I was pleasantly surprised by Microcenter in November of last year. I was looking for a laptop and apparently Microcenter has a house brand called Powerspec. It turns out they are a very user-focused brand that a) has no bloatware preinstalled and b) has high performance and every single port you could possibly want.

When I went, there was a little bit of hovering but overall the staff were nice.

Protip: whenever you shop there, even if no one helped you, choose an employee and let them put their sticker on the merchandise you are buying. They track who helped which customer by a sticker the staff can put on your item. If you like to be left alone to shop, find an employee who left you alone on your way to the registers!

I was in a Microcenter over the holidays, and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of things they stock. And the pricing was unexpectedly, for me at least, the same as or better than NewEgg on the items I checked.

Best of all, they weren't pushy and hostile when I refused to give my phone number, a pleasant change from years back.

I was also pleasantly surprised by MicroCenter recently. There's one in Brooklyn I had no idea about until I was searching online for places to buy a Raspberry Pi and accessories. Walked in there and it was like a (pleasant!) throwback to the computer store of the 90s.

Since radioshack went out of business Microcenter is the only place I can get last minute electronic components if I'm trying to follow some tutorial that calls for something specific. The problem is that its 45 minutes away, and I cant seem to spend less than 3 hours and $300 every time i go there.

I'm on a powerspec right now. I couldn't build this PC with the same parts this cheap and it comes with a windows license and as you stated, no bloatware. They are fantastic little machines.

I was maining a ThinkPad a few years back and wanted to switch to a beefy desktop. I went into Micro Center and, instead of doing my own build which I totally could have done in Micro Center also, bought a PowerSpec PC with a Ryzen for not much more money and considerable time savings, under the rubric that I could always upgrade it later.

I couldn't be happier. Their machines are pretty much white-box builds. Some of the cases are a little ricey but they are fairly easy to take the covers off of and the internals are nice to work with. The motherboard is a bit weak, but like I said, it can be upgraded, and it comes with enough power supply to support all but the most extreme loads. Not a bad starter choice if you want a new gaming or otherwise tweakable PC.

I’ve always enjoyed micro center, other than a few of the employees trying to force their stickers on stuff. Similarly I’ll find someone I like to load up my items.

I’ve found they often have the best prices, even beating online retailers. At least on mobo/cpu combos.

Huh. I’m not sure about PowerSpec but they do have an in-house laptop and tablet brand: “WinBook”. I’ve owned 2 and had challenges with both. Most recently:

- Touchscreen driver wouldn’t shut off when lid closed

- Inadequate cooling leading to overheating

- The worst touchpad I’ve ever had the displeasure to use

I really do love MicroCenter, I built a gaming PC there myself, but I recommend using the known brands when it comes to systems.

> If you like to be left alone to shop, find an employee who left you alone on your way to the registers

What a wonderful sentiment and comment.

Central Computer is still kicking around -for now.

This is all changing. It's not the same. You used to have a bunch of grey market PC parts distributors all over the east bay (uProcessor, add on Cards, RAM, HDD, etc) that used to sell to beige box PC makers (and individuals) but they went the way of the dodo too (ASI is legit distributor now). Also, remember WeirdStuff? Gone too.

It's a mature industry and the biz has gone largely to Amazon and NewEgg with some at BestBuy (regular people) and to large distributors like Ingram for larger players that can't buy direct from MFG or huge players who build their own.

SARS-CoV2 might have hastened their demise, but it was coming none the less.

PS. The sandwiches + a bag of chips/crisps & drink were not bad at all. Maybe it's nostalgia.

As someone who got back to PC building in the last few years, I’m jealous of people with a micro center in their city. Amazon and Newegg are not up to par

I bought most of my PC from the Tustin (CA) Microcenter. I'm always shocked at how they manage to move enough custom-loop water-cooling equipment to stock it on shelves.

However, LA and OC have huge car modding communities, why not PCs as well I guess :)

I was sad to see the Santa Clara (CA) Microcenter go. It's now a Walmart. No more Microcenter in Silicon Valley.

I moved from Atlanta (where there were two Microcenter stores) to the LA/SFV (where there are 0 unless you count Tustin which is too damn far away), so you’ve caught my attention about the car modding community as being a replacement as hobby electronics source. Any suggestions for stores like that here? I have been to All Electronics which is nice, but it’s one rung below what I need on the technology ladder.

