I recently purchased a new Asus M5A99X AM3 motherboard. Well, at least it should be new since it was bought as new from a reputable retailer. It seems Asus motherboards don't have any factory seals or shrink-wrapping that could give a hint whether the board itself has been tampered with.

Anyway, as I took the board out of the anti-static bag, I noticed that the board is slightly bent. Not much, but it's quite obvious when you first glance the board from either of the "long sides". It has a small bend in the middle of the board, a concave dip of 2-3 millimeters. I don't have a proper camera to take pictures of it, but generally speaking, should I be worried about it? I haven't tested it yet but assuming it functions normally is it okay to use it?

A quick search on the Internet suggested it should be fine and not at all that unusual but what's your take on this?

This should probably be in Offtopic, but my take on that would be to return it post haste if you were unsatisfied with the product's condition. I have never received a bent board, although I have witnessed some that have given way under heavy loads that worked just fine.

Me, I would expect premium quality from a new product. Have you contacted the shop to ask what they have to say about it? An early contact may come in handy later if you are to return the product.

I apologize. If moderators feel that this topic should be elsewhere, I won't protest.
Thanks you for the reply and the display of common sense. I sent an e-mail inquiry to the customer service of the retailer and received a relatively swift response from their warranty processor. According to him, the bending is not unheard of and it will not have an effect to the warranty. I asked Asus the same question and I'm waiting for their reply.

I don't actually mind the warping that much, I was just worried if it would have an impact on the warranty. This is all assuming that the board actually works, which I will find out once my power supply arrives.

Alright, seems like it should turn out fine - assuming the board runs. Good luck!

2-3 mm concave over the length of a motherboard is negligible and is probably not a problem. Sounds to me like it is very slightly warped, not bent. Since boards are made from resins, they can warp during manufacturing, such as when heat is applied. The board should be flexible enough that you can screw it to the case motherboard riser pins to straighten it out. I would try the board first, and if there is a problem then get a RMA.

Looking at photos of motherboards on Newegg lately, I've noticed a lot of warping in edgewise shots of the I/O ports. I don't think it's an illusion or distortion in the photo. It seems to be common.