Direct Feedback from a Long-Time ASUS User – It’s Time to Do Better

[Beesey]

To the ASUS Support Team,

As a dedicated customer who has invested in your premium ROG series and trusted your brand for years, I feel it’s time to be brutally honest, not out of spite, but out of disappointment. And it’s not just about hardware. It’s about the user experience, the customer journey, and how ASUS engages with people who actually know what they’re doing.

I’m writing this because I’m tired. Not just from troubleshooting issues that shouldn’t exist on high-end machines, but from being brushed aside, misdirected, or offered a “send it in” solution every time I reach out,  even when the problem is entirely software-based and well within my ability to fix myself. What I need isn’t a shipping label. It’s documentation, transparency, and trust that ASUS believes in its users’ competence. 

1.  ROG Systems: High Specs, Low Stability 

I own the Zephyrus Duo 16, on paper, a powerhouse. But in reality, it constantly battles itself:

• Persistent driver conflicts (especially NVIDIA) that cause crashes or display corruption 
• Armoury Crate and MyASUS overriding user-installed drivers via forced updates 
• BIOS and firmware updates that quietly alter system behavior without rollback clarity 

This kind of instability is unacceptable on a $4,000 system. This is not a sandbox, we’re not beta testers. 

1. ASUS Software: Bloated, Buggy, and Unasked For 

Your default software stack, Armoury Crate, MyASUS, and the unlisted background services, causes more harm than good:

• Stable drivers get overwritten with broken versions 

• Services auto-launch at boot with no user-facing controls 

• There is zero transparency about what's running or how to remove it safely
  

We’re not asking for less functionality, we’re asking for more control. At minimum, you should offer a clear “Advanced User” mode or release full PDF manuals with service maps, driver IDs, and removal procedures. 

1. Support: Scripted, Dismissive, and RMA-Happy 

Nearly every support response I’ve received has defaulted to:

• “Please send it in.”
  

I’m not dealing with a fried GPU. I’m dealing with software corruption, broken update policies, and BitLocker boot loops. I don’t need an RMA, I need ASUS to stop blocking the people who are fully capable of fixing their own machines.

If “send it in” is your answer to every issue, you’re pushing away the very customers who defend your brand, troubleshoot on your forums, and promote your machines above cheaper competitors. We believe in what ASUS could be, but right now, you’re eroding that trust. 

Here's What You Can Do Better, Immediately:

• Stop hiding BIOS and service documentation. Release real manuals.

• Give users the option to install drivers manually, without ASUS overriding them.

• Publish full changelogs for firmware, BIOS, and software updates.

• Train your support team to recognize technical customers and respond accordingly.

• Offer downloadable advanced troubleshooting kits, just like Dell, HP, and Lenovo do.

• Provide full driver packs for each machine, accessible at any time, regardless of whether Armoury Crate or MyASUS is installed. Power users shouldn't have to install bloated software just to access essential system components.

• Fix the driver download page. The fact that clicking some links leads to a “We’re Sorry – The page you’re looking for can’t be found” message is unacceptable. This has been a persistent issue for years and continues to frustrate users who simply want clean, official driver access from your website.

Why the MyASUS Troubleshooter Isn’t Enough:

• It’s a basic diagnostics toy, not a power tool. 
• It asks if you're online, but can't diagnose driver or BIOS-level problems. 
• It can’t prevent ASUS’s own update interference. 
• Even if you fix a problem, Armoury Crate may reverse your fix on the next reboot. 
• It provides no transparency or technical insight. 
• No logs. No registry impact. No meaningful action paths. 
• It’s useless in Safe Mode. 
• When your OS breaks from a driver or service update, MyASUS doesn’t even launch, leaving advanced users completely unsupported. 

This is not a rage post. It’s a clear call for better. I want to keep trusting ASUS, but I can’t keep defending you while dealing with black screens, corrupted drivers, and scripted support reps who only offer a shipping box. 

I’m well aware of the MyASUS tool. I’ve used it. But for advanced problems, firmware conflicts, service corruption, display failures, it’s ineffective at best, and misleading at worst. It offers the illusion of support while stripping users of the tools they actually need.

If ASUS truly values technical users: publish a developer kit, unlock core controls, and stop silently overwriting customer choices. Give us power, not pacifiers. 