"However" was the wrong word to use here.

I didn't mean the custom car shop are replacements for finding computing equipment, it was more a comment on "there are large communities of people who who like modding cars, so maybe the same sentiment exists for computers".

I moved from Birmingham, AL :)

As some one who went to a microcenter exactly once for a GPU that wasn't ridiculously marked up when I was getting in to Ethereum,but would like to start building my own computer, what does Microcenter offer I can't get from New Egg and Amazon?

They sometimes have deals that beat NewEgg and Amazon prices, like CPU motherboard combos, parts on clearance, etc. They also will price match Amazon and NewEgg prices. The staff at my closest Micro Center is knowledgeable, and of course it’s nice going to a physical store. Shopping for monitors was much nicer being able to physically look at it, rather than trying to comb reviews and hope the one you ordered online looks good.

Same-day shopping, returns, being able to look at things, and talk to people count for something too.

I can't count the number of times when I bought a motherboard, and didn't realize my old AT power supply no longer worked with an ATX motherboard, or some other random standard, connector, or form factor changed. You can ask an employee "Will these five parts make a computer?" and get an answer, or even configure one up on their web site.

Plus, sometimes there are defective parts. You buy a part that doesn't work. You plug together motherboard, RAM, CPU, and power supply, hit the power switch, and very little happens, with no real way to debug. I won't say that's easy or seamless with Microcenter, but if you have five parts from Newegg and Amazon, you're basically SOL.

And if you forgot something -- and I've never built a computer where I didn't forget something -- you can pick it up. All the little things are just easier. Building a PC requires a ton of screws, cables, and adapters. I've never had the right set come with parts. Sometimes, the motherboard, case, and peripheral will all come with the same $0.50 part (Yay! I have two extra I don't need), or none will.

With COVID19, I've missed Microcenter; they don't do curbside pickup, and generally have avoided taking any sorts of basic safety measures. It's odd.

My local microcenter (Cambridge, MA) is clearly taking basic safety measures and seems more or less similar to the local grocery store practices.

I haven't been to that location since the coof hit hard last year. At that time, they were open but locked the fuck DOWN. Only 10 people allowed in the store at a time, and they checked your temperature and made you sanitize before shopping. I guess they got a pass to operate as a seller of "essential goods" (Chromebooks for school kids?) but they were NOT messing around with the pandemic.

I think computer and office supplies are just as essential as home repair goods, auto parts, or household goods in the economy. They're not as essential as food or running water, but they're in that very next tier I think.

The last time I went to the Cambridge Microcenter (~1 month ago) they were spraying your hands with sanitizer the moment you walked in. I haven't seen any local grocery store do that.

It's a fantastic store, but it very clearly hasn't had a remodel since it opened.

Trader Joe's also sometimes does the spray-your-hands--there's one in the same parking lot as the Microcenter.

Maybe I went at the wrong time.... I went once, and decided to never come back again. Perhaps things improved.

As someone who has frequently toyed with getting more serious about electronics over the years, I find the ability to browse components in person invaluable.

Unfortunately my Frys has been crumbling for years (nothing says “commitment to excellence” like dozens of buckets around the store capturing rain water), and I finally gave up going.

They offer the option to transact in cash and avoid the panopticon nightmare that is the modern Visa network and banking system.

Ah weirdstuff is gone? I suppose the only businesses left along those lines are the startup graveyard furniture stores

You haven't lived the life of a late 90's bay area nerd if you've never grabbed your copy of Computer Shopper and hit Fry's, Weird Stuff and Central Computer in a single afternoon. With friends. :D

I did that exact routine so many times!

It's not really Silicon Valley anymore without Weird Stuff and Fry's.

Of course, the valley companies aren't really tech companies anymore either. Just adware wrapped in tech, so sad.

There are still quite a few companies in the valley doing actual silicon design. They aren't as flashy.

Early 2000s here but yes it contributed so much to my feeling that it was an engineer/hackers paradise. Now it’s all consolidated so much it feels like it’s just corporate. Hoping I’ll get the chance to find that sort of feeling sometime again in life. I hear shenzen is incredible for that since they still make stuff.

We did Costco hotdogs, with a soda, for lunch before Fry's/Weird Stuff ...

In the late 80s, as a student, we'd make a pilgrimage once in a while from Sacramento to the Bay Area just to visit Weird Stuff and Fry's.

