A YouTube computer technician has published a detailed video showing how he refurbished an old graphics card that had allegedly been used by a smoker for 17 years. The hour-long video, shared by user Madness727, shows the process of restoring an Asus 9800GT Matrix, completely clogged with tar and nicotine, to a factory-fresh state.
Graphics card filled with cigarette smoke: The story of the Asus 9800GT refurbishment
The Asus ROG Matrix 9800 GT, launched in 2008, was considered a high-end mid-range graphics card for tech enthusiasts. However, the card in the video was practically inoperable after being neglected for nearly 17 years. The heatsink, in particular, was completely clogged with dirt and a sticky substance.
Shiftdelete.netThe graphics card, which appeared relatively clean on the outside, was opened to reveal a horrific sight. When the technician removed the heatsink and protective cover, he discovered that nearly every surface was covered in dirt and a sticky layer of tar. Madness727, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation, said, “I won’t blow on this; I’ll get cancer from this.”
After completely disassembling the graphics card, the technician used degreaser, running water, and a toothbrush to clean the motherboard (PCB). After drying the card with a towel, he used an air blower to remove any remaining water droplets. Finally, he used a heat gun on the core, memory, VRAM, and heatsink to ensure all components were completely dry.
The fan, heatsinks, and other metal parts were also rinsed under the tap. Only the fan motor was kept away from water, and this area was cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. Bicycle chain lubricant was applied to ensure smooth and quiet operation of the fan again. Once all the parts were dry, new thermal paste (PTM) was applied, and the GPU was reassembled.
Despite the graphics card’s age, the result was quite impressive. The technician summarized the card’s physical condition by saying, “It looks like new; no scratches or anything. It’s in excellent physical condition; there are no dents, scratches, missing MLCCs, or resistors on the PCB. Everything is perfect.”
The card was tested in a system with an MSI Z390-A Pro motherboard, an Intel Core i5-9600K processor, and Viper RAM. The GPU was found to be functioning flawlessly. We achieved approximately 16 FPS in the benchmark program and approximately 5 FPS in Crysis. While these figures aren’t sufficient for modern gaming, the card’s performance was considered a success considering its age.
The future of this meticulously restored Asus ROG Matrix 9800 GT is uncertain. However, the technician noted that he had previously refurbished and sold similar GPUs to a collector. While this card may no longer run the latest games, it still forms part of a unique design legacy that Asus continues today with models like the ROG Matrix RTX 5090. Have you ever encountered such a poor performance while maintaining your hardware?
