shipping computers

dud2k

Senior member
May 14, 2000
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does anyone have an estimated cost of shipping an entire computer (case, monitor, everything), from california to michigan and how safe is it to ship computers?
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
I shipped a PC to my girlfriend, sans monitor (had that shipped directly to her) by FedEX residential ground for around $60. There were two large boxes, one with the case in it's original box + 6" of packing on all dimensions (yes, it was a big box when I was done), the other slightly smaller with the keyboard, mouse, speakers, software, accessories, etc. I shipped them on Monday, she got them on Friday. I live in Oregon, she lives in Pennsylvania.

Everything arrived perfectly. The biggest problem was getting the packages to their hub, as they don't pick-up for this service. I had my grandparents take them in their truck.

Viper GTS
 

Lord Evermore

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Shippers will require that you have a certain amount of packing around the box. I shipped my computer back to the shop several years ago, and the UPS guy actually opened it to make sure it had enough packing. They required 2 inches on all sides, and it couldn't just be open space, it had to be filled (this despite it was a 60 pound solid steel server case that they'd have trouble hurting if they drove over it).

A monitor by itself can cost as much to ship as everything else together.

Shipping them is as safe as shipping anything else. Anything COULD happen in transit, but generally nothing does. Once it gets to the destination, if possible you'd want the person to check all the internal connections like cables and plugs and make sure the cards haven't slipped out (unusual but not unknown).

I'd be concerned about the heatsink these days too. I'd be worried about putting something like an SK6 with a huge delta fan on with the clips that only connect on two tabs, and then having that heavy thing knocked around by UPS. I'd be concerned about it being broken off.
 

Dreadogg

Golden Member
Mar 1, 2001
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the only two things I would worry about is the hard drive and monitor I would ship the hard drive by its self! The monitor just pack really well!

<< be concerned about the heatsink these days too. I'd be worried about putting something like an SK6 with a huge delta fan on with the clips that only connect on two tabs, and then having that heavy thing knocked around by UPS. I'd be concerned about it being broken off. >>

yes this too!