Sac used to have an HSC! Anyone remember that? [edited phrasing]

Truth

Yeah, it closed several years ago. I think HSC is still alive, but changed its name.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/08/sjm-l-weirdstuff-0408...

HSC is gone too, sadly. The last surplus store standing in the Bay Area (I think - at least in the South Bay and Peninsula) is Excess Solutions in San Jose (http://www.excesssolutions.com/)

I think HSC was sold to ES

Yes, you’re correct.

If you’re just looking for electronics parts, Anchor Electronics in Santa Clara is still alive and (hopefully!) well: https://anchor-electronics.com/

Visited Anchor a few months ago, during the pandemic. They seemed to be doing fine, knock on wood. I left with everything I was looking for, and more.

Before that, I think they were mail order only for a while.

I worked across the street from Weird Stuff in Milpitas during the mid 90s. It was an awesome place to kill lunch time.

Central Computers can have decent pricing on items, it can be really convenient. They also were reserving gpus for instore customers for awhile, albeit marked up.

I went into central (on Lawrence) a few weeks looking for a new monitor. I’m the kind of guy who does my research beforehand, and generally go in knowing what I want already. But I asked for help and a recommendation. I told the guy my basic requirements and he basically just looked at all the boxes to see if they had the specs I wanted. He had no experience with the products, and was really no help. I get better advice from reading the reviews on Amazon, sad to say.

> Central Computer is still kicking around -for now.

I used to be a big fun of them. But their markup + must be a bundle, buy 3 more items rule for RTX30x0 cards, really put me off.

GPUs were always the dumbest possible products for brick and mortar. Extremely limited customer base, fast tech iteration cycle, and inflexible margins.

CPUs and RAM used to go up and down weekly at least in the grey market "distributor" segment. Fry's and Central, etc, had enough markup they didn't have to worry too much about that. Also, I think Central and other smaller ones were more JIT for low margin products with unstable pricing (they'd have daily deliveries from their grey market distributors).

But surprisingly, GPUs hold their value these days.

True! It's effectively come full circle. Although a ton of that seems like increased "industrial" (mining, render, etc) use of chips + retail segmentation + supply limits.

The RTX cards are going for 2-3x retail on the secondary market, without bundle restrictions they'd be instantly scalped. It's a temporary situation that benefits both CC and normal customers.

I just went to Central Computer for the first time a couple weeks ago! I got my PSU, AIO, and a smattering of other cables and cable wraps. The Microcenter near where I grew up was just too far away to drive and Fry’s never really had the stuff I want anyway. I hope CC sticks around; even though they feel like a relic of the 90’s and 00’s (much like Fry’s) they have a lot of nice components.

I give all my technology spending to Central Computer since discovering them. Order online, pick up same day. It's great.

Aww ... sad about WeirdStuff

The only time I've ever been into a Fry's (due to not living near one) was around 2010 in the Sacramento CA area. It was so huge that I genuinely got dizzy and had to work hard to focus to see individual items (It's a thing that happens to me when there is a lot of "input" for lack of a better term). I suspect that the cavernous real estate (and its cost) only hastened their demise.

Going to Fry's without a VERY specific shopping list was always dangerous for me.

I could blow 3 hours in a Fry's just browsing and barely notice the time that had passed.

That’s exactly why I used to love Fry’s. Some kids went to malls, I guess. Fry’s was my mall.

I was in Bangkok and at one of the largest electronics stores in Southeast Asia, that place put Fry's to shame. I think I spent an entire day in there.

Cavernous is such an apt description. Fry’s uses giant warehouse sized buildings and even the distance in between racks and aisles is wide.

I also remember the checkout lines having dozens of empty checkout stations that I never saw used. I always assumed they were there for Black Friday or something.

They were from back in the day when Fry’s would hire extra people for the holidays and staff nearly every register.

Also back then stores would fill space with extra registers. I was nostalgic and sad when I saw they had removed half their local registers. They had (bought) one of the earliest web retail stores. They ought to have become New Egg with a mini Best Buy and RadioShack for locals. But that’s hindsight and I couldn’t have done it.

>Cavernous

Apropos, didn't the one in Sunnyvale become an REI?

Sports Basement - they kept the enter key on the door though. To be fair when Fry's left that building, it's because they built a bigger one down the street, the one with the sinc function as a logo. It was a glorious experience in the 90s.

> they kept the enter key on the door though

That's a nice touch/nod!

