[SOLVED] Bought ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero as "new" from Newegg but it would appears as though it was repaired or used?

[DaveB_55]

Hello! Amidst the Z690 Hero backwards capacitor debacle I ended up impulse buying a Z690 Hero from Newegg, hoping that the issue would be resolved by now. Everything seemed ok when I got it. I of course immediately checked the affected capacitor, which turned out to be correctly oriented. But I did notice several things that made me think I got a returned/repaired board.

On the motherboard itself there appears to be little tiny blotches. I looked this up and found a thread on Tom's Hardware of a similar issue with an Asus board that was sold on Amazon. Someone on that thread stated that the residue is a result of a typical repair process by manufacturers, which shouldn't be of any concern if the board works correctly. But I actually noticed something else as well. There happened to also be scuffs on the plastic sticker that cover's the LED screen over the VRM. I peeled back the sticker far enough to see if it scratched the LED and it turned out it was fine for the most part. The last thing I noticed was that there were several noticeable scratches and scuffs on the brushed aluminum heatsink for the Hyper M.2 drive. All of these things point to this board being used and/or repaired and returned back to Newegg, which they sold as "new".

Sorry for the wall of text but I was just wondering, would you guys think this would be a problem in the long run? I was planning a future build but I am buying the parts slowly and I cannot test the motherboard unfortunately so I planned on having it sit until I can collect the other parts. I know that ASUS should have fantastic warranty for their items but I just wanted to be sure I won't be in a situation where I will be blamed for damage if I attempt to exchange it if it ends up having issues. Anyways, I appreciate any and all replies/advice! Thanks!

 

[Sam4malaysia]

Never buy online ...always walk in to pc hardware shop , specially buying an expansive board. Fwd the pic to your seller and return the board. If the seller insist, go to nearest service center. I did that before. Call Asus and they will tell you where to return , nearest your area.

 

[geofelt]

I think it is a mistake to buy parts a bit at a time when you can't test them.
Past that, prices drop over time and you may change what you want.

Some things like a case or perhaps a power supply can be bought over time since they are not likely to change.

Likely, what you bought just has cosmetic damage from the manufacturing or packaging process.

 

[faalin]

More important is to watch this and make sure your capacitor is installed correctly. It very well could have been a bad board that was returned to ASUS and they corrected the wrongly installed capacitor and then put it back into circulation.


If your not sure then call newegg or Asus and ask for clarification on it or return it and get a new one.


As for the others, the last time i bought from a store was around 20 years ago. Now the same stores are over priced and they are so unwilling to help or answer any questions, i may stop in to look at a part or case but will get it online. The last two computers that i have bought i sourced the parts through amazon and newegg without any issues. 5-6 years ago i only bought from newegg but with a prime account even if the part coast slightly more its made up with shipping and i can get it cheaper and faster with Amazon.

 

[DaveB_55]

More important is to watch this and make sure your capacitor is installed correctly. It very well could have been a bad board that was returned to ASUS and they corrected the wrongly installed capacitor and then put it back into circulation.


If your not sure then call newegg or Asus and ask for clarification on it or return it and get a new one.


As for the others, the last time i bought from a store was around 20 years ago. Now the same stores are over priced and they are so unwilling to help or answer any questions, i may stop in to look at a part or case but will get it online. The last two computers that i have bought i sourced the parts through amazon and newegg without any issues. 5-6 years ago i only bought from newegg but with a prime account even if the part coast slightly more its made up with shipping and i can get it cheaper and faster with Amazon.

Thank you for the advice. Checking for the reversed capacitor was the first thing I did when I opened up the motherboard box actually. I was so afraid of getting that issue I neglected to take real good look at the motherboard to notice those spots when filming my unboxing, although I did take photos of them yesterday. I've researched a little bit and given light of the recent issue that Steve from Gamers Nexus encountered I am hesitant on contacting Newegg about this issue in fear of being accused of causing the damage myself. I do have additional video footage of myself literally opening the newegg box and then opening the motherboard box with the Asus sticker seal still intact before opening it. Considering the fact that the sticker was still unbroken when I opened the new egg box, I contacted Asus first to see what I can do with them. I explained the situation with them in complete detail; telling them how I noticed the sticker seal on the Asus box completely intact when I got the motherboard and that I video taped the entire unboxing process, proving that it wasn't me that cause any of the defects... Now this is what surprised me. I was then told that because the motherboard appears to have been used and damaged that resolving the issue through them would NOT be covered under the warranty of the motherboard, if I so choose to have the motherboard "repaired". He even told me that Newegg could have applied the sticker to the motherboard box to make it look like it was new. I was told that I could send them the pictures and video footage that I have and they will further assess the situation. Otherwise, I was told my other option is to contact Newegg and explain the issue as well as provide the picture and videos so that I may possibly receive a replacement.

