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Posted: **Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:36 pm**

It wasn't NewEgg. They redirect to Visa's secondary security site successfully. Was Fry's Electronics. Sales dude on the phone said a lot of their Visa orders were failing.

In other news, everything's bought except the vid card now, and that's pretty much locked in stone since I'm getting the edition for the specific mobo brand. Mouse and keyboard stayed on target. Only went with 16 gigs of memory after figuring the performance increase to 32 would be negligible. Did step up from Silverline to Redline model, though. Monitors ended up being dual Asus VH238H Black 23" on sale at NewEgg plus promo plus rebate. Will have $80 of rebates coming in a few months, and I only managed to go a couple hundred over budget. In spite of that, felt worth it for the vid card.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395542196

Posted: **Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:06 pm**

Don't forget your windows license. Usually one of the more expensive things I put in a new system. Get one for system builders, it's about half the price.

Also, you usually have to do the 64 bit version to utilize buttloads of RAM.

Posted: **Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:18 pm**

GORDON wrote:Don't forget your windows license. Usually one of the more expensive things I put in a new system. Get one for system builders, it's about half the price.

Also, you usually have to do the 64 bit version to utilize buttloads of RAM.

Work makes me part of the MSDN network, one of the nicer benefits of FTE status. I get MS for dirt fucking cheap. I appear to be able to download Windows 7 Ultimate right now for free. I think I get the latest version of Office for $10 or something ridiculously nominal. Ditto for the latest versions of Visual Studio and MS-SQL Server. Hmm, or Windows 8.1 if I'm feeling ballsy.

Hopefully, the free copy of Daylight with the vid card will still be there on Friday.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395545365

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:59 am**

Depending on which MSDN license you have, Office is free.

Windows 8.1 - LOL. Only if you want to beat your computer to a pile of shit out of frustration.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:50 am**

Yeah, I'm sticking with 7 until MS gets past the "one OS to rule them all" attitude or they stop supporting it.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:43 pm**

I'm becoming slightly worried NewEgg is reading my mind.

Me on Friday: Goddamn, I need some cheaper monitors.
NE on Friday: Discounts plus rebates plus promo codes on Asus monitors. Limit 2 per household.

Me yesterday: Goddamn, I need my specific model and make of vid card to get a price drop.
NE today: Malcolm's vid card is 10% off.

This is as close as the digital gods come to providing what is commonly referred to as "a sign."

Edited By Malcolm on 1395593231

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:50 pm**

They monitor what you look at, so it you had actually been looking at monitors and video cards ahead of time, they'll often send you a targeted ad the next day.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 1:06 pm**

TheCatt wrote:They monitor what you look at, so it you had actually been looking at monitors and video cards ahead of time, they'll often send you a targeted ad the next day.

Does what I look at influence their price drops on specific items? They not only dropped the price by 10%, but it shipped free. Got a free copy of Daylight (somehow valued at $90 -- I guess when you're giving shit away, it could be worth its weight in gold). Will post about that somewhere separate.

Whatever the case may be, everything is bought now. All of it should arrive by middle of next week, at the latest.

Goal was $2K or less. Didn't quite get there. Spent $2265. $80 of that will be rebated back to me eventually, so I'm less than 10% over at $2185 which I find quite acceptable given the components I've assembled.

Originally, I did this so I could play the new Thief. The GPU was the only component not measuring up on the old laptop. Pumping the new specs into their calculator says I should be doing fine. Looks like I can run twice as quick as the ultra high setting requires. Hell, I can finally see what BL2 looks like with all the graphics turned up.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395596026

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:43 pm**

Seriously, Visa. What. The. Fuck. I buy the vid card from NewEgg and I go through your BATSHIT INSANE three-token authentication successfully, and you still won't let me buy things.

Visa: It's everywhere you want to be. Unless you need to buy something, then fuck you.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395614899

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:45 pm**

Visa's probably just stunned that someone with your credit card is spending money.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:49 pm**

TheCatt wrote:Visa's probably just stunned that someone with your credit card is spending money.

I am the Great Goddamn Gatsby compared to the majority of my family.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:20 pm**

Even better, it declined my order from last night. Fuck Visa for the rest of eternity.

FUCK. And the RAM I ordered is now out of stock.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395616882

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:38 pm**

Awesome. And my promo code for the monitors no longer works. This means I'll have to get on the phone with NewEgg tomorrow and see if I can get them to honor my order in spite of Visa's asinine cancellations.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395618725

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:05 pm**

They price-matched a laptop for me once when the price dropped $100 2 days after I bought it. They don't normally do that, but they said, "You're a good customer and just this once."

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:18 pm**

Hmm. NewEgg's chat support is on now. I can detect the distinct Indian accent even in the typed words. They could win massive customer service support points right about now.

In other news, found the RAM somewhere for $1 cheaper, so woohoo. If I can sew up the monitors, I'll be good. Woohoo, "George" managed to cancel the order that Visa declined. Promo code unlocked.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395620311

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:32 pm**

Hmm. No confirmation e-mail for the RAM. Will follow up with them tomorrow. Only problem with Amex is the extra special fuck you interest rate.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:35 pm**

Malcolm wrote:Hmm. No confirmation e-mail for the RAM. Will follow up with them tomorrow. Only problem with Amex is the extra special fuck you interest rate.

What's an interest rate?

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:18 pm**

TheCatt wrote:
Malcolm wrote:Hmm. No confirmation e-mail for the RAM. Will follow up with them tomorrow. Only problem with Amex is the extra special fuck you interest rate.

What's an interest rate?

APR, whatever.

I got two Visas issued by my CU and had to add on the Costco Amex because they only accept payment in cash and that. On the flips ide, they keep their shit updated because I can see the pending charge against the RAM. Sweet.

Edited By Malcolm on 1395624122

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:47 pm**

What's an APR?

Posted: **Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:35 pm**

Looks like the vid card is the overclocked edition instead of the GHZ. $80 cheaper. Wtf-ever.

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