Where to buy?

Hello all, im planning on buying a G73, the only problem is that i need to buy it in a retail store (having some credit card issues lately). I dont want to buy it at BestBuy because they usually give a huge downgrade to their laptops... Any suggestion? thks

Btw i live in Miami...

 

I suggest GenTechPC.com

It's some of the best service I've ever seen from a company. Customer service, shipping, etc. is all 10/10 in my books.

 

I'd have to say PowerNotebooks.com, I tried their competitors in the US and I tried suppliers in the UK where I live. Nobody came close in terms of customer service and willingness to help, I even changed my order after they had built my machine.

Have a look at their site, then look at the feedback link

 

ty all for quick answering... but im looking for a retail store, i mean, a store where i can enter and pay to a salesperson...

 

Where are you based in the World?

*edit* I see Miami - see Below

 

I would seriosuly consider notbuying this laptop over the counter in a store.

The Laptop does come with some issues, have a read on the forums ( I am sure you already have) the one to be aware off that cant be sorted out by you at home "Easily" is the Repasting of the CPU & GPU. The issue in hand is that bog standard Heat Paste that ships with the Laptop will detirirate over a number of weeks until you find your temps run very high and in some cases the Laptop will shut down.

I am by no way trying to tell you how or where to spend your money. I am just trying to point you in the right direction to save you any heart ache

I am by no means an expert, and there are 100's of people with more knowledge than me on these forums. Based on what I read, I am glad (even though its not arrived yet) that I bought it online, with the fixes applied, as opposed to buying in a store, from people who dont have a Scooby Doo (Clue)

 

yes ive read a little here and there... and thats a nice tip youre giving me... i will keep it in mind...

Any other customization that i need to know?

 

In terms of the Hardware there are lots of options available to you. Have a look at Custom Laptops by PowerNotebooks.com™ - Custom Built Gaming Laptop Computers and have a go at configuring one.

As you can see from my Sig. I opted to have the CPU upgraded, I got rid of one of the 500MB drives and replaced that with an SSD (Take a look on You Tube at the boot times for G73's with SSD's) I upgraded the RAM, the Blue Ray Drive and the Wireless card, I also had Powernotebooks repsate the CPU & GPU.

On top of that they have loaded a clean install of the OS on my Laptop and put the latest stable BIOS releases on it.

You wont get that kind of service from Best Buy

 

Micro Center sells an X5 configuration with the FullHD Hannstar screen

 

If you setup a PayPal account to use your bank account and not a credit card, you could then look for one online from a retailer that accepts PayPal. Would give you more options anyway.
Aaron

 

The forum has several well respected retailers with various payment options and cash discounts in some cases. I also went with Powernotebooks.com, what made them my choice was a combination of service and location. I ordered the G73JW with the thermal paste and wireless card upgrade.
For brick and mortar stores Chastity makes a great point about Micro Center
Best of luck on any decision you make in buying, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

Retail stores are the devil. You have to remember, in order for a gigantic retail store to pay its rent (wal mart for example pays 3$ million/year near my house), employees, hydro, etc., the cost to cover such expenses will be passed down to the customer. Best Buy for example will downgrade your Asus and slash the warranty in half, in order for customers to buy THEIR warranties.

It's best to buy off a small online shop. You'll save much more $.

 

well it looks that i MUST stay away from retailers... Let me see what options do i have left... thank you all for your advices

 

I also got my G73 from powernotebooks.com using direct deposit at US Bank to get a $50 discount. You can also do a wire transfer for the cash discount.

I probably should've spent the extra $75 to get the IC Diamond thermal compound. My temps are fine now but I'm guessing a repaste is in the future.

 

If anyone in the UK is thinking about importing from the US but doesn't know where to start then I can recommedn HIDevolution. I bought from them about two months ago and the whole transaction went smoothly. They guy who responded to my emails seemed friendly and helpful. Additionally, they declared a low value of the package, which meant I didn't have to pay outrageous customs fees.

There was an issue initially on my end, because my bank (Lloyds) was blocking my transactions abroad, due to 'suspicion of a fraud'. Apparently it's an automatic thing whenever a larger sum of money is transferred to a differenc country. Resolved it with Lloyds customer services.

Overall a positive experience, especially when considering the fact I spent £1200 on a laptop that normally retails at £1600 in the UK.

I will be contacting them soon to buy another Asus - this time 1215n.

 

I'd like to echo what Clyde has said. if anyone wants to speak to me directly about buying from the US, specifically in regards of expected timeframes of delievery and duty chrages then please PM me.

I would be more than happy to help. Keep an Eye on my Diary thread too for info.

 

Almost all the resellers are flexible on payment. As long as the money clears they will sell to you. Bank transfer, money order, a certified check etc. You don't need to use a credit card. Heck put money from your bank to your paypal account even if that's what you want to do.