Anybody have any Problems with Step Thermodynamics cooling systems?

[chutamango]

Id like to buy some stuff from Step thermodynamics..BUT....i just read a BUNCH of crap from ppl saying its not very good...and then others saying its great. Id like to know if anyone here had any dealings with them...thanks

chuta

 

[damien6]

Almost two years ago, I purchased one of their unit along w/few sticks of rams.

It took them almost two months to fullfill my order, which was a mixed blessing since the price fell somewhat since the initial order was placed and wasn't shipped out at the time I call them about the price difference. They still charged me the initial charge which they later had to recredit back by sending me a check. The first unit wasn't stable at the garranteed overclocked speed and I had to send it back. I had to eat the bill for sending it back which was few more dollars added to the total cost. (not much but still few dollars extra) The people answering the phone were courteous and helpful but everytime I talked to someone, they keep telling me that the person I've talked to previously didn't work there no more. Other than that, their cooling system/CPU unit they replaced worked as garranteed and the Rams were of high quality.

Back then I purchased a P2-233 garranteed @500mhz and as a matter of fact it's still going strong today. I don't think they offer anything special on their overclock speeds lately to warrant their expensive cooling system. Last time I check they weren't offering any drastic speed increase that you couldn't get else where w/o their expensive cooling system.

 

[Liquid_Lenny]

I checked out their web site recently, and I noticed they've completely changed their approach to their product. The information on their "Cooling Systems" (http://www.step-thermodynamics.com/CoolingSystems.htm) look now like Taisol heatsinks with a larger fan on them. ALso, is absolutely NO reference to bonding their heatsinks to the processor anymore. Now they are supplying their "a free PillowPack of our exclusive STEP ThermaSeal CPU Compound!" with each unit (I'll bet is just repackaged Artic Silver), plus something called a "exclusive STEP ThrottleBody? Accelerator Card" that looks like a variable voltage device to adjust the fan speed. Yippee.

Looks like the only thing you get from Step now is their work at unlocking the AMD Socket A processors. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

[Frosty20]

Ditto Liquid_Lenny: they used to have a worthwhile product line but now the only advantage to buying one is the low price on MB/vid card/memory. If your buying a new cpu, mb, video card, and ram it might be worth it but otherwise your buying an unlocked proc and a $60 hartsink/fan

 

[Niard]

I just purchased from Step ThermoDynamics and am reasonably happy with my new system.
AMD Thunderbird socket A cpu w/256kcc @ 1000mhz $179.00
Step throttlebody Accelerator card (backordred) $ 0.00
Step-up Kodiak 7000 cpu cooling system $ 79.00
Micro-star K7T PRO2-A ATX Motherboard $ 99.00
2- Step 128MEG 3.3V PC150 168-pin SDRAM DIMMs $152.00
UPS Shipping and Third Party insurance $25.36
--------
Total Bill $534.36

I placed my order on the 19th of December and was quoted 1-2 weeks. It did take a little longer it was shipped on the 10th of Janurary but considering this was over ths X-mas holidays and New Years I wont hold that against them.
I did get a note stating that my Step throttlebody Accelerator card would be shipped in approx 2 weeks.
I recieved my parts yesterday morning and was up and runnig by early evening with no major problems.They even through in a package of Skittles which seemed to calm my nerves while doing the install(now that has to mean something)
Everything came well packaged with QC(Quality control) approved stickers on each item.
My cpu was unlocked and already on the board.
I know that the Step-up Kodiak 7000 cpu cooling system was a little high priced but hey they got to make some $ somewhere and it certainly was'nt on the MOBO and Memory at least not much.
All in all I was very happy with my purchase I got what I asked for at the price I was quoted in a reasonable time frame, with no major problems.
I guess I could have saved a few $ elsewhere and prices have probably dropped some from when I 1st placed my order but what the heck I'm used to that.
I will gladly give Step ThermoDynamics my thumbs up and lets say an 8.5 out of 10 rating.
Just my humble opinion
Niard

 

[Mikewarrior2]

Ouch... those heatsink prices scare me... kinda like 3dcool's case prices.



Mike

 

[damien6]

Niard
Am I missing something? What did you actually get for the CPU in mhz guaranteed for that price? I mean if you add the price of the CPU + cooling system and the hefty shipping fees, you could pretty much buy an AMD cpu close to those speeds w/o it being overclocked to begin with. Is it just me or are they not even guaranteeing any specific overclocked speeds to even begin?