I was wondering, do you think that these issue are a result of manufacturing defects considering the Asus sticker seal was not broken? Also, do you think it would simply be better to deal with this issue with Newegg moving foreword, or should I try to work with Asus on this?

 

[faalin]

Its been a while since i built a computer, the one in my sig was built in 2018 and i built a ryzen 3600x for work in may of 2020. I dont think i've every really looked at the board as much as you have. The spots if i would have noticed them i would have thought it was left from the manufacture process, the scuff marks on the heat sink on the IO shield maybe from ruff shipping, but the marks on the M.2 card (without seeing how it was packaged) i would have stopped and thought about those.

From looking at the pictures it doesnt look like a cooler has been mounted to it. i cant see any of the motherboard mounting screw holes to see if its been mounted inside a case before. The problem is your building the computer slowly and unless you have a cpu, ram , and PSU to power it up you wont be able to tell if the board has any issues, by then you could have passed the 30 day return with newegg and then your stuck with Asus and a RMA process. Then you'll be stick without a board for weeks till they do something about it.

If newegg wont let you return the board for a new one with the concerns that you have posted you can always return it and eat the restocking fee. Even if you would have bought it at a local store, their not going to let you open every box and check each one till you find the one you want. Its just that you'll be able to raise your concerns over the board in person rather then over the phone or email.


Yeah the marks on the M.2 card sucks but once its installed in the case will you actually be able to see the heat sink?

 

[DaveB_55]

Its been a while since i built a computer, the one in my sig was built in 2018 and i built a ryzen 3600x for work in may of 2020. I dont think i've every really looked at the board as much as you have. The spots if i would have noticed them i would have thought it was left from the manufacture process, the scuff marks on the heat sink on the IO shield maybe from ruff shipping, but the marks on the M.2 card (without seeing how it was packaged) i would have stopped and thought about those.

From looking at the pictures it doesnt look like a cooler has been mounted to it. i cant see any of the motherboard mounting screw holes to see if its been mounted inside a case before. The problem is your building the computer slowly and unless you have a cpu, ram , and PSU to power it up you wont be able to tell if the board has any issues, by then you could have passed the 30 day return with newegg and then your stuck with Asus and a RMA process. Then you'll be stick without a board for weeks till they do something about it.

If newegg wont let you return the board for a new one with the concerns that you have posted you can always return it and eat the restocking fee. Even if you would have bought it at a local store, their not going to let you open every box and check each one till you find the one you want. Its just that you'll be able to raise your concerns over the board in person rather then over the phone or email.


Yeah the marks on the M.2 card sucks but once its installed in the case will you actually be able to see the heat sink?

I find it ironic that I have to expect a brand new motherboard to potentially be refurbished or used when I pay the retail price (plus tax) for a brand new one. That doesn't sit well with me. Especially since if something does go wrong with the motherboard through normal use (which could be because of defects that I was unaware of) I could be completely denied warranty service because of these physical defects that existed before I received it (which Asus will claim as customer caused damage). 😒

 

[geofelt]

Stores like Newegg or Amazon sell hundreds/thousands of parts every day.
They have a good return policy and will accept returns for a host of reasons.
Wrong size.
Wrong part.
Wrong color.
You name it.
There is no way that a receiving clerk can examine parts as well as you can.
Such returned parts could be resold if the box looked unopened, or, it may be sold as refurbished. Or open box.

If you get a part that has a defect, open an incident with the seller.
A reputable shop is not out to scam you and will make things right.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

a lot of products sold have "Refurbished" or "Recertified" labels that may be missed upon shopping & purchase.
include a screenshot or other image of your invoice with the product label/description clearly showing.

 

[sassums]

I just opened my Z690 Hero from ASUS today (purchased from NewEgg) and don't believe mine has any of the issues you are detailing. Other than a piece of cardboard which I assumed was packaging that got caught on something.

ASUS also has a website allowing you to check the serial number before opening the board to confirm it isn't affecting by the spontaneous combustion issues.

You could always send it back to NewEgg as defective or damaged and see what they say.

 

[drea.drechsler]

...
Anyways, I appreciate any and all replies/advice! Thanks!

It could be a 'return' from someone who didn't like it for some reason. That doesn't mean it's bad, or defective, just that someone opened it and smudged it up before realizing it was wrong for them. Many shops know how to deal with it and can even re-package to look like new but (this one at least) don't always clean up smudges and dust that gets on the board by the original purchaser.

I like that Microcenter sells their returns as 'open box', with a discount.

 

[DaveB_55]

Thank you all for the replies/experiences/advice!

So today February 15th at around 12PM I received my "new replacement" motherboard from Newegg. I recorded my unboxing of it at around 1pm and low and behold as soon as I opened it, I saw even worse residue on this replacement motherboard than on the last. This one has large blotches of residue all around the CPU socket, as opposed to just a bunch of tiny spots sprinkled around it.

