Newegg "open box" desktop computer purchased

LampShade · 2012-08-14, 06:24 PM

My current gaming rig is about seven years old so I decided to purchase a new one for Planetside 2. I was planning on spending about $1500 on a machine when I came across a "open box" gaming PC that had exactly the same specs as I was going to buy for $1500 but for only $1100 because it is "open box". So I started researching these "open box" Products from Newegg and I found many success stories and several horror stories.

The short story behind new eggs "open box" products is that it's a product that someone purchased and then return that is back on the shelf or resale. Several of the "open box" success stories were from people saying they got a brand-new item or an easily fixable item for significantly cheaper than a brand-new one. If in fact you do get a broken or defective item there is a 30 day return policy to fall back on. The only catch there is you have to pay the shipping to return the item so you're out the cost of the shipping both ways( in my case thats $25 x 2).

In my case the item brand-new is around $1500 and I paid $1100 for the "open box" product. So I am risking the cost of shipping to potentially save $400. This to me seems worth the risk, riskin $50 worth of shipping to save $400....

Here is the product as "open box": http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...tent-_-text-_-

And here is the product new: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...20gamer%201336

Comments anyone? Has anyone had any experience with "open box" products from new egg? I plan on returning this computer if it's majorly broken but plan on fixing it if it's only minorly broken. And of course I could receive a brand-new product that someone just purchased and returned in perfect condition.

Does anyone have any advice on checking the video card to make sure it is 100% intact and untampered with? I plan on benchmarking it and running it through some tests, but aside from that I'm not really sure how to check it over... Any advice on checking the power supply to make sure it's fully functional? I know computers tend to do weird things when power supply start to die, so there's a small chance I could get a working machine with the dying power supply...

Goku · 2012-08-14, 07:00 PM

Best way to make sure the PSU is working I would assume is to get a full load on the GPU and CPU. If it doesn't shut off your all set. A highly demanding game like BF3 should do the trick. Make sure you hop in a 64 man server too.

LampShade · 2012-08-16, 10:09 AM

Success!! I received the computer yesterday and it's in excellent condition. The GPU overclocked and performed very well in tests. The CPU MOBO and power supply seem to be working like new. I didn't see scratches on the case or parts. No lose screws or anything that seems tampered with. I guess i won the open box gamble.

Goku · 2012-08-16, 03:12 PM

Glad to hear. Looks like you did a good deal. A friend bought a open box GTX 670. Card died 5 minutes right after booting into Windows. Win some you lose some.

Electrofreak · 2012-08-18, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Goku

Glad to hear. Looks like you did a good deal. A friend bought a open box GTX 670. Card died 5 minutes right after booting into Windows. Win some you lose some.

Tell him to take off the fan assembly and any removable plastic bits, preheat the oven to 385 degrees, prop the card component-side-up on a cookie sheet with chunks of crumpled aluminum foil at the edges keeping any of the solder points or PCB from coming in contact with the cookie sheet (or foil), bake it for 10 minutes, and take it out.

When it comes out (must be careful not to let the card fall off the aluminum balls or tip over), the solder should be shiny; don't touch any of the components (they might fall out) and let it cool for an hour before putting the fan back on and testing it.

I've brought a few graphics cards back to life this way; they heat up and cool down a lot and after a while a solder joint somewhere tends to break because of all the expansion and contraction. Doing a "re-flow" can settle the solder again and bring it back from the dead.

Goku · 2012-08-18, 07:17 AM

He returned the card. TBH that is not a good idea seeing as how its a simple return to get your money back. Not worth that risk.

Rbstr · 2012-08-18, 03:22 PM

Well, 385 isn't going to hurt any components physically...basically you're just softening the lead-less solder.

Besides, it's broken already, just don't let them know about it when you send it back if it's still borked.

LampShade · 2012-08-22, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Rbstr

Well, 385 isn't going to hurt any components physically...basically you're just softening the lead-less solder.

Besides, it's broken already, just don't let them know about it when you send it back if it's still borked.

LOL! And this is the risk we take buying "open box" stuff from new egg... It may have been in someone else's oven at 385 degrees