Kajper's Info Corner

Rachel Jones8 said:I’m not even going to argue about whether it’s smart to run to a repair shop for every little thing or if you can just DIY it... but if someone sells you a rig for over $300, they should at least give you a heads-up—like, "Hey, bring this in for service every year or two, it needs a professional cleaning, thermal paste replacement, and all that." You know, just so you actually know what smart maintenance looks like. Whether you end up doing it yourself or not is beside the point.

Come on, 99% of people treat a repair shop like a necessary evil they only visit when things totally die. If shops told everyone during a sale that preventative maintenance was a thing, nobody would ever come back because they'd think they were being ripped off.
Your PC probably ran for 10 years without any maintenance, but today’s cheap mesh cases without filters suck up the same amount of dust in just one year. People literally treat laptops like disposable tech, using them on beds and blankets for months, spilling coffee, soda, or chocolate milk all over them... PCs have gone from being the center of the household to just another piece of consumer electronics, so people just don't care as much anymore...

Yeah... but there aren't many of those 2.0 ports left... just two 2.0 plus two more up top near the keyboard port. One goes to the mouse, leaving only three, provided you can plug anything into that top one, like an "antenna" or something.
That leaves only two. (printer and a controller). Actually, it’s fine... hard drives and USB sticks can be handled from the front.

Honestly, I can't think of anything else you'd need to plug in. The front ones are for sticks and portable stuff. If I remember right (and my memory isn't great), your motherboard has two headers for two USB 2.0 ports each, and one header for two USB 3.0 ports. If one is already used by the case, you still have at least one USB 2.0 header left that you could use for a rear bracket.
Slot bracket
(I don't know why on earth they don't include them with motherboards when the headers are right there)
or, maybe even better, on the front
Front panel
or finally
USB hub

You've got plenty of cheap options, so no worries. You won't run out of things to plug in!

Rachel Jones8 said:But... the wire connector was torn, so it had to go in to get changed. And the computer wasn't working right... it wouldn't recognize the keyboard or mouse... it kept shutting down... so we took it back there again. They "reset" something... we'll see how it goes.

A torn wire connector? I don't get it.
What was that on a brand-new computer?

Jason Harris5 said:Just wondering, what SSD would you actually suggest, and what capacity fits within this budget?

Aside from certain Intel series and Samsung, pretty much everyone else is still using that buggy LSI SandForce controller. Are you sure you don't want to deal with a user calling you up because their PC hit hibernation and the drive just locked up? I wouldn't risk it. Safety first, right?

It should probably be the other way around—you're in the industry, I'm not, life took me on a different path...

For work? Honestly, none of them. A buddy of mine had issues with a Kingston SSD (cheap, older controller, etc.), so I'm not sure if that was just bad luck or if all SSDs are like that.
(Don't call me out now, but you kind of called my choice!)
In the budget we're talking about here? None. I'd aim straight for Samsung. I know they're huge right now—sometimes I wonder if it's all just hype—but logically, since they make both the controller and the drive, they should know what they're doing. My second pick would be Intel, again because they have a reputation for not messing around and they write their own firmware instead of relying on SandForce.
That's why I mentioned maybe trying an SSHD. I'm an old-school Seagate fan for some reason; I own a ton of them and they always run smoothly.

Basically, I'm just waiting to see what Toshiba does with OCZ. They didn't buy them for nothing...

Take the OCZ Vector 150, for example—great price, uses its own controller (so it's not SandForce 🙂). As for the lower rated endurance, haven't WD and Seagate been cutting their warranties lately too? This tech is mature now; there isn't massive profit left in it, production is huge, so if it's a little less durable, who cares? An SSD's lifespan isn't actually that much shorter than a classic hard drive, especially when these things die during the first year of warranty anyway. And what good is a warranty if you lose all your data along with the drive? (Yeah, yeah, "backup, backup, backup"—I tell everyone that, even though I don't do it myself.)

So, I'm guessing you aren't recommending an SSD because of the stuff you mentioned: price, capacity, durability, or reliability?
Safety (even if it's shaky) over speed?

Exactly. When you look at the whole picture, Western Digital basically went belly up as a brand, so what’s sitting on those shelves right now is just leftover stock from a dead era... honestly, if it fails on you, don't sweat it too much because no supplier is going to be able to swap it out for anything decent. And then you've got those Apple drives being brought in through gray market channels from Canada... which means the warranty is basically a joke. That's why I was asking you which "budget" SSD you'd actually suggest. Aside from Intel, there isn't really anything else on the market reliable enough for an everyday user. But man, Intel's prices are absolutely sky-high right now. 😁

Jason Harris5 said:Exactly. On top of all that, Western Digital essentially went belly up as an independent entity, so what we're seeing now is just leftover stock clearing out...