I would REALLY appreciate some advice on this... Should I move forward with Asus, stating that the new replacement is in even worse condition than the first? Should I get another replacement from Newegg, or do you think at this point that I would be entitled to a full refund? I really wanted to just get this motherboard new but I realize at this point that the Z690 Hero line is still in recall and there appears to be no new units being sold on the market right now. I appreciate any and all help that anyone can provide on this situation. Here are some pictures of the "new replacement", unbelievable lol.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

if this model has actually been recalled i would avoid it from now on.
possible that they'll release a v2 or Revision 2.0 but until then i wouldn't bother with it.

explaining your situation to Newegg should get you a full refund, or at least store credit if it's been a lengthy time since purchase.
but going through ASUS would likely only get another replacement.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Thank you all for the replies/experiences/advice!

So today February 15th at around 12PM I received my "new replacement" motherboard from Newegg. I recorded my unboxing of it at around 1pm and low and behold as soon as I opened it, I saw even worse residue on this replacement motherboard than on the last. This one has large blotches of residue all around the CPU socket, as opposed to just a bunch of tiny spots sprinkled around it.

I would REALLY appreciate some advice on this... Should I move forward with Asus, stating that the new replacement is in even worse condition than the first? Should I get another replacement from Newegg, or do you think at this point that I would be entitled to a full refund? I really wanted to just get this motherboard new but I realize at this point that the Z690 Hero line is still in recall and there appears to be no new units being sold on the market right now. I appreciate any and all help that anyone can provide on this situation. Here are some pictures of the "new replacement", unbelievable lol.

Without any regard to recalls....

This is very obviously a motherboard return or repair. The solder around the mounting holes definitely appears crushed by the mounting screws; not abnormal but a witness to it's installation. The shop that prepped it for resale did a terrible job of cleaning, leaving deposits all over the board.

I note that GN has been taking Newegg to task for similar experiences:
Newegg's Shocking Incompetence - YouTube

 

[DaveB_55]

Without any regard to recalls....

This is very obviously a motherboard return or repair. The solder around the mounting holes definitely appears crushed by the mounting screws; not abnormal but a witness to it's installation. The shop that prepped it for resale did a terrible job of cleaning, leaving deposits all over the board.

I note that GN has been taking Newegg to task for similar experiences:
Newegg's Shocking Incompetence - YouTube

I ended up starting a new RMA claim on the 15th of February, same day I received my second defective motherboard. I did make a thread on the official ASUS ROG forum and I got a reply on my thread from someone who supposedly represents "ASUS Customer Loyalty Team" at the "North America Corporate Office" on the 17th of February. He said he would "escalate my case to both HQ and his technical product manager". He requested information such as my email, address, phone #, and serial number for the motherboard. He got back to me on my email the same day asking for details of my Newegg emails and RMA process for the first replacement and the status of my now second replacement. In regards to the status of the second RMA claim, I told him that I haven't received any updates from Newegg. However, the very next day on the 18th of February I did receive an approval email and tracking number for my second RMA claim. I emailed the ROG representative immediately about this. The next day I decided to just follow through with shipping out my first replacement back to Newegg as it has been 3 days since I got a response from this representative from ROG.

I'm not sure why someone from ASUS would bother contacting me about this situation just to leave me high and dry for 3 days with no communication as to what is going on meanwhile Newegg has approved yet again for a replacement. I feel like this "representative" was just trying to make it look like he provided assistance so that it "appears" that my issue has been resolved on the forum, even the it hasn't. I did post my issues on the ASUS subreddit and I got a similar vibe from a "representative" from ASUS who replied to my thread there asking for information. He never got back to me after I provided his requested info either lol. I guess the best I can do is Newegg at this point...

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

I'm not sure why someone from ASUS would bother contacting me about this situation just to leave me high and dry for 3 days with no communication as to what is going on

this is typical with ASUS current customer service.
when contacting about missing thumbscrews for my Ryujin AIO they gave me the same type of responses.

after a couple initial contacts where the agent seemed to have no clue what i was talking about my case was escalated to a "service management representative" who just said hello and that they would be back in contact with some options.
after ~2 weeks of me responding 5-6 times complaining about lack of contact i got a long apology about how "due to the pandemic" they are having extended response problems and having trouble getting through all of their open cases.

then all they offered was to RMA the entire $180 package for a $2 set of screws
or to drive 180 miles to a certified repair location and see if they could fix the problem.

i ended up buying an Asetek replacement set for $1.85 and just gave them a long rant about how they will never get my business again and how i will warn others about their lack of support.

this was the second time in a year i've had a similar situation with ASUS.
other was a WiFi antennae that had broken and they also wanted me to RMA the entire $240 board for that one plastic piece.
this also took about a month of communication before it was escalated to an agent offerring the ridiculous RMA vs just sending a replacement piece.