For PC builders and hardware enthusiasts, a warranty affords peace of mind, no matter what they plan to do with their rigs — whether it's competitive gaming with boost profiles, crypto mining, tweaking with BIOS settings to gain the maximum performance out of their system, or precariously moving their components to another cabinet.
However, there exist some special pitfalls that even the most seasoned hardware experts may not be up-to-date with, which can spell the end of your manufacturer-backed safety net. Here are some delightfully odd ways you can void your hardware warranty.
Enabling XMP profile
On Intel platforms
In an era where memory overclocking through XMP and EXPO profiles is practically default behavior for almost everyone who owns a PC, Intel has a hidden surprise buried underneath the fine print of its warranty and RMA guidance.
The warranty guide for Intel processors on their official website explicitly states that warranty protection no longer applies if the CPU is operated outside its publicly available specifications, including the use of Intel's own tuning tools. Enabling XMP increases both the memory frequency and voltage applied to the CPU's integrated memory controller, technically qualifying as operating outside specified parameters. The clause's mention of "any Intel tools" makes it unambiguous that it includes any voltage or frequency adjustment applied, even through its proprietary Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU).
In practice, however, not every XMP-enabled system will be denied service. However, if instability or failure is traced back to memory controller stress or non-specified voltages, Intel is well within its rights to reject the claim.
The warranty guide for Intel processors applies to 117 products, as per their support article, which was last reviewed on February 5, 2025.
Over-tightening AIO cooler mounts or backplates
Can screw up your warranty
One of the stealthier ways to void your motherboard and AIO (or air cooler) warranty is purely mechanical, and a common PC building mistake. Like the delicate component the motherboard is, over-tightening a liquid cooler's mounting screws or backplate can warp the motherboard, crack the CPU die, or bend the socket substrate, leading to hardware damage that isn't backed by a consumer warranty.
Large SIs, such as NZXT and Corsair, both list "physical damage due to improper installation" or "customer-induced damage" as non-covered conditions, and their support teams routinely reject RMAs where visible backplate stress marks, visible PCB bowing, or uneven mounting pressures are found. To prevent this, it is generally a good idea to avoid using power tools while installing these standoffs and back-plates.
Re-pasting the CPU with liquid metal
CPU manufacturers hate this one trick
Replacing the stock thermal interface material with a more thermally conductive paste is a move straight out of the PC enthusiast's playbook, but applying liquid metal TIM will put you firmly outside warranty coverage. Liquid metal TIMs are rising in popularity across hardware forums and YouTube, with manufacturers like Thermal Grizzly claiming performance gains of up to 8°C in heat dissipation.
This is game-changing for overclockers. However, the process carries higher risks than most users anticipate. Applying liquid metal to the IHS can render the engraved markings illegible, making it easy for manufacturers to attribute any damage to user error during an RMA. Furthermore, gallium-based compounds used in TIMs, such as Conductonaut, can also corrode copper and aluminum. Any residue detected during inspection is grounds for a warranty claim to be denied, even if the issue you experience is entirely unrelated to the application of the thermal compound. When the risk-reward ratio is skewed that heavily against you, it's often safer and more practical to experiment with undervolting to improve thermal performance.
Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in the U.S., a company cannot void a warranty simply for using third-party parts, but any damage or tampering (such as corrosion of CPU heatsinks due to the reaction of gallium with aluminum) can be traced back to user action, which is characterized as customer-induced damage.
Using BIOS mods
Don't try to fix it if it's not broken
Many boards allow users to flash beta BIOS versions to access new features before a stable version is released, or install community-modified ROMs to tune for tighter timings or power menus. No matter what the use case is, most motherboard manufacturers, including ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte, void the warranty the moment "non-approved firmware" is flashed.
But that isn't the only risk involved in the installation of a non-approved BIOS — not only do you become self-insured the moment you attempt this, there's also a fair chance of bricking the board altogether.
Crypto mining
Betting your warranty on the blockchain?
A few activities stress PC components quite like cryptocurrency mining, and most manufacturers want nothing to do with it.
ASUS explicitly disclaims coverage for "damage arising from cryptocurrency mining or similar activities", unless it's a product dedicated to its specific use case. Corsair takes a similar position, with its warranty excluding all products that sustain damage during crypto-mining operations. While Gigabyte offers a slightly different approach by offering dedicated mining series GPUs, these models are excluded from the standard three-year limited local warranty and instead follow separate, shorter regional terms.
The fine print always wins
Your warranty isn't a safety net for curiosity gone rogue. Whether it's mining crypto, chasing lower temps through liquid metal TIMs, flashing rogue BIOS builds, or tightening a cooler onto your motherboard like you're fixing a lug nut on a car tire, manufacturers can and will spot the signs of the beginner's naïveté and the enthusiast's enthusiasm. So before chasing the extra frame, megahertz or a degree of cooling, remember that performance tweaks are temporary, but a voided warranty is forever.