Gigabyte's advertising screwed me!

MilesB · Post by **MilesB** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:18 pm

Time for another new work PC. I have a minibox PSU and 12V 180W laptop supply, so I decided to try out Cool n Quiet. My local vendor had a Gigabyte GA-K8NS at $25 more than the cheapest board, but it said this on their website, so I figured it was worth it for the noise reduction:

This platform certified by AMD for supporting its Cool'n'Quiet feature on the Athlon64. With dynamic CPU voltage control, this platform dramatically reduces processor power consumption without degrading system performance. As well, throttling of the system fans allow for a cooler and quieter PC, resulting in decreased noise level for a more comfortable work or educational environment. Please update the latest processor driver and motherboard BIOS before enabling the Cool'n'Quiet function.

I was planning on buying a Sempron 2600, but a little research revealed that the 3100 was the only Sempron supporting Cool n Quiet. So I spent an extra $75 on the CPU to get quiet.

Boy was I SCREWED. The CPU does support CnQ, as does the motherboard. HOWEVER, the advertised fan throttling is NOT a feature of this board! The more expensive K8NS PRO does support it. If I had known, I would have just bought the PRO. So I emailed Gigabyte, and they told me to downgrade the BIOS as the F12 revision had a bug. So I downgraded. Nothing. Replied again telling them how pissed off I am. Got this:

Thank you for supporting GIGABYTE products and contacting GBT Tech Support. As to the problem you mentioned, after the further exam, we are sorry to tell you that due to the hardware specification, GA-K8NS does not support CPU Smart Fan function. Therefore, the CPU FAN speed will not be adjusted. Sorry for the inconvenience that has encountered.

So they have advertised it can throttle the fan, agreed that it SHOULD throttle the fan, and then when they realised it doesn't, just shafted me. Great. I spent $100 extra to get the fan throttling and I didn't get it.

Avoid Gigabyte!

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:40 pm

I would just get my money back instead of bitching about it on a forum. - FG

alglove · Post by **alglove** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:04 pm

But isn't that the whole point of having the "Consumer Advocacy/Feedback" forum in the first place?

MilesB · Post by **MilesB** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:29 pm

frankgehry wrote:I would just get my money back instead of bitching about it on a forum. - FG

Yeah that's what I'm trying to do, but here in Australia we don't have the customer-is-always-right attitude you have in the USA. I go "hey this board doesn't do what the website says" and the computer shop goes "what do I care, not my fault, I don't want a used board back because you don't like it - it's not broken or anything so I can't claim it on warranty".

So I emailed the manufacturer and said "make it right" and they also told me to go jump. My point is, with customer service like that, I'm staying away from Gigabyte now.

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:29 pm

I suppose if he had just posted in the consumer forum, but he also bitched about gigabyte in another forum. So he registered to make two posts about how gigabyte screwed him. I should have just left it alone.

MilesB · Post by **MilesB** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:33 pm

frankgehry wrote:I suppose if he had just posted in the consumer forum, but he also bitched about gigabyte in another forum. So he registered to make two posts about how gigabyte screwed him. I should have just left it alone.

My post in the other forum was mainly about how good CnQ is, but is also a reference to this post, not another copy of it. There are other people in that forum also saying how they are unhappy with the same thing Gigabyte did to them on other 939 socket boards. I thought it wise to just add a link to this post as this forum gets very little traffic.

"Bitched"? I paid a bunch of cash for something and didn't get it, and I'm just trying to warn others so they don't get the same thing. If people hadn't posted how they were pissed about the 2600 and 2800 not having CnQ, I would have fallen into that trap also.

frankgehry · Post by **frankgehry** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:34 pm

Well then it looks like you got screwed. Just bitch about it in the consumer advocacy forum and fill in your profile information so everyone will know you're from au.

Everyone seems to be ignoring your other post. If only I had done the same. Later - FG

Chunker · Post by **Chunker** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 6:00 pm

The simple solution: take one of the PSU power cables, put some paperclips in the 12v and ground and then start touching them on the mobo. Makes it all ready for warranty repair..

Then the reseller can do a warranty on it and you can upgrade at the same time.

Problem all solved

thetoad30 · Post by **thetoad30** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 6:47 pm

Man, people sure are bitchy today. Must have been a long week or something.

Gigabyte's advertising screwed me!

Gigabyte's advertising screwed me!

Just try the old fry the board solution