Report: some Gigabyte power supplies are failing, and could take GPU with them

Users lucky enough to purchase a new graphics card via the Newegg Shuffle bundle are now being warned about their purchases, as reports are claiming Gigabyte's GP-P750GM and GP-P850GM power supplies (that were often bundled with highly coveted GPUs) have a high risk of serious malfunction or failure.

Popular tech YouTuber Gamers Nexus claims to have spent several months investigating these reports after noticing a high level of DOAs, failures, and faulty MOSFETs (essentially the voltage control switch). 

Of more than 10 power supplies tested, it has claimed 50% failed in an 'explosive capacity', with one reportedly even frying the Gigabyte Aorus RTX 3080 GPU that was attached to the testing rig.

We have reached out to Gigabyte and Newegg for comment.

• Here are the best gaming PCs
• Or we'll show you how to build a PC
• Here are the best graphics cards for 2021

Things are getting a little heated

"Gigabyte’s GP-P750GM and 850GM power supplies were and are in combo 'deals' on Newegg Shuffle. If you wanted the graphics card but not the PSU, you'd have trouble to return one without the other." writes Gamers Nexus.

Newegg's return policy means that it's difficult to return a dead power supply purchased in a forced bundle, without also requiring you to return the graphics card you purchased it with. The current return policy regarding bundle purchase on Newegg's website reads as follows:

"Bundles are offered as a way to purchase multiple items together at a discounted price. If you wish to return a Bundle for a refund, you must request a return within the applicable Newegg Return Policy period and you must return the ENTIRE BUNDLE. Items sold as part of a Bundle may be returned individually for replacement if you request a replacement within the applicable Newegg Return Policy period for that individual item."

Gamers Nexus points out: "You’re essentially stuck with a product that you don’t want. Many of the Gigabyte PSUs were reported DOA (dead on arrival), and in testing, we found many were explosive. We quantify the Newegg reviews, our own survey, and load test the PSUs."

Both of these PSUs are rated 80+ Gold, which should indicate that this is a reliable product. 80+ is a certification designed to denote that a power supply is at least 80% efficient at 20%, 50%, and 100% loads.

Ratings also include (from least to most efficient) Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium to further categorize efficiency. As Platinum and Titanium ratings are generally reserved for use in Workstation PC's, an 80+ Gold power supply is a desirable rating for most gaming desktop computers.

Computer chips and fried PSUs

Selling graphics cards with less desirable hardware in order to shift stock has been prevalent for months, with online markets flooding with cheap motherboards after customers buy bundles and then sell off the unrequired items.

That said, our advice is unsurprising: if you already have one in your system, we would suggest keeping a close eye on it, especially if it's a recent purchase.

We appreciate that makes buying parts to build your first computer all the more difficult, but the market progress in recent weeks suggests that GPUs are dropping in price and becoming more readily available thanks to a mix of cryptomining falling in popularity (thanks to the crashing price of Ethereum) and production slowly meeting demand. It's still going to take a good while for many of us to see a major difference in the market so if you're desperate to jump into PC gaming but want to avoid using the Newegg Shuffle then we have the following suggestions:

• Buy a prebuilt. Yes, people think this is somehow 'cheating', but you can upgrade a prebuilt desktop computer as much as you would one you built with your own hands. In fact, with prices for components skyrocketing, a prebuilt or custom system is now an affordable alternative and a great option for anyone who was hesitant to build their own to begin with.
• Buy a gaming laptop. If you're a student or someone on a tighter budget, gaming laptops are tragically ignored by desktop purists which makes them more easily available and just as capable of playing many of your favorite titles. Better yet, if you get something stealthy like an Asus TUF Dash F15, you can use this as a singular machine for work, study and gaming.
• Try cloud gaming. Okay, maybe you just needed to upgrade your existing rig, so buying an entirely new system is out of the question. If you have a decent enough internet connection then services like Nvidia's GeForce Now have come on in leaps and bounds. The achievable gameplay might surprise you, and as it uses your existing Steam Library, there's no need to drop extra cash on games you already own.

• Here are the best gaming laptops on the market