Stupid Newbie Question

What is the difference between OEM and RMA? How do they work and such, what does it stand for, so on. And so related I guess, is it worth it to buy the extended warranty on say a CPU or some other product from NewEgg? Thanks.

OEM
original equipment manufacturer
Originally OEM was an adjective used to describe a company that produced hardware to be marketed under another company's brand. Mitsumi, for example, produced CD-ROM drives that dozens of companies would label as their own. It's often now used as a verb, as in this sentence: "This CD-ROM drive is OEM'd by Mitsumi."

Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) , is to send a item back to a company. for a flaw. or to exchange it with a dif item


Welocme To The Forum

There are two types of products that you can typically buy - OEM and retail. Which one a product is, should be listed in the description.

Retail - comes with a full package, needed cables, manuals and such included with a fancy box - full priced

OEM - plain packaging with possibly bare component only with drivers no extras, may not come with cables or other things - cheaper

If you don't need the extras get OEM, if you need them go with a retail product as it might be cheaper to get everything at once if you would buy them all anyways. I buy almost everything OEM.

You see a lot of questions of worth around here... But the answer is different for everyone. For the parts I buy, I would rather save as much money as possible and go unwarrantied, planning to put the money I saved towards possible component failure. However, if you are purchaseing a just released CPU for $700 along with the just released graphics card for $400, then I would say that a warranty might be worth it. It depends on each persons own comfort level with risk.

Thanks, that helps a lot. One last thing on this topic. So what is all the talk about people always RMAing things constantly, specifically after they possibly break or burn them out themselves by OCing or something. Is that allowed, or not allwed but very easy to get away with?

Its not allowed, but people still do it pretending their stuff "just came like that, honest guv", even though theyve spatonit/fed it to the dog/urinated on it or modded it in some shape or form that went pare shaped.

If you oc it you bought it and take that if it dies . ya there are ppl that oc stuff it dies and then RMA it. which it not taken kindly around here. one thing is ppl will RMA something because it doesnt overclock good

just be carefull when oc'ing make sure you know what your doing then everything will work good

one thing with CPU , video card or Ram . run it at stock speed make sure its good, then it does what i says it will do then oc it if you want

rassler said:

Thanks, that helps a lot. One last thing on this topic. So what is all the talk about people always RMAing things constantly, specifically after they possibly break or burn them out themselves by OCing or something. Is that allowed, or not allwed but very easy to get away with?

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You shouldn't RMA stuff you break. It's the equivalent of stealing.

If you goof it up, then you get to pay for it. Or at least that's how I see it.

dead_man311 said:

one thing with CPU , video card or Ram . run it at stock speed make sure its good, then it does what i says it will do then oc it if you want

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Yes, definately see if the product works first before messing with it. If it does work and you mess with it and break it, dont RMA it, it's your fault if you broke it.