PC hardware forum: Poll: Where do you mostly buy your computers or computer hardware?

I have always purchased the components and built my own
from either mail order in the 80's and now online.
the only pc I ever bought was a comadore 64. sort of
started the whole thing. quite the snowball !?!

I like Staples. I've shopped them frequently and watched the sales. The HP laptop I am using I purchased over a year ago. A great price and a good price on a printer. I will buy when the present model is being replaced with newer/faster model. I buy the present model on sale. They also have a great return policy.
I bought a Compac laptop in 2002. It was an open box sale at Office Depot. Someone had returned it. I found later the 3 in. floppy drive was broken and I contacted Compac. They sent a box for me to ship the laptop. The turn around was extremely quick -4 days. The old laptop still works! If you can wait for it to do anything. But it works. Since then I have special ordered a Dell laptop from AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange). The hard drive quit on it after 6 years. Hoping the HP will hold up!

I get most of my parts and peripherals from Tiger Direct or New Egg. I shop the sales looking for the best prices. Both are excellent to deal with. I've had no problems with either one. I've built this computer and upgraded it continuously in the last year and will probably finish the entire system next winter. I'm putting together a quad core media center with WiFi net to stream HD audio and video from the computer in the bedroom to the living room. I've spent half what it would have cost to buy it outright, on sale, from anywhere.

The last year or so I've bought online from CompUSA (which is Tiger Direct by another name - the same parent company owns both). The prices are great, shipping is fast, the reviews are valuable, and they take all credit cards and PayPal. I've been quite satisfied with them.

Don, y'all

Well, the warranty depends on your personal ability to fix your computer, and whether or not it is a laptop.

I would purchase a warranty on a laptop, as about the only components I could replace on them is RAM and hard drive. Anything else goes wrong, I would have to have a pro fix it.

However, I never buy a warranty on a desktop - I can fix or replace all components on them.

I buy almost all my computer hardware and external components (printer, scanners, hard drives, etc.) from NewEgg.com. I buy pre-built computers from Dell.com.

I've built computers in the past but find that Dell's line of XPS computers are very good, very reliable and offer the latest Intel processors.

NewEgg.com is simply the best online store to buy from, as they even allow no interest for up to a year on bigger items - a service I've used a couple times now. Paid off my HDTV once and an A/V with speakers the second time within the allowed 12 months. Many times they offer free shipping on items, special discounts to regular customers, and almost always the lowest prices when compared to other online vendors, and since they do not have a presence in my state, I pay no sale tax. (Amazon.com is another good place to buy but since they do have a presence in my state, I always have to play sales tax when I order from them, so my items cost me more then from NewEgg.)

I have had really good luck with Staples. My first PC had something wrong with it and they gave me a new one. Their support people in the store are always nice and willing to answer questions. I had a printer go bad and they gave me a new one of those. I am not a tech wiz so I appreciate their willingness to make it right.

Two local stores are within shouting distance of each other in Santa Clara - Central Computer and Pixel USA. Both have up to date web sites that simplify shopping. I've had good success seeing what Pixel specs out as an advanced system and use that as the base. Central & Frys have a real good selection of cases on display.

For drives pick the best bang for buck.

Video card variety is great at Frys. Just don't buy any return & repacked video card there - no matter how 'good' you feel about it.

If there are no good discounts on mouse or keyboard I'll go online. Stores must make more $$ on those than motherboards & CPUs.

i like newegg.com, or tiger direct

It is the safest and quickest way to be served!
I got my new PC, assembled with the hardware and software(from processor, RAM, HD's,.... up to the case)I wanted in a couple of weeks and all this with two years of warrant.
I had two HD's (WD15EARS, don't buy them for heavy use !)with bad sectors, one after 3 weeks, one after almost 5 months. They were replaced and build in at no cost in twenty minutes.
Last week my power supply (Corsair 850W TX) had blown up,I went to the store with my PC and after one hour and a half I was reconnecting my system at home....
This is not possible with online stores and even if I have paid a (little) bit more (I checked prices and read reviews on internet before the purchase) this service has been worth the money, don't you think?

be it Fry's, Mwave (store very near me), or even Amazon sometime.

I buy my computers and peripherals from Imaginet Computers in Bristol, Connecticut. Andy has been repairing computers for over 20 years and also been installing networks in both residential and corporate settings for the last 15. He is equipped to run diagnostics on over 20 computers at a time with integrated server, so he can return your repaired computer in a timely manner. he has recently got into repair of LCD monitors and laptop displays. He has never steered me wrong and helps me manage my computer budget with his expert advice on what is a fad, or what might be an asset to my business and/or personal computer.

I got most of my current systems at Computer Flea markets, which could be considered Face to face but not via ads. Generally what I buy is Corporate cast-offs, used office systems from people that chase the latest thing. I did get a netbook with XP, but it died in under a year from unknown causes (totally dead, no Boot at all, just the power LED) online, so I'm not likely to do that again.

They've got good product selection, good product search engine, good product description with multiple PICs, links to the respective product mfg., competitive prices, reasonable shipping and product reviews by buyers and occasionally replies from the mfgs.

VAPCMD

I bought my 1st system online since then I've been getting any system my friends are getting rid of and piecing new systems together out of there old ones.