EVGA Isn't Sweating Nvidia's Retail Push
EVGA Isn't Sweating Nvidia's Retail Push
Posted 10/07/2010 at 11:22am
| by Paul Lilly
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Earlier this week we learned Nvidia had decided to sell its own branded videocards in Best Buy, which so far appear limited to the GeForce GTX 450 and 460. The move had us wondering how Nvidia's add-in board (AIB) partners would react, who would now be in direct competition with the graphics chip maker.
"No comment," EVGA's Joe Darwin told CNET when asked how his company felt about the news. "It's something [Nvidia] has always talked about, and now it's finally here."
Put another way, EVGA seems perturbed but publicly poised. Darwin also explained what value his company brings to the graphics card business that sets it apart from Nvidia.
"Definitely our level of customer service and our programs and our community. All of our tech support is in house, 24-7," Darwin said. "There are actual EVGA employees that do the support here; it's not sourced out. They get all the training from our product team. Our RMA service averages two to three days to turn around products in to us [for repair]. We haven't seen anyone else that can compete on that level."
EVGA is also known for its robust warranty program. Provided buyers register their cards within 30 days of purchase, EVGA cards carry a lifetime warranty, including overclocking and using third party heatsinks (as long as you don't physically damage the card in the process).
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jowens203
October 07, 2010 at 7:40pm
I have never bought a single piece of pc hardware from Best Buy, and I never will. Nothing personal against Best Buy, I purchase other items there, but who is actually going to pay an extra $40-$50 bucks retail markup for say a gtx460/470? It's not like this kind of hardware is an impulse buy to most system builders out there, and we have all specd pricing on newegg/tiger/etc.. for what we are looking at in a build. Best Buy pricing never comes into this equation.
Please just don't tell me they will be offering "Geek Squad" support for vid cards!?! "We can OC your card for $60.. How's that sound?" Lol...
mpcrsc562
October 07, 2010 at 5:18pm
...But I bet they're really sweating this big time!
The story goes that a rather large portion of EVGA's mobo team left to work for another company.
So, EVGA's motherboard side of business got tighter and now they have to compete directly against nVidia for videocard revenue? That sounds kinda sucky to me...
Remember, BFG already bit the dust...
sniggler
October 07, 2010 at 4:01pm
There was a bit of a squabble happening between them last i checked... XFX only carries AMD cards now... besides, their warranty isn't that much better. The only thing i like better about XFX is that its a modder-friendly. However, lately they are not so modder-friendly or even consumer friendly since they started selling crap non-reference parts at reference part prices. That's when I stopped using XFX and traded my 5850 xxx in favor of 2 GTX 460's. I had crossfire plans for the 5850 but XFX stopped making the XXX reference model after 6 months. Pretty crappy since I paid $350 for it (too much, stupid AMD not hitting their yields made availability scarce).
aviaggio
October 07, 2010 at 4:31pm
XFX has double lifetime warranties, and they actually honor them. So yeah, it's just a bit better than a company that decides not to honor their warranties.
aviaggio
October 07, 2010 at 11:28am
Until they decide for no legitimate reason not to honor your "lifetime" warranty. Sorry, but I will never buy another EVGA again. XFX is the way to go.
SininStyle
October 11, 2010 at 7:46am
Latest loop holes include a white residue left behind manufacturing. This appears on just about everyone of their cards and they have now been using it as an excuse to void warranties. Even if the card has never been opened/altered. XFX is now officially a bad purchase.
Caboose
October 07, 2010 at 2:06pm
I thought that nVidia dropped XFX...
XFX makes AMD cards now I thought...
aviaggio
October 07, 2010 at 4:29pm
They do. That EVGA was also my last Nvidia card. Got tired of them dying on me.
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