Motherboard defect they wont replace because its out of warrantee by 2 months

My partner bought a brand new ASUS TUF F17 RTX4050 just over a year ago. She has an older ASUS TUF and had been too lazy to transfer her data and start using the new one. Apart from turning it on, it lived in its box for about 8 months.

I decided to buy the laptop off her 4 months ago for work, and since then it has lived on a stand in my office and was only used for work related processes. Despite this, the motherboard suddenly failed, just outside the warranty period.

ASUS South Africa refuses to assist unless I pay for full repairs, including parts, labor, and transport. I had the unit inspected by an authorized technician at Pinnical. He confirmed the laptop is so new there is no dust on the fan blades, there’s no physical damage or misuse, and no obvious reason for such a failure. He also noted that replacing the motherboard is not financially viable, essentially writing off a nearly-new R28,000 laptop.

ASUS is hiding behind the expired warranty, completely ignoring their responsibility under the Consumer Protection Act, which clearly states that products must be durable for a reasonable period. This situation strongly suggests a latent defect, not wear and tear.

I've escalated this to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud, and I’ll be sharing this experience across Google Reviews, MyBroadband Forums, and other platforms to help others make informed decisions.

Disappointed doesn’t begin to cover it. ASUS SA does not stand behind its products when it matters.

For Ref my last Laptop is a 6 year old Lenovo Flex which is still in working order. I personally feel Asus is a brand you should avoid at all costs