New 5870 - suspect may have been used/opened

Buckster · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:46

I had a PS3 with one broken seal - then another one (looked like normal tape) on the top

I initially refused it and asked for another one - but they were all like it

when I opened the box up - I sussedd it - Sony had re-opened them to put in a firmware update CD

Buckster · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:46

does anyone wonder what happens to products returned, but opened (perfectly legally), under DSR regs ?

AtreuS · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:49

Buckster said:
does anyone wonder what happens to products returned, but opened (perfectly legally), under DSR regs ?

What do you think

Do you see huge numbers of "returned and discounted" items on retailers web pages? no?.......... hmmm i wonder why

In any case i expect this thread will vanish soon enough, if not then good on ocuk. If it does then you have to ask why? too close to the mark for comfort maybe?

/dons tinfoil hat

Sylver123 · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:51

D13 said:
WOW I would have gone absolutely ****ing ape****, why didnt you return it.

As far as I am concerned, if you buy something 'new' then it should turn up 100% sealed in absolute mint condition, no exceuses, no exceptions whatsoever

I didn't return it because the cpu is working and to be honest I couldn`t be bothered.

Michael Myers · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:52

D13 said:
this is very very sad if true (it seems highly plauisble and likely).
In this instance though it seems very possible that the absent seal could be due to the need to add the dirt 2 voucher codes.

Did anyone get a 5870 with both seals on?

Yeah i did but from a different etailer, was unopened

LoadsaMoney · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:56

I didn't know anybody used the driver CD's, i just get the drivers off the net.

Buckster · 3 Oct 2009 at 16:59

LoadsaMoney said:
I didn't know anybody used the driver CD's, i just get the drivers off the net.

perhaps the online retailers can send cards that have been returned under DSR back to the manufaturer for re-test and re-furbishment ?

be interesting to hear what really happens - may not be anywhere near as some people think ...

FYI I bought my 4890 from elsewhere - an Asus one (was not in stock at ocuk at the time) - and that wasn't sealed, nor was the internal anti-static bag - but I;m sure they just come from Asus like that - certainly the card looked new

graphics cards are quite easy as its difficult not to make a mark on the PCI-E connector if its genuinely been used ...

steve258 · 3 Oct 2009 at 17:17

Seems like most people here who got it have opened box so how can they all be used products considering the card has only been available for a few days!? As said it's most probably sapphire testing the cards / cd/game being rushed in at the last minute...etc that affected some cards and not others. Although that tattered 4890 vapour with cigarette smell is just ridiculous.

As for the cpu if you think about it, if the box seal was intact when you received it then no one other than intel could've touched the chip could they?

djkav · 3 Oct 2009 at 17:20

Buckster said:
perhaps the online retailers can send cards that have been returned under DSR back to the manufaturer for re-test and re-furbishment ?

be interesting to hear what really happens - may not be anywhere near as some people think ...

FYI I bought my 4890 from elsewhere - an Asus one (was not in stock at ocuk at the time) - and that wasn't sealed, nor was the internal anti-static bag - but I;m sure they just come from Asus like that - certainly the card looked new

graphics cards are quite easy as its difficult not to make a mark on the PCI-E connector if its genuinely been used ...

Yup on close inspection there should be some faint tell tale vertical scratches as its a tight fit on to the copper contacts.

I think items under the DSR are just checked and restocked. Under DSR it has to go back as you received it.

RavenXXX2 · 3 Oct 2009 at 17:28

D13 said:
Did anyone get a 5870 with both seals on?

My Sapphire 5870 came with both seals on, bought else where though.

muon · 3 Oct 2009 at 17:30

A seal is there for a reason. If its not firmly stuck, then its obvious what has happened.

D13 · 3 Oct 2009 at 18:20

Is anyoen out there that bought a powercolor? what were your experiences.

On release I bought a sapphire 4870x2 and noticed that the seal (had clearly been peeled away and then replaced), everything inside was fine except the cd cases were badly creased, I didnt really think anything of it as it literally just came out so I thought it couldnt be used.

I ended up sending the first one back as the release drivers were so bad I thought the card was damaged, the internals though were (again fine) but (again) one of the seals had been pealed away.

I ended up sending it back as the poor drivers and noise of the card was just too much, I wanted the power but now I knew I would have to watercool. I ended up buying 'another' one this time gainward.

This was even worse as the actual backplate was physically bent at 90 degrees and I had to bend it back but it worked ok.....

Damn

Locky · 3 Oct 2009 at 18:45

You really think people who work for ocuk [the tech team] have the time to check through cards to find the best one,
what with vast builds to get through a week, not to mention that I dont think anyone that works ocuk owns a 5870.
I think you are reading into it to much IMO.

RizlaKing · 3 Oct 2009 at 19:07

As said boxes probably opened to put the voucher in though a comment from OcUK on this would help clear things up.

Locky · 3 Oct 2009 at 19:09

RizlaKing said:
As said boxes probably opened to put the voucher in though a comment from OcUK on this would help clear things up.

I know talking to staff member at ocuk today that the vouchers were shipped separately to the cards from the manufacturer as this was causing a delay.

pumaz · 3 Oct 2009 at 22:15

It's a worry when you buy things like video cards that you may get an under performer, I wish components like these came shrink wrapped so we could all get a fair chance of a good'un!

D13 · 3 Oct 2009 at 22:27

pumaz said:
It's a worry when you buy things like video cards that you may get an under performer, I wish components like these came shrink wrapped so we could all get a fair chance of a good'un!

I agree, whenever I buy something and it gets delivered literally sealed in shrink wrap it makes me very happy

HyperRabbit · 3 Oct 2009 at 22:49

Aren't they all intial reference cards coming from the same manufacturing place, ferried out to HIS, Saphire, XFX, etc for them to slap on their own sticker and bung into their retail packaging with last minute bundles?

dangerstat · 3 Oct 2009 at 23:21

This is very concerning indeed. I really hope OCUK can disprove these comments or fully explain them or I certainly won't be buying from here again. :eek:

dangerstat · 3 Oct 2009 at 23:23

HyperRabbit said:
Aren't they all intial reference cards coming from the same manufacturing place, ferried out to HIS, Saphire, XFX, etc for them to slap on their own sticker and bung into their retail packaging with last minute bundles?

As I understand it, Nvidia and ATI provide the schamtics to the likes of XFX, Shappire etc.. to manufacture the cards, NV / ATI don't manufacture them at all.