Origin Announces Lifetime Warranty in Wake of Sandy Bridge Chipset SNAFU
Intel's 'little' screw-up with its 6-Series chipsets for the recently launched Sandy Bridge platform will cost the company an estimated $700 million to fix and repair affected boards and systems, with some saying the cost is likely to be closer to $1 billion. But the SNAFU has also left OEM system builders between a rock and a hard place. Customers who already purchased a Sandy Bridge rig are understandably miffed, and according to Intel, new parts that address the potentially fatal design flaw won't ship until March.
Making the best of a bad situation, Origin sent us word that it's implementing a lifetime warranty for all Sandy Bridge boards with a borked chipset. Here are the options, as Origin lays them out:
It's safe to say Origin is going above and beyond the call of duty, so to speak. Shipping to-and-fro is probably the biggest "gotcha" in this whole messy scenario, but with Origin offering to eat the costs, at worst consumers are out a bit of time.
So where does the lifetime warranty come into play? Those who choose option #2 will receive lifetime coverage for their motherboard, which will also include shipping, labor, and the whole shebang.
Making the best of a bad situation, Origin sent us word that it's implementing a lifetime warranty for all Sandy Bridge boards with a borked chipset. Here are the options, as Origin lays them out:
- We can wait for the resolution to become available. We are continuing to work closely with Intel. New motherboards are expected within the next 4-6 weeks. Once received, we will build it into your system and ship it out.
- We can ship your system as-is. As it stands, your system should work without any issues. Once we have the solution, we will contact you again and arrange whatever is needed to resolve the issue for you. Please note that this will not cost you anything. Any and all labor, part replacement, and shipping will be covered by Origin for you.
- We can add a SATA II Multi-port add-on card to your system. This card will replace the SATA II ports on your chipset and resolve any possible long term issues. There will be no charge for this upgrade. Origin will take care of that for you.
- We change your order to another chipset of your choice. Just contact us and we will be happy to update your order details. Once done, we will move forward with your system.
It's safe to say Origin is going above and beyond the call of duty, so to speak. Shipping to-and-fro is probably the biggest "gotcha" in this whole messy scenario, but with Origin offering to eat the costs, at worst consumers are out a bit of time.
So where does the lifetime warranty come into play? Those who choose option #2 will receive lifetime coverage for their motherboard, which will also include shipping, labor, and the whole shebang.
