I can confirm with the OP & the reddit post ..
Done 3 cards all ready for clients
All three varied from the memory that where not in contact with the T pads to the pcb plate this is a serious issue more so the memory near the VRM's.
The band aid from evga does not address this.
So its 2 things either the t pads are too thin ..as i have had to replace all 3 cards using thicker ones or could be the whole design of the pcb plate not fitting / clamping as intended.
I use Thermal strips and cut to size...
So you want good quality thermal pads or strips
On the evga card there 1mm thickness on the Memory and most are not touching the plate so you can use 1.5mm thick but i went for 2mm thickness yes the thicker they are there is a cost of being less efficient but its far better than an air gap.. so 1.5 or 2mm if you want
The Vrm strip is about 7mm wide and 110mm long 1.5 mm thick
As these are touching the pads mainly due the the vrms being slightly higher and the pad is thicker.. so no need to replace i used what was there already...
I also did what EVGA have advised to do too a strip above the chokes and above the vrms above the pcb base plate and the pad on the rear of the pcb behind the back plate ...
TAKE NOTE When using Thermal pads make sure you take the thin plastic protective film off before applying otherwise you will run into issues...if i remember right recently didn't one manufacture forget to do this on a line of cards ... So all in all its not nice having to finish off the manufacturers design and not being paid doing this as i have to keep my clients happy rather than them messing around with RMA...
TBH and as stated in another post
If it was me
As i am sure consumer laws extend further for a product that as design defects being badly designed so forth which this is mainly the pcb plate not clamping down enough or the wrong thickness of t pads used either way its a poor design.
So surly there must be some law emplace for such things regardless of the shop 30 day window ..at the end of the day the resale value of a EVGA 1000 series cards are sure going to be effected which is not good is it ....
So
1. return for full refund with no questions asked ...which i think one is entitled too on the grounds of poor / bad design faulty product even after the 30 day period
Or
2.return card rma at no cost and receive a brand new card with pads and new bios basically as the card should have been released in the 1st place unused with the fixes made (I will be disgraced to find out there sending back used refurbishing cards back unacceptable)
Or
3. apply the fixes yourself but again the money paid for these cards its crazy peeps are having to complete the design for them to work as they should ...again reminds me of this