Really???!?!?!
ocuk too? Yewen, got a comment on this? Is this part of your RMA procedure?
We wont go that far with testing every component under a UV lamp.
We run our RMAs very fairly and have gotten much much better over the last two years. We have just invested in doubling our capacity for testing returned components so we can give them more intensive runs and work outs before being rejected as working correctly. Memory really does need to be ran for days before we can say its 100% working and return it to the customer and we now have the capacity to run tests on every component we stock for as long as we need. Not a cheap thing to be able to do.
With regards to watercooling specifically. Providing its not due to your neglect that has killed the motherboard we will not void the warranty. Same goes for using an after market heatsink, that technically voids warranties all over your components but you would not find us rejecting a CPU due to this.
OcUK sell to a more high end market and it is a given that about 1% of our customers will use a reference heatsink and fan throughout the whole warranty period of the product.
Take care with your components and we will not have a problem with doing a RMA when something genuinely breaks, if that is down to you splashing your new X48 motherboard with Stella, shorting and killing it then trying to RMA with it smelling of said substance then you would have some problems.
If the failure is without a doubt down to user neglect then we have to reject the item, you will find this anywhere you shop. If the product has genuinely failed and you send it back with the socket protector in a "reasonable" condition then it will get accepted and then tested like any component.
All we want from returned items is for them to be in a condition where we can pin it on the manufacturer as their fault and get our money back from them! We will only ever reject an item when we know we wont be able to get a credit for the item back from the manufacturer a few months down the line.
If we sell the watercooled components then we know customers will use them, its simple. We will not reject a graphics card thats been returned back to us JUST because a graphics card full cover waterblock is on the same order for example. I do know of a major competitor who does this.
Its bad business sense, makes stress and hassle when we aim our entire range at the knowledgable enthusiast and kills the high end community that OcUK was at the start of. Its just bad karma all round really!
It is common sense really, look after your gear and there will not be a problem!
I am completely open with the watercooling section and love comments both good and bad, it is a group that is on the up and this only happens by stocking parts people want to buy! Alphacool are being discontinued in favour of Black ICE (same rads as mentioned above but MUCH better support at a buying and RMA level which can only be good for everyone!). If you want to comment on the section either good or bad just pop into the new product suggestions section (
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=67) and make a "Watercooling Comments" thread and I will catch it within a day and take anything constructive onboard.
Sorry if its a bit of a ramble, been a long day and that bottle of Glenfiddich was oh so nice.
