Computer Trade Shows Questions.

[CaptainGoodnight]

Next Saturday I am going to a Computer Trade Show that has all sorts of discounted items on sale for an insanely discounted price. I have few question about attending those shows...

1) What should I look out for?
2) When I buy an item can I forget about any sort of return/warrenty.
3) What about buying a laptop from one of those places?

 

[Dragnov]

1) It's not worth going unless you plan on buying something. Often you'll have to pay parking and entrance fee, which is not worth it.

2) MOst places will have a warranty unless it tells you not. You should be fine there.. watch out for the refurbished and stuff though.

3) Dunno about laptops. But I found at computer shows.. cases and monitors seem to be cheapest. The rest are just about thes ame as pricwatch prices....

 

[MrBond]

Best things to buy at computer shows:

Monitors
Cases

Other stuff (like CPU's, etc) can be had for the same prices (or cheaper) through newegg. Keep in mind, unless its a local dealer, some companies do a computer show circuit, so while you may be attending the show in your city, they may actually be based on the other side of the state. If you have to return something, you're going to have to mail it to them, as you would with newegg. And you don't know anything about their RMA policies.

I don't mean to make them sound like a terrible place to buy stuff. You'll have some haggling power, especially if you see two venders with the same item. A friend of mine wanted to buy a Geforce2 some time back, so I rode along with him. Two vendors had them, one for like $3 more then the other one. My friend went up, asked the more expensive vender if he'd sell it for $5 less then his marked price (I think it was like $155, he asked if he'd sell it for $150). The vender said no, so we walked over to the other guy and offered him the same price for his. My friend was paying cash, so the vendor agreed. You can't do that online . While $5 didn't seem like much, it pretty much covered his admission to the show.

 

[Koing]

I picked up my R600HEK for £1275 and it WAS retailling for £2000!

At my the computer fair I go to here in South East England. I've bought other things and they are ALL good. They all have stores in the the country and the warrenty is just as valid. I got my uncle to buy one as well as he wanted one for a good price.

I have had NO PROBLEMS with the computer fairs I go to here in England. They have all been good for price and range.

 

[MWink]

<< Best things to buy at computer shows:

Monitors
Cases >>



I would not buy cases at a computer show. I bought a case at one. It was supposed to have a 300W power supply. I later noticed that 230W had been scratched out and it had been changed to 300W. I could also tell from the lack of components inside the PS.

I also had a bad experience buying PC100 (my @$$) memory at a computer show. Yea it ran at 100 for a few weeks then I had to set it at 66.

 

[4824guy]

I find that PC case prices and choices are very good at the traveling PC shows. You can't beat those prices online anywhere because of the shipping costs. Just about every thing else can be bought mail order for lower prices IMHO.

 

[KokomoGST]

Pretty much agreement with Grim and the others, PC cases... mebbe monitors. Otherwise, it's a complete waste of time.
The CD-ROM drive I bought from the only show I've been to died about 6months after purchase... POS!

 

[Jeraden]

Around here the computer shows aren't even worth the $5 admission. Most everything is outdated equipment. The stuff that isn't outdated is a good amount more expensive than online. The only time I'd go is if you need real cheap basic components - like a cheap winmodem, floppy drive, or cables. Stuff that is cheap but is usually not worth buying online because of the shipping charges.