I have a $1200 Asus Vivobook 14" laptop which my sister gifted it to me exactly 2 years ago. But recently it started causing problem and now Asus is saying that they need to change the motherboard. The laptop's motherboard is X421IAY MB._8G/R7-4700U/AS.
I tried Googling this but couldn't find a third party motherboard as Asus is quoting me $550 to change the motherboard, half the price of the laptop. I don't know what to do. Please if anyone can guide it would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
You can pickup allot of used laptop parts on ebay, including motherboards, but not for this model.
exactly 2 years ago
Agree, the accc should favour your case as a laptop costing 1200 should last more than 2 years.
There's an infographic from Choice on this ABC article which gives estimates as to how long products should last. It says for laptops, budget = 4 years, mid-range = 6, high-end = 8. - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-26/how-long-should-a-fri…
@AnirudhD you should definitely call back and argue that they need to fix it under statutory warranty.
Damn
When I casually mentioned stat warranty to metabox about my stuffed keyboard in my laptop (apparently very common from what I can see on google) - they said yeah nah 12 month warranty only then just send me price for the keyboard assembly.
Fisher and Paykel told me I needed a new "motherboard" for my Haier washing machine after just over 2 years - just outside the warranty - which would have cost half what I originally paid for the machine. When I raised the question of statutory warranty, and what a reasonable life was for a machine like that, they waived the charge.
You can only try.
What are the "problems" with the laptop?
I've seen cases where a support tech just defaults to the "when in doubt replace the mobo" where the issue might just be a RAM stick..
Can the data/OS installation be kept by preserving the SSD if they only replaced the mobo?
Does windows still use the motherboard serial number to prevent piracy?
People still pirate Windows??
Thank you everyone for your valuable suggestions. My sister bought this laptop from India and we've been fighting over emails and visiting service centre to get it fixed. They've offered me a discount on the price of the motherboard but it's still half the price.
Thanking @Cheaplikethebird for the link, do you guys suggest that I should carry the laptop back to Australia and raise this issue with Asus Australian customer service (threatening them with ACCC thingy lol).
P.S. I spoke to a consumer court lawyer here and she said if you go and file a case, it may take 4 years to actually get it resolved. That's why I am thinking to bring it back to Australia and fight it over here considering much more stronger laws.
You didn't buy it in Australia, ASUS Australia will tell you to go talk to ASUS India. Serial numbers are trackable through distributors and regions sold.
The motherboard is half the cost of the unit because it is half the components of a laptop, typically, and will also have a soldered CPU that is being replaced too.
Either pay it or don't, but trying to abuse Australian consumer protections for a laptop bought internationally not only is dishonest and fraudulent, but it won't work.
@Sleeqb7 thanks for your suggestion :)
I am not trying to abuse the aussie consumer laws, what I was trying to say was that I used the laptop in Australia too and on the last holidays I gave it back to my sister, these products usually come with international warranty (I might be wrong in this case), that's why I was asking whether I can raise a complaint with ACCC or not.
Where you use the item is irrelevant.
Where you bought the item determines what warranty you have access to. Countries have costs associated with operation and unit prices vary as a result.
If a company chooses to offer an international warranty, you can talk to that company and they will advise you on how to proceed (Which they have), but to try to bring the ACCC into it is definitely attempted abuse of the consumer protections that are afforded to Australians by virtue of the higher prices of units we have here.
Not to mention I would put money on the ACCC telling you to get stuffed once they find out it's not an Australian purchase.
Completely understood. Thanks again for taking time to guide me. Much appreciated. Have a great weekend.
There is no 3rd party motherboard, you are using a laptop, your only option is asus.