Comp USA idiots, part 897:

[bryanlove]

Comp USA advertised a Mad Dog 350W power supply for free after rebate,
so I decided to check it out. Unfortunately neither the MD website nor
the product box listed anything about its amp ratings, and Comp USA
didn't have any I could look at without paying a 15% restocking fee to
open the box.

So I took the power supply over to an employee and asked about the amp
ratings, but he didn't know. He called his manager, who also didn't
know.

The manager called the head of the tech department, who not only didn't
know, but because he didn't know he didn't know, he confidently fed me
this line of bull:

a) Computers draw volts, not amps.
b) Amps don't matter.
c) Is this a desktop or a laptop? (power supply right in front of him)
d) The Mad Dog 350W can power anything.
e) But my lead technician would never buy one.

No wonder it's always eerily quiet at Comp USA.

 

[Bob Ward]

Comp USA advertised a Mad Dog 350W power supply for free after rebate,
so I decided to check it out. Unfortunately neither the MD website nor
the product box listed anything about its amp ratings, and Comp USA
didn't have any I could look at without paying a 15% restocking fee to
open the box.

So I took the power supply over to an employee and asked about the amp
ratings, but he didn't know. He called his manager, who also didn't
know.

The manager called the head of the tech department, who not only didn't
know, but because he didn't know he didn't know, he confidently fed me
this line of bull:

a) Computers draw volts, not amps.
b) Amps don't matter.
c) Is this a desktop or a laptop? (power supply right in front of him)
d) The Mad Dog 350W can power anything.
e) But my lead technician would never buy one.

No wonder it's always eerily quiet at Comp USA.

I guess the web master at Mad Dog is really on the ball - I pulled up
their website, and found the amperage rating with the first try.

"lead technician"? As if there would be any followers.

 

[bryanlove]

I guess the web master at Mad Dog is really on the ball - I pulled up
their website, and found the amperage rating with the first try.

Where did you see it? I clicked on both Specifications radio button
and the picture of the power supply, but both led me here:

http://www.mdmm.com/products/techietoyz/power-SurePower_350.asp

No amp ratings except for the 120VAC amps.

 

[John Doe]

I wouldn't expect much from CompUSA or any other discount technology
store. I wouldn't expect decent prices either. Nowadays, the only
place to shop for high tech stuff is online. Sometimes when I am
window shopping, just for a laugh, I go to CompUSA, Best Buy,
Circuit City, Office Depot, OfficeMax, or any other such store to
look at their price. Of course there are exceptions, but in my
longtime, intensive online shopping experiences, the possibility
that such a store will have a comparable price is getting more rare
everyday. One excellent, subject related reason to shop online for
high tech parts is the abundance of technical information you can
find all over the Internet. And then there are all of the comments
and reviews. There's just no reason to shop at a local store
anymore, in my opinion. I don't waste the time anymore.

 

[John Doe]

PS
Besides, I avoid rebates like the plague.

 

[Ruel Smith]

Nowadays, the only
place to shop for high tech stuff is online.

That's getting less and less of a great deal. Many parts are getting to be
just as expensive as the store bought stuff, and sometimes it's cheaper to
go to Best Buy or something. I see GeForce 6800 GT and Ultra cards all the
time much cheaper at Best Buy and CompUSA than NewEgg and ZipZoomFly want
for them.

 

[John A. Weeks III]

Comp USA advertised a Mad Dog 350W power supply for free after rebate,
so I decided to check it out. Unfortunately neither the MD website nor
the product box listed anything about its amp ratings, and Comp USA
didn't have any I could look at without paying a 15% restocking fee to
open the box.

So I took the power supply over to an employee and asked about the amp
ratings, but he didn't know. He called his manager, who also didn't
know.

This is just as much your fault as it is Comp USA. If you need
to meet some specific specifications, then buy a name brand unit
where you can look up the spec sheet on the Internet and call
for tech support. If you buy an off-brand unit, you should
expect off-brand treatment.

In addition, if you ask a technical question, you should at
least have a clue of what you are asking. In this case, there
is a thing called "ohms law" that relates power and current.
You can compute how many amps a 350 watt power supply will
both draw and deliver without even breaking out a calculator.

If you expect these former shoe sales people and burger
flippers to know anything technical, you are setting yourself
up for a big let-down.

