Does Gigabyte still use cheap capacitors under the socket(Choyo, Lelon, etc)?

[CompGee]

Hi, guys. I want to know if Gigabyte still uses cheap capacitors under the socket(Choyo, Lelon, etc)? Last summer, I had a Gigabyte motherboard short/fail and take the RAM with it. I also think it took the CPU with it. Did those caps fail? I just want to know. Thanks in advance!

 

[ingtar33]

Gigabyte has a tendency to "upgrade" their motherboards/graphic cards with cheaper components in the shape of "revisions", so depending on the revision you get you can get an awfully poor product that does not resemble the original product reviewed.

don't get me wrong, they make a lot of "Great" stuff, and on the whole they're the only motherboard maker other then ASUS i'd ever suggest someone buy a motherboard for an AMD cpu, but they do a lot of shaddy things to cut costs and make a few dollars more. Your caps could have popped due to a bad power supply, a manufacturing error, or because gigabyte was cheap and bought bad caps.

unfortunately there is no way to tell. so i suggest you replace the power supply as well when you replace the motherboard. MY standard operating procedure when a gpu/cpu/motherboard dies is to replace the power supply. you just don't know if it died due to a poor PSU or died due to age/abuse/shoddy construction.

 

[CompGee]

The PSU is an Cooler Master 460W. Been running strong for I believe 6 years.

 

[ingtar33]

The PSU is an Cooler Master 460W. Been running strong for I believe 6 years.

coolermaster makes a lot of junk psus. and 6yo is old even for a good psu.

I'd say it's probably time to upgrade it. Just to be safe. Understand i am suggesting the psu upgrade not to sell something (it's not like i'm going to make a commission) and not because i feel like spending your money. My policy is based strictly on safety. A bad power supply, like a bad motherboard can start a fire and burn your house down.

you just had a motherboard die on you. it could be because gigabyte was cheap with the board, it could be because the power supply has reached it's limit. i'd say in the interest of safety you replace the power supply when you replace the motherboard.

 

[CompGee]

Do you want me to take a look at the capacitors in this PSU?

 

[ingtar33]

if you know what you're looking at sure. just understand that people have been killed playing with the inside of a psu... even if it was unplugged for months. the caps can store a LOT of energy, so be very cautious.

it would probably be safer to get a Dr. Power
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0ZX2C28930