South African PC fans needs to be conscious that at the very least two main on-line retailers won’t ship their ordered CPUs within the unique protecting packaging.
The problem was lately dropped at MyBroadband’s consideration by a publish on the favored Fb group group ZA Gaming Alliance.
The poster defined he acquired a brand new motherboard from Evetech, however the board’s CPU pins have been bent sideways. He additionally mentioned the CPU he acquired was not in its unique field however solely in bubble wrap.
Responding to questions from MyBroadband, Evetech denied promoting the poster a motherboard, saying it solely bought him the CPU.
Though the poster didn’t initially identify the corporate, he confirmed he ordered from Evetech in response to feedback.
A number of early commenters additionally assumed it was Evetech primarily based on their very own expertise with the retailer delivery CPUs with out packaging.
Nevertheless, a lot of them defined there was nothing fallacious with the poster not receiving the CPU in unique packaging.
They mentioned it was probably an unique gear producer (OEM) or “tray” CPU.
These elements are meant to be used by system integrators inside pre-built PCs to extend their revenue margins on the models.
Nevertheless, some retailers promote OEM CPUs individually, with out a retail field and cooler, making the models cheaper.
Whereas some mistakenly believed the pins on his CPU bought bent — one of many largest dangers of PC delivery — it was really these on the motherboard.
Whereas AMD CPUs beforehand featured a pin grid array that was inserted into the motherboard, the brand new AM5 socket makes use of a land grid array, just like what Intel has used for a number of years.
This flips the location of the pins and holes between the chip and motherboard, lowering — however not eliminating — the chance of harm throughout transport or set up.
The pins bending on the motherboard might nonetheless be disastrous, which is why many commentators mentioned the retailer should resolve it.
One person mentioned he had the identical subject as the unique poster, and his motherboard was changed underneath guarantee. Nevertheless, it was switched out with a “piece of crap” various.
MyBroadband beforehand noticed quite a few examples of different Evetech prospects who returned broken elements and have been informed that the retailer now not had inventory of the element they purchased, or that its value had elevated.
They’d both should pay extra for a similar element or a costlier alternative.
MyBroadband enquired with Evetech concerning the complaints from varied customers.
The retailer informed MyBroadband that none of its merchandise shipped with out packaging and defined its method to OEM or tray CPU delivery.
“OEM CPUs are supplied to system builders as a substitute for retail packaging because the retail packaging is most often discarded after opening,” Evetech mentioned.
“This doesn’t imply there isn’t a packaging to maintain the merchandise protected. The CPU is protected the identical method it’s in retail packaging,” they mentioned.
Evetech mentioned that OEM CPUs acquired the identical guarantee they’d when in retail packaging.
“To additional safe the CPU, this cowl is bubble wrapped and positioned contained in the motherboard field, which in flip is positioned inside one other field with packing foam for the supply,” Evetech said.
“It’s no extra prone to be broken or much less safe than it will be in retail packaging.”
Evetech additionally denied that it had shipped a motherboard to the unique poster, stating that the one order he had positioned with Evetech within the yr was for an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU.
“A number of days after his publish, he additionally introduced the CPU along with his previous parts to us to assist him set up it.”
What 4 different on-line PC retailers do
MyBroadband requested 4 different main on-line PC retailers whether or not they bought OEM CPUs to prospects individually.
Progenix was the one retailer that typically bought OEM CPUs.
It defined it sometimes used one of many few hundred spare CPU trays it had because the container however typically added an anti-static wrapper folded all the way down to measurement and several other layers of bubblewrap, all positioned in a small field.
This was then put in a flyer bag or bigger field if different gadgets have been being included with the order.
For AMD multipack (MPK) CPUs just like the Ryzen 5 7500F, which require the sale of a motherboard and RAM on the identical bill, Progenix most well-liked to put in and check the CPU earlier than dispatch.
It mentioned so-called “improve kits” from sure retailers bought loads of complaints on Hellopeter or Google that they’d not POST.
“In these instances, as soon as we’ve made positive it POSTs, we take away the RAM because it’s too tall to suit again within the motherboard field, however go away the CPU in its socket,” Progenix said.
“Individuals buying improve kits are typically fairly new to the customized PC scene and leaving the CPU mounted on the motherboard has the additional advantage of eliminating the danger of the client by accident bending pins on the motherboard.”
Wootware follows an analogous method as Progenix in the case of the AMD MPK CPUs.
“We ship the bundle with the CPU pre-installed within the CPU socket on the motherboard, which ensures protected transit for orders being delivered or collected,” Wootware mentioned.
“Past the pre-installation of the CPU, we embrace extra protecting packaging, as is customary for our service, when delivery orders.”
Except for MPKs, Wootware doesn’t typically promote OEM CPUs.
“We’ll proceed to promote and ship CPUs in full retail packaging not just for the most secure potential transit but in addition for the very best unboxing expertise for patrons,” Wootware mentioned.
Dreamware Tech director Brent Raftopoulus mentioned his firm doesn’t ship standalone uninstalled OEM CPUs to prospects in any respect.
In contrast to Evetech, Raftopoulus believed there was a considerably increased threat of harm to the CPU throughout transit.
“Whereas the plastic tray utilized in OEM CPUs does present some safety, the retail variant is significantly better fitted to delivery functions,” Raftopoulus mentioned.
As well as, Raftopoulus mentioned that the majority distribution channels that present OEM CPUs typically suggested that they ere not meant to be bought as an end-user product.
“Nevertheless, many retailers promote OEM models on to end-users regardless of this,” Raftopoulus mentioned.
Titan Ice additionally informed MyBroadband that it didn’t typically promote OEM CPUs.
“Whereas now we have bought a couple of, they have been all utilized in methods constructed in-house for purchasers and never bought or shipped alone,” Titan Ice said.
