My motherboard came with a smashed pin in the cpu socket.

[skunsman]

I don't know how but it looks like my Z370-A Pro motherboard came with a completely busted pin in the cpu socket. I was incredibly careful with it from the moment I took it out of the box, I don't see how I could have messed up a single pin this badly. If I'd dropped something on it there would be a lot more bent pins, not this one that looks like it melted into itself.

I think this pin controls the 2nd ram channel, as it refuses to boot if I have ram in the 3rd or 4th slot. Is there anything I can do? Will MSI accept an RMA for a broken pin or am I going to have to buy another $150+ motherboard?

 

[marksavio]

yes definitely RMA that board as soon as you can. that doesnt look like a damage that you will unintentionally do. even if someone did intentionally grab a tweezer and purposely bent a single pin, it wouldnt look that mangled and curled up.

and heres an example of a non-RMA-able board. WARNING : NSFW. not for the faint of heart

Spoiler

 

[Zerk2012]

A lot of times they will not accept a board back for bent pins. The board comes with a cover over the socket.