Graphics Card is bending

[spixelspixel]

Installed my new sapphire 6870 yesterday and saw that the card was bending, if I look at it from a profile view it is all over the place, not a straight line at all, worst near the end of the card where it just dips down.

Taking a look at it I noticed the PCB is very thin compared to my old 7900gtx and 8800 ultra. It feels very weak and like I could snap the card in half if I don't handle it carefully. I would say its less than 1/2 the thickness.

I have looked on google and people say this is because the cooler is only attached to the card around the graphics core on some cards. This can't be true as my 7900 has a custom cooler and it is still very solid with no signs of bending.

Do all new cards have this thinner pcb, or is it an ATI issue or its only on non reference cards where the manufacturers cheap out on the build quality?

I saw a 'powercolor power jack' designed for this but why on earth should someone have to buy it because of poor build quality? People seem to think the bending is a formality due to the size and weight of graphics cards but my 8800 ultra is much bigger and heavier and doesn't have this problem.

 

[welshdragon]

My Asus 6850 had a metal support beam running across it to prevent this but it did slightly sag. Coolers are just so big/heavy these days that it needs support/thick pcb. Should be ok though but if not happy and you can return under dsr then maybe try another model/make?

 

[Rofflay]

Custom cut some sprayed metal.nothing fancy just a beam to support the card if needed.Im suprised no one has some gimmicky phobya plastic cone that can be adjusted in height.

Its a combination of weight and length if the cards and the build quality of the bracket.Bracket being the key so yes i think they have just used the el cheapo cost cutting method.If each one cost £1 and u made 3 million of them well u can figure out how much u would save by doing a crappy job.

You cant RMA it for bending either can you?

 

[spixelspixel]

I doubt it, i don't mind as long as it doesn't harm the card in the long run. I don't like my card being bent though! I expected quality to have improved since my 8800 ultra not gotten worse. Next time I think I'll stick to a reference card.

 

[tommybhoy]

Scythe Ninja Wire, costs about £7 iirc, it can support the end of the card and you hook it up somewhere higher in the case, works wonders.