-john-

 

[Bob Troll]

Thank heaven for "ohms" law then indeed. Pray tell what would the +5v amp
rating be on that PSU for us techniacl illiterates? Show us also how you
determine what amp rating is on the +12v line while you're at it John. I'll
even throw in a clue for you. The PSU claims to be 70% efficient.

When answering a technical question, it also helps if YOU have a clue as to
what you are spewing.

Bob Troll

 

[bryanlove]

rebate,


This is just as much your fault as it is Comp USA. If you need
to meet some specific specifications, then buy a name brand unit
where you can look up the spec sheet on the Internet and call
for tech support. If you buy an off-brand unit, you should
expect off-brand treatment.

I don't see how Comp USA's ignorance and laziness should be my fault,
and an off-brand is not necessarily an inferior product, an example
being my Mad Dog DVD burner that turned out to be Japanese, an NEC
model ND-2500A. I simply wanted a power supply that could put out
enough amps on its +12V output, but with 350W power supplies this
rating can range anywhere from about 14A to 25A.

In addition, if you ask a technical question, you should at
least have a clue of what you are asking. In this case, there
is a thing called "ohms law" that relates power and current.
You can compute how many amps a 350 watt power supply will
both draw and deliver without even breaking out a calculator.

You don't seem to understand ohms law. From the clues given by Mad Dog
- 350W, 8A max current, +5V, +12V, +3.3V outputs, 100-120VAC or
200-240AC input, no one can calculate the maximum possible current for
each of voltage output, other than to make the useless conclusion that
the +5V is limited to 70A, the +3.3V to about 100A, and the +12V to
about 30A.

If you expect these former shoe sales people and burger
flippers to know anything technical, you are setting yourself
up for a big let-down.

They'd have to be smarter for those jobs.

 

[John Doe]

That's getting less and less of a great deal. Many parts are
getting to be just as expensive as the store bought stuff, and
sometimes it's cheaper to go to Best Buy or something. I see
GeForce 6800 GT and Ultra cards all the time much cheaper at Best
Buy and CompUSA than NewEgg and ZipZoomFly want for them.

Using your hand-picked example.
GeForce 6800 GT:
http://www.compusa.com/
$400
http://www.newegg.com/
$390
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/
$380
GeForce 6800 Ultra:
http://www.compusa.com/
$500
http://www.newegg.com/
$490

Don't forget, you said "I see GeForce 6800 GT and Ultra cards all
the time much cheaper at Best Buy and CompUSA".

All the reader has to do is go to the local stores (or their online
equivalents) and compare the prices with online-only stores.

In fact, the price difference is getting greater. And you can find
technical information on the Internet. And you can find opinions and
reviews on the Internet. And you can compare prices on the Internet.

There's no comparison anymore.

 

[The Real Bev]

It's printed on the box.

....including the Queen Mary, but you need a really long waterproof
extension cord.

I guess the web master at Mad Dog is really on the ball - I pulled up
their website, and found the amperage rating with the first try.

Hell, I just found it on the box at first try. May we assume that Bryan
does not realize that there is a relationship between amps and watts
even if the amp-rating isn't given, which it is?

"lead technician"? As if there would be any followers.

Yeah, like the salesdroid could HAVE a lead technician.

BTW, you have to register the thing at the website before you send in
the rebate forms, both of which (mercifully) are sent to the same
address.

 

[Mikko Peltoniemi]

look at their price. Of course there are exceptions, but in my
longtime, intensive online shopping experiences, the possibility
that such a store will have a comparable price is getting more rare

I pretty much feel the same way. Though taxes and shipping charges
make the comparison very difficult. And obviously, you have to compare
the final price tag.

And because of the varying shipping charges comparing prices online
can be real big pain in the ass. That's why I've even started avoiding
online stores that charge an arm and a leg for shipping. I prefer
that the shipping charges are just that, not a way to offset the
cheap prices.

 

[The Real Bev]

Where did you see it? I clicked on both Specifications radio button
and the picture of the power supply, but both led me here:

http://www.mdmm.com/products/techietoyz/power-SurePower_350.asp

No amp ratings except for the 120VAC amps.

What about "Input current 8 amps" and "Peak power 400 watts" and
"Nominal power 350 watts"? I couldn't see any of that info with NS
4.79, but Mozilla 1.8 had no problem at all.

Shit, as long as I'm there I might as well register...

 

[Matt]

Hey Bryan, a couple of guys on this thread would fit right in at that
store ...

I was thinking of getting that supply too, but I couldn't find
meaningful specs either, and rebates from that manufacturer have been
troublesome in the past.

 

[Matt]

It's printed on the box.

You can read the side of a box, but how can I gently get you to say that
you don't know the practical meaning of those specs or whether they have
any practical meaning?

 

[John Doe]

... I've even started avoiding online stores that charge an arm and
a leg for shipping. I prefer that the shipping charges are just
that, not a way to offset the cheap prices.

I have too. I made an exception recently for a great price and $15
second day air shipping. I think the better quality stores tend to
charge a reasonable amount and state the charge upfront.

Buy.com seems to have started hiding their shipping charges, so all
I look for there are free shipping items.

One gimmick which is somewhat annoying is when companies like
Sony/Garmin/others apparently tell retailers to conceal the price
until the item is placed in a basket. Anybody know what's up with
that? Do they think that adding an item to the basket means we are
more likely to buy it? It makes comparing prices a few clicks more
difficult?

 

[Jon Danniken]

"The Real Bev"

BTW, you have to register the thing at the website before you send in
the rebate forms, both of which (mercifully) are sent to the same
address.

Concerning rebates, I had a MadDog rebate (through OfficeMax) that was
supposed to show up in "6 to 8 weeks", but ended up taking 6 months. Don't
know if it was OfficeMax or MD that caused the delay.

Jon

 

[The Real Bev]

You can read the side of a box, but how can I gently get you to say that
you don't know the practical meaning of those specs or whether they have
any practical meaning?

I know that VA=W. He wants to know amps? It gives amps. If he wants
to know more he should spell it out so that somebody who knows what he's
talking about CAN help.

 

[Dave C.]

One gimmick which is somewhat annoying is when companies like

Sony/Garmin/others apparently tell retailers to conceal the price
until the item is placed in a basket. Anybody know what's up with
that? Do they think that adding an item to the basket means we are
more likely to buy it? It makes comparing prices a few clicks more
difficult?

Some manufacturers will not allow retailers to ADVERTISE prices on their
widgets below a certain number, but they can not stop the retailer from
actually selling the same item for any price the retailer chooses. That's
why you don't see the price until you add it to your shopping cart. You
obviously aren't going to PAY for it until you know how much it is. If
it wasn't for that minor detail, the manufacturers probably wouldn't allow
you to see the price in the shopping cart, either! It's not just online
prices, either. If you read many sale catalogs (hardcopy, that is), you
will see many items marked (call for price) or wording to that effect. It's
a subtle form of price fixing, IMHO. That is, if you see a monitor (for
example) advertised for $350 everywhere, why would you pay $500 for it? And
if you won't pay $500 for it, there's no way that manufacturers would be
able to sell it to retailers for 1/3rd that price. (!) Thus, lower
advertised retail prices equal lower wholesale prices and lower profits for
the manufacturer. Or in other words, price fixing. IMHO -Dave

 

[o-chan]

That's getting less and less of a great deal. Many parts are getting to be

just as expensive as the store bought stuff, and sometimes it's cheaper to
go to Best Buy or something. I see GeForce 6800 GT and Ultra cards all the
time much cheaper at Best Buy and CompUSA than NewEgg and ZipZoomFly want
for them.

That's not true in any of the CompUSAs or Best Buys I've been to. In
fact for some reason, Bet Buy, Staples, CompUSA, and Circuit City all
have the EXACT same cards for sale, usually only 2 different Vertigo
nvidia cards, ATI 9600 and 9800 (+ the AIW models), and maybe 2 or 3 PCI
cards. And they have always 100% of the time been at least $20 more
than online, and sometimes DOUBLE the price.

I don't know why the selection is so bad, maybe they can only afford to
stock a few different cards. Then there's always the "yes but you can
get better advice at Store X" argument, which would be nice if true, but
we all know the advice is skewed toward getting you to buy more than you
need.

Best Buy even tried to get me to buy a $10 replacement plan for a $20
mouse. It's one of the few times I've laughed out loud in line in a store.