MSI reveals Sandy Bridge replacement programme

MOTHERBOARD AND LAPTOP MAKER MSI has provided details on its programme for replacing some of its products containing defective Sandy Bridge chipsets.

Affected products include the HM67 G-Series laptops, P67 motherboards and H67 motherboards. The laptops are numbered GT680R-008, while the following motherboard models are eligible for replacement: P67A-GD65, P67A-GD55, P67A-GD53, P67A-C45, P67A-C43, P67S-C43, H67MA-ED55, H67MA-E45, H67MS-E43, and H67MS-E33.

Those who purchased one of the HM67 G-Series laptops will be eligible for a free upgrade to the next G-Series laptop when it becomes available. However, MSI said that no affected laptops were sold in the UK.

Affected motherboards will be replaced with a B3 Intel 6 series motherboard, which will solve the SATA port problem. These are not yet available, but will be sent to affected consumers who register with MSI's replacement programme in a timely manner.

Until then, MSI is asking users to use SATA 3.0 ports instead of SATA 2.0 ports on the affected motherboards to prevent possible degradation and resulting lower data transfer speeds.

UK residents will have until 30 April to register their products for replacement. MSI will send out couriers to collect the affected products and then ship out replacements as soon as they are received. µ