ALERT: Communicate with System Builders!

For those of you looking to buy a "Custom Built PC"
from someone online, I have a word of warning....

COMMUNICATE with the seller BEFORE YOU PURCHASE!

Today's Blog started out as a RECOMMENDATION to buy an EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE PC from a system builder because there were NO GOOD DEALS to be found on Black Friday, but has instead, turned into an advisory.

The details: The PC would have been great. Power, Memory, Storage, the works.
The price?
Let's just say it was $325 including shipping, because it was.

After looking at the details, I noticed that there was NO MENTION of the type or even existence of video, so I dropped them a very kind/quizzical message asking them if the system included video.

This is the reply I received:
hi, yes, there is an external video card included.

Now I don't know where you get YOUR video cards, but where I get mine, they come INTERNAL. So I messaged him back saying, "Surely you mean it's an internal card? If it was external, it would be OUTSIDE of the CASE. Please provide details".

This is the reply I received:
hi, What I mean is there is no integrated video card but I have put in a new PCI video card (seperated from the motherboard)

Now again, here was another opportunity for them to say, "Yes, we meant internal and it's an Nvidia 6150LE". Nope. And now, to compound the situation further, they're including a "new PCI video card". For those of you who don't get the reference, I haven't had a PCI Video Card since 1998.

So what's the point here? Simple. He obviously meant INTERNAL and not EXTERNAL. He obviously meant PCI x16 and not PCI. But if *I* can't get a couple of SIMPLE answers communicated EFFECTIVELY from them NOW, BEFORE the purchase, how in the world can I ever expect him to help YOU if you ever need Tech Support?

You're right. I can't.

Therefore, I proclaim that there are NO DEALS for PC's this Black Friday!