They are not worth your time. They don't have anyone even answering their phones during business hours on a Tuesday afternoon. Bad thing, when someone will pay any price for a wire to get a computer back online. I would post "0" stars, if possible. read more

Great selection...SUPER FING RUDE customer service. They gave me the typical "how can I help you little girl" attitude and then refused to accept my City College ID for their college discount. The clerk was adamant that my college id needed a picture but City College ID's don't have pictures.... Oh, did I mention that I'm majoring in Computer Science? Assholes. read more

The retail is okay if you know what you are doing. But the "repair" service is abominable. Worst use of $29 ever. On Friday, 11/19/2010, I dropped off a desktop that wouldn't power up. I was informed by Ray that by the following Monday afternoon, I would hear an estimate. I heard nothing by Thursday 11/30/2010 when I called to inquire about the status. The person I talked to couldn't even find the service tag in their system. After holding for 10 minutes, the person came back and said the PC is "on the bench right now" and we'd know by Wednesday, 12/01/2010. I still heard nothing by Friday, 12/10/2010 when I dropped into the store to personally ask about the status. At the repair desk in the back of the store, my service tag could not be found. Then I was told that the PC had been shipped out for repair and that I'd need to talk to Tony at the front of the store. Tony said that the repair had not been shipped out and that I needed to go back to the repair desk. Back at the repair desk, Ray says "Oh yeah, the PC is right here. We called you on 12/01 to tell you that the motherboard is bad." Ray admitted calling only once and not leaving a message. My phone has no record of any missed calls from Central Computer, but even giving the benefit of the doubt, one attempted call with no message? Really? Ray was very apologetic and promised that he would get me an estimate by Monday, 12/13/2010, for replacing the motherboard. When I heard nothing from Ray by Wednesday, 12/15/2010, I called to say I was coming in to pick up the PC. Ray said he was in the process of estimating the repair. Sounded to me very much like the PC being coincidentally "on the bench right now" when I called before. When I said I was coming in to pick it up nevertheless, Ray said it would take 30 minutes to get the paper work together. Ray seems like a nice guy, but his credibility is non-existent. I can't comment on his repair skills but I will get another opinion from someone who knows what they are doing. It was only $29 dollars, but still, there are better ways to spend money. read more

Just order off of Newegg or Amazon and save yourself the trouble because the staff at this store is not helpful. When you place a special order and 1 1/2 days later you go to pick it up, it should be there. Not at Central Computers! You have 24 hrs to pick up your special order or it is gone. No one called me, no one told me this was their policy. What store implements a policy like that?...a store that is disorganized and thoroughly untrained. Just skip it, there is better, cheaper alternatives. read more

Brought my lap top in for repairs and they told me the hard drive failed because the power supply was not working properly. They sold me a new hard drive and they sold me an after market power supply. Computer still didn't work properly. Took the lap tip to be repaired elsewhere, Turns out the power supply Central Computer sold me was faulty, and this caused the new hard drive that I purchased from them to fail. read more

If you absolutely can't wait for New Egg or ZipZoomFly, head to Central. Be prepared for (very) lousy service. If it's the middle of the work day, you know exactly what you want, and you don't mind looking for it yourself, Central can be a real lifesaver. While Central is no gem, it's almost paradise compared to CompUSA... Two stars because there are no real competitors in the area. read more

Twice we have taken our PC to Central Computer for repair, not knowing what the problem was. The first time we had to get a new hard drive, as it had been damaged when construction of a new basement sent all kinds of crap into the air that ended up in the computer. Recently the keyboard went totally wonky and a few other things. We thought it had a virus, but it turned out we had an old anti-virus program that had become "corrupt." Both times the service was fast (a couple of days) and cheap (this time it was only 89 dollars beyond the initial 29 dollar diagnostic fee. Unexpected bonus: both times I had stupid problems when I got home (this time I had no sound because I reassembled the components incorrectly!). I called (two weeks later) and the tech guy walked me through what I had to do. What delicate San Franciscans would do well to realize is that the reason the work is good and inexpensive is that the techs who do it are total nerds (this is a compliment) who are all about computers. Verbal communication is not their forte. Just be prepared to do the lion's share of communication, and you are likely to get a sweet repair deal. read more

