Deals, Discounts, and Best PC Component Buys & Builds

Do you think there’s any chance we might see a slight dip in prices at retailers like Best Buy or Micro Center in the near future? Since foot traffic in physical tech stores is basically non-existent right now—or at least it should be, if things are going according to plan—it seems like there’s going to be a massive hit to overall sales volume.

From what I can gather, this whole situation could probably drag on for several weeks, maybe even months, I guess. It makes me wonder if they might just slash their margins to the absolute bare minimum just to keep some semblance of cash flowing, which would actually be a decent win for us consumers. What do you guys think about that possibility?

You could also look at it from the other side—prices might actually climb because getting inventory through all this chaos with shipping companies and border delays is becoming a nightmare... It’s hard to be a fortune teller, especially in times like these.

Andrew Fox74 said:you could also look at it from the perspective that prices might climb because getting goods through the shipping lanes and across borders is becoming such a headache... I mean, nobody’s got a crystal ball, especially not in times like these.

I suppose everything is on the table, though if I had to guess, I'd say the first scenario is way more likely than what you just laid out. It seems a bit optimistic to think that thousands of Americans, especially during these shaky economic times when people are losing jobs left and right, are just standing in line waiting for any excuse to drop 10 $0.00 on a new PC, a laptop, or even just basic tech gear. Sure, there are people like that, but I'm talking about the general public here, I guess.

We'll just have to wait and see how things play out over the next few weeks. 👍

Money is always tight around here—so we just end up buying the expensive stuff—which means I don't see any reason for things to go on sale; the only direction prices move is up.

Paul Howard7 said:Do you think we might see a slight dip in prices at our local retailers like Links or Instar soon? Since foot traffic in physical computer shops is pretty much at a standstill for the foreseeable future—or at least it should be—it’s bound to lead to a massive drop in overall sales volume.

Based on everything I'm seeing, this situation could drag on for weeks, if not months. They might decide to slash their margins to the bone just to maintain some semblance of liquidity—which, honestly, would be a win for us buyers. What’s your take on that?

Here’s the deal: prices are about to skyrocket. It all comes down to China—if they stop production or cut off shipments, prices will go through the roof. Local retailers and importers here don't have much of a stockpile to fall back on.

Timothy Kim60 said:Word is prices are going up. It all comes down to China—if they stop production or shipping, costs skyrocket. Local retailers and importers here don't have much of a stockpile left.

China is slowly ramping factories back up. Honestly, I think things won't be as bad as everyone's expecting.

Paul Howard7 said:Do you think we might see a slight dip in prices at retailers like Links or Instar soon? Since foot traffic in physical stores has essentially ground to a halt, I imagine turnover is going to take a massive hit, which might force their hands.

It looks like this situation might drag on for several weeks, if not months. I suppose they might trim their margins to the absolute minimum just to maintain some semblance of liquidity, which would ultimately favor the buyers. What are your thoughts on that?

I’ve been sitting on the fence waiting for prices to drop, but I have a nagging feeling it might be wishful thinking—much like waiting for gas prices to actually stay down. 😢 Good grief, global oil prices are actually lower now than they were back in the Tito era, yet somehow, everywhere—including here in the States—it feels like we're paying more. $3.00It was also up at 10 just a few weeks ago. I guess I’m always a bit of a pessimist when it comes to the US and these kinds of dips...

MSI Radeon RX 5700 Evoke GP OC

It’s sitting at $309 in Germany with a 19% discount, which includes shipping and US sales tax—so $875 that’s my bottom line. You get a 3-year warranty with it.

The catch? It looks like we're dealing with another mediocre cooler. They did release a revised version that seems decent enough, but honestly, you never know exactly which version ends up in your hands.

Here is a review of the specific revision for the non-XT model:



Meanwhile, Linus Tech Tips is tearing apart the revised version of the XT model.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XXXXXXX

Freezer 34 $40

Special deal on the Ryzen 7 2700X with 8 cores and 16 threads
$366

I was reading somewhere about those AMD PRO series processors (they're labeled as "business" versions). Apparently, they were originally designed for OEM machines, but it looks like retailers have started stocking them for general consumers too. The main differences are that they come with locked multipliers and feature some kind of security co-processor under the hood, along with a few other minor tweaks. Also, you'll notice the CPU and cooler come in separate packaging, but beyond that, they're pretty much identical. They can be a decent value, provided the buyer realizes they won't be able to overclock them.

That processor actually has some future potential at that price point, especially since the specs explicitly state it's unlocked

Unlocked
Yes

It might honestly be worth just ordering the chip and seeing if the person who listed it was telling the truth
if it turns out not to be unlocked, you can always just send it back

I was reading some threads online where people were claiming that both Futura and Protis said the CPU was locked, but then one guy bought it for his buddy and confirmed it's actually unlocked...

Crucial BX500 Internal SSD 2 TB https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...99ff538fd15326

They say a $20 coupon applies automatically, bringing the total with shipping down to $187. That’s about $133 in savings compared to what we'd see with local US options
.

This isn't an active sale, but rather a heads-up based on past trends. It’s a reminder that we need to keep a close eye on these deal links. For instance, the Ryzen 5 3600 was previously $333, and not too long ago, the RX 5700XT (challenger) was $833, among other things.

https://www.amazon.com/processor-amd...alth-050600100

One hour later...

I bet someone had them at that price once 😬

What do you mean "one hour"? You need to pick up the pace—there were about ten of them waiting... and I'll take the PS4 Pro for $533

Check out this pretty decent bundle here: Ryzen 5 3600 + B450 Tomahawk MAX + 16GB 3200MHz - $933plus Serious Sam 3

Even without counting the game, you're saving about $60 compared to the cheapest individual prices you'd find on Best Buy.

I know we're talking about an older generation here, but... is this actually a good deal?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07

It's gone... How much was it again?