Buying gfx cards in circuit city/best buy type stores

[Druid]

A kid I know went to one of these places to get a new video card because his old one broke, and he got the cheapest thing they had ($70). He doesn't know which card he bought, but he said he can tell it isn't as good as his last one which he got 4-5 years ago when his comp was built. Now, I'm just curious as to whether this is a compatibility issue or whether they rip you off that bad when you get a card in a place like that.

 

[Fat.Clown]

rip off.... your friend probably paid 3 times over what Newegg charges

 

[Spit-wad]

I wouldn't call it "ripping you off"... they're more expensive in stores, just like everything.

A VisionTek HD 4850 goes for $200 at CC... probably similar to
Newegg.com - VisionTek 900241 Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

$15? Most are probably bigger differences than that, though.

 

[ricanflow]

They do rip you off.

They still have old cards like radeon 9600's for $80. Now sometimes they do have good deals, like when the 4xxx series cards first launched at one time best buy had them cheaper than newegg.

And how can your friend not know what card he bought?? It says it on the box lmao.

 

[Peter.Cort]

at ccity where i work the 9600gt is 200 and the 8800gt's were 290... its just they go for the market price when they get them and just don't adjust it.. 4850's were 200 though which makes sense and were actually on sale one time for like 160 or 150

 

[Druid]

They do rip you off.

They still have old cards like radeon 9600's for $80. Now sometimes they do have good deals, like when the 4xxx series cards first launched at one time best buy had them cheaper than newegg.

And how can your friend not know what card he bought?? It says it on the box lmao.

Cause he doesn't know what he is doing

 

[Nagasama]

it will also say on the card if he doesnt have the box any more. for 70 bucks i can assure you he didnt get a moster card lol.

 

[patonb]

****, the 8600gts i got from ncix for 29.99 after 40mir, is still going for 140.00 So I wouldn't say a brick n morter store rips you off.

 

[Ethereal_Dragon]

Moral of the story is you have to be an educated consumer when you are buying computer components.... AVOID buying on a whim, and do some research to same some money. I actually got burned by this on Thursday when I bought my Q9550.... I saved $60 off the New Egg price at Micro Center for just the CPU.... Had I gone to Fry's, I would have saved ANOTHER $70, AND gotten a free mobo (which I could have put my E6750 into).... on well...

 

[Nagasama]

^^oh dang that smarts.