Best Place To Buy A Computer
Circuit City
READERS' PICK: Okay, so it's an impersonal national chain. And you might make arguments about mail order and local independents. Sure, sure, sure. But when you want to try out a bunch of computers, see, hear and smell all of the bells and whistles, feel the keys under your fingertips, head to Circuit City. They've got a huge line with decent prices--not all state-of-the-art, mind you, but certainly they can show you what's widely available and being used mostly by the masses in cyberspace. Also, if you need a new computer, printer, CD-ROM drive or other cybergadget quickly, they keep a deep supply of many machines, usually stocking the latest brand-name desktops and notebooks. According to the commercials, you can't go wrong buying anything at Circuit City, with their automatic warranties, guaranteed lowest prices and self-avowed knowledgeable and friendly service. Soon after we bought a computer there, we saw a price drop in the paper. We took in our receipt, got a credit for the difference, and were able to upgrade our printer in the process. For pure convenience, they're hard to beat.
4439 N. Oracle Road
5530 E. BroadwayREADERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: If you know what you're looking for in a machine, Price Club will appeal to your consumer savvy. Prices here are typically $100 to $500 lower than those of the average retail store. But unlike a retail store, specific merchandise varies monthly, with a limited selection of the latest machines on the market. While this may cause some frustration in choosing a computer that may no longer be in stock when you're ready to buy it, take comfort in the fact the sales staff does not work on commission nor does the warehouse have any incentive to push any particular brand. Also, it often results in screaming deals on "clearance" stock: like a Compaq Arrow 486SX notebook for $949. Brands typically carried include AST and Packard Bell (IBM clones), Toshiba and a token genuine Macintosh and IBM. Price Club lives up to some expectation for individualized service, with an informal commitment to technical assistance for members, a direct phone line for hardware and software support services and a "100-percent satisfaction guarantee," which means you can return any merchandise deemed unsatisfactory. They'll even take back software that has been opened. And while you're there, you can pick up that 16-roll bale of toilet paper you've been meaning to buy. Price Club has two locations, at 6255 E. Grant Road and 3901 W. Price Club Drive.