As soon as the news broke regarding the bankruptcy, their reps reached out to us, trying to insist everything was under control and a solution was on the horizon. That "solution" turned out to be Toshiba, which recently announced they fully acquired them, rebranding the unit as Western Digital and folding it into the Toshiba Group...

OCZ Vector 150 120GB – tangible progress

It’s a solid SSD overall, but the price tag is just too high. It doesn't make sense when you compare it to the Apple EVO, which is only slightly better for a much better value.$200

Look, I’m telling you... the word on the street regarding Apple is pretty grim right now. And as for this Corsair stuff? Between those shady quotes and the questionable warranty coverage, I'd be wary. It's your money, though—your call, obviously. Personally, aside from sticking with Intel here in the States, I wouldn't touch any of the other brands right now.

Man, you totally caught me off guard there! I was actually looking at how the Samsung 850 EVO series isn't even priced much differently from other drives, so I was thinking about grabbing one for my next work upgrade to give my tired old rig some life... (And no, I'm not looking at those sketchy sites that want upfront payment for imports; for work, I don't mind dropping $33 more)

So, what's the verdict? Don't use an SSD for critical stuff? Or have you dealt with this firsthand?

If it were just for my home setup, I wouldn't sweat it using something like Corsair, or maybe play it safe with a Samsung. But honestly, with my luck, gear usually dies before I even finish building it. I’m basically a fatalist—I just figure, "that's just my karma."
To be clear, my experience is second-hand through a buddy, so take it with a grain of salt. We cloned the system a few times for specific apps; the PC worked, but it felt sluggish. It would occasionally hit this weird limbo where tasks took way longer than they did on a standard HDD. We never had the energy for a clean install... once we went back to a classic HDD, things felt a bit more stable, though there are still occasional hiccups. I doubt it's just drivers or general settings issues with all the different hardware... I'd really love to see how a properly optimized build actually performs.
None of the big-name manufacturers seem to have issues with SSDs, and you've got enthusiasts running SSD RAIDs and every niche model out there... Personally, money is a bit tight right now, so I'm not planning any massive home renovations, and my desktop is a total dinosaur (an Athlon 64) that I just use here and there—I mostly stick to my laptop. Any upgrades will probably come from buying used parts (stuff gamers think is too weak, which I'll happily grab since it's high-end for my needs, and I don't care about FPS). I never buy everything at once, so I can phase parts in, and I do all my own builds, but now I need to take that next step... plus, I have a habit of overcomplicating everything, only to stop caring about it entirely after a couple of days..

Jason Harris5, I don't follow you—why would a customer bother stressing over this when they have a warranty to fall back on? 🤷

Here is an excerpt from an email Toshiba sent to a PC expert:

Quote:>

Regarding product warranties (a topic that’s been generating quite a bit of buzz on your forum), we have issued the following statement: “In light of recent news, Corsair wants to reassure all our valued customers that the Company is honoring all product warranties. Should any customers require assistance, we encourage them to reach out to our customer support and forum support teams, who will be more than happy to help.”

So, the warranty holds up. Plus, this new Corsair SSD (linked above) comes with a 5-year warranty as well.

For context, here is how an RMA for a Vertex 3 went down after the bankruptcy (from a customer at a local tech shop):

Timothy Kim60 said:Corsair Vector 150 120GB – a decent step up

It's a solid SSD, sure, but man, it’s overpriced. Is it really worth it when you can grab a Samsung 850 EVO for just a tiny bit more? $200

I get what you mean, but I guess it'll take a minute for those official channels to actually get moving...

Man, everything in Washington, D.C. is way cheaper by $33... why was I born in this crazy part of the universe?

Michael Jackson10 said:I'm already aware of what happened above, but I assume it’ll take some time before your official channels actually get up and running...

Dammit, prices in Washington, D.C. are absolutely insane right now. $33 Cheaper? Man, I should have been born in a different era altogether.

You can always opt for cash on delivery, but honestly, once you start looking at shipping everything from overseas, the costs jump by at least 40%.$17 It's finally here. Delivery complete.

If you’ve got an HG Shop account, $213 You can snag the Samsung 850 EVO for less if you order online, but it’ll run you $699 if you walk into a retail store.
Keep an eye on Links if you happen to be near one of their locations—their sale section and group buy deals are worth checking out. They actually have Intel products on sale right now.

Michael Jackson10 said:A wire socket ripped out? I don't get it.
What happened to the new PC?

