Warning to MSI AMD graphics card buyers

Resources and much more are available on Discord.
===================================================================================
#gaming #games #gameplay #gpu #repair #nvidia #amd #fix #fixed #

[viniciusdesouzamaia]

Watching this channel reminded me that in engineering school 15 years ago we basically learned that you shouldn't fix electronics. You built them, and when something broke, you threw out the board and bought another one, which because of Moore, was always the better, cheaper alternative. That always struck me as strange and wasteful, given the effort and cost, but I think nowadays the game has changed, electronics don't improve so quickly anymore and they cost a pretty penny so the economics of repairing just makes more and more sense.

[thomaspadua]

Hello everyone this is my card. He fixed it professionally, and I learned a lot from this video. I got this card from Best Buy. Also, the UPS package handlers did bend the bracket again when I got the card back.

[nasko]

AMD GPUs from brands that also make Nvidia are the worst because they jerry-rig their Nvidia coolers to fit AMD boards. By far the best AMD GPUs come from exclusive vendors like ASRock, PowerColor, XFX and Sapphire.

[MakotoTheGoober]

Huge respect for doing an awesome job and making content out of it while advertising it in a non annoying way and even waiting months for parts to arrive, love your work and I hope you would get much more views, u deserve more!!!

[Thomas_Aslaksen]

Yet another card saved from the landfill. You are doing a great job. Love the work. Nice vid. Love from Norway

[RC]

I appreciate the editing of your videos. Chill music while watching a master of his craft, without making it too slow and boring. I really hope this channel blows up.

[gucky]

Actually some quite nice little techniques. Using flux as an "adhesive" for the solderballs and then using the ultrasonic cleaner to clean that "adhesive" (flux?) and make sure that all balls are melted and stick. Also using the fingers to check for irregularities, like a missed solderballs prior to removing them. Or the makeshift coke heatshields. :D
It is the little details that show the experience and are fun to see, since those are different for everyone.

[nimamaster]

You just earned a new sub with this one! Not only the sheer amount of work it takes but also having the patience to wait for 2 months for parts just to see if your work paid off is inhuman! Hats off to you

[dexterman]

3:01 "doubting myself is what I do quite a bit in my life"
dang, that hit home ....

[shivamchudasama]

man man, I commend you for not only taking on repair challenges like this but also recording everything a explaining your thought process. On top of all that you have self learn all this, that's amazing. I can relate how difficult it was to repair just power supplies for my internship. You have earnt a subscriber.

[FullMetalFox]

With the bend PCBs, isnt it a bit unfair to put the blame on AMD while the PCB was manufactured by a 3rd party manufacturer (in this case MSI)?
I got both Nvidia and AMD GPUs from various generations from ASUS for example, and none of them has a bend PCB, but for example a Gigabyte GTX1060 with a twist in the PCB

[catalinnastase]

discovered this channel few days ago...jaw dropping repair, skills and video editing!!!

[bigbuckoramma]

The algorithm pushed me to your channel. Nice find. Then i see a video posted not even 30 seconds ago, cool, that 360p life. But then you said some things...

1: MSi "MECH" was created during the NVidia GPP kerfuffle (along with ASUS "AREZ") in which NVidia demanded that brands stop using their high end gaming brands on the same product lines for AMD and NVidia Cards, by creating a "sub-tier" for AMD. MSi dropped "Twin-Frozer" branding on AMD for "MECH", and ASUS dropped "STRIX" for "AREZ". While ASUS publicly denied that AREZ was created because of the GPP, and quietly killed the branding, and liquidated the cards, renaming them all as ROG STRIX... MSi Kept MECH around, and positioned it as a cheaper product line. Which brings us too...

2: PCB thickness, and GPU sag is not an "AMD problem", its a cheap manufacturer problem. Flimsy PCB's with low weight G10 is a classic problem of MSi cards going back to the days when they still branded themselves as MicroStar. And on something like a MECH card, where it is positioned as a budget product, you can all but expect it as they cut corners to meet a price point. It is more than a little disingenuous to make such a statement on quality, as if AMD specifies the PCB thickness that MSi must use on their cards. That makes zero sense, but we know for a fact the fanboys will take that as a fact, considering you a trusted source.

I have owned plenty of AMD cards over the years from Sapphire, Power Color, XFX, ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSi...and those are in the order of quality that i would rank them, highest to lowest. With both Gigabyte and MSi (including their NVidia offerings) all suffering heavily from GPU sag, even with a brace, through all of their product lines, even their higher end offerings. To the point that i wont build with MSi or Gigabyte products. Unless i am building a system for someone that specifically wants those parts. From my decades of experience in the PC industry, and running a shop, i dont even bother to sell them, it is more hassle than its worth. Most of MSi's products have extremely poor quality materials, and the MECH is the ultimate personification of cutting corners. I am surprised you didnt get one of the ones where the heatsink was dead shorting and SMD on the PCB...because that was a thing they did by doing heatsink recycling, similar to what EVGA did, but it was on cheap cards, so no one really made a big deal about it, and MSi RMA'd them rather quickly and quietly.

Also, why go to all of this work, for a GPU that can be replaced for $200??? That seems like SUCH a waste of time and money, for you, and the card owner.

[syncmonism]

With the 6700 XT deals we were seeing for the past few months, I continually recommended to people that they buy the Sapphire version, as it was often only 10 dollars more than cheaper models, such as the MSI mech model (not the same model as this one, but possibly just as bad).

I have often been surprised at just how close in price Sapphire Pulse models are to other models. Sapphire Pulse model cards are routinely offering the best value with AMD cards, though I have also heard good things about SOME (but not all) Powercolor cards, and there are surely other models out there which are decent as well. Sapphire and Powercolor are the two most popular AMD exclusive partners, and Powercolor really seems to have improved a lot over the years, but they still do make some cheaper and crappier models still.

Sapphire, among other things, has popularized putting a second bios even on most of their cheaper "Pulse" branded models.

I always love to hear more from professional repair people about which specific models they think are the best, or the best value. As consumers, we should never blindly trust any brand, no matter how much we like them.

[AstarOfDavid]

I've owned many MSI video cards - and I have never seen one made this cheap. Perhaps it's because I never buy MSI's lower end card models. These lower end cards are most likely mass produced for quick/cheap sales.

[Horus]

I have a Mech x2 and it has worked hard and still does flawlessly (GPU and Hotspot are within 4°C, I checked after watching lol ). I wonder if some of these have been abused by miners/poor airflow cases and as such have gone through major heat cycles that may cause these issues. Still that was one great video, it is a pleasure to watch someone so dedicated to doing their job. Hats off Sir, keep it up.

[IronArmPanda]

I bought a Mech 5700 in 2019, flashed it to a 5700xt BIOS and have been gaming well ever since. Guess I'm fortunate in that mine is still straight as an arrow. Gets cleaned every 4 months and new paste every 2 years, keeps it nice and cool.

[DcraigRob]

That feels like alot of work for a 6600xt. I'd have thought what you are doing costs more than replacing the gpu.

[HerrAlien]

I liked the video, interesting about how artefacts show up differently depending on what's wrong. Hopefully the owner of that mech considers third party cooling.

[One_Guy]

love the LTT reference! your vids randomly appeared in my feed. enjoying your educational content!