GPU Suffers From Thermal Degradation Just Because GIGABYTE Forgot To Remove The Protective Film; Company Dismisses User’s Concerns Over Warranty Status

wccftech | Aug. 20, 2026, 1:49 a.m. | Original

The user only found it when he opened up his GPU, but it was too late since the protective film had already caused thermal degradation.

GIGABYTE reportedly made a blunder in the GPU assembly, which was later discovered by the user u/buczi94. The user reports that the problem was discovered only after he disassembled his GPU after using it for nearly five years, which suffered from thermal degradation as a result of GIGABYTE's negligence.

As per the user's report, his GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming OC rev 2.0 (LHR) started failing unexpectedly, but he couldn't understand the underlying issue with his GPU. The GPU reportedly had instability issues, resulting in black screens and weird fan behavior. The GPU fans were reportedly shooting up to nearly 3,500 RPM randomly, despite putting a custom fan curve in MSI Afterburner, which led to various troubleshooting steps.

A disassembled Gigabyte graphics card with a visible heatsink labeled 'N1736.'
Image Credit: Reddit

However, when nothing seemed to have worked, the user finally decided to disassemble the GPU, which had never been opened before. To his surprise, the VRM thermal pads still had a protective film on them, which prevented proper contact with the components, causing insufficient heat dissipation and random fan behavior. This indicates clear negligence by GIGABYTE in quality control, as the film shouldn't be there when the GPU was assembled at the factory.

Due to this negligence, the GPU ran for nearly five years, resulting in permanent thermal degradation and affecting the GPU's lifespan. After the user removed the protective film and reapplied the thermal paste, the GPU saw massive improvements in thermals. Carrying out stress testing confirmed that the protective film was indeed the real culprit, which led the user to send an email to GIGABYTE.

An email correspondence about a warranty claim for a Gigabyte RTX 3070 Gaming OC LHR graphics card shows text discussing assembly defects and overheating issues with attachments listed as id.jpg, photooftheproblem.jpg, and proofofpurchase.jpg, and includes a response from Gigabyte advising further testing.
An email exchange shows a customer disputing a warranty decision with Gigabyte Support, citing a latent defect due to assembly errors, and Gigabyte's response recommending further inspection and suggesting contact with the supplier.
An email conversation shows a user reporting an issue with a Gigabyte RTX 3070 Gaming OC LHR 8GB Rev2.0, and Gigabyte Support stating the product is out of warranty and suggesting contacting a local repair shop.
An email exchange shows a customer's question about addressing a Gigabyte QC defect and Gigabyte's response offering repair assistance and a satisfaction survey, with a red link stating 'Click here to submit your valuable feedback'.

However, GIGABYTE refused to entertain his concerns as the card was already out of its warranty period. After going back and forth several times, the user still got generic replies from the company, indicating the company's insincerity concerning its own faults. The user requested a replacement for the GPU since the protective film was present from day one, but GIGABYTE's customer support kept evading the issue.

News Source: Reddit

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