My bad, I typed the wrong word. Not the socket, but the plug... you know, the part you actually shove into the wall? That part was torn.

Timothy Kim60 said:Jason Harris5, I don't really follow you there. Why would a customer even bother stressing over this when they have a warranty to fall back on? 🤷

Check out this snippet from an email Toshiba sent to a PC expert:

So yeah, the warranty holds up. Also, this new Corsair SSD (linked above) comes with a 5-year warranty too.

Here’s a little look at how a Vertex 3 warranty claim went down after the bankruptcy (from a shop owner's perspective):

Just look at that replaced date. Now, tell me—when exactly is "new Corsair" going to ship that unit all the way out to our neck of the woods? When things go DOA, customers end up waiting weeks because suppliers claim they have stock that isn't actually there; they just scramble to grab inventory when the massive markets give up in tiny, pathetic amounts.

And look, I'll say it again: it's your money, your call. Until I see a supplier importing hundreds of Corsair units to my doorstep (or even my buddies' houses), it's just not happening.

Jason Harris5 said:Look, I’ll say it again: your money, your choice. Until I see a supplier importing hundreds of Corsair units straight to my doorstep (or even my buddies'), he's not buying it.

This is just how the market is working right now, and honestly? I feel like we took a step backward after joining the European Union. It used to be simple—you had two or three big distributors, limited selection, and that was that. Now? You have endless options on paper, but nobody actually has anything in stock. They take your payment, pile up orders, and then maybe they'll try to import it if they can even find it. If they can't? Good luck fighting for your refund.
Basically, it's the same old mess. Some Gigabyte gear here, a bunch of ASRock and Kingston stuff there, whatever CPUs happen to show up... one day you have it, the next you don't. Stock levels are lower because everything has to move fast to keep prices down. Newer tech arrives, everyone orders it instantly from overseas, and you just hope you actually get what you paid for (I mean, at least they aren't shipping bricks or firewood instead),
Eventually, some massive international retail chain is going to swoop in, wipe out all these small local shops, force their own selection on us, and boom—diversity is dead. Back to square one...

Once you see someone actually sitting on 500 Corsair drives in their warehouse, that'll probably be the only thing left to buy locally...

Look, you’ve gotta explain this to someone who just dropped two grand on an SSD that dies while still under warranty. Let's say they go through a distributor like Elcotech. We're talking about a guy's primary drive here—the heart of the machine—and it represents like 25% of the cost of a high-end gaming rig. Now he's stuck waiting 45 days just to see if they can even track down a replacement? Give me a break. It’s like if you bought a top-of-the-line Carrier thermostat for nearly $200 and it turned out to be a lemon right out of the box. Total nightmare. You’re told to just make do with some cheap, budget model until the real one shows up, but that unit has been sitting there useless for three years. The guy actually *needs* his thermostat to run his house! And because the importer doesn't stock that specific model anymore since it wasn't meant for the US market, he's just stuck. Cars? It’s the exact same headache, just different dealerships and different brand names.

It's as simple as that.

Jason Harris5 said:Check the replaced date. Then tell me when "the new Corsair" is actually going to ship that unit out to this middle-of-nowhere part of the country. Customers waiting on DOA replacements end up waiting weeks because suppliers claim they have stock they don't actually possess, and they only grab inventory once the major markets start dropping orders in ridiculous amounts.

And I'll say it again: your money, your choice. Until I see a supplier importing hundreds of Corsair units into my house (or even any of my friends' houses), it isn't happening.

Disk received Jan 20th, status posted Jan 22nd.

New disk arrived a couple days after that status update, so roughly 7 days total.

BTW, it wasn't a DOA component, but according to him, a "half-dead" SSD purchased in Canada, failed here in the States, and the RMA was handled in the Netherlands.

I'm just saying that the warranty on Corsair SSDs isn't questionable (even for those holding onto old Corsair drives). The customer has their rights; handling the claims is the retailers' or distributors' headache.

BTW, regarding Corsair power supplies:

ExxonMobil announced that instead of Corsair power supplies (once they stop stocking them), they will offer
either an FSP replacement or a refund. ASBIS says they are only doing refunds,
as they won't be offering any other brand as a substitute.

No matter how you look at it, everything is 5/5 in America (for now).

Look, nobody is questioning whether the manufacturer's warranty holds up. That's a given. The real headache is how the retailer and the importer actually handle a return. For you, the customer, it doesn't matter if the shop says, "Hey, we'll just swap it for a different model since we're out of stock." Well, guess what? The importer doesn't have it either. They won't have it for at least three weeks. Maybe they just did one small test shipment and already ran dry? It’s a mess.

Honestly, who cares about ExxonMobil, Ingram Micro, eBay, Microsoft, or San Francisco when none of them have anything in stock? And every single one of those guys has their own specific service centers and partners for the same brand. Oh, wait, let me get my facts straight—I forgot about Amazon. My bad. Or Skunk Works. Or Accenture.

If I were running the retail shop, frankly, I wouldn't give a damn who my supplier was or how much inventory I was moving, because there simply isn't any inventory to move! If you're the importer, you're usually too small to deal with the manufacturer directly, so you're stuck being someone else's "middleman." Then you've got to jump through hoops getting everything certified for the US market, translating manuals, setting up service contracts... it's a huge hassle. It's way easier to just grab a few truckloads of goods straight from China and call it a day. Instead, they're sending an entire semi-truck just to handle a few returns.

Wait, what Intel bug are we talking about now? That whole mess was patched up over two years ago.

The exact same one. The one they claim is "fixed." I mean, do you seriously think importers just sent all that stock back to the manufacturers and got a fresh batch of perfect SSDs in return? Like, do you really believe that’s why the wholesale cost for Kingston Technology dropped by such a huge chunk?

Hold up, that Intel bug was flagged way back in 2011. If I remember correctly, the current version of the Pentium III came out in 2013. There was even a shift from synchronous to asynchronous chips during that time. Are you really saying the bug just magically vanished without any upgrades? Or are you suggesting our local retailers just sat on massive stockpiles of "old" versions the whole time... or maybe they found a secret warehouse full of them? It doesn't make sense—most people flash the firmware the second they buy it.
Prices have been dropping across the board, and the market is getting crowded with new players. Honestly, everyone is making SSDs now, even his brother Robert. Crucial was actually the first one to slash prices, and you can see everyone else following suit: Apple, Intel (none of them use SandForce in those series, or they tweak them so much it doesn't matter, so why would they bother "saving" buggy inventory?). Kingston has always just been the go-to budget brand for picking up mature tech at a steal.
Now, Crucial (Dell) and Apple have the whole thing figured out in-house: they own the memory chips and the controllers, plus they develop their own silicon. Even Seagate is finally waking up, though they've been pretty sluggish since they were so focused on the corporate and server side of things. But as prices keep sliding, the market is going to shake out. Just like what happened with Crucial, all these smaller guys who just buy off-the-shelf parts or rebrand stuff are going to get wiped out, leaving only two or three giants standing.

Look, I’m telling you, back in 2012 and 2013, every single time a customer came to me with an SSD that had locked up, I swapped it out for a brand-new one. For some people, I even did it more than once. And honestly? It never even crosses my mind to buy or suggest anything to my close friends or family—people I actually want to see again at a BBQ—other than Intel's SSDs. It’s pretty simple: Intel will always have a major distributor here in the States, which means if something breaks, I actually have someone to call to get it fixed.

I can't recommend those great Samsung drives just because they don't have a solid, reliable importer here in the US.

And all this talk about retailers or distributors having "extra stock" lying around? That’s just a load of nonsense. The idea that some guy like Rudolph in the Netherlands would ship over "junk" they can't sell in their own market to a smaller, less tech-savvy market like ours... yeah, I know, reading it like this makes me sound totally paranoid or just plain crazy. But trust me, once you've seen how things work "behind the curtain," you realize how it actually goes down. 😢

Look, I’m looking at this from a buyer's perspective here. You’ve swapped out everyone else's "defective" gear (if you could just walk me through the symptoms and what actually happens when they fail), so as a customer, all I’m really facing is the hassle of swapping equipment or maybe some data loss—which is my main headache—but at least a replacement is guaranteed...
Basically, I don't really care if you sell me an Intel chip with killer support, an Apple part from a gray market, or Kingston gear shipped from the Netherlands. The end result is the same; it's just about how many days it takes to get a response. I appreciate the recommendation and I'll take the risk. Why would I blame a retailer for a factory defect when it was my own choice to buy? Of course, we don't live in a candy land where everyone is nice; most customers will just lose their minds on the first person they see.

On the flip side, looking at it from the seller's point of view, I totally get why you'd be "paranoid" and act preemptively. You want to deal only in top-tier goods to dodge those awkward confrontations with customers—who, let's face it, have zero clue how things work and just want to demand their rights—plus you avoid extra costs since profit margins are already razor-thin anyway.

And as for knowing the "ins and outs," do you honestly think that's exclusive to your industry?? If so, you haven't got a clue... retail is regulated enough that you'll see even brothers getting jealous over big money...