GPU Rma Issue

[Dtshaw]

Hey,

I have recently sent back a 1070ti gaming X to a certain company in bolton due to excessive coil whine. They asked me to send videos of it before i sent it back and the guy did indeed confirm it had excessive coil whine.

I have tried 3 different PSUs on it, two different systems and so forth and now they insist it has no fault. I am somewhat baffled and at a loss as what to do now as it seems they want to "send it back" to me.

The following videos are here...

I am somewhat at a loss as what to do now. If anyone has any ideas, would truly be appreciated..

 

[Dtshaw]

I assumed the same thing a while back and it's still the same as when i first purchased it. I kept telling myself "Oh, it will go eventually if i break it in enough" as is with most cards i had but unfortunately the problem remained.

 

[Dtshaw]

It apparently has no fault even though they asked me for those videos before i sent it and he agreed it was bad hence why i was asked to send it back. I wouldn't mind a bit of coil whine but once it gets to start loud even at 60 fps and 90-120.. it's a little absurd...

 

[Dtshaw]

Argue the case with them, assume you have an email chain. Hopefully they will just agree to replace..

Oh, i intended to... i have no intention of backing down and yea... Scam company indeed.. i had this exact same issue years ago with a PSU they sent me and did the exact same thing. I assumed they had changed but apparently not..

 

[Dtshaw]

It depends on on policy as with most manufacturers coil whine isn’t described as a fault as the card itself still functions as intended all be it with that noise.

It also depends on how they have tested the card. For example 4k 60hz maxed running the card as hard as possible will be much quieter than a higher refresh monitor.

I'll ask of their testing methology.. it's just amusing one of their staff asked for the videos before starting the RMA and only once i provided them that he agreed it was unacceptable. I even capped Dota 2, WoW, etc to 4k 60hz fps via Nvidia inspector and still sounded horrible. I would not mind if it was say.. 300+ fps but if we're talking 60-140. It's kinda a joke.

All in all, i'll keep pushing them and remember never to use them again. ^_-

 

[Dtshaw]

That would do my head in

It really does!! I like to optimize my system to be quiet and soon as you load any game or even benchmark... well safe to say it's super instrusive and guarantee headache..

 

[Dtshaw]

So its the same no matter the fps or resolution?

Well, it's less if i use nvidia inspector to cap it to 60 FPS, however i have a 4k panel, tested it with 1440p, 1080p and was still bad, just not as bad as leaving it uncapped. I won't even talk about overclocking the card as then it goes into the realm of insanity. It's like i said.. i wouldn't mind this at 250+ fps but 60-140 fps is kinda absurd.

 

[Dtshaw]

They apparently could not hear any coil whine after 2 hours of Heaven benchmark in which i used to produce said videos. I have tested with 3 different PSUS, which included a Coolmaster V700 (OEM Seasonic)

I have asked them for their testing methology and awaiting a response now. ^.^

 

[Dtshaw]

Usually 4k 60 is pretty quiet. I find 100+ and they get especially noisy. Even more annoying than 1000fps I find.

Msi usually from my experience are pretty quiet though.

For reference it’s one of the reasons I put my pc under my desk and noise insulated the entire case. I’ve had several 1080Ti’s same experience, my 2080Ti is pretty noisy but not too bad. Multiple PSU’s and boards. No change.

Yeah, that's the thing. I even get quite bad coil whine at 60 FPS at 4k even with capping it as i have done!. They somewhat assured me they tested it for 2 hours without no coil whine at all. I find that had to believe as no Return staff is gonna sit there for 2 hours listening out for coil whine while there are other things he has to be doing/testing and assume it being somewhat of a noisy room.

Anyway, i await their answer tomorrow and i don't fancy picking up a 4th PSU to test even further.. <.<

The thing that bothers me is if i want to sell it somewhat into the future aka Navi or Nvidia's next gen... that it's not fair to the person that buys it having to deal with that.

 

[Dtshaw]

Well, i have been updated. They have apparently tested it with Heaven benchmark at 4k @ 60hz and 1440p @ 60hz at extreme preset with full screen and heard nothing but if my memory serves me correctly. I believe at 4k/1440p a 1070ti does not hit 60 fps or higher.

 

[Dtshaw]

I have tried Coolmaster V700 (Season internals) thermaltake DPS 600w and some Corsair unit i cannot for the life of me remember now. When i asked of their testing methods so forth. They were vague at best.. i had to keep asking what was their test bench was and what settings and what res and so forth. They got back to me again just saying 4k and eventually 1440p.

They used a Be quiet 600w.. didn't give me the exact model/name.. but assured me they could hear nothing, only the fans spinning up. The ironic thing is i purchased the V700 from them as well.. which at the time cost £120, so not some cheapo PSU at all.

I mean the possbility of it being the PSU, after trying 3 would seem i am extremely unlucky or i am being messed around with.. ^_^

 

[Dtshaw]

well.. your youtube video title doesn't help
"Coil whine when oced"

Hmm, perhaps not but the first two videos covered stock clocks and they might as well hear hell to when it's OCed and as for buying from them a second time. The first time was 4 years ago and one would assume as a business you would evolve and learn from said mistakes as a company plus having high ratings on Trust pilot unlike before but point taken. ^_-

 

[Dtshaw]

My first point of 'attack' would be that they already agreed that you should send it back after you supplied then with the video. (I hope you have the name of the person who said that you could return it)

Secondly, they need to test it with the same model PSU that you originally purchased from them and I'd also request a video of them testing it with no coil while; the same as you sent to them.

I have asked them about this as of yesterday... They made out they went the extra mile to test it again at 1440p extreme preset (Full screen) and suggested... it was something else causing the whine in my system!. It's funny now i put my old MSI 390 in there. The coil whine has completely gone!, a miracle!

 

[Dtshaw]

Typical! Send them another video of the exact same system with only the GPU change and see what nonsense they come up with next.

Okay, so got a response. They originally told me they tested it in 4k @ 60hz on heaven benchmark at extreme preset... then when i contested that. They said they tested it at 1440p, extreme preset and now i am being told they have also tested it at 1080p and Witcher/BF4(Ultra). The latter of which was never mentioned or told till now which is all rather strange.

As for testing with my PSU something in regards to not wanting to break the seal on new stock to use for testing, and so forth. <.<

 

[Dtshaw]

Well, they have sent it back and said they have done everything they could do.. which is rather amusing. I was tempted to just pick up a new PSU just so they would have nothing left to say... and i even tested everything they had done and noticed coil whine asap.. so yea kinda a joke ^_^

 

[Dtshaw]

Do you know what angle they had the card installed in on their system? I have heard once that one retailer tested the card and was upright (fans facing towards you) rather than the normal setup (fans facing down) and they had no issues until it was installed the normal way.

Is there anyone locally to you that could try the card out?

I do recall after asking them for their test setup that it was on an open test bench, so probably not and no, i wish i did have someone else near by to test it out on another system but i had to make do with the two systems i have.

 

[Dtshaw]

Did you try the gpu on your second rig, did you have the same issue?

Yeah, i did. It was exactly the same as with the other system.

 

[Dtshaw]

I tried above and while it makes a slight difference. It's not a major one. I did mange to get a another PSU to test it out on and this is the result...

 

[Dtshaw]

It's not terrible but yeah maybe you sit around it long enough and you can't help thinking why do I have to put up with it.

Have you tried contacting MSI directly?

Have you tried undervolting to see if any difference?

Indeed, it does get rather annoying and those recordings are for 1440p extreme heaven benchmark so for Heros of the Storm and Dota 2... hitting 120 fps... even more so... MSI were originally the people i contacted and they told me to go to the retailer. I've not really tried undervolting it, mostly stock and overclocking it to be honest!.