[SOLVED] Graphics Card's Heatsink Slightly Bent. Is it a real problem? [GTX 980]

[jippa_lippa]

Hello.
I' have just bought a shiny new Gigabyte GTX 980!
...but as i opened the package i noticed something strange.
Everything on the motherboard looks ok, except from the internal heatsink, which appears to be slightly bent on one side (left side, in the pictures below).
I have started to worry, because i am very paranoid (specially when it comes to such pricy items), and i'd like you experts to tell me if this can be considered "normal", or at least "Common" or "harmless".
Maybe is just a small harmless thing, or maybe it only depends on the disposition of the screws; i'd really like to know if this is nothing i should be concerned about or if it could cause trouble in the future and it's acceptable enough for replacement.
I know that gigabyte cards, even though i love them and work flawlessly, have these kind of small "imperfections" that give to them a "hand-made" look...but...
I still need your advice to lower my stress-level.

Here are some pictures to document the whole thing:

 

[jippa_lippa]

Do you guys think i should inform the shop i bought the card from, regardless of your answers?
Thanks

 

[junkeymonkey]

I would take it to them and have them get another one to put along side it to see if its bent or just the way they are

I feel if the sink is not properly installed its bad and can cause issues

lets say the bent sink is not properly touching the card well you know when the card starts to get hot it will warp or have some kind of thermal expansion and now will the sink still contact the card to cool it correctly or will it gap and loose contact and cause a part to over heat??

 

[3ogdy]

Honestly, that is nothing to be worried about. Please take into account that the aluminum fins are not supposed to be touching anything from that side of the board. They are there thanks to the copper heat pipes that get the heat transferred from the parts that do get hot on the card. Having the heatsink bent link that will not cause any issue. If you look closesly, you can even see the heatsink is sitting within its limits (check the PCIExpress power connectors for which the aluminum fins have been cut.
When it comes to such kind of cooling , the most important thing is that the copper base is in full contact with the areas that get hot (the chip itself, the VRAM...) - if they are in contact, you shouldn't worry. Also, take into account the card will be keeping the heatsink in the opposite direction (forcing it to stay at a certain distance from the board itself as it will basically be under the card once you have the GPU installed in the PCIExpress slot)

 

[ADHL1985]

I can't really tell much by the pictures, but i think its probably no problem at all for the aluminum fins to be bent. I would be concerned if the heat pipes are bent as those things are filled with water vapor i believe and you don't want them to leak. Now are you saying some individual fins are bent slightly, or do you mean the whole left side area (heat pipe and all) is bent out of alignment with the card?

 

[Gam3r01]

Im calling it bent, look at the gap by the PCI connectors on the PCB and cooler
http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2014/10/gigabyte-geforce-gtx-980-g1-gaming-review/gig980g1-3b.jpg

Yours looks to have a smaller gap. Overall, bent dosent mean damaged. I wouldnt worry about it, unless you have high temps. (Which a bend wouldnt do)

 

[smeezekitty]

To me it looks like the whole card is bent (implies poor handling). But there is a good chance that it will not cause a problem
so I would give it a try.

 

[jippa_lippa]

Thank you guys for the answers!
Now it's really late, but tomorrow i'll inspect the card more carefully and tell you.
Anyway, I'll send an email to the shop to ask if they would replace the card, before i actually sending it.

 

[junkeymonkey]

do what you think is best so how many heatsinks not properly installed or damaged in some way work correctly?? if the compression between the chip its cooling is not in spec or poor contact its going to get heat issues

as said the pic's don't show that much to judge by but if it is a bad card due to that and he don't check it out and finds it is a issue he may be stuck with it

so it may be for the best to enquire on it and play it better safe then sorry

seing how these cards are not allways in stock they may be chunking them down the assembly line and bypassing quality control to hurry them to the market so they may be letting some ''slide'' by to keep up with the orders and you just ended up with one of them [opinion]

 

[jippa_lippa]

The store agreed to give me a full refund.
So problem solved.

Thank you so much for the answers.

 

[junkeymonkey]

that's nice of them to do so, glad it worked out