Did you (would you) buy stuff at computer shows? Are prices any good?

[GreenGhost]

There's an upcoming computer show organized by these guys. What are your experiences? Are there good things to buy? What about prices? Any warranty implications? I assume returning something would be close to impossible, right?

Is is just time (and $8 admission) wasted?

 

[RossMAN]

>Did you (would you) buy stuff at computer shows? Are prices any good?
No

>Is is just time (and $8 admission) wasted?
Yes

 

[minendo]

<< >Did you (would you) buy stuff at computer shows? Are prices any good?
No

>Is is just time (and $8 admission) wasted?
Yes >>


My thoughts and experiences exactly.

 

[Spikesoldier]

whoever did the lightbulb and matches in the microwave, and put commercial audio in the background had a reference to this on one of the commercials.

 

[Cerebus451]

The prices are never that great, and are typically more than what you can find on the internet. You save shipping costs, but will get hit with local sales tax. A lot of the vendors will also add credit card surcharges. There are some items you will find at a show that can be difficult to locate on the internet. Also, if you are in the market for a monitor or computer case (which would get hit with a large shipping charge) it could be worth your while. It's also nice to be able to look over what you are about to purchase (for instance trying to get a particular stepping on a CPU, some vendors will allow you to peruse what they have so you can pick the processor you want, something you cannot do over the internet).

I hit the computer shows on occasion, but only if I am looking for something in particular. I am sure they vary by location since the computer show is typically just bringing local vendors together into one location, but there will usually be a few vendors that travel a bit farther and they might carry something you would not find at a local computer shop.

 

[Squisher]

That particular show I found a waste of time, however there are two roving shows here in Metro Detroit that have tons of stuff at great prices.

 

[Derango]

I would never buy anything at a computer show for one reason. If what you bought isn't what you paid for, or it dosen't work, you're normally out of luck, considering the guy that sold it to you is probably long gone.

 

[Xenon14]

Books and Software is usually cheap, along with various componants like fans, and cooling agents. You can also find great prices on used/unused monitors, cases, keyboards/mice, and maybe an occasional sound card. Generally name brands like NVIDIA, ATI, Soundblaster, AMD, INTEL are MUCH more expensive than online buys. I often go to check some stuff out, really cool to see some new technology at work.

 

[Jzero]

Was a time when they were the hottest game in town...they're terrible these days--same prices you'd pay on-line but you often get half-rate parts and service and weird surcharges.

The only one I bother with anymore is the Trenton Computer Fair, and only for the "flea market" portion of it where people sell the most bizarre crap. WHere else can you get a working 21" Trinitron for $15?

 

[777php]

with hot deal sites and forums I will never buy anything from a show unless I really really need it right away.

 

[ys]

If you pay with cash then you can negotiate with the vendors of not paying tax (usually > $100 items). They like it also. And always remember to bargain.

 

[SWScorch]

I like comp shows for cheap stuff that I dont want to wait for shipping on... I've actually had very good experiences with buying things from comp shows. I can only remember one thing dying, and the vendor replaced it for free at the next show. My best friend, on the other hand, bought a monitor from some fly-by-night vendor that was faulty, and there is no company name or phone # on the reciept at all, so he got screwed.

 

[UltraQuiet]

GreenGhost- I went to the last one these guys did in Memphis. It sucked.

 

[Jeff7]

Yes and no to both questions.
I have bought items from the shows, but have done so less since I found the Anandtech FS/T forum.
If buying a whole computer, it's best to have a local vendor. My uncle bought a computer that kept getting a dead motherboard, but they didn't charge him for the work or parts.
In terms of stuff to buy, it really depends on the location and the size of the company organizing the shows. Sometimes there's LOTS of vendors, sometimes there are enough to surround the perimeter of the location.



$8 admission is a bit high though; Market Pro organizes them around here, and they charge $5 admission. I bought the year-long membership card.

 

[waggy]

There is a local one here in IL at a local college.

Its every month and they have some good prices the stuff is at or just below what you would find on line. The only reason i go to it is software and to look for used parts. If i need anything new i usually just order off of www.newegg.com

 

[SKORPI0]

Total waste of your time. Don't go!!!!

I went to their show last month at the Rosemont (Chicago, IL) show. Paid $11 parking and $ 8 entrance. Most of the items I saw where obsolete stuff. If you bought something and it does not work, you'll end up looking for them in the next show (if they are there at all). If you are into old stuff, chances are you might find something you need. They also had new stuff, but majority are old/obsolete/used things. Spent time driving there (45 minutes), paid toll (95 cents), 3 hours on the show, bought some food, and ended up buying a 12' SCSI-2 cable (50 pin) I could have bought somewhere else cheaper. That's the first and last time I would go to these type of shows. :disgust:

If you plan to go, make and list of what you need and try to stick to it

 

[Kaieye]

Two weeks ago, I went to the local computer show and this Russian-American guy was selling used Athlon and Duron cpu's. I spotted a AXIA 266 fsb speed 1.0 gigahertz chip for $50 bucks out the door. I bought it and it overclocked to 1.43 gigahertz running with no problem. About 1.5 years ago, I also picked up two Savage 4 32 meg AGP video cards for $35.00 each. The following month, the same video cards were going for $79.00 because I knew that they were mispriced and I took advantage of the situation...

The bottom line is that you have to know what your buying and ask what happens if the merchandise your buying can be returned for cash or credit if it does not work.

 

[ElFenix]

i've been to a flea market type computer show. the stuff where they sell no-name nvidia boards and old savage parts and used hard drives and processors and whatnot. monitors off the back of a ryder truck. bought a 486 there so i could play ultima 8.

 

[GhettoFob]

They were pretty cool 3-4 years ago, but I haven't been to one in the last year or two because I didn't see any great prices and also because they started charging $8 for admission.

 

[venk]

It was a little under a year ago when the AXIA T-Bird Chips were all the rage, i picked one up at a Computer Show in Metro Detroit. Definite Powerful OC and i didn't have to pay retail prices (ie Computer Builders Warehouse), or extra fees for pre overclocked chips or specific codes.

 

[Mitzi]

Years ago, I used to buy all my equipment at computer fairs. Since the internet has become established, online prices have been pushed right down. Its cheaper for me to order the stuff off the net nowadays, plus I get real warranties from reputable companies.

 

[drx9175l]

Supercomputersale.com had a show at the Portland (OR) Expo center a few weeks back. A waste of time and $12. It was very small, alot of vendors selling non-computer items and prices were higher than what I can find at my local shops. I'll never go again.

A few years back I went to a huge computer show in Pamona, CA. I bought all the components needed to built my first PC there, everything except monitor. Weeks ahead of time I researched specs and prices on all the parts I wanted. I went in with the plan on bargaining with sellers, even though it might mean I'd leave empty-handed. Paid for it with cash and didn't have a single problem. That was a very good day.

 

[hans007]

the pomona one is decent but still $8. i used to go to the trw swapmeet at manhattanbeach and its montly and free. a few computer vendors are there and they have lots of really cheap overstocked stuff. you could get a dsl modem/ router for $20 i remember.