Computer Shopping...

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
09/14/2013 at 20:18 • Filed to: CUSTOMER SEVIS, COMPUTER

I asked you folks awhile back about some laptop options for the wife and you gave me some great advice. After weeks of more research (she is a librarian, so she researches everything to death) she decides that she wants to go to Best Buy and play around a bit with the Macs and PCs. She does more research while she is there, on their computers (which I find quite funny) and decides that her top picks are not available. Meanwhile she is asking the "PC/Mac specialists" at Best Buy all kinds of questions about specs, comparisons, options etc... These kids were totally outclassed and it was hilarious. And we left.

Now off to the next electronics store to see what they have in inventory. Can I tell you the salespeople at H.H .Gregg made the doofusses at Best Buy look like MENSA members. The one dude went full retard...you should never go full retard with my wife. We get in the store and go right for the laptops. Dude walks up, "You guys looking for a computer?"

Wife- "Yeah"

Dude- "Well we got lots of them here"

Wife- "O.k. I see that, I want something with at least 8GB of RAM and the newest INTEL processor. Do you have that?"

Dude- "We got this HP that is pretty nice."

Wife- "I don't want an HP they are not as good as the other brands for the performance I am looking for.

Dude- "What do you mean you don't like HP? I really like them. I own one. What about this DELL?"

Wife - "DELLs are even worse than HP? Tell me about this VIAO here..."

Dude- "Uhhh it's made by SONY...uhhh it's got Windows 8 and a cool back-lit keyboard."

Wife- "Can I demo it? To see what it is all about."

Dude- "Uhhh I can't log in they don't give us the password. I have to go get the manager."

Wife- "Never-mind...we are leaving."

DISCUSSION (32)

Victorious Secret > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:24

Even our local Best Buy password locks them.

I don't get it.

Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:25

I always buy Toshiba, they have never failed me.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:25

You can't expect them to know everything? Can you? It isn't like the are professionals or anything, they are just 20 some year olds looking to make some money for school.

deadpedal > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:26

I treat most of the bricks and mortar places as somewhere I look at stuff before I buy elsewhere. Largely useless. It's almost shocking when you get someone a)to help and b)is competent.

I mostly came here to commend you on sleeping with a bookworm.

zadtheinhaler > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:26

Ye gods. At least some of the guys at the local BB aren't complete twatwaffles. There is a local indy place here that prides itself on hiring knowledgeable people, though, and I far prefer going there..

It's the only place in town where they don't get glassy-eyed when you ask if [insert accessory] is compatible with Linux.

Have you found any place with reasonably competent sales-weenies who don't drool onto their shirts?

YSI-what can brown do for you > Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken
09/14/2013 at 20:27

Yup, mine is nearly 2 years old and everything works just fine.

Tom McParland > Gimmi-Sagan-Om-Draken
09/14/2013 at 20:28

The new Toshiba Satellite is high on the list.

Tom McParland > YSI-what can brown do for you
09/14/2013 at 20:29

No I don't expect them to know everything...but something would be nice.

Tom McParland > deadpedal
09/14/2013 at 20:30

You have no idea how many books we have in our house. My undergrad was Litt with a minor in Phil. Hers was a double major Spanish and Phil. My grad-school was Education hers was Library Science. We could open our own damn library if we wanted. :)

Tom McParland > Victorious Secret
09/14/2013 at 20:31

At least Best Buy let us play around a bit.

Tom McParland > zadtheinhaler
09/14/2013 at 20:32

The answer to your last question is no.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:33

Yeah I guess, but as a working 20 year old, I sympathize with them.

zadtheinhaler > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:33

Ever thought of ordering in? I have friends who swear by the likes of NCIX and the like...

crown victor victoria > Victorious Secret
09/14/2013 at 20:40

"And here you can see what it looks like when it's powered on. Check the trackpad out, look at that sensitivity! Just phenomenal!"

