Radeon DDR32 vs 7000

[John DeGroof]

I sent my Radeon DDR32 in for warranty repair - the fan died. They
sent me a 7000 back. After argueing for 40 minutes with customer
service, I finally got to talk to a manager. My request was simple -
send me the same model I sent in. Instead, the mananger even argued
that the 7000 was a better card, because it was 2.5 years newer.

Now, from what I've been able to research from reviews on the web, the
7000 is just a renamed VE, and is a cost reduced part. The DDR32 used
the 7200 GPU, which has 2 texure rendering pipelines (the 7000 only
has one), and has the "Charisma Engine" for T&L/transformation,
clipping, and lighting (the 7000 lacks this).

I'm pushing the issue, and want a DDR32 - I sent in a DDR32 and I
expect a DDR32 in return. Anyone have any comments?

 

[Kent_Diego]

Yes, the 32MB DDR, now called 7200 is a better card than the 7000 (was VE).
The only advantage with 7000 is dual monitor support but for gaming to 7200
is better and costs more.

-Kent

 

[Thomas]

I sent my Radeon DDR32 in for warranty repair - the fan died. They
sent me a 7000 back. After argueing for 40 minutes with customer
service, I finally got to talk to a manager. My request was simple -
send me the same model I sent in. Instead, the mananger even argued
that the 7000 was a better card, because it was 2.5 years newer.

I'm pushing the issue, and want a DDR32 - I sent in a DDR32 and I
expect a DDR32 in return. Anyone have any comments?

You are 100% correct.

Thomas

 

[GTX_SlotCar]

Most companies will state in their warranty that they can replace the
product with something else, at their discretion. It protects them from
having to find a part that's out of production.
Maybe you could agrue for a replacement card other than the 7000 or DDR32.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to replace the fan yourself than to ship the
card to ATI?

Gary

 

[patrickp]

Most companies will state in their warranty that they can replace the
product with something else, at their discretion. It protects them from
having to find a part that's out of production.
Maybe you could agrue for a replacement card other than the 7000 or DDR32.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to replace the fan yourself than to ship the
card to ATI?

Gary

True. But the replacement should be equivalent or better, not, as in this
case, a generally lower spec card. If they can't give you another card the
same, John, you should expect something that's the next higher spec. AFAIK
ATi are still producing 7500 cards, which I would have thought would be the
logical option.

And, yes, replacing the fan would have been my first thought. But that
would invalidate the warranty, which is what this is all about. AFAICS the
vendor has accepted the card is faulty and is still under warranty; they
should either repair it satisfactorily or replace it with an equivalent or
better.

patrickp

 

[John DeGroof]

Maybe you could agrue for a replacement card other than the 7000 or DDR32.

I did! I told the manager I'd expect equal or BETTER! I'd take a
7500, or at this point a 9800 Pro for my troubles.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to replace the fan yourself than to ship the
card to ATI?

I did look into it, but the fans ATI uses are not available anywhere,
and ATI won't sell parts. The fan is round, and fits into their
heatsink, so no size square fan would work. I suppose if I wanted to
pry the old heatsink off and replace the whole thing with a nice
cooler I could have, but that's more expensive than shipping via USPS
for warranty replacement.

 

[GTX_SlotCar]

Well, their warranty does state they'll replace it with an equivalent
product.
I'd like to see how this turns out. Keep us posted, will ya?

Gary

 

[John DeGroof]

Well, their warranty does state they'll replace it with an equivalent
product.

I don't consider 1/3 the 3D rendering ability "equivalent"

I'd like to see how this turns out. Keep us posted, will ya?

I sure will. I sent an email to the manger I spoke with over the
weekend requesting a replacement (again, same or better card), and
informing him of my intentions to notify corporte in a lesson how not
to treat customers.

 

[J. Clarke]

I don't consider 1/3 the 3D rendering ability "equivalent"


I sure will. I sent an email to the manger I spoke with over the
weekend requesting a replacement (again, same or better card), and
informing him of my intentions to notify corporte in a lesson how not
to treat customers.

You shouldn't have threatened the guy with corporate--you can bet he's
already working on his story. If you're going to corporate then go to
corporate, don't warn him first. If he doesn't want complaints to be made
to the CEO, then he should comport himself accordingly.

Personally, I would write a polite letter to the CEO. Not an email, a
snail-mail, on letterhead if you have it, explaining what happened,
explaining why it's causing you difficulty (don't moralize, and don't
legalize unless you're a lawyer, just say what you could do before that you
can't do at all or as well now), explaining that you're very, very unhappy
with ATI at this point, that this is such a simple problem so easily
resolved that you don't understand why it's causing such dificulty, and
stating that you're going to follow up with a phone call on such and such
date at such and such time--allow plenty of time for the letter to arrive
and get read. When the date and time arrive, make the call. Odds are that
you'll not get to talk to the CEO, but you almost certainly will get
transferred to somebody who can help you, and I suspect that you'll be
quite satisfied with the outcome.

You might also want to suggest in your letter that if they don't have one
already there should be a policy established on which boards are acceptable
replacements for which other boards, with a provision for the event that
there is no longer a completely acceptable replacement available.

 

[GTX_SlotCar]

That's excellent advice (well, I probably wouldn't do the last paragraph).
You don't want to relay this as an issue between you and the rep you spoke
to.

Gary