This seems to be a playful tease about April Fools' Day.
This seems to be a playful tease about April Fools' Day.
This common practice is carried out by many OEMs. If the power supply unit fails, you’re essentially safe. You might need to damage one of the unused connectors. They often request this when they plan a full replacement, though I can’t promise it. Good luck!
It would be funny if you requested a replacement for your PSU due to coil whine, even though it's still working. Then they force you to destroy it. And afterward, they claim coil whine isn't enough to warrant an RMA. To stay safe, you could ask them in writing that they'll send a new unit—unless it's truly beyond repair.
It’s logical to avoid any modular PSUs since severing the cables renders them ineffective. Yet they should require you to discard the 24-pin connector on a modular unit, otherwise the PSU might remain operational for a fraudster. Retain the partially damaged one and list it as a warranty replacement part.
Usually it's more affordable for them to handle this rather than exchange back and forth.
The decision hinges on expenses. Sometimes, checking eligibility adds more cost later. If they require you to replace the old power supply before installing a new one, their costs are limited to customer service, a replacement unit, and one-way shipping. By forcing you to discard the faulty one, you avoid paying for multiple services—approval, return shipping, validation, and disposal—plus the expense of a new supply and its delivery. This approach might make sense for high-value devices like a $1,500 laptop, but it could wipe out their entire profit from the original purchase price. (In reality, even honest sellers might lose money here due to thin margins.) It may look simple, but it reflects a purely profit-driven mindset.
Based on the damage kind, fixing might not be worth it when you factor in shipping fees. If a PSU is sold for $100 with all accessories, production could cost just $40 excluding cables. Any repair needs a skilled worker from a costly country. Production can be handled by inexpensive, unqualified staff. Usually the buyer must cover return shipping, and the OP would have to wait even more time. This benefits the OP.