They pretty much have everything. The customer service is hit or miss so I advise on knowing exactly what you need. Don't expect that the employees will be able to figure it out. When they have a sale, the prices can't be beat. read more

Prices: I wanted a compact flash memory card. I called four places, they were the cheapest. They had the same price as Amazon, without the shipping and waiting. Selection: Huge, this place is like an efficiently packed warehouse. Service: Friendly and efficient staff. I was in and out within two minutes. I found out that I didn't need the product anymore, I went in to return it. Full refund within 2 minutes of walking into the store. Their service is what will keep me coming back to them for all my computer needs. read more

Went in this evening to get a SSD hard drive for my aging MacBook Pro and a travel iPad/iPhone charger. The friendly staff had the drive installed in under 20 minutes (your results may vary). I thank central for ridding me of the dreaded spinning beach ball. read more

I am a huge fan of Fry's Electronics. I always thought that "the best buy is always with Fry's." But I'm now also a fan of Central Computers. I have to thank Patrick Norton of Revision 3 for his recommendation on Tekzilla!! The prices are very competitive; consistently lower prices than Fry's. Fry's tends to have inconsistent with some REAL steals. But Central always has the right price tags and they're always pretty cheap. I picked up a 15-foot HDMI to HDMI male to male cable for $20. Monster and the like usually go for upwards of $40 or more!!!! The location is very close to Westfield, Moscone and Union Square which is a great stop. I'll come here on my way out of San Fran and it's easily walkable. The store is clean and well organized with overhead signs for each section a la Apple Store pre-2005. The cables are actually where they're supposed to be! Staff is there if you need any help (not spectacular service but you can't win all the battles) and it's a comfortable and efficient shopping experience. The savings are worth the struggle and better than the Fry's by a long shot. This has become my first stop when I'm in the city and need those important PC components. read more

I've been going to Central Computers for bits and pieces for over 10 years now (basically, since I first discovered it). Everyone who's complaining about the customer service? Well, I grew up going to super specialty/nerdy shops like this and I don't expect much. I *do* expect everyone inside a store like this to know what they're talking about, and they do! They almost always have what I want, and at a great price. (it does help to not go in as a neophyte nerd.) AND a big bonus: on my more recent trips to the shop I was pleasantly surprised and got helped right away with a nice cust-serv smile. Yay! read more

This should be one of those protected national heritage sites, like an Amish village or colonial Williamsburg. Look, of course I'm going to buy most of my gear online. The local computer shop was meant to be overtaken by online shopping. That's the way of natural selection. But if you live in SF and you need a cable _right now_, how many choices do you really have? You want to pay $50 for a P.O.S. USB cable at Best Buy? You want to pay $250 for a lame-o router at OfficeMax? I don't think so. Central has all the bits & pieces you need, like hard drives, cables, cases, fans, thumbdrives, switches, and monitors. And they don't overcharge for cheap stuff. A USB cable or an ethernet cable is $5, as it should be. In fact, they have every cable and adapter you can think of. The service is sketchy and English isn't always the primary mode of communication. Who cares. You know what you want, you grab it off the shelf, you put down the Visa card, and you walk out with instant gratification. So that's Central. Prices are decent, selection is decent, floor-space is pretty good for an urban location. You need this place. I need this place. And I need you to shop here so they stay open for when I need them. read more

Central Computer's fair prices and great location beat the poor customer service. Definitely worth a visit before you get something at Best Buy or Radio Shack. read more

Unless you can wait for an online order to ship, this is a good option when you're in a bind and need basic computer accessories for a project in San Francisco. The closest Fry's is at least an hour away. In my case, I needed digital cables. RadioShack only stocks the excessively overpriced (~$30-$80) gold-plated USB and HDMI cables with the fancy packaging. The gold plating is completely unnecessary unless you plan to pour corrosive acids on your cables. Unlike analog, digital signals are all or nothing so gold shielding will not improve picture or printing quality. Unfortunately, many people donate large sums of money to Best Buy and the shack for cables that look nice and hip but are completely out of view behind the TV. read more