Thanks for the correction, yeah SportsBasement. I went mostly to the one off Portage.

I distinctly recall that location is where we bought the legend of Zelda back in the 80’s when it first came out. Gonna miss fry’s.

My one memory of the Sacramento Fry's is buying a 5 lb GummiBear to prank a friend. Not 5 lbs of GummiBears, a single 5 lb GummiBear.

Sorry to see the stores close.

Hey, I have the same issue. I get dizzy inside malls too

Thanks for commenting! I appreciate knowing I'm not alone in this. It's very unnerving when it happens. I pride myself in being spatially oriented, and when I get into huge spaces with lots of distractions, my brain does weird things.

Happens to me at Comic con, but not concerts before the band goes on. Not sure what triggers it. I’ve been to busy cities with lots of neon too.

I think they owned their real estate (although there were probably taxes)

I hope microcenter doesn't go the same route as fry's. they need to keep the knowledgeable staff, I think they need to up their game in staff to be honest. also they need to update their fing stock more often and more accurately. also as much as it pains me to have to travel 40 mins to get to one, a limited number of locations is key, it helps reduce costs down.

> I’m not surprised, but this makes me feel incredibly sad. I built my first PC using parts from there. I’m going to miss it.

Same, the last one I stepped foot in was in 2018 at the one near the Tesla factory in Fremont after my interview, and it looked absolutely dead. I thought with so many tech nerds in that town you'd be bound to see a bunch guys getting together after work and just buying up carts of stuff of the shelves and working on a side project.

But, nope... it was like 20 people max and it was actually really sad to me as years before I went to the ones in Orange County and we had lines out the door on certain days.

Well, COVID claims another retailer and thus the brick and mortar get another nail in it's coffin.

Fry's has been a dead company walking for a while. They went to their consignment model in 2019 before the holiday shopping season. I remember summer of 2019 there were fire sale prices all over the store. By late 2019 and into 2020 their shelves were empty or "stocked" with filler items. Even without COVID there hasn't been a reason to step into one of their stores for over a year.

I really liked Fry's years ago. It was depressing to see inventory go down so quickly last couple years. I would like a local Microcenter. Their prices are decent and they have good motherboard/cpu combos.

Semi-off topic but Microcenter needs to fix their online presence.

I have five Microcenters within an hour of me, the closest is practically walking distance, yet I was so turned off by the few times I've tried to use their online services I essentially boycotted them.

The first time was using their site for pickup during the pandemic... then not being told until I reached the store that this wasn't curbside/contactless pickup like every other electronics store in the state was doing: you were simply having them being your item to the front, and you would then have to wait upwards of an hour to get into the store and check out manually. (Kind of defeats the 5 minutes you save over picking it up yourself and any possible safety benefit for you and their employees)

-

The second time was trying to built my new gaming PC a few months back. I specifically wanted to buy from Microcenter to support a brick and mortar store...

I added thousands of dollars of parts to my cart, went to checkout and it wouldn't let me. It declined my card despite no fraud alerts, confirmed billing address, etc.

After two tries it cleared my entire cart.

Go through my history, re-add everything, and it fails to checkout again and again until my cart is cleared again and I give up and go to Newegg.

When I brought it up people said this was common, and the fix was to use another card because sometimes it randomly wouldn't accept certain types (!)

-

I get Microcenter is "physically-oriented" but I don't get how long they can stay relevant with their abysmal online presence.

You shouldn't be losing sales because of a crusty checkout flow in 2021...

might be a legitimate complaint but I think it’s off topic in this thread.

What mystified me was how they thought the consignment shift would pan out, and didn't immediately reverse course when it didn't: Fry's was always heavily trafficked with people purchasing there every time I was there prior to the consignment shift.

The consignment model was because they didn't have any money to pay suppliers for merchandise. So it was something of a choice between having nearly empty shelves and completely empty shelves.

"I’m not surprised, but this makes me feel incredibly sad. I built my first PC using parts from there. I’m going to miss it."

Yeah, same here. I'm not sure if the first PC I built was from Fry's parts but the second+ definitely were. I used to love going there in the late 90s-early 2000s – they put a lot of effort into demo areas/displays back then and the selection was unbeatable, especially for components and things that Best Buy wouldn't (and doesn't) even bother with. I get that paying retail rents to stock $2 patch cables doesn't work these days but I will miss it.