I'm getting ready to build my first PC and was originally planning to buy all the parts over a few months. However, I read that it's better to purchase everything at once to take advantage of return windows in case a part is dead on arrival (DOA). I'm hoping to buy everything by the end of September, but with some great deals popping up on Amazon and Prime Day coming up, I could save over $150 if I buy the CPU or motherboard (or other components) now. My question is, which parts typically have a higher chance of being DOA? I'm fine dealing with a warranty claim if necessary, but it would be nice to avoid that hassle if I can just exchange parts immediately. Is it worth the savings to buy now even if it cuts down on my warranty period, or should I spend a little more for peace of mind?
9 Answers
According to Puget Systems, motherboards have a 5% failure rate during testing, while CPUs also sit at 5%. GPUs are much lower at 0.68%, and RAM has a 0.5% failure rate. So, studies suggest motherboards tend to be the most commonly problematic components.
From what I’ve seen, the usual suspects for DOA are motherboards and RAM. Cheap PSUs are sometimes problematic too, but overall DOAs are pretty rare; it’s easier to return to the retailer rather than deal with the manufacturer.
In my experience of building PCs for years, I’ve never received a DOA part. However, I know others have had issues, so it’s really anecdotal. Just keep an eye out for the best deals; Amazon isn’t always the cheapest option, so try comparing prices.
I’m in a different country and even with shipping costs, the Amazon prices for the CPU and motherboard are significantly lower than here, so it’s my best option!
In all my years, the only DOA parts I’ve dealt with were two high-end Corsair PSUs. Just luck of the draw sometimes!
To minimize risk, buy enough parts to perform a test POST when they arrive—just the CPU, motherboard, RAM, and PSU can help check functionality right away.
I myself haven’t had a part arrive DOA, but I once had a stick of RAM fail within the warranty period. I had to return the whole set since they came together, which left me PC-less for weeks! Sometimes it’s worth it to buy new instead of dealing with RMA.
Most complaints I’ve seen point toward motherboards and PSUs being the most likely to arrive DOA. So keep those in mind when you shop.
I’d say motherboards are the most prone to issues because of their complexity with all those tiny traces and components. It seems surprising they’re as reliable as they are!
Honestly, I wouldn’t stress about it too much. In over 30 years of building PCs, I’ve never encountered a DOA part myself.
I totally agree! I’ve built 73 PCs since 2018 and only had one part fail, and that was due to a coffee spill from someone else. This really shows that DOAs are rare.