Tom's Hardware reports that a Reddit user claimed Nvidia declined to honor a warranty for a GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition because the serial number printed on the bracket had faded to the point of being unreadable. The card in question is a high-end model that costs roughly $6,500, making the rejection especially notable.
The outlet also notes that other customers have said this faded serial number problem is not a one-off incident, suggesting it may affect more units. The report does not include an official statement from Nvidia, so the details are based on user accounts rather than company confirmation.
Owners of expensive graphics cards may want to check the legibility of their serial numbers early, since a worn label could become a warranty obstacle later. The situation highlights how a small physical defect can have outsized consequences when a product fails.