Tom McParland > YSI-what can brown do for you
09/14/2013 at 20:46

The kids at Best Buy weren't too bad. The dude at HH Gregg was in his 40s, I felt bad for him.

deadpedal > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 20:49

I know that life. My grandfather was a lifelong newspaper guy, my mom is a hyper-literate, book a day, kind of lady, and I went to a super booky school undergrad. It's ridiculous.

We moved when I was a kid and the movers said it was the heaviest load they had ever rolled across the scales.

Books make good shelves and firewood in a pinch. I'm just glad I'm not at all a hoarder, cause these books are enough.

zadtheinhaler > crown victor victoria
09/14/2013 at 20:57

"I'm sorry sir, the BIOS is locked for security purposes."

rageface.jpg

YSI-what can brown do for you > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 21:00

I know that feels. At my job, most employees are about 20 or 30 years older than me.

Tom McParland > YSI-what can brown do for you
09/14/2013 at 21:03

If you don't mind me asking where do you work?

YSI-what can brown do for you > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 21:06

In the summer I work at Walgreens. When I am off to college. . . I don't work, but I plan to!

Tom McParland > YSI-what can brown do for you
09/14/2013 at 21:10

I am only asking this because you have a good sense of humor with your scree name...are you planning on being a Pharmacist? I have a good friend who is Indian, is a pharmacist and works at Wall greens. I also have several students who ate Indian and work at pharmacies because their parents want them to be pharmacists.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 21:15

I was so close to going into pharmacy. My parents really wanted me to become a pharmacist. Instead I decided to be a bad boy and choose my new major of, hold your breath for this one, mechanical engineering.

I however am a cashier at Walgreens. So yes, I do say "Thank you, come again" but not often.

Tom McParland > YSI-what can brown do for you
09/14/2013 at 21:19

Well mechanical engineering is waaaay cooler than pharmacy...best of luck in your schooling. :)

Ravey Mayvey Slurpee Surprise > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 21:36

I never go to big box stores for information on computers anyways. I usually don't go buy from them either, but I bought my laptop there, only because it was (for some reason) cheaper at Best Buy than it was on Newegg or Canada Computers.

Justino6969 > Tom McParland
09/14/2013 at 21:58

I went to Best Buy and when the guy asked me for any help I asked him if they had any with the new Haswell processors. "..I don't know what that means..". The newest 4th gen processors. "..I don't know what that means..". I then went and bought my laptop online. What kind of laptop is she looking for, and what price range? I just bought a Lenovo y410p for $900 (It's still $450 off), and it's an amazing little machine. 4th gen quad core i7, 8Gb RAM, and the Nvidia GT750M card in it (which you can buy another to put in it's 'ultrabay' slot to run in SLI mode) has tackled everything I've thrown at it flawlessly so far.

andthelike > Justino6969
09/14/2013 at 22:54

I have the same laptop! got it for the same discount as well. I haven't figured out how to open the ultrabay though. do you know how?

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > Tom McParland
09/15/2013 at 04:34

Don't you have in 'Murica shops that are dedicated to only PCs/some other tech? Where they know their shit and can really help you.

KnowsAboutCars > Tom McParland
09/15/2013 at 05:20

Semi related: Am I the only one here who's annoyed when those guys come to you asking what are you looking for, making suggestions etc. I just want to look around by myself and I will ask if I have something to ask.

Justino6969 > andthelike
09/15/2013 at 12:34

Yeah I had a hard time figuring it out too. On the bottom of the laptop there are three switches: 1 and 2 for battery lock, and 3 is for the ultrabay. However, there is one more toggle switch underneath the battery. So once you unlock that one under the battery, just push the switch in the middle of the bottom of the laptop (number 3) and slide the ultrabay out.

zachaput > Tom McParland
09/15/2013 at 12:48

andthelike > Justino6969
09/15/2013 at 14:27

thanks for your help. here are some alfas in return.

Kinja'd!!!

Justino6969 > andthelike
09/15/2013 at 14:30

Much appreciated. I do like me some Alfas.