So is the Matrix 580 Limited Edition?

[Eerazer]

90% of places I checked before my purchase was out of stock, or the product has been discontinued. Kinda strange since I believe the product has only been out since August/September?

Novatech in the UK had 1 in stock and they said they were getting more in when it sold the other day, but I checked just after that and it says on their website it's been discontinued. As have many other websites.

Anyone know why shops have stopped selling it? Was it a limited edition card or was there another reason for the lack of stock everywhere?

I am asking incase I want to go SLI next year with 2 of these cards or the year after and I am wondering if I will be able to do that.

[xeromist]

Eerazer wrote:
Since no one answered my question... hopefully someone might 🙂

What will happen if we ever need to RMA the card, 1 or 2 years down the line and need a replacement?

If a product is EOL but still within warranty they would first repair it, then replace it from among any remaining stock on hand, and if that is gone they would replace it with something of equal performance.

[Eerazer]

Ok, thanks dude.

[X-ROG]

Eerazer wrote:
Since no one answered my question... hopefully someone might 🙂

What will happen if we ever need to RMA the card, 1 or 2 years down the line and need a replacement?

First is an attempted repair. Normal procedure is a small qty of stock is kept for RMA purposes, but it's limited. 1-2 and years you'll get a replacement for an equivalent performing product simply because Nvidia doesn't make the chips any more, let alone make enough for us to choose which is "Matrix worthy". Every company does this. Only products that are 'industrial' have a guaranteed 7 year stock life - so anytime you RMA you'll get exactly the same back as the product sold is often mission critical or rolled out on a mass-scale. This also equates part of the price difference for industrial products: reliability, and cost of providing post-service.

Unfortunately the roll of the marketing engine is a usually longer tail than a chip makers decision making, so even though we're still seeing Matrix reviews, chips can tail off suddenly if production switches or if yield changes. That's their business decision and just a fact of tech 😞 We take the pro's of fast product life (2012 will be exciting!) with the cons of.. fast product life LOL (my Matrix!! NOOOOoes)

Kip - whatever you agree is acceptable with the US office, that's fine 🙂

[kzinti1]

IF this is the correct part number that's being asked about: ASUS MATRIX GTX580 P/2DIS/1536MD5,
then NewEgg has them in stock as of the time and date of this post.
BUT, I ordered one from there when they 1st became available and it was used! It came in no anti-static bag. It felt and looked like it had been wiped down with a greasy rag. It had large fingerprints all over it.
I immediately RMA'd it, anjd was sent another by cross-shipping and overnight delivery.
The 2nd card arrived in the same condition as the 1st. I RMA'd it immediately, as well.
NewEgg then sent me a refund with no explanation. I posted a review at NewEgg about this under a different name (A New Watcher) than the name I use in normal forums like ours. There are a couple of others that had the same problem.
I contacted ASUStek after I was sent a refund instead of an actually new card, giving the Model and Serial numbers. ASUStek said that both of these cards were actually refurbished and had already been registered with ASUStek.
The person at ASUStek failed to answer another question I asked, so I'll ask it here. Does ASUS ever ship new products that are NOT sealed in an anti-static bag?
I really wanted one of these cards but I couldn't find another one anywhere at the time. I had to buy another brand of GTX580 that arrived in perfect condition and is comparable in performance to the Matrix Platinum, but they, (since then I bought another) aren't the ASUS Platinum Matrix I wanted.
My point being this; if you buy anything at all from the 'Egg, make absolutely sure it is not used. Since then I have received other items from them that, under close inspection, were or appeared, also used. Before you ask, I never, ever, buy refurbished items and know exactly how to spot them on-line.