I once believed in ASUS so deeply that I hoped to one day join your esteemed team, contributing to innovation from within. I’m currently earning my degree in Information Technology with that very goal in mind. But after the experience I’ve had, being dismissed, restricted, and forced to repair my own premium machine without support, I now realize I may be better off aligning with a company that values transparency, empowers its users, and truly supports the builders and fixers of the tech world. 

Respectfully, but truthfully, 
Brittany R. Hollingsworth 
Zephyrus Duo 16 (GX650PY) Owner 
Entrepreneur. Tech Developer. Problem-Solver. 
 
And the one who fixed it herself, because ASUS wouldn’t help without taking it from her hands. 

[MasterC]

Thanks for taking the time to write this feedback. Please private message me your RMA number from the last time you had our people look at your GX650P.

[Beesey]

Hi @MasterC,

I tried to send you a private message as requested, but I’m currently unable to. I keep receiving the following error:

"Correct the highlighted errors and try again. Your post has been changed because invalid HTML was found in the message body. The invalid HTML has been removed. Please review the message and send the message when you are satisfied."

When I attempt to resend the message, I get this:

"You have reached the limit for number of private messages that you can send for now. Please try again later."

Is there an alternate way I can share the details with you (email, support form, or external link)?

[Beesey]

Also, I have to respectfully point out that your reply unintentionally proves the very concern I raised in my original feedback.

This isn’t about a past RMA. My post was specifically addressing the frustration of being constantly funneled into the "send it in" support route, even when the issue is clearly software-related and well within my ability to resolve, if I were given proper documentation and control.

I didn’t write this to chase a repair ticket. I wrote it to spotlight the lack of technical transparency, access to clean drivers, and the inability to opt out of automated software overrides like those from Armoury Crate and MyASUS. Asking for an RMA number in response to that feedback sadly reinforces the core issue: ASUS often doesn’t acknowledge technically capable users for what they are, partners in problem-solving, not just end users in need of repairs.

I'm still open to sharing more details or continuing this conversation through a better channel, but I hope this makes clear that the heart of my post wasn’t about a broken device, it was about a broken system.

[MasterC]

Let me check why your PMs are not coming through. I'm only asking for RMA info so I can get an overview of what has transpired so far. That would really help me understand your situation, appreciate it. 

[Beesey]

MasterC,
I appreciate your willingness to look into my case and your request for the RMA information. However, I believe it’s important for me to clarify why an RMA won’t address most of the ongoing issues I’m dealing with and why I’ve been forced to handle repairs on my own. After my GPU fan failure experience, issues with conflicting drivers causing screen artifacts and bootloop, extreme CPU temperatures reaching up to 100 degrees Celsius, and the power cord box getting so hot I almost attempted to fry an egg on it, I made the decision to stop reaching out to ASUS support. I grew tired of the standard "send it in" responses to issues that are, in most cases, software-related or within my ability to fix myself. In my effort to solve these problems independently, I turned to various online forums and guides, and I’ve had to rely on my own research because ASUS did not provide the necessary resources or support documentation. As you know, ASUS support tends to push users toward RMAs rather than addressing the technical issues head-on, and after my own experience, I no longer trust this as the first-line solution. To give you a better understanding of the issues I’m facing:

1. Software/Driver Conflicts:

I’ve been dealing with persistent driver conflicts, especially with the NVIDIA drivers. This is something that only appears right after NVIDIA drivers are installed, upon reboot, immediately after logging into windows I experience system instability, screen artifacting, and crashes. An RMA won’t fix these software-based conflicts.

2. Armoury Crate/MyASUS Software Overriding User Settings:

These programs are constantly reverting user-installed drivers to broken versions or incompatible ones. I have repeatedly had to go in and manually reinstall the correct versions, only for the software to override them during the next boot or update cycle. This is a user-control issue, and simply sending in the laptop won't resolve the software’s interference with my system.

3. BIOS and Firmware Updates:

These updates frequently alter my system's functionality without giving clear rollback options. For instance, after a BIOS update, certain system features suddenly behave differently. This kind of unpredictability cannot be resolved by sending the device back for repair—it needs proper documentation, and ideally, access to detailed changelogs and the ability to manage updates manually.

4. Extreme CPU Temperatures:

My system has been reaching dangerously high temperatures, with the CPU often hitting 100 degrees Celsius. This is well beyond normal operating conditions and poses a serious risk to the longevity of the hardware. The power cord box itself is also heating up to the point where I thought it might actually fry an egg on it. This is unacceptable for a high-end system, and I’m concerned about the potential damage to the internals, especially if these issues continue.