Ever buy something one day and change your mind the next day? Then tough s:)t if you bought it at Central Computer!!! You won't be bowled over with the staff's charm in trying to do so either. I was charged a restocking fee for an unopened, brand licketty-split new mouse. Try to charm them and then argue? Don't bother. They are stoic statues my friends; they cannot be moved. Bottom line, unless you want to be arrested and accused of assault and battery, just shop somewhere else. Fry's, Tiger Direct, anywhere else. By the way, I gave them the bonus star, because the guy who sold me the mouse was super helpful and nice. Shock and awe. read more

The only real computer parts store in the area. Knowledgeable staff, open at convenient hours, located in a central location (pun unintended). The selection, however, is lacking when compared to huge online retailers such as Newegg or NCIXUS. This is, obviously, understandable when real estate is at such a premium in SF and they don't have the advantage of open warehouses. If you need a popular / core part in a hurry, you'll find it here. Prices are great, on par with online. I'm sure you'll miss out on a online-only promotion here and there, but support a local business and get it quick. Still below MSRP, and rebates apply. Really can't complain. read more

It's great for raw materials and for a custom PC at a decent price. This isn't the apple store. Or at least it isn't the apple store for people that don't speak chinese. You have to know what you're coming for when you come to CC. If you're looking for service with a smile, or even service with a frown, this isn't the place. However, they have really good stock selection and raw materials for the person that can't wait for Amazon or NewEgg I built a custom pc here. Their prices were comparable, they put it together for me and everything worked on spec. If I'm looking for cards or cables or connectors on the fly, I'll come here. read more

I have a Laptop and on Saturday the screen came off a bit from the hinge, I took it to another, nice guy but then he asked me $100 to fix it. As a thumb rule $45/hr is a standard for any laptop repair + cost of any hardware cost (OK +$15 as SF premium), because if a professional can not find the fault in an hour, he is just not smart enough. So I told him to that I will be back tomorrow and went to Central Computers, He (Tan) just took computer and just start working on it, for a second I was scared he will throw a big bill back at me, but then he opened the screen showed me the fault & fixed it in 20 min, and asked for FIVE BUCKS, yes 5 as in Cinco dólares. I gave him 10. I don't the first guy tried to cheat me, he sounded really nice and knowledgeable but still he tried to charge me 100 for what I think was 50$ job (which in turned out to be just a 5$ fix). With Central, I can understand some people having bad exp as with computers unless you what you want, things can be very tricky. read more

This business consistantly provides great customer service . They always are ready to help, can think outside of the box and are very knowledgable about computer hardware. I've been going here for several years and always say to myself when I leave, that was a great customer service experience, yet again. It's just a great place to shop. read more

Came in to buy a replacement power cord. Got great customer service! They were out of what i needed but did have something similar that was half of what Office Depot was asking. Thanks guys! read more

so someone at bestbuy harrison/van ness directed me to this store and suggested id call prior to going to make certain that the computer part that i needed is in stock... long story short: called, it's in stock, infod that im on my way, arrived, and the merchandise was there waiting for me! AWESOME!!! read more

They're not the biggest computer shop. They don't necessarily have everything. But, of all the tech stores I visit, this is the least likely to give me a headache! Some shops (like Fry's) can give you a dozen choices for anything you're looking for- the selection here isn't was wide, but, they have always had at least one of what I was looking for- and it's right downtown. They can't always match mail-order prices, but they're better than CompUSA, and can give me what I'm looking for right away. They don't have parking, but they are close to garages, and more important for me most days, are near bike lines and BART/buses/muni. It's fun to browse, and convenient. AOK with me. read more

This is a pretty good computer store that has decent inventory and customer service. I went there probably 5 times because I couldn't find certain parts for computers in the financial district. They don't have as much selection as CompUSA, but for certain items, like notebook drives, they have much more selection. Also, their price is cheaper too. However, if you're comparing the price of this to an online store, say Newegg.com, then this would not even come close to the low price newegg offers. But if you needed something right away, like a desktop power supply, a notebook drive, or some cables, then this place has decent selection. read more

