It seems like nowadays it's so hard to find a PC repair place where the guys actually know what they're doing. I've used the Geek Squad and others in the past and they were worse than useless. But not these guys! They were recommended to me by my neighbor, who is a Programmer with a major software company, and boy was he right. My computer crashed and would not reboot. They were able to repair it to the point of booting, and it could be used, but it was really old and definitely past its expiration date, so I reluctantly decided it was time to move to a new computer. They were able to recover all of my data (which I had of course failed to back up for months) and my web bookmarks. Phew! And it cost WAY LESS than I was expecting. I then ran into some issues with my old monitor not working with my new computer, and they helped me figure it out without charging me any extra, even though realistically they should have because this had nothing to do with what I had already paid for. I find the negative reviews baffling -- could it be that they are putting their review in the wrong place? I've seen this happen to a friend of mine who has a small business, and he regularly gets negative ratings from people who thought they were rating a different company with a similar name. Nothing I saw over 3 days of interacting with these guys even remotely resembled the negative comments. Bottom line -- if you have issues with your computer, definitely start here. This is the kind of small, local business we need to support. read more

First Vibes Value is underwhelming. I'm an electronics assembler and I former field service technician/electronics repair tech. Their GPUs, PC cards, networking & other peripherals are 5 - 8 generations old, yet they often want the higher end of the average price of those same completed/sold items on eBay. And sure, that's fine, if what you're selling is 100% tested/working, in great condition, cleaned and/or comes with a limited warranty. Instead, lots of items are dirty, scuffed up, damaged, and/or missing critical components. For instance, several of their motherboards were missing IO shields. Bonkers Pricing! 5-6 generation old GPUs (GTX 770, 970, RX 570 etc) were $60 - $125; SCSI cards (only $1 at RE-PC Seattle!) were $14!! By far the worst offender by a long shot was their motherboard section: They had an Asus Prime A320M-A, marked as "tested" and came with stock cooler, plus IO plate. They wanted $100!! This is an entry-level, first-gen AM4 socket (so Ryzen 3/5/7/9 CPUs) however, if you wanted to pair this board with a newer Ryzen 5000 series, for example, it wouldn't just work natively. You have to update the BIOS in the board first, and you'd 100% have to do this Bios update WITH an older Ryzen CPU, which is tricky even for tech savvy gamers. Lastly, this board and other entry level ones like it can be found elsewhere for $40 - $70, and often in way better condition, or with the BIOS update done by previous owner/seller. Other cons Some items have stickers that do say "tested", while others don't have any stickers. You have to just walk to the front and ask. Things are organized in big totes, but it's hit or miss finding parts you need, as the store as a whole is incredibly dirty and dingy, with random fully built systems, speakers/sub woofers, TVs and other electronics randomly placed in between these totes, none of which are ever grouped together. Some of their pre built laptops are up near the front desk, which I'm sure is due to the Kensington locks to prevent theft, but their desktops are everywhere, so if you're looking, your better off calling to ask ahead of time, to ask what they have in stