The 20-something sales clerk directed me towards the camera section...

Did end up buying a 250GB 850 EVO, they keep them in the back store room.

Best Buy doesn't stock computer parts anymore except a couple scraps. It's good for an emergency overpriced cable but not much else.

Gone are the fun days of going in there with a bundle of money to look at all the cool PC gear and games.

yep.... so it would seem

I used to have some interesting hardware discussions.
I only went because now they price-match (if you have come prepared and insist) and I didn't want to wait for shipping.

They claim that too many customers use them for window shopping before buying online but the online competitors like NCIX are actually opening retail walk-in stores...

PC's and laptops are no longer selling like they used to so Best Buy scaled back on those big time. It's all about smartphones and tablets now.

Their music CD section is almost gone as well for the same reasons.

I want one of this built close to my place!!




http://www.microcenter.com/

EDIT: Not actually for buying, as I prefer online. But would love for a brick an mortar place to browse components, like in the old days.

I had a Microcenter about 20 mins from my house until they shut the location down last year. All I have left now is a Fry's that's relatively close. Back in the day I used to go to CompUSA for gear and games.

I still have a Microcenter about 30 minutes away, but I do miss the old days.

I used to go to a place called Computer City. Think Circuit City/CompUSA sized, but all computer parts in boxes.

Buy a case, buy a keyboard, buy a power supply, buy a motherboard, buy CPU, buy RAM, buy drives, buy mice, buy joysticks, buy your OS...

*sigh*


They went under like 20 years ago now I think.




The Jedi Master

I miss those days. The Comp USA stores were the best. AOL online always had steep discounts for signing up to their service. I got a $500.00 printer for $280.00... 120Gb hard drives for 50% off... Logitec MOMO for $69.00... numerous books and manuals were literally a PENNY. I felt like I was stealing.

I could peruse the aisles all day, comparing parts, and not get bored. Miss those days.


EDIT: I have a microcenter about 40 minutes away. I've gone there when I absolutely need something or if I want to compare features in person. Unfortunately much of the store looks like a dump where they just toss things on the shelf hap-hazardly.

Oh yeah, and you were able to pick up one of those AOL subscription 3.5" floppies right at the register! For FREE!




The Jedi Master

Intrex is good for computer parts in my neck of the woods. Good place to get a cable quick for an almost online price, and I've bought 3 PSU's there. The employees generally know what they are talking about.

You know you're being ironic? Please don't take offense, but on one hand people complain about the death of real stores, on the other you would go there to check stuff and then purchase online...

Ironic: I do not think that word means what you think.

If anything, I am contradicting myself, but yes, I am aware.

It is called supply/demand and finding the best friggin' price I can.


Most physical stores pass all their cost to the consumer, with little or no sales on high demand items, and carry a small inventory. I have heard Microcenter has tried to introduce additional perks, like no questions asked returns and discount warehouse type deals.

I'd rather buy at a physical store, but as a consumer with limited funds, I have to go where the price meets my budget.

But I used to go to a local shop on my town to browse components on Sundays, and dream of when I could afford them when I was younger, and I miss that. Nostalgia (by Veidt).

Best Buy sucks.

I sued them in the 2000s and won a big $ judgement against them.

I don't ever go to Best Buy anymore since and even if I did, I better not say my name and be paying in cash.

It doesn't even occur to me to buy pc parts locally anymore. LOL
I just cross check Negegg, Amazon and Tiger Direct.
Place order.

Another phenomenon has sprung since the demise of Circuit City, Comp USA. The internet. I loved comparison shopping different components but was still left to my own devices or reading Maximum PC to get an idea of what worked best for my needs.

Now a days I can go to almost and PC site and get a review of any component I am interested in. I can determine relative reliability, specs, features, how well it will run with my configuration. It's been a game changer in how people shop for anything, but PCs specifically for this topic.

I guess I'm alone because I still brick and mortar shop. An example:

For my daughters birthday...she wanted a good desktop gaming pc...good enough to play modern games and she wanted me to build it as my builds tend to last. I work a lot, so about 2 days before her birthday I head down to Fry's. Before I go though, I check Amazon, Newegg...etc. for the best price and print them out to bring with me because Fry's will price match any advertised price. In some cases, the price was cheaper at Fry's anyway because of a sale.

I grab a shopping cart and load it up with everything on my list...I checked the website first to make sure it was in stock at that location. Get the stuff home and get the build going...power supply is dead. Bring it back to Fry's and they test it...yep...dead. Grab another one off the shelf and I'm back home and in business in an hour.

My point is...ordering online is painless...but the RMA process and having to ship stuff back when there's a problem is not very enjoyable for me. And of course...you are now out days if not longer from your plans for whatever you bought. I do order stuff online occasionally...but mostly head to Fry's for my computer hardware as they are pretty good about returns as they have taken care of me many times with defective hardware.

I don't get it. That makes a bit of sense to me.

What pissed me off though was when I was in a PC store, I repeat... a PC store (already back in my country). I asked if one of them was familiar with the SD brand/product I chose and managed to boot a linux distro with it.

Then the guy started going technical about booting and windows... He lost me the moment he said "windows". Nothing worse than people pretending to know things.

Was trying to get tails to boot with an SD nifty drive for portability.

Oselisan. He was confusing SD with SSD

Returns with Amazon are excellent. Print the label and return auth, drop off at UPS. Amazon considers it returned when UPS let's then know it's received that same day and they send out the replacement or refund.
We have no Frys or Microcenter here, wish we did.