NorthridgeFix shows ASUS TUF RTX 5070 destroyed by liquid metal spill
NorthridgeFix has posted a new repair video showing an ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 5070 that arrived with liquid metal spread across a large part of the PCB. The card was sent in after ASUS reportedly refused warranty service, with the customer note shown in the video saying the board appeared physically tampered with, had a serial number mismatch, and showed PCB damage caused by liquid metal.
According to the technician, the problem was far beyond a simple cleanup job. NorthridgeFix found liquid metal around the GPU area, on and around the memory packages, and bridging pins on nearby ICs. The shop also found at least one loose capacitor, which was soldered back in place during inspection. The video makes clear this was not presented as a real repair attempt, but as an example of the kind of damage that can happen once conductive material spreads under chips and around surface-mounted components.
Source: NorthridgeFix
Damage beyond repair
After checking the rails, NorthridgeFix said the board showed a short on the 1.8V line, then concluded the GPU core itself was blown. The technician also pointed to signs that liquid metal may have reached under the core , while residue remained visible under memory chips and between fine-pitch contacts. In other words, even after cleanup, the board still had multiple failure points.
Source: NorthridgeFix
The video is a good reminder that liquid metal on a graphics card is far less forgiving than standard paste. Once it escapes the contact area, it can bridge contacts, damage pads, and create faults that are difficult to trace even under a microscope. Is it really worth it to shave off a few degrees in exchange for potential damage to what seems to be now a $600 GPU? I would say probably not.
Source:
