Nvidia RTX 3090 sent in to repairer was missing the GPU and all its memory chips

NorthridgeFix's ghastly RTX 3090 PCB
(Image credit: NorthridgeFix)

Alex from NorthridgeFix was in despair after a customer sent him an "insane RTX 3090" for repair. The graphics card was sent over to NorthridgeFix as it wasn't detected when plugging into a PC system. An accompanying note explained that the card was "not used for mining," had been in storage for several years, and that the fans and RGB LEDs sometimes worked. However, Alex quickly discovered that this graphics card was beyond repair: with a missing GPU, devoid of VRAM chips, and "knocked off components like you've never seen before." The PCB looks a real mess.

Received This Insane RTX 3090 for Repair and Totally Lost My Mind! - YouTube Received This Insane RTX 3090 for Repair and Totally Lost My Mind! - YouTube
Watch On

NorthridgeFix has seen its fair share of hopeless cases sent in for repair, but this RTX 3090 (review link) seems rather puzzling to Alex. Firstly, the owner writes as if this has been his gaming card and simply neglected in a stored PC for the last three years. The owner goes on to reassure the graphic card fixing service that the RTX 3090 won't have been damaged from cryptocurrency mining. However, this poor graphics card has far more damage than running in a GPU mining rig could have ever inflicted. "Is that customer in touch with reality?" mused Alex, rhetorically.

There must be a simpler explanation for the missing GPU and RAM chips, and the chaotic damage to other supporting components we see. The answer, reckons Alex, is that his customer bought this GPU from a scammer who offered reassurances that this particular GPU had been in a gaming PC in storage for several years, and never used for GPU mining. These reassurances were then passed on in the repair quote message from the customer, who perhaps hoped a simple fix was possible. This definitely wasn't an "easy issue" a repairer could resolve.

The best lesson we can take away from this video is that buyers need to be more careful when purchasing used computers and components. Alex from NorthridgeFix winds up his video by repeatedly stressing that it is important to choose an online platform that is trusted and "have a very good return policy" when distance buying. If you can buy and test in person, with a local deal, that might be different as you could insist on running some games and benchmarks to test the hardware – as well as speak to the previous owner in person.

At this time, with people selling-on old GPUs to raise the cash for next-gen components, the above lesson of the hopelessly broken RTX 3090 might serve as an important reminder. Cards like this are still potent, sitting high in the Tom's Hardware GPU hierarchy, and VRAM-wise (24GB) it comfortably beats the shiny new RTX 5080 (16GB). Just please be careful out there in second-hand land, folks.

Mark Tyson
News Editor

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

  • SoNic67
    It's OK, those chips will be found somewhere in DeepSeek R-1 data closets.
    Reply
  • Gururu
    I didnt know the GPU and memory could be scavenged for other purposes like that. Pretty interesting.
    Reply
  • YSCCC
    Gururu said:
    I didnt know the GPU and memory could be scavenged for other purposes like that. Pretty interesting.
    actually pretty common in China, especially after the sanction, find some smuggled in GPU, desolder them and transplant into their own server rack PCB, then put back the gaming ver PCB and heatsink together and sell at 30% off or more to scam ppl, essentially saving 50% of price
    Reply
  • MobileJAD
    Gururu said:
    I didnt know the GPU and memory could be scavenged for other purposes like that. Pretty interesting.
    For some reason its pretty common to see video cards being sold on ebay without the gpu and vram, I mean I understand that people would harvest the gpu and vram, but it baffles me why they would turn around and try to resell the pcb and cooler for over $300... at least these sellers were honest about it missing the gpu and vram, I guess,
    Reply
  • pyao88
    There is a Youtube channel of a Chinese repair person specifically on RTX boards, can swap GPU, memory chips, solder broken connections with a wire, pretty amazing skills, but working parts on the board can be salvaged if the main board is beyond repair. The most expensive part is obviously the GPU itself.
    Reply
  • P.Amini
    The title and the first half of the article was so heart warming as it said GPU several times as what GPU means. But the second half, disappointing, as it used GPU the wrong way (instead of the correct ones like Graphics Card, Video Card or Graphics Board). 🤦‍♂️
    Reply
  • derekullo
    P.Amini said:
    The title and the first half of the article was so heart warming as it said GPU several times as what GPU means. But the second half, disappointing, as it used GPU the wrong way (instead of the correct ones like Graphics Card, Video Card or Graphics Board). 🤦‍♂️
    "Missing and misplaced component calamity" does sound like something an AI would say!
    Reply
  • bill001g
    Not sure this is new it has been shown a number of times on some of the video repair channels. If they admit what they are selling it can be a good deal. There are many parts that can be harvested off the board and the sometimes it is fans or the cooler people need parts for. Problem is people think they can get a a $1000 video card for $100 and then hope to pay a repair service another few hundred to get it running.
    Reply
  • Loadedaxe
    For riches flee from hands unwise,
    And dreams fade fast in foolish eyes.
    A fool and his pennies, soon departed,
    Left once more where he had started.
    Reply
  • EzzyB
    Saw a rather hilarious comment on a game forum last night. The poster wanted help getting his 3060 running the game correctly. He added a tiny little tidbit in that he had soldered on an additional 12GB of VRAM onto the card!

    I was like, "Dude, you are so on your own on this one." 😂 Does that even work? Your drivers are going to see a 3060 and really aren't expecting all that VRAM (if he even installed it successfully). I have no clue.
    Reply