Computer problems. · 7:26pm Aug 16th, 2018
Let me preface this: Don't worry, this won't delay me writing.
But on the July 27th I was having some problems that my Microcenter ID'd as a motherboard issue. They took it in since it was under warranty (always buy it people!) and today on the 16th of august they call and tell me they have the new motherboard installed and now the keyboard's all scrambled and they need to order new parts from Acer's outlet in canada (and my store's in Columbus, Ohio) so they have me a choice:
get a refund on store credit and buy a new laptop, or wait even longer for them to repair what's basically a very new laptop.
I'm not really bothered by its absence, it had very little stored directly on it since I have a ton of flash drives. Since it had the best graphics card I used it to play my more graphically taxing games on steam. It had no files, pictures, or anything of importance. ... maybe my starbound save file but that's not an issue. I'm running on my old windows 7 laptop that's getting pretty slow.
I'll be going tomorrow to see if they have a suitable replacement or not. Just kinda sucks since I just got used that system. =/
EDIT: Update: 2 days after posting this I got that new laptop and had to return it. It was a downgrade, but it had something worse: its fan caused a loud whine that aggravated my tinnitus. Full on toothache pain in every tooth in my top jaw. Got a full refund plus the extended warranty and from the previous laptop.
I'm paying one of my tech-savvy friends to build me a PC. I've had enough of these stores. I gave Micro Center 9 years, no more.
Actually, the smart thing to do, if it's feasible for you, is to buy a desktop PC that offers an extended warranty but not get the extended warranty.
Extended warranties are profitable for them to offer because they know that the vast majority of people will never need to claim them. If they offer an extended warranty, that means the failure rate on the product is low. (ie. The vast majority of PCs where extended warranties are offered will outlive the warranty period)
As for a desktop PC, they're very easy to build and repair yourself, cost about half as much as a laptop for equivalent stats, and repairs can double as upgrades since, by the time a part fails, something better will be at the same price point.
4920879
I dunno. I always seem to have bad luck when I buy laptops or systems from the store and need that extended warranty. The laptop I took in was only in my possession 3 months before it had issues (shutting down when handled on battery, audio problems.) My old laptop was in for a weird thing where semi-colons would randomly appear while typing. I don't think I've ever had a system that didn't need some major fix within the first 6 months, and I'm very careful with my PCs and laptops.
As for building my own PC: I can't tell a motherboard from a video card. the best I could do there is hire one of my tech savvy friends to do it... which is what I'll do for my next system.
4920894
Fair enough... though it is pretty simple these days. If you've got a list of parts that a site like Logical Increments recommended as working together without needing a BIOS update first (which would temporarily require an alternative part), it's basically "put on an anti-static wrist strap, plug together the pieces which fit without being forced and then turn it on". I like to call it "LEGO for Adults".
Aside from one case where my brother had a hard drive die on him within the manufacturer's (non-extended) warranty period (which is intended as a cheaper alternative to running way down the curve of diminishing returns in unfeasibly resource-intensive reliability testing before they ship it), nobody in my family has ever had a computer fail within three years of buying it.
(Manufacturer's warranties from brand names that have PR value are worth it because they're calibrated based on "If there's a manufacturing defect, it'll fail within this period. Otherwise, it's almost guaranteed to last for many years.")
4920901
Ended up getting a full refund. Paying my friends to build me a new PC.
I have taken a number of laptops apart...
So I just have to reverse what I did to build one!
This will work out perfectly.
We have a desktop computer my youngest brother built... 15 YEARS AGO!!
The thing runs XP and still works.
Modern PC stuff is mostly garbage. Yeah, it's fast and can process the most HD brony porn imaginable (lol), but they die after a couple years.