RGB lighting in PC components had stolen the hearts of many tech enthusiasts who want to give a personal touch to their setups. A rather sinister aspect was brought to light during a recent discussion on Reddit, though. In very specific cases, users have reported how the RGB lighting from their RAM modules has, more than once, allegedly damaged their NVIDIA RTX graphic cards.
The phenomenon raised doubts about the practicality and security of incorporating RGB components in PC builds.
The Phenomenon: RGB Lighting and Graphics Card Damage
The crux of the matter lies with the unanticipated interplay of RGB RAM lights and the graphic card backplates. On the backplates of such reputable manufacturers as MSI, Gigabyte, or ASUS, one could easily notice individual marks that matched the alignment of RGB lights on the RAM. This damage only appears to be superficial, affecting the looks rather than the actual functioning of the graphics cards. Still, it is something that users with their PC’s components in mint condition would not be too happy about.
The Suspected Cause: Ultraviolet Light Emission
The most supported theory that is given to explain such damage is the fact that the LED diodes of the RGB RAM modules emit ultraviolet (UV) light. “Should the said diodes emit UV light and the paint or material of the backplate of the graphics card be UV-sensitive, it might cause degradation equivalent to sun exposure over a long period of time in the 375-400 nm range. This begs the question of choice of material or possible oversight of the quality assurance framework by component manufacturers, hence the possibility of a quality challenge with such premium-priced products.
Implications for Users and Manufacturers
This might give even the most hardcore PC builders pause when considering using RGB lighting in their system, especially where aesthetics and longevity are concerned. This puts manufacturers in a position to start considering the use of materials in the design of a product and even put them in a position of issuing consumer warnings or guidelines. With so many people jumping onto the bandwagon of RGB lighting, this compatibility and quality issue would really need to be tackled if manufacturers want to keep the faith of consumers in their products.
A Broader Perspective on Component Choice
The number of users affected is relatively small, and the set of components put together is precise; but, they come to remind that mixing advanced technologies could bring with them complications in an unforeseen manner. This also speaks to the value community forums can bring, shared experience that may have the possibility to identify, or even mitigate before it becomes wide-ranging enough.
Looking Ahead: The Future of RGB in PC Builds
However, this is not going to diminish even a small amount of demand for more and more sophisticated, elaborate customization and aesthetic enhancement of PC builds. On the whole, though, consumers will, to some extent, become picky and ask the manufacturers to at least offer some guarantee that the components will not only be compatible with RGB lighting but also be safe for it.
These dialogues between the consumer and manufacturers will, therefore, continue, leading one to hope that improvement will take place for the component design and quality assurance processes, so that the drive towards personalization does not undermine the integrity of the product.
So, have you run into such issues during your PC build with RGB lighting, or do you have issues with incorporating such components? Share what your experience has been and what you think the industry can or should do to satiate this demand for personalized, visually appealing PC setups without causing this plague of issues.