Poll: about to go to a show tomorrow or should I buy from PriceWatch

[digme]

i am about to go to a comp show tomorrow...
i been out of the vibe about comps since i left school tomorrow
would appreciate it if somebody could suggest top of the line, medium range, and ok (motherboards....only for PIII and PIV processors, hate T-BIRD no offense) and the other stuff such as RAM compatibility....or point me to a good site where I can find info...

Not wanting to spend more than 700 on a sys.... please help....oh by the way, how reliable are systems from PRICEWATCH?

 

[Madcowz]

first of all, you won't be able to get a PIV b/c they aren't out yet, and 2ndly I say just go ahead and go to that show. Although you might save more on pricewatch, the amount is minimal after shipping prices are calculated, and it is much more convienent to purchase from shows since you get the items "on the spot." Also I like seeing and touching what I buy. Here is my advice: go to the show and buy the heavy stuff like case, monitor, speakers... and also the floppy drive and maybe DVD/CD ROM. Usually you can get the hard drive, memory, video card and the rest of the stuff really cheap online. The processor is mixed; if you can get a good deal at the show go for it, if not scour for one online

 

[digme]

how reliable is stuff online from pricewatch? cause i seen some handy dandy prices?

 

[Dan]

Do your homework on PriceWatch tonight. Make a list of the items you want and the best prices you find. (Add in shipping costs so you can compare "apples to apples.) Then head for the show in morning. Be sure and stop at an ATM on the way and pull out enough cash to cover the dollar amount on your list. (Most vendors at shows tack on a 3% surcharge if you use a credit card.)

Make the rounds of all the booths at the show which carry the items on your list and note who has the best price, i.e., that's lower than what you found on PriceWatch. To the extent you do find components at a better price, backtrack and make your purchases.

I used that method at a show here in SoCal last weekend and wound up getting everything on my list. Among other things I bought a Duron 600MHz CPU, Abit KT7 mobo, MasterCooler heatsink/fan, a PC-133 DIMM, etc. Bottom line I saved nearly $30 buying at the show instead of over PriceWatch. (And I'm including sales tax in the equation just to keep things fair.)

Don't get me wrong, I regularly order from sites featured on PriceWatch. When a show is in town though it definitely pays to check it out.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

But how easy is it to return stuff bought at shows? Unless they are retail box parts, then you're OK.

 

[Mikewarrior2]

returns to show people vary from vendor to vendor. Some charge you 10% restock fee, but some don't.


Mike

 

[andylawcc]

ha, been through this situtation before...


first, make a list of what you want.
2) priceCHECK from pricewatch..
3) compare them in the show and buy which one is cheaper,
however you may also find something interesting that you haven't thought about (which means you didn't "pricewatch" it), in that case, use your own judgment.

 

[ColdTech]

More than likely if you have to return sompthing at a show they probable have a web sight than you would be going through just like if you bought it off of pricewatch... Atleast thats how it was for me, since none of the vendors were local...

 

[HigherGround]

I think there's an entry fee of 6$, so once you go, you'll feel like buying anything to compensate for the $6 loss,in that case check out the book stand...sometimes they have some really nice deals on brand new computer books.