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Comment by mc32 | Hacker News Reader

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.

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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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 :)

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

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.

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.

Truth

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]

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 ...

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

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