5. Lack of Transparency and Documentation:

A large part of the reason I’m writing this feedback is the lack of transparency from ASUS. I need documentation, driver IDs, and a clear method for manually installing drivers without the interference of proprietary ASUS software. This is not a hardware issue—it’s a systems management and support issue that goes beyond an RMA.

6. BitLocker Issues and Safe Mode Failures:

On top of the software conflicts, I’ve had issues with BitLocker failing to allow proper booting into Windows after several updates or configuration changes. This is something I’ve been forced to troubleshoot myself because ASUS doesn’t provide proper guidance or solutions for these types of issues. After multiple failed attempts to get proper assistance, I turned to researching and fixing the problems on my own. While this might be something a few users can handle, it’s frustrating to not be able to rely on the company that I initially trusted and invested heavily in. I’m still waiting for ASUS to acknowledge that these problems are not hardware-related. Sending the machine in will not solve most of the issues, and it’s a waste of my time to send in a laptop to fix software conflicts or minor system misconfigurations that I can easily resolve with proper documentation and guidance from ASUS. This situation has pushed me to the point of reconsidering my long-standing trust in the brand. I used to be very hopeful that my relationship with ASUS could evolve from a loyal customer to potentially contributing to your team. But after everything I’ve experienced, I feel like my skills and knowledge are better suited elsewhere, where I can be empowered to use them, not boxed in by a lack of transparency and poor support. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you can understand why I’m so frustrated with ASUS, and I genuinely believe that addressing these issues and providing proper tools for users like me could be the first step in improving the experience for all customers.

Respectfully,
Brittany R. Hollingsworth

[MasterC]

Hi, I have read your original post already, if you don't mind, let me check the PM issue and see how your previous cases were dealt with first before proceeding.  

[Beesey]

No need to look into it further. Your responses have already confirmed exactly what I expressed in my original post and follow-up.

You asked for an RMA number "to get an overview of what has transpired," but when I provided that overview in detail, including the issues with driver conflicts, overheating, software override, and lack of support, you dismissed it with a simple "I’ve already read your original post."

That’s the problem in a nutshell: ASUS support asks users to explain, then ignores what we explain. You’ve proven my point better than I ever could. This isn’t about chasing repair tickets, it's about being taken seriously as a capable user trying to work with your brand, not around it.

Best regards,
Brittany R. Hollingsworth

[MasterC]

Sorry, no, that is not what I meant at all. I need to look at the history to understand how our customer service has responded, and how you have communicated your issues in order to comprehend if there was any miscommunication and also verify if your laptop was secondhand, etc. Getting to the root of the issue begins here.

I sincerely would like to help you and escalate your concerns, but without more information, I simply can't help you. As a 'tech developer', I'm sure you would also do your due diligence to diagnose issues the same way, correct? Please understand we already have other cases where some will complain repeatedly until we begin to ask for info, then disappear. I have taken your feedback seriously, and hope that I can help you accomplish what you came here to do. Please provide your RMA number if you can, thanks. 

[Beesey]

Thank you for your continued engagement. However, I must clarify that I have already provided all the necessary details about the ongoing issues in my previous responses. I understand the need for information to troubleshoot, but the fact that I'm still being asked for additional details when the original problems haven't been properly addressed only amplifies the frustration with ASUS’s support process.

I’m not looking for an RMA or a simple repair ticket. What I need is the ability to resolve these issues myself. The ongoing software conflicts, driver issues, and interference from ASUS’s proprietary software (Armoury Crate and MyASUS) are things I am fully capable of managing, but without the proper tools and resources from ASUS, it’s a constant battle. This issue could be resolved with proper access to documentation, rollback options, and a clearer way to manage drivers without ASUS’s software overriding them.

If you could provide the detailed documentation, changelogs, and access to the drivers I need (without interference from ASUS software), it would go a long way in helping me, and other users, properly resolve these issues ourselves. That would be a step in the right direction for both us and ASUS as a brand.

Again, I appreciate your time, but asking for an RMA when the core issue is a lack of resources and transparency isn't the solution. We need a more collaborative approach that allows users to troubleshoot and fix their own systems with the right support.

I will wait for your solution to direct messages before continuing our conversation beyond our last exchange.

Best regards,

Brittany R. Hollingsworth