Best service EVAAAAAAAAA fr, stuff is super friendly.

They are more interested in the money than service and good quality provision. They sold me a bottleneck CPU compared with GPU and downgraded components. It was some part my fault to not doing many research but the thing is, that is why technicians and specialists are there for.

Approximate cost: $1600

When buying equipment such as computers, service is much more important to me than price. I'm not especially interested in shopping around for the best deal. I'd rather go somewhere I can trust, not only for good advice at the time of purchase, but also for good follow-up service. So far TECS has delivered both.

I'm not a computer novice; I used to work in IT. In fact, I was working as a programmer before some of you people reading this were probably born. But I find it useful, when dealing with computer suppliers and ISPs, to give them the impression that I'm a complete novice. I have to be careful not to take it too far - saying "and that thing is what you call a mouse, is it?" would probably be stretching their credulity a bit too far - but I must be a reasonably good actor because so far I haven't been rumbled. (Or if I have been, no one has said so.)

I have found it useful to pretend to know less than I do for three reasons. The first is that there are some things I genuinely do not know, especially where computer hardware is concerned. Technology was evolving faster than I could keep up with it even when I did work in IT, and it's even harder to keep up now that I've left the industry. I find it easier to ask questions about the things I don't know if they already assume I'm a dill who knows absolutely nothing, and I don't mind if that means they end up explaining something that I already know. I'd rather they did that than skip over something because they think I already know it. (Gee, I hope my friends don't read this review. I can already hear them snorting, "What act? You ARE a dill who knows absolutely nothing!")

The second reason is that pretending to know nothing can work as a very good BS detector if a salesperson is telling you something that simply isn't true. Rather like how a food critic will ask a waiter to translate a particular term on the menu, when the critic already knows full well what it means.

And the third reason is to see how patient they are. I figure, there are people out there who really do know absolutely nothing about computers - who've never been near a computer in their life - but who want to buy a computer so they can email the grandkids, or do their banking online, or whatever. I want to know which computer stores and ISPs are prepared to take the time to help such people. I want to know which stores have salespeople who are not going to sneer at these customers or laugh at them behind their backs. So I don't mind pretending to be such a customer if it will serve the greater good.

So far, TECS has been very satisfactory. I entered the store, found a salesman, and said that I'd never bought a home computer before (which was true - my previous ones had been friends' cast-offs), that I didn't know what computer and multifunction printer to buy (half true - I had a general idea, but needed help with the specifics), but that I did have a clear idea of what I wanted to use them for (also true). The salesman, Paul, listened patiently, asked me lots of questions, listened to my answers, and ended up recommending items that so far have proved absolutely satisfactory for my needs, at a price that was acceptable. I must have accidentally given him the impression that I'd never used a computer AT ALL, because he did say that he wouldn't be able to teach me how to use Windows. I almost gave myself away by laughing, but I stifled it and hastily explained that that was OK, I could probably figure it out for myself or ask a friend.

Some weeks later the printer was malfunctioning and I needed to contact TECS, and again the service was very good. Everything has worked fine ever since.

In summary, I can recommend them if you are a genuine novice. My experience suggests they won't rip you off as far as price is concerned, and that they will treat you with courtesy and patience. I am very pleased with their service, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy my next computer from them.