 

[Niard]

StepThermo says that their 1000mhz will run at 1200mhz, I had not mentioned that because I have not yet begun to overclock.
Niard

 

[Liquid_Lenny]

Niard - just how loud is their fan, out of curiosity? Also, I no longer see any reference to a CPU warranty on their website - what is it now (used to be lifetime with Step)?

 

[chutamango]

well..im trying to call them now...in reference to price....thier MB's ram and cpu's are great prices.....so even if I get it without a fan in other places...id never find all the things I need at that cheap of a price. So that means ill have to pay extra shipping fora ll these things...so in reality....it pretty much even outs buying from them...at elast then i get some sort of gaurantee...

chuta

 

[chutamango]

oh..and niard...can you give me the 1 800 from step? Kinda trying to reach them...thanks..

chuta

 

[Niard]

Well, I will say that that fan is buzzin pretty good but then again its running at 6756rpm. CPU temp is 86'f running at 1000mhz
Thinkin about putting the side panel back on my case
The Throttlebody accelerator card that was back ordered will control fan speed and of course fan noise. Step provides a 30 day money back guarantee.

 

[Niard]

I dont have an 800# but here is there phone #(440)519-0304
although they have online ordering I could not get it to work so I placed my order by phone.
good Luck!

 

[Mikewarrior2]

$80 for a taisol CGK742092 and delta fan + a fan controller is a lot of money.

Their MB prices are good, though... not sure if it makes up for a 3X+ markup on heatsink.


Mike

 

[chutamango]

here is what i figured out....a 1 gig tbird, kt7a abit, 256 pc150 ram + shipping is 552$ (from step)

anywhere else..the chip will be 176....but then the mobo will be 180 from the same company...or even 170.....and then the ram will be a min of 160$ (for good ram)....plus a taisol with arctic silver will be 43$........about 560$+ all together....so step [prices are really about the same as others (if not a bit better)....but they do give some sorta guarantee...now wether i want to wait so long to get the stuff in from them is another matter.....

just buying a 1.2 gig tbird will pretty much bump the price up 100$ for anyplace....

Ben

 

[Guygye]

I'm considering them myself, those motherboard and memory prices are really good and they do the dirty work for you by unlocking the cpu. I know it aint very hard but its one less chance I have to take with my 10 thumbs.

Maybe I'll wait till the first week in february. Intel should drop there prices (29th January) and then amd will follow. (officially anyway).

 

[Guygye]

Oh as for there stuff, its got my seal.

I'm running an Athlon Classic 500@650 since the 650 was top of the line for AMD. Had some trouble getting it to work at first, but that was my memory (Generic from my Celery setup), after that everything was smooth sailing.

I'm very tempted to purchase from them again and probably will.

I did have to wait 2 weeks before i got it.

I'm guessing they make periodical orders and only buy enough cpus to fill their current needs. either that or its 2 guys running the whole store and there backed up. Either way there stuff works.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Step Setup
Package - AMD ThunderBird 1000>1200 W/7000 255 255
ABIT Corporation KT7A Socket A Motherboard 146 146
STEP 256Meg PC150 168-Pin SDRAM DIMM 121 121

Shopping Cart Sub-Total: $522.00
Ohio Sales tax: $0.00

Airborne Express Shipping: $10.22
Transit Insurance: $15.66
Handling Fees: $00.00

The Total For Your Shopping Cart: $547.88

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lowest prices on Pricewatch including lowest shipping quoted

1GHZ Thunderbird 174 + 10.95ship
256MB PC150 159 + 10.34ship (KINGMAX cheapest on pricewatch)
KT7A 142 + 7ship

Total $503

No fan/heatsink no guarantee you'll hit 1200 mhz

 

[Niard]

I just thought that I might mention that I could have saved $22-$23 by buying 1 stick of 256MEG PC150 SDRAM instead of 2 sticks of 128 Meg PC150
Just my preference of not putting everything on 1 chip.
Sometimes cheapest is not always the best way to go.
But then this thread was not about cheapest way to go anyways,I'm just glad that I've not seen a bunch of posts from Dissatisfied customers of StepThermo Dynamics, that would worry me a bit

Niard

 

[vfrjim]

I sent them a very stable CPU( this was before they mandate that you purchase it from them) a 333 Celeron, I had it stable at 550 with normal HSF, they sent it back to me with their cooling system attached, the only thing I can say is that my wallet was lighter by about 130$ and the cpu still didn't go any higher then a quality HSF. BTW, it still runs today, load as hell, but runs 24-7.

Jim