Feel the A-Power
Okay, I don’t want to do an advertisement here (well, until I get legions of fans and start with Google AdWords or something), but I DO want to point out a fantastic local business here in the lower mainland named A-Power Computer Systems if for no other reason that they get more volume and lower prices more.
I build my own computers. Buy the parts, put it together myself. Have for years, put them together for clients and family, have probably put close to one hundred or so by now. And I’ve used various local companies for components, most notably one that rhymes with “entlink” (google it if you want it).
Anyone local who has used “entlink” before knows that service really is an afterthought. Going to one of their retail outlets is a maddening experience of waiting, and then getting a sales guy who is far more interested in answer the phone than helping you. And ANYTHING you buy, if theres a problem with it, god help you. Seriously, IF you get someone to help you, you will be told one of
- Theres no warranty
- RMA it to the manufacturer
- I have to answer a phone call even though you went through the trouble of actually coming down here.
Their prices are cheap, so they do a brisk business. Anecdotally, a friend of mine had bought some RAM DIMMS from them. Took them home, did testing on two seperate known-working machines and found the DIMMS to be faulty. He then, within a half-hour of purchasing them, took them and his receipt back to “entlink” to simply swap them out. Needless to say, it ended with him grabbing a phone from a salesmans head, and throwing it through a giant glass window to get some attention.
While driving down Hastings street, I happened upon A-Power Computers. Their prices are nearly identical (some a dollar higher, some lower), but they have fantastic service. A person will talk to you, help you out.
AND! I bought a power supply for $19.97 back in August, from A-Power, when my previous one literally blew up (capacitors shooting sparks from the motherboard, plumes of blue smoke , some flames. 4th of July right in my case). This week, thanks to mother nature, this cheap-assed power supply, that I bought from A-Power, also became toast.
For $20 (and previous experience with “entlink”) I wrote it off, and went back to A-Power buy another one. I explain to the sales guy that I bought their uber-cheap power supply, and it died, so did they have a slightly better one. Salesman then, with a sale IN THE CAN, like I am literally about to give him money, he says “oh, they have a year warranty”
Stunned silence. Drinking in the severity of this comment. Perhaps I had inadvertantly driven through a black hole on my way to A-Power.
“Just bring it in with the receipt and we’ll replace it”
Silence.
“Sir?”
Anyway, I ran home, grabbed the PS and the receipt and came back. A quick 3-minute test from their tech, and off he went. He then….and this is no word of a lie…..got me a brand new power supply….and then….gave it to me…..and then….gave me the receipt back….and then……wished me a good day. Brand new power supply in hand did I leave A-Power, happy as a clam.
A YEAR long warranty on the cheapest power supply they stock. No RMA’s, no call the manufacturer, nothing. Yes, A-Power is now my go-to computer store, and I highly recommend you go to see them if you live anywhere in the lower mainland. If you are not sure how to find them, they have this website you can go to at http://www.a-power.com if you need something.
And for entlink? Duck shoe you glass-mole whoosh flags.