100% Slovenian built, but as with everything money is king.

i have a local scooter shop to me that sells race parts all marked as Italian and german all from different brans, but when i worked there they all cam in the same container from china

 

[Haz123]

My point is stick to the brand being flaky and unreliable and not the point of origin, i do not care where it is made i just want decent quality at a decent price. Barrow comes from China as well and also most other watercooled parts. If it is crap criticize it for being crap and not where it is made.

Heaven forbid we actually had to criticize anythiong made in the UK.

 

[Wing-Man]

Barrow comes from China

there was a joke at one point that they came out of the same factory

 

[gupsterg]

I will say and must stress OCUK have been absolute superstars throughout. No fuss with raising the RMAs to get things sent back, but now I'm without a new rig for probably another month while various bits are tested / sent for repair / replacement.

I too would say my RMA experience with OCUK has been spot on.