Custom Built Computers: Desktop PC's

Domingo646

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Jul 31, 2016
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Hi,
Can anyone tell me where I can find a good store in Santo Domingo for custom built, desktop PC's?

I'm re-locating to the DR for one year. I'm trying to build my budget before I arrive in a couple months.

I've been to the DR. Any help would be appreciated.

Here's what I know so far:

1. I found a computer shop that had two used desktops, for DM$ 5,500 or DM$ 6,000 . No info. if it was refurbished, etc.
Not comfortable with this.

2. I've been browsing the oascomputer site. Good units, but really low on specs. Motherboard manufacturer unknown.
RAM really low. Graphics unknown. Brands like Dell, Samsung, are satisfactory for many consumers, but usually bad
for shoppers interested in future upgrades. The cases are too small, the PSU's are too low, and everything is integrated: sound, video.

3. I shopped at Plaza Lama in-store. Not one desktop, but I found two or three nice laptops, and only one shined. It was an HP.
The price (DM$ 21,000) wasn't too bad compared to a Best Buy in the U.S.

4. Omega tech puts no info on its website. Except "Espere proximamente".

5. Cecomsa has a website that is empty. No desktops, no motherboards.


Goal: A store familiar with Asus motherboards, Cooler Master, Nvidia, GeForce, ATI, Cyberpower, Alienware, Intel Core i7 CPU's,
Thinkpad, Lenovo, etc.

My fear is air cargo (expensive) or bringing what I have. I'm trying to buy local.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Welcome to the DR where most everything electronic is a second or a refurb sold at more than new pricing. I would import if I wanted a seriously good machine. Break up the orders and shipments in sub $200 US prices where possible to get the best deal of about $4 US a pound to bring the gear in. .
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
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Buy where you are and bring it with you in your luggage. Forget about buying a computer here. I went to several computer stores and could not find one desktop with an HDMI outlet.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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Buy where you are and bring it with you in your luggage. Forget about buying a computer here. I went to several computer stores and could not find one desktop with an HDMI outlet.

That is certainly not a surprise at all.

The OP sounds like they are in Santo Domingo.
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
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Buy where you are and bring it with you in your luggage. Forget about buying a computer here. I went to several computer stores and could not find one desktop with an HDMI outlet.

Listen to this and the others.

I know an owner of a decent-sized IT-company in Santo Domingo, they purchase absolutely nothing locally. Not even mice. You might find something, but it will be overpriced and of lower quality.

I once tried to buy a laptop battery for a Dell laptop, Ceducomp was very nicely trying to sell me one, with 3 week shipping time and with a price tag of 3,000 pesos. I went to Ebay, got one in 1,5 weeks and with a price tag of 1,800 pesos, shipping included...
 

Fredo

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Mar 17, 2013
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forget buying here, rebufished low quality crap with no service or guarantee..
bring it with you, think good laptop and buy extra screen here.
I say laptop because it it has its own battery system so you do not need an extra UPS..
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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If you are here with no way to "mule" it in to the country, then having it shipped in via a freight forwarder is your best option. Separate the items into different shipments of under $200 US dollars each if at all possible.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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As many have already said, state of the art processors, power supplies, graphics cards and memory are difficult to find. When successfully sourced locally are much more expensive than at home.

No problems grabbing a case here and a monitor (due to their bulk), but the MB, PS, Mem, Graphics card, drives should all come from outside the DR. Always have a spare PS available. Proximity to the ocean and the salt air as well as constant under-voltage are hard on power supplies. If you are shipping via a freight forwarder as opposed to a courier company, consider bringing in a UPS from abroad as well, otherwise, buy one here due to the weight. Prices for 1500W+ UPS are better in the US than here and if you are trying to fill a shipping barrel or box...
 

Domingo646

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Jul 31, 2016
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Freight Forwarder; which and how?

How do I do this? Pallet, crate, carton, box, container? Which freight forwarder would you recommend?
What do you recommend for the customs forms? Gift, personal items, anti-air guidance systems and missiles?
What about the 18% import tax and all that jazz? Declared value?

I don't want to attract suspicion I'm bringing in "commercial goods", etc.

I've done a 5 minute research effort and nothing I was quoted was below $600 or $2000. I quit, discouraged.
Even a quote from Fedex left me discouraged.

But if I can get a rate of $4/pound for each sub $200 pack, there is hope.

Size/weight would be four to six desktop PC's. Some older, refurbished ones are very heavy.
Or, imagine four to six laptops stacked neatly with shock absorbing foam in-between.

I'm worried about securiity and local corruption. Theft, kickbacks, bribes, extra "fees" to release the shipment.

Can I wrap the shipment in cellophane and/or apply my own security measures?

Shipping would be from a port anywhere near Buffalo, Western New York. Michigan is an option too.

Please send me phone numbers/email addresses and I'll start the leg work.







