NCIX, Great Canadian Computer Deals

<a href="http://www.ncix.com/index.php?affiliateid=5039925"><img src="http://secure.ncix.com/images/affiliate_468x60.gif" width="468" height="60" border="0"></a>

I build a lot of computers, I used to do it as a small business. I don't do it as much anymore, now I just supply a smaller group of clients. I have been shopping at NCIX for many years, I used to shop at Atic.ca but when NCIX.com came along it was an easy switch.

NCIX is a chain of stores in the Vancouver area, and a couple years ago they invested heavily into their website. Now they have a fantastic website and sell Canada-wide. I think they are probably the 2nd largest computer retailer online in Canada, after Tigerdirect. And they're better, the website is full of useful information, reviews, forums, stock everything you would need to make an informed purchase. They also have the widest selection of any retailer I've dealt with and there customer service is decent. There prices are also one of the cheapest around.

I have spent over $100,000 at NCIX easy over the years, but I was stupid and never set my self up as an affiliate. So I finally decided to do that! You can use my affilate link to visit ncix.com and when you make a purchase I get 1%. If your making a large purchase of a whole new computer, that 1% coule be $10-$20.

Any commision where I earn over $5 from a CKA member I will credit as a donation to Canadaka.net from that member. So this is another way you can help support CKA. (you will have to PM me and let me know of your purchase)

http://www.ncix.com/index.php?affiliateid=5039925

When you are paying for your purchase in the shopping cart, make sure the "5039925" is beside "Affiliate ID: " at the very bottom of the site. Sometimes if you've come and gone from the site it looses the cookie. If it does, just visit the affilate link again then goto the shopping cart, you won't loose the contents of the shopping cart if you open a new window.

Damnit man why didn't you do this two months ago. I just spent $1100 there. I love NCIX. I bought my very first computer from them and they are very easy to deal with. Also they will price match if you find a product somewhere else cheaper.

Have ordered some cables from them oh about close to 3 weeks ago, Have yet to receive them but there probably stuck in customs or some shit.

I'm on the east coast and have along with a couple dozen buddies been dealing with NCIX for many years now and probably 95% of what we own is from NCIX. A Great Canadian company indeed.

If you build computers for others why don't you buy from a wholesale supplier?
I only buy from ncix to use up PayPal funds, and only for oddball stuff no wholesaler carries.

Avoid tigerdirect.ca, I had to tell them I'd return as a customer when they cut their prices to match tigerdirect.com (who won't sell to Canucks). They're STILL charging 25-30% more than US prices.

I sell in a small town, and it pisses me that people here will give web outfits their Visa (and get charged Day one and shipped whenever), but would never consider giving their Visa card to a small retailer and waiting 48 hours for delivery. Yet they want the same price! I have a doorknob at a mill paying $40 shipping and waiting a week, but won't buy local cuz we might be $10 more right there in stock.

I actually just built a computer with NCIX. the 8800GT was crap, it was artifacting right out of the box. so I went to Memory Express and bought a new video card (a radeon 4850) I'm not a huge fan that when something breaks (when under warranty) I have to pay to ship it back to them. but other than that, I have no real complaints.
the system I built is

Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 2.66GHz O.C to 3.2 GHz
4 GB DDR2 RAM
500 GB HDD
Radeon 4850 512 MB GDDR3 RAM Video Card
HT Striker Sound
Cool Master Case
600 W Power Supply
Gigabyte MoBo
running Vista Home Premium

it would have been $950, but there were complications, the Optical Drive Crapped out (it was 2 years old), we could'ent find my copy of windows, so I had to buy the upgrade version of Vista, and then the Video Card. all told it was closer to $1300, but the system rox.

Wow that seems expensive, also just a FYI Vista's sweet spot is between 2-3 gigs of ram, but I, probably like you want the most ram I can get. As well your Vista will only recognize 3.25 Gigs unless you have the 64bit

what is expensive? the total price? yeah, as I said having to buy duplicate parts is what killed me, since NCIX wants me to pay out of my pocket to ship to them for a warrantied item, I think SP1 fixed the RAM recognition issue, because windows says I have 4 GB
More details about my computer

Component Details Subscore Base score
Determined by lowest subscore 5.7

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8200 @ 2.66GHz 5.7
Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB 5.9
Graphics ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series 5.9
Gaming graphics 2046 MB Total available graphics memory 5.9
Primary hard disk 333GB Free (466GB Total) 5.9
Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium

System
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Model EP35-DS3L
Total amount of system memory 4.00 GB RAM
System type 32-bit operating system
Number of processor cores 2
64-bit capable Yes

Storage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total size of hard disk(s) 466 GB
Disk partition (C:) 333 GB Free (466 GB Total)
Media drive (D:) CD/DVD

Graphics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Display adapter type ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
Total available graphics memory 2046 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 512 MB
Dedicated system memory 0 MB
Shared system memory 1534 MB
Display adapter driver version 8.501.0.0
Primary monitor resolution 1280x1024
DirectX version DirectX 10

Network
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Network Adapter Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0)
Network Adapter Microsoft Tun Miniport Adapter
Network Adapter Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)

The thing I like about NCIX is their price-matching.

I recently decided to build an htpc based around an Asus M2NPV-VM and an AMD X2 5200 BE. I wanted a smallish case but it had to easily accomodate 4 hard drives and 2 opticals. I decided the Antec Three Hundred case and a CM 550 psu would do it. I shopped around and found the best price on the net and then asked NCIX to match that price. They did and and knocked $13.00 off their price for the case and psu. What I didn't tell them (of course) is that their shipping was $14.00 cheaper than the "best price" vendor, but I tend to buy from vendors who don't inflate the s&h (even if it costs me a bit more), so NCIX would have got my business regardless of the price-match. Unfortunately the case is a total pos, but that's not NCIX's fault.

As for Memory Express, I like to buy locally first, so I often go to ME for knick-knacks. But once you get to spending more than $100, ME's prices make online vendors look attractive, even with the cost of shipping calculated in.

The shipping was a bit slow taking 4 days to get from VAN to EDM, while a very large box from Directron in Houston took the same amount of time. NCIX should switch couriers because Purolator absolutely drags butt (and why does Purolator drop-off packages at Canada Post outlets instead of delivering to the addressee?).

In my neck of the woods Purolator rules. Fedex not so much. Purolator I believe they're owned by Canada Post as well but that's not a good enough reason not to try a re-deliver. International shipping by Fedewx is best though.....although I'm sure you pay for it.