Hey everyone,

Wanted to share my experience paying Micro Center to build a custom PC so that you know how it works and what went well/what didn't. Here's the parts list.

Did the $150 build which means hardware assembly with air cooling only. No OS install as I prefer to do that myself. They had two specials I took advantage of - 10% off the entire purchase if you signed up for the credit card and pay the bill in full, and a bundle where you got the CPU, mobo, and RAM for $450. Also did some price matching. They didn't have the case I wanted in black, so they discounted the white version to $99. Thought that was nice and completely unnecessary.

Went on a Wednesday night, had a parts list picked out, and the PC was ready for pickup the next day!

Brought it home and immediately noticed the CPU cooler was quite loud and my CPU temps were hitting 91 celcius. Then I started gaming and the PC would intermittently shut off.

Took it back to Micro Center and they couldn't replicate the issue. Took to Reddit to help troubleshoot and nothing worked. Was convinced my power outlets at home were faulty, or that the power supply was bad.

Took it back again to Micro Center and they found that the tech had left the plastic on the heatsink. Immediately after removing this, CPU temps went down to 65-70c peak and the CPU clock from 3.3ghz to 4.4ghz. Fans were noticeably quieter, and haven't noticed any shutdowns since.

My guess is the CPU was peaking into the 100s but my software wasn't showing me because it would be for fractions of a second.

I asked them to warranty the CPU incase of plastic damaging it and they gave me a complimentary 2 year warranty.

All in all, a bit of a frustrating experience, especially bringing it back in and telling me there's nothing they can do since they couldn't replicate the power offs (even though the temps were sky high for my CPU/fan combo), but they made it right in the end.

If I had to do it again, I'd probably still do it but I'd be checking for plastic everywhere after this experience. It's something I never would've thought to check for.

Hope this helps!

I go to the one in Tustin, California. I bought all my parts yesterday at Micro Center. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/cnX6k9

My plan was to take it to my local PC shop since they're a lot closer. I built my current PC myself almost 12 years ago and have kind of forgotten the process. I'm long over due for an upgrade. I'm also partially disabled now which is why I'm seeking the service. It'd be really daunting to do it by myself now. I just don't know if Micro Center is more professional than the guys at my local shop. I was also leaning towards Micro Center because the sales associate that helped me pick out the parts yesterday was super insistent on the extended warranty, especially since I bought a lot of refurbished parts.

I'm not super tech savvy, so I wouldn't really know what kind of job they did after I bring the PC home.

I was told I just needed the Tier 1 service ($150), since I have my own Windows Key.

Any opinions or experiences? Bonus points if it was also from the Tustin location.

I’m thinking about getting a pc built by micro center. Is that a good idea or no?

Thank all of you for the feedback

When they build a PC for you, what happens if a part doesnt work or the combo of a few parts dont work, or afterwards the thing doesnt run correctly, do they warranty the whole system? How does it work if 1 part goes bad in a PC you had them assemble from all the parts you bought from them after sitting down with them & talking about specs?

How much does it cost to get a pc built at microcenter?

Given the current state of the GPU market, I went into the local MicroCenter (Duluth, GA) to get a pre-built with a 3080. Ended up walking out with one of their-brand pre-builts, PowerSpec. They also had a ton of 3000 series gpu in stock (only 3080TI). My build was supposed to have a 3070. 100%. It seems someone f-ed up and I have a 3070-Ti for the same low price. This is more of a recommendation than a discussion for anyone searching for a gpu lol. I now love MicroCenter

Edit: Thought I'd add one since the post got more comments than I expected. I've stressed the pc pretty hard for the past couple of days and haven't had any issues so far. Great performance.

I'm planning to use Microcenter's PC building service since I'm comfortable choosing some components but need help with others. I've got a good handle on the core components I want (motherboard, RAM, SSD, and GPU), but I'm less confident about:

• Case selection and proper sizing

• Cooling solutions (fans, AIO vs air cooling)

• Power supply requirements

• Cable management

Has anyone used their building service recently? I'm wondering if it's possible to order some parts online for pickup, then consult with their tech team in-store to figure out the remaining components? Specifically interested in:

1. How the consultation process works? Should I order parts online first?

2. Whether they help with component compatibility

3. If they can suggest alternatives based on stock availability

Also, do they help with OS installation and initial setup? Any tips or things I should know before going in?

Thanks in advance!