Welcome to the DR where most everything electronic is a second or a refurb sold at more than new pricing. I would import if I wanted a seriously good machine. Break up the orders and shipments in sub $200 US prices where possible to get the best deal of about $4 US a pound to bring the gear in. .
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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See this thread here on DR1:

http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/154847-Different-Couriers-Forwarding-Companies

Dominican door to door shippers for larger items ship from NY City, Providence , RI and Miami, FL. That is one way to go for larger items.

I use EncargoPaq for smaller items. There are many other companies like EncargoPag.

For items over $200 US it might be hard to avoid duty, but what needs to be checked is if computers are actually excluded from duty. Contacting a couple of freight forwarders directly will answer that question. Shipping by ocean freight will be cheaper than $4 a pound.

Putting the computers in a blue barrel and calling them household goods will also cost less ($180 or so for everything in that barrel) and I never told you to do it that way. :bandit:
 
May 20, 2012
298
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16
forget buying here, rebufished low quality crap with no service or guarantee..
bring it with you, think good laptop and buy extra screen here.
I say laptop because it it has its own battery system so you do not need an extra UPS..
Do you know any stores that you could recommend for computer monitor in Punta Cana/Bavaro area? Ours just died😡
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
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........
Putting the computers in a blue barrel and calling them household goods will also cost less ($180 or so for everything in that barrel) and I never told you to do it that way. :bandit:

....and I never told the OP your suggestion is probably the best way to do it.
 

Jaime809

Bronze
Aug 23, 2012
1,152
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Corripio in Plaza San Juan has nice TV's, not sure about monitors. But take a look there.

I use a 28" TV as a computer monitor. With HDMI in, it's just fine, for even daily use.

Having said that, even a 28" monitor from the US is under $200 and will provide more HDMI and DVI inputs than the basic Technomasters you can get here.
 

tht

Master of my own fate.
Oct 10, 2002
849
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Planet Earth
I had a desktop custom built a few years ago, with Core i7, MSI motherboard and HDMI in a Thermaltake case. I paid 60,000 DOP to get all together. Computerstores won't do it but there are guys in Santo Domingo who can source all parts in the city. All parts in my desktop were new, not refurbished second hand. My desktop still works just fine, I burnt one motherboard, but that was my own and the powersupply's fault, not the quality of the board. I could have imported one and let customs drive me crazy, but I decided to get it built here, and let Dominicans deal with customs. I can point you to the guy who did it for me I just don't have the phone number right now. One advice..don't use FedEx to ship any computer in, those guys are insane.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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I now use Laserpaq at RD$100 per pound (1st full pound, then 0.1 increments) it's the best deal around. Takes about 1 day more than my previous shipper Pick'N'Send (still good and very reliable option) but with Pick'n'Send now at about RD$180 per pound, the savings can add up. With about 30 pounds shipped in of parts for a car A/C rebuild, I saved some nice money (which paid a large part of the bill for the installation at the mechanic shop).

That is for the topic of shipper.

PC; Buy online, Amazon, etc. and ship to DR via the shipper. Buy the case, PS, and monitor locally. PS - best brand is Omega, buy from Omegatech. Buy the case there as well, good selection and good prices. Running a business where several PCs are in production environment I can say Omega PS's always lasted me several years (other brands bought locally lasted between 3 weeks and 18 months max).

If you buy UPS, always make sue it works with inverters (if you will get inverter for your place/office). Not all UPS work/sync with inverters.
 

Domingo646

New member
Jul 31, 2016
82
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Listen to this and the others.

I know an owner of a decent-sized IT-company in Santo Domingo, they purchase absolutely nothing locally. Not even mice. You might find something, but it will be overpriced and of lower quality.

I once tried to buy a laptop battery for a Dell laptop, Ceducomp was very nicely trying to sell me one, with 3 week shipping time and with a price tag of 3,000 pesos. I went to Ebay, got one in 1,5 weeks and with a price tag of 1,800 pesos, shipping included...



Did you use the normal, American-based www.ebay.com ?

Did you use a U.S. based Paypal account and U.S. credit card/debit card?
 

Domingo646

New member
Jul 31, 2016
82
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0
See this thread here on DR1:

http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/154847-Different-Couriers-Forwarding-Companies

Dominican door to door shippers for larger items ship from NY City, Providence , RI and Miami, FL. That is one way to go for larger items.

I use EncargoPaq for smaller items. There are many other companies like EncargoPag.

For items over $200 US it might be hard to avoid duty, but what needs to be checked is if computers are actually excluded from duty. Contacting a couple of freight forwarders directly will answer that question. Shipping by ocean freight will be cheaper than $4 a pound.

Putting the computers in a blue barrel and calling them household goods will also cost less ($180 or so for everything in that barrel) and I never told you to do it that way. :bandit:


(Cough) Do you have any blue barrels lying around you don't need?
 

Domingo646

New member
Jul 31, 2016
82
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0
I use a 28" TV as a computer monitor. With HDMI in, it's just fine, for even daily use.

Having said that, even a 28" monitor from the US is under $200 and will provide more HDMI and DVI inputs than the basic Technomasters you can get here.


I sense a trip to Wal-mart in my future.