OEM: What is it?
- Thread starter Bachopoet
- Start date
just means it doesnt come with as much as a retail drive does
oem processors dont come with a HSF
oem floppy drives dont come with much at all
etc.
oem processors dont come with a HSF
oem floppy drives dont come with much at all
etc.
http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=exact&Acronym=OEM
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
That's all I know, I'll let people with more experience take over. Basically, it's parts that are sold barebones to Retailers like Dell(?) etc, for production in desktop PCs. That way they don't have to make it all fancy with the packaging?
Just my guess.
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
That's all I know, I'll let people with more experience take over. Basically, it's parts that are sold barebones to Retailers like Dell(?) etc, for production in desktop PCs. That way they don't have to make it all fancy with the packaging?
Just my guess.
As everybody said, it is basically just the part itself, with no retail packaging and no frills, often no drivers, no additional software bundle, no extra cables, no manual, etc. If you know what you are doing, and just need the part itself, you can save money by buying it OEM.
Sometimes you might get some stuff thrown in, like a drivers disk, but other times it will just be a part in a plastic baggy.
Sometimes you might get some stuff thrown in, like a drivers disk, but other times it will just be a part in a plastic baggy.
Well I checked on what comes with it, and it includes a CD (how do you use the driver cd if your cdrom drive doeswn't work yet? maybe its not a driver cd) and a power and data cable and that's it.
By the way Simms, we forgive you for being Canadian.
By the way Simms, we forgive you for being Canadian.
OEM also means it was made to a customers specs, may be crippled, and not have some features that are present in the retail version. Examples are video cards with missing or slow memory, sound cards without sample tables, and hard drives with a weird geometry configuration. For the most part you are safe but don't be too surprised if you get thrown a wicked curve. Caveat Emptor.
- Mar 20, 2000
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cds use a very basic set of drivers thats included with windows, if it comes with a CD... are you looking at a cdrw? becuase that will have the burning software on it.
OEM means a part that was intended for sale to an original equipment manufacturer. it also usually means that the warranty on the part is from the entity that sold it to you.
You make it sound like reconditioned equipment, which it's not if labled correctly- you're wrong here. I always buy OEM and have never had any problems. I actually prefer it to retail, unless they're CPUs (better warranty and a bonus HSF).
- Mar 20, 2000
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it probably doesn't have a factory warranty. thats about the only thing an "OEM" part is guaranteed to be missing. most don't have paper manuals or glossy boxes either. newegg is pretty good about showing exactly what comes with an item.
Actually there's a lot of truth in dkozloski statement and he didn't even get to the missing software
Well I don't know who you guys are shopping with- sounds like nobody reputable- because I've never received a piece of flawed OEM hardware or software that wasn't 'as advertised'. I've always had my driver CDs, cables, screws, everything. Buy from reputable vendors and you won't get the shaft.
What I am talking about are items that were manufactured and supplied to people like Compaq and Dell that resemble what you think you are buying but lack significant features because they were made to sell for a cheap price to the hapless dummies that buy such machines. The items were made to the customer's specs because that is what the customer(Dell) wanted. Dell or whoever didn't sell them all through their system so they disposed of them on the oddlots market, Joe Scooterberry bought them and advertised on Price Watch. Along comes U. R. Stuck and gets burned. The manufacturer refuses to support the item and tells you to go to Dell or whoever and Dell asks you where you got it and refuses to help you because you are not their customer. Caveat Emptor. All this doesn't happen often but one time is enough to make you cautious in the future.
OEM = original equipment manufacturer... Idea of OEM is items to be sold not to end user but people who assemble computers. Strictly speaking OEM products are only supposed to be sold as part of a whole computer, logitech often try and enforce this, most manufactueres dont bother, probably because its not worth the hassle and also OEM means an easy way to price discriminate - sell the same product to two "close" markets at different prices.
So whats the actual difference? OEM also often does not come with a full warranty - in some cases you'll only have a 30 day window to return an OEM item, compared to 1 to 3 years for the retail product. This varies widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. A significant difference in warranty is the NORM between retail & OEM versions - this is a significant factor in why OEM versions are often so much cheaper.
Second important difference is the actual product maybe be subtly - but significantly - different, an example already given is videocards with slower memory/gpu clocked speeds, or the same clock speeds but lower rating so it doesnt overclock aswell. Also accessories may not be given, such as maybe the retail version of a example HDD comes with the IDE cable, and the OEM might come as the drive only. Manuals are usually on CD for OEM, but in paper for retail - although even retail versions often seem to have manuals only on cd now. Almost always the OEM packaging will be plain cardboard - sometimes even repacked by your retailer as theyve arrived in boxes of 100 etc
With regard to your CDRW, I'd guess the only difference is likely to be the packaging, the picture shows the IDE & sound cable, a printed manual plus CD with Nero express... If youre going to buy a OEM version (i ususally do where possible) it is worth checking the specs are not lesser in something important, often though the only real difference is the warranty, and sometimes not even then.
So whats the actual difference? OEM also often does not come with a full warranty - in some cases you'll only have a 30 day window to return an OEM item, compared to 1 to 3 years for the retail product. This varies widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. A significant difference in warranty is the NORM between retail & OEM versions - this is a significant factor in why OEM versions are often so much cheaper.
Second important difference is the actual product maybe be subtly - but significantly - different, an example already given is videocards with slower memory/gpu clocked speeds, or the same clock speeds but lower rating so it doesnt overclock aswell. Also accessories may not be given, such as maybe the retail version of a example HDD comes with the IDE cable, and the OEM might come as the drive only. Manuals are usually on CD for OEM, but in paper for retail - although even retail versions often seem to have manuals only on cd now. Almost always the OEM packaging will be plain cardboard - sometimes even repacked by your retailer as theyve arrived in boxes of 100 etc
With regard to your CDRW, I'd guess the only difference is likely to be the packaging, the picture shows the IDE & sound cable, a printed manual plus CD with Nero express... If youre going to buy a OEM version (i ususally do where possible) it is worth checking the specs are not lesser in something important, often though the only real difference is the warranty, and sometimes not even then.
Brown box, no games (in case of video card/sound card), drivers only = OEM
Pretty colour box, games, drivers, glossy paper sheet = retail
Pretty colour box, games, drivers, glossy paper sheet = retail
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