Question How to tell if a purchased motherboard is brand new (unused/unopened) ?

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dor_13

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Oct 26, 2011
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Scenario:
  1. You purchase a motherboard.
  2. Motherboard package arrives to your home.
  3. Now you need to verify that the motherboard is brand new and never been opened/used.
What do you do to verify that?

(It's a general question. In my case it is ASUS motherboard, if it matters.)

I've watched "unboxing" videos, but they don't show enough to understand if motherboard is new.
 
dor_13 said:
Scenario:
  1. You purchase a motherboard.
  2. Motherboard package arrives to your home.
  3. Now you need to verify that the motherboard is brand new and never been opened/used.
What do you do to verify that?

(It's a general question. In my case it is ASUS motherboard, if it matters.)

I've watched "unboxing" videos, but they don't show enough to understand if motherboard is new.
Click to expand...
You go to the manufacturers website, and check the warranty status.
For ASUS, here:
 
dor_13 said:
Is there some immediate method - to check while in store?
Like having a completely sealed bag - such that if the bag isn't sealed, then it's easy to infer that the motherboard was opened?
Click to expand...
Buying in the store is very different than "Motherboard package arrives to your home."

Do you trust this store?


But being sealed doesn't really mean much. Any schmoe can buy a sealer tool.
 
USAFRet said:
Buying in the store is very different than "Motherboard package arrives to your home."
Click to expand...
Right, I'd rather cover all aspects.

USAFRet said:
Do you trust this store?
Click to expand...
I trust only God.

USAFRet said:
But being sealed doesn't really mean much. Any schmoe can buy a sealer tool.
Click to expand...
Then there isn't any method apart from checking warranty on official website, I assume.
Though, some method make it more difficult to "cheat".
Anyway, are there some expected methods (such as sealing) which are common in motherboard products?

I've had some other products (such as printer or monitor) which I checked their warranty on manufacturer's website after the purchase and to my astonishment it seemed that the warranty has already started some months or years ago!
 
dor_13 said:
Right, I'd rather cover all aspects.


I trust only God.


Then there isn't any method apart from checking warranty on official website, I assume.
Though, some method make it more difficult to "cheat".
Anyway, are there some expected methods (such as sealing) which are common in motherboard products?

I've had some other products (such as printer or monitor) which I checked their warranty on manufacturer's website after the purchase and to my astonishment it seemed that the warranty has already started some months or years ago!
Click to expand...
There is no universal method of sealing or packaging across all manufacturers.

Get the serial number and check at the manufacturers website.
 
a few times ive received my brand new GPU or Mobo from a trusted computer store with the anti static bag unsealed ..
The brand new 6900xt red devil i bought kinda shocked me a few months after release ( it worked fine ) but the bag was unsealed so i wondered if the store did there tests to see which one was the better silicon lottery card !!
 
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First thing to understand is that no motherboard you buy should be "unused" and you definitely want it that way. They were used in some sort of fashion at the factory to test them. Some stores might try to justify a higher price by doing an in-store operational test themselves, especially important if they are building your system for you.

So what I think you're really wanting to know if one has been returned by someone. I think the only way is to check packaging condition and intact box seals. But then, stores regularly replace broken seals on boxes and refresh internal bags and their seals so that's not going to be all that reliable either. Better stores (Microcenter for instance) resells their returns as open box with a discount.

In the end, I think it's not something you can be absolutely sure of if dealing with a sketch retailer. And so long as it works, has no obvious damage and you are getting full warranty (check warranty status at the mfr's web site as suggested before) it's not a big deal anyway. With that warranty intact if it fails because of someone else's screw-ups you have recourse for replacement. If it fails in the store return period that's even better (assuming they provide one). If you open the box and it's obviously damaged stop right there, take it back and demand exchange. If you feel the retailers sketch open it at checkout to examine through the bag and stop it there if it's damaged.

Speaking of warranty: I bought a reconditioned Gigabyte board. It had only the (much shorter) reconditioned warranty, but was also a lot cheaper than brand new. I found all that out by checking Gigabyte's website.
 
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ilukey77 said:
... but the bag was unsealed so i wondered if the store did there tests to see which one was the better silicon lottery card !!
Click to expand...
I know that was absolutely the case back in the day. The computer store I frequented would bin-sort all the processors and GPU's they received and ask a premium for ones they 'guaranteed' an overclock capability.

Of course in those days processors weren't generally boxed, we call them tray processor today. And GPU's were commonly bought in bulk in white boxes and sold across the counter that way. The manufacturer boxed ones were way more expensive but often came with game bundles and other bennies.
 
Some tel tales it was used and/or mounted, Dots around mounting holes get squashed when MB was screwed on. Decals on heat spreaders and other parts removed, discolored or crooked. Hooks holding RAM and GPU left opened.
 
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