Is it worth it?

[daThing]

Hi, just wanted to ask if it's ok to buy pc hardware like GPU's, ram, mobo's etc. of Aliexpress?

[Catzzye]

Compare prices to your local prices, I wouldn't due to easier warranty claims / returns with local retailers and with it being not a huge difference in price, at least here

[kenkku]

8 minutes ago, daThing said:

Hi, just wanted to ask if it's ok to buy pc hardware like GPU's, ram, mobo's etc. of Aliexpress?

While AliExpress has a decent refund program, I would say its not worth it. Most computer parts will be double the price of those you'd get from your local classies website, and you may not know if the seller went through the effort of counterfeiting an item before the refund window expires, whereas when you buy locally you often have a chance to test the item before purchasing.

 

I'd only purchase computer parts from AliExpress/Alibaba/etc. if I were looking for Chinese company products specifically, like Yeston.

[Owsleygarcia95]

12 minutes ago, daThing said:

Hi, just wanted to ask if it's ok to buy pc hardware like GPU's, ram, mobo's etc. of Aliexpress?

I would say only do it, if it's a very niche item that you can only find on Ali express. I've had this happen to me a couple of times, and instead of using Ali I just found another solution or didn't do it. But if you're willing to take a risk on a small niche purchase you can't find anywhere else, and could afford to to lose it completely on the off chance that happens, it's probably worth a shot. Personally, I would never buy major system components or try to do an entire build though. 

[venomtail]

27 minutes ago, daThing said:

Hi, just wanted to ask if it's ok to buy pc hardware like GPU's, ram, mobo's etc. of Aliexpress?

Rarely. Mainly I wouldn't cause of the long shipping times, high shipping costs as well as the added costs of VAT and import duty when the parts arrive erasing any money you thought you saved. Also added risk of receiving a dud due to shipping damage or simply fakes.

[jaslion]

I dunno

 

Whats the price vs local?

 

If its older hardware its also used/refurbed stuff on ali express. So check used locally

 

Usually local is cheaper

[Mark Kaine]

worth it if the price is good and you know what you're doing,  otherwise local is probably better. 

 

 

(i mean they sometimes have these "mobile gpus" slapped on a pcb and they usually work really well and are cheap for example - but that's also where "you need to know what you're doing" comes into play...)

[Mark Kaine]

17 minutes ago, jaslion said:

I dunno

 

Whats the price vs local?

 

If its older hardware its also used/refurbed stuff on ali express. So check used locally

 

Usually local is cheaper

they also have *really* good pre-builts sometimes,  with sometimes exotic parts you'd think suck, but for the price they still perform well enough, even for newer games (at like medium settings) 

 

like these guys get really creative and understand how to balance a system. 

 

(yes, i watch every Dawid Does Tech Stuff video, that's how i know )

 

basically a $500 ali express pre-built can totally outperform a $1000 dell pre-built... 

[jaslion]

18 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

they also have *really* good pre-builts sometimes,  with sometimes exotic parts you'd think suck, but for the price they still perform well enough, even for newer games (at like medium settings) 

 

like these guys get really creative and understand how to balance a system. 

 

(yes, i watch every Dawid Does Tech Stuff video, that's how i know )

 

basically a $500 ali express pre-built can totally outperform a $1000 dell pre-built... 

Cept the psu usually

 

Those are the janky gtfo of the system units.

 

Either way in this day and age I'd no longer buy x99 stuff for gaming as we are now in the 9th gen console cycle finally

[Lurking]

At minimum find out if the manufacturer warranty will work in your country. Manufacturers have distinct different corporations for each region and for example Samsung USA won't handle warranty for item you bought through Samsung China. Same way you can't bring your USA bought VW to.a dealer in Germany for warranty. 

 

Warranty also requires the seller being an official reseller. Even if you buy off eBay or Amazon marketplace in your country, this isn't necessarily the case.

 

So, only you know if it is worth it AFTER you got all the facts.