Best place to purchase computer hardware?

[@theCBE]

Originally posted by flamingchina@Apr 19 2005, 07:49 PM
Similar company located in Calgary:
VooDoo PC

Voodoo Computers builds amazing computers and you get great support from them, (my monitor blew out once after having it for 2 years and they came and delivered a brand new one and took the old one within an hour)

however their stuff is ridiculously expensive...

[Hack&Lube]

Originally posted by @theCBE+Apr 19 2005, 02:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (@theCBE @ Apr 19 2005, 02:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-flamingchina@Apr 19 2005, 07:49 PM
Similar company located in Calgary:
VooDoo PC

Voodoo Computers builds amazing computers and you get great support from them, (my monitor blew out once after having it for 2 years and they came and delivered a brand new one and took the old one within an hour)

however their stuff is ridiculously expensive... [/b][/quote]
Voodoo computers builds horribly overpriced, overhyped computers and they highly exaggerate and even decieve customers about what they are getting.

While the build quality and components are high, it's really all just off-the-shelf stuff you can buy anywhere with a flashy coat of (IMHO gharish) paint and an ugly Voodoo "tribe" tatoo or panel cutout.

You might get good service but you are paying a ridiculous premium you never should for it. I've put together systems with the exact same components as found on Voodoo's site for their various systems and even laptops (my laptop is the same as a Voodoo model from an OEM in Taiwan, just without the paint). The savings were between $1000 and $2000. It's ridiculous.

They also decieve customers by claiming that THEY have to service the system (at extraordinary cost) because they do things like "solder on" the CPU which is bullshinguard. I met a guy online who was trying to upgrade his voodoo laptop but was afraid it was soldered together like the Voodoo rep told him. I simply went to the website of Taiwanese OEM that the actual chassis came from and downloaded the maintenance manual for the guy and showed him it was actually really easy and that Voodoo did the exact same thing and was just BSing him.

It p*sses me off when Voodoo gets the media coverage and awards that it does. Look, I'm proud that some Calgary entrepreneurs figured out how to overcharge and grow a customer base and hype for computer components like they have, even catering to celebrities and medical institutions (wtf???), but seriously, any real enthusiast would do it themselves and not go with Voodoo.

If your monitor blew out after 2 years, you generally have a warranty for that from either the retailer, reseller, manufacturer, or extended from credit/debit card and bank all included so you would've gotten a replacement anyway. That the guy came and replaced it in an hour is fantastic but in the end, you paid for that service by being overcharged 100-200% of their actual cost.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally posted by kn@Apr 19 2005, 12:36 PM
I decided to spend a little more and get a Dell Inspiron 9300, 2GHz, 1GB RAM, 17" True Life WSUXGA, 256MB NVidia GeForce Go 6800, 60GB 7200rpm HD, 24x CD-RW/DVD, wireless and Bluetooth. What tipped me in this direction was when Dell put on sale the GeForce card at no extra charge than the 128MB ATI card.

Add to this the Logitech MX-900 optical mouse and a Targus backpack and I hopefully will be set for a long time...

Thanks for the links and advice.

Wow, 256MB Geforce 6800 Go in a laptop... drool.
It's a Dell (which I refuse to touch) but still...

What was your total cost including shipping?

[@theCBE]

Originally posted by Hack&Lube+Apr 19 2005, 08:42 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Hack&Lube @ Apr 19 2005, 08:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Voodoo Computers builds amazing computers and you get great support from them, (my monitor blew out once after having it for 2 years and they came and delivered a brand new one and took the old one within an hour)

however their stuff is ridiculously expensive...

It p*sses me off when Voodoo gets the media coverage and awards that it does. Look, I'm proud that some Calgary entrepreneurs figured out how to overcharge and grow a customer base and hype for computer components like they have, even catering to celebrities and medical institutions (wtf???), but seriously, any real enthusiast would do it themselves and not go with Voodoo.

[/b][/quote]
Do you like any computer stores

no dell, no memory express, no voodoo...

I agree with you though... once i figured out how much cheaper i could get my stuff i haven't been back to voodoo... i prefer to do it myself now with memory express and oemdepot..

but the point i was trying to make is they have good service... even though you do end up paying for it

[Hack&Lube]

Originally posted by @theCBE+Apr 19 2005, 03:17 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (@theCBE @ Apr 19 2005, 03:17 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

It p*sses me off when Voodoo gets the media coverage and awards that it does. Look, I'm proud that some Calgary entrepreneurs figured out how to overcharge and grow a customer base and hype for computer components like they have, even catering to celebrities and medical institutions (wtf???), but seriously, any real enthusiast would do it themselves and not go with Voodoo.

Do you like any computer stores

no dell, no memory express, no voodoo...

I agree with you though... once i figured out how much cheaper i could get my stuff i haven't been back to voodoo... i prefer to do it myself now with memory express and oemdepot..

but the point i was trying to make is they have good service... even though you do end up paying for it [/b][/quote]
I like NCIX (I buy 80% of my stuff from there). I like Bcom.

NCIX has probably the best selection (of course, nothing close to what Americans have in Newegg) and good prices for Canada. Bcom has great sales that are extremely cheap and pretty much sell at cost.

I just don't like how Memory Express pretty much has a total monopoly over the DIY computer market in Calgary and yet, they offer terrible selection and terrible prices. They were better when Techtronics was across the street but we all know what a blackmarket den that place was. That said, Memory Express has good service as well I must admit.

[kn]

Originally posted by Hack&Lube@Apr 19 2005, 02:52 PM
It's a Dell (which I refuse to touch) but still...

What was your total cost including shipping?

~$3,200

I was going to stay away from Dell but the only reason I was thinking that way is because I heard *other* people say that, not from personal experience.

After checking out various notebook forums, I couldn't see any reason why I should overlook them.

dustygoon,

I've heard of Alienware. A few guys on another forum have complained about customer service. I looked into them a couple years ago but they weren't shipping to Canada at the time.

[photon]

I think you hit it on the head Hack&Lube, the competition isn't there so they don't have to try as hard..

Mind you we've never had a great price place in Calgary, I've always been able to find better deals out east and on the west coast.

For the most part I've got no problem with their prices.. Compared to other places in Calgary they're pretty competative (when comparing apples to apples). I've price matched NCIX before with them as well but that's hit and miss. With BCom in town now hopefully that'll put some pressure on their prices, but a lot of BCom's best prices are for things that Memory Express just doesn't carry (like the generic RAM for uber cheap).

http://www.dangeo.com is another local outfit that has some decent prices sometimes.

[dustygoon]

Originally posted by @theCBE+Apr 19 2005, 09:17 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (@theCBE @ Apr 19 2005, 09:17 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

It p*sses me off when Voodoo gets the media coverage and awards that it does. Look, I'm proud that some Calgary entrepreneurs figured out how to overcharge and grow a customer base and hype for computer components like they have, even catering to celebrities and medical institutions (wtf???), but seriously, any real enthusiast would do it themselves and not go with Voodoo.

Do you like any computer stores

no dell, no memory express, no voodoo...

I agree with you though... once i figured out how much cheaper i could get my stuff i haven't been back to voodoo... i prefer to do it myself now with memory express and oemdepot..

but the point i was trying to make is they have good service... even though you do end up paying for it [/b][/quote]
This is going to sound a bit dim, but how difficult is it to learn to put components together and build your own PC? Could I easily do this? I wouldn't mind learning but i assume that it would end up being a piece of shinguard that would end up costing more in the end.

[I_H8_Crawford]

^ It's really not that difficult - I did it on my first try, and that was with those POS slot A athlon heatsinks where you had to use the screwdriver to attach the heatsink to the mobo...

All mobos you pick up now come with instructions/diagrams - just use it like a map - these wires go here, those go there and you're good to go.

Or if you're really nervous, just pick up the parts and pay the $20 or whatever to have Mem Ex put it together for you.

[photon]

Yeah, it's mostly like lego... not that difficult.

The hardest part used to be putting the heat sink on the CPU, but they usually can do that for you for free when you buy it.

Just make sure you're static-safe and don't be in a rush.