It's weds and my FW1884 is on the fritz and I have a ton of music to mix for clients. I need a new firewire PCI card IMMEDIATLY (I beed a TI shipset only). I am now on hold for 25 minutes. Every 5 minutes someone picks up the phone and when i ask about the product i need they say, "please hold, I'll connect you to sales". I think it's the same guy. Whoa, 35 min in and finally I got someone to find and read the model numbers of the FW cards. I was going to give 2 stars but now they get 3 because they had what I need. read more

Servicing: paid the $29 diagnostic fee to find out that my hard drive died. I called in on the 4th day when they didn't call me in 2-3 days when they promised. They weren't ready for information on my laptop and called me back three hours later with an $80 offer to install a $90 hard drive of the same specifics as my dead one and reinstall the OS. Customer service: hit or miss; depends on which personnel. Staff who received my laptop were receptive and helpful to me and gave detailed answers. But when I picked up my laptop, the employee whom I saw was gruff and impatient when I sought advice regarding simple hard drive questions. Merchandise: Compare with other stores. With hard drives, Central's is slightly cheaper but has a limited selection. Individual service rates are cheaper than, say, Best Buy's, but compare the bundle service each store offers. While I appreciate Central Computer's cheaper offer for the hard drive and service, I am disappointed with their turn around time and the gruff manners of some personnel. read more

I had a great experience with Central Computers. Tony, Peter, Robert and the rest of the crew were very knowledgeable and helpful regarding the problems I was having with my piece of crap HP dv2000 laptop. (DOWN WITH HP!) Their prices are very reasonable and their service comes with a warranty of 90 days. Those guys and gals know their business and aren't out to screw you at all. I would definitely recommend them to anyone as a friend did to me. Thanks again Central Computers! read more

Went in on Saturday - - had a job that would take about 10 minutes - - snapping back on a few keys on a laptop - - kitty had some fun. The guys at the service counter were jerks - rude. Told me that I would have to leave my computer for at least three days. They didn't know if they could repair the keys or not and probably would have to replace the keyboard. I went to another repair shop - - was there about 15 minutes, with my keys replaced - - total bill at the second shop - $20. I decided to look around the store for a bit - - even after being rudely treated by the service department - - and guess what - - got rudely treated AGAIN by someone on the sales floor. The Central Computer employee was having a very obvious personal conversation. I walked up to him to ask for assistance with an item, he said I'll be with you in a moment. I was still waiting for him to finish his personal conversation when I left 5 minutes later. Shame on you Central Computers. read more

Had to write a quick review for these guys. The on/off switch on my computer went limp when I was manually turning my computer off and I knew the problem was probably minor. I just needed someone with knowledge of the problem to fix it for me. I first went to a repair place near my house (not gonna say which one) and the guy started telling me he needed to keep the computer for a few days, and he wanted to take it apart, and the standard charge was $140. I knew he was BS'ing me and left. I went straight to Central Computer because they had fixed my computer in the past. The guy at Central opened up the box and within 2 minutes noticed that a wire behind the on/off switch had come loose. He connected it, booted the computer up, and everything was solved. I respect this place and their employee for being honest and helping me out. read more

I decided to try Central Computers instead of Best Buy (had more than a couple bad experiences at Best Buy - double charged, laptop failed in 1 month of use, etc etc) SUPER GLAD I DID. I walked in there, a guy sat down with me and fixed my laptop issue in 10 minutes. I use it for work and was bummed that I would have it in the shop for 2 months.. RE: Customer service - knowledgeable specialists not salespeople. The experience is not slick like a department store but they have a big inventory and are really a bunch of tech minded folks. Going to go back here first, they are real people who know what they are doing and I want them to be around next time I need help with something. I will buy my next computer here - Best Buy has failed too many times. read more

Usually good prices on cable & in a good location. Limited on jacks though. Seem to have a pretty good selection of random sh*t.

great experience, FAST service, very reasonable repair rates. I highly recommend these guys

They did me a real solid, so I at least owe them a good Yelp. They're the (only?) place to go to in town if you know what you want since Compusa is gone and that may be a good thing. They have a lot of aftermarket or oem and competitive pricing. Service has been a thing here since forever, they hired some new younger staff who know their stuff, and it's a little better but it can still be difficult to get help especially for onesie and twosie items, or if you might seem like you don't care about the latest and greatest read more

The employees at central computers were very informative and helpful with my computer needs and although they don't have a huge selection, they have the right selection of items I have needed for my computer projects. I only wish they had customer parking to make it easier to drive in, buy what I need and, drive out. read more

I had an issue with replacing a hard drive and the guy at the repairs desk in the back fixed it up right away. I've been here a few times now and the people here have always been really helpful. read more

I'm increasing my review for CC SF by 1 star seeing as how recently I've visited CC Santa Clara and got the great customer service I used to get at CC SF, which effectively removed my problem. Not sure if I should then increase the rating for CC SF, but it felt slightly redeeming for CC as a whole. Given the statements made by the management at the SF store, I am however suspecting they might label the excellent customer service shown by the employees in Santa Clara as a mistake, but I'm sure they don't mind regaining (high-end) custom. I did however want to mention to SF management to please give your employees more freedom in resolving customer issues to their own judgement. Yes, that will likely push some of the risks more towards the store than the customer, but repeat custom (especially for high-end purchases) is based on this show of trust/service. read more

Yeah, sometimes they get so busy that its hard to get someone to help you. But this is a computer store not Nordstrom's. And it's not like any other computer stores offer better customers service. At least at Central you get helped by people who really know computers and who are honest and don't try to sell you on stuff you don't need. Sometimes I forget how much stuff Central has and go to Radio Shack or Best Buy to get something. But they won't have what I need and their salesmen will tell me to go try Central. Duh. So I go to Central and they have it and have it cheap. Lesson learned. read more

I'm an Australian studying in Mexico at the moment and I need to buy a new laptop. My parents were recently passing through San Fransisco on the way to visit me here and since most computer models are a good 20% cheaper in the US, I decided that I would contact Central Computers and arrange for them to order into their store the specific ASUS model I want so that my parents could pick it up whilst they were there. However, they had booked their flights to leave San Fransisco on the 2nd of November. Therefore, over the course of my correspondence with Central Computers (which began on the 24th of October), I stated precisely four times that the computer needed to be there by the 2nd of November at the very latest, and twice asked them to inform me if there was any chance that it would not arrive on time. They assured me that this would be no problem. And surprise, surprise, it wasn't there. What really infuriated me though is that they didn't even have the balls to apologise for this, they just made excuses and stated that it was only a 'one business day delay'. I'm sorry guys, but in this case a one business day delay is simply not good enough, as I repeatedly stated beforehand. I can guess their train of thought exactly; they had absolutely no idea whether or not the computer would arrive on time, but if it did they would get the money, if it didn't, well, they can just sell the computer to someone else and haven't lost anything. If they had told me from the start that it might not arrive on time I could have arranged something else. As it is, they wasted my time, cost me $200 because I have to buy the computer in Mexico now and I'm really irritated. read more

We took careful because my dell N5010 notbook live to fix the power connector and min charge $ 30.00 diagnostic repair and $90,00 to fix,, so they stayed with my pc after 3 days min speak you need to exchange your battery is $ 99.00 AC Power Adapter $ 49.00 but would tax,, then only talked fix the connector on the back of the pc, he said can come get this done .. coming home did not work, i come back the next day min speak you need to exchange your battery ,,, I was in another store min speak, your battery is perfect and also AC Power Adapter,,, sorry but they will not exchange the connector the price is $ 80.00, I paid again now work perfect read more

Just bought a set of computer parts and accessories. They worked super well. I do not know why people complained. Because I never have any problems with their store staff. They have always been helpful to me . I recommended them with zero doubt. read more