Earlier this week we learned Nvidia had decided to sell its own branded videocards in Best Buy, which so far appear limited to the GeForce GTX 450 and 460. The move had us wondering how Nvidia’s add-in board (AIB) partners would react, who would now be in direct competition with the graphics chip maker.
“No comment,” EVGA’s Joe Darwin told CNET when asked how his company felt about the news. “It’s something [Nvidia] has always talked about, and now it’s finally here.”
Put another way, EVGA seems perturbed but publicly poised. Darwin also explained what value his company brings to the graphics card business that sets it apart from Nvidia.
“Definitely our level of customer service and our programs and our community. All of our tech support is in house, 24-7,” Darwin said. “There are actual EVGA employees that do the support here; it’s not sourced out. They get all the training from our product team. Our RMA service averages two to three days to turn around products in to us [for repair]. We haven’t seen anyone else that can compete on that level.”
EVGA is also known for its robust warranty program. Provided buyers register their cards within 30 days of purchase, EVGA cards carry a lifetime warranty, including overclocking and using third party heatsinks (as long as you don’t physically damage the card in the process).
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