eVGA SuperNova B3 Deceit: Did eVGA Send Reviewers Special Samples?

Edit: Response from eVGA provided on 10/2/2017. We’ve listed it at the end of the original news posting.

Shortly after the launch of their original GTX 10-Series cards, eVGA had issues with their 1080 cards not having proper contact with the backplate, leading to overheating, in addition to other issues due to a small batch of components they sourced being faulty. When eVGA was faced with those issues, they responded promptly, by repairing customer cards and issuing BIOS updates. However, there is a different issue at hand entirely when a company misleads customers through reviews, as it seems eVGA may have done, in the light of mounting evidence.

In a post at Overclock.net, a member with the username “shilka” made a post detailing how the over power protection for the eVGA SuperNova B3 PSU is not working, as detailed by two Toms Hardware reviews, one of which saw a PSU give a fireworks show. As the thread continues, shilka details how review site Johnny Guru was sent a review sample eVGA SuperNova B3 PSU from manufacturer Super Flower and that unit was very well reviewed. When it came to light that Aris from Tom’s Hardware bought his power supplies from a retail outlet, things became a lot more clear. The power supplies that Tom’s Hardware bought had been outsourced to RSY and has much worse build quality than the Super Flower Leadex-based unit received by Johnny Guru. Over power protection not working can be a major issue, no matter how you look at things, especially when you expect it to be there. When you leave manufacturing to different companies for the same product, it is prudent to do your research and ensure the products are consistent. At this point, we’re not sure if this issue was with SuperFlower providing outsourced PSU’s to eVGA, or if eVGA themselves went with a different supplier. Either way, PSU’s with decidedly worse build quality than what Johnny Guru reviewed are being shipped to customers.

I’ve reached out to eVGA for the comment, as have others, so hopefully they’ll update us on this. I think the right thing for eVGA to do here would be to upgrade any users who feels they were mislead because they bought a SuperNova B3, thinking it was based on the SuperPower Leadex platform, to a PSU more reflective of the review sample Johnny Guru received. The over power protection issue needs to be addressed, as well, so eVGA can use this opportunity to actually do some solid customer service and kill two birds with one stone.

What do you think about this situation? I know it would upset me if I reviewed something and recommended it to our readers, only to find out that a different product was being shipped out for them to purchase.

Edit: At 12:08 PM PST on Sunday, October 2, 2017, I received this response from Jacob at eVGA. This reply dodges my questions about the non-working OPP and reiterates the eVGA warranty. That’s where this stands.

EVGA stands behind its full line of products, and the 5-Year Warranty on each B3 power supply demonstrates the confidence EVGA has in the quality and safety of each product shipped. If anyone has questions or concerns, please contact EVGA Customer Service and we are more than happy to assist. In the rare instance that a replacement unit is necessary, EVGA will support with a free Advanced RMA on all EVGA SuperNOVA B3 Power Supplies.

In addition, the EVGA SuperNOVA B3 review samples, as well as the production, were all built at the exact same qualified facility.

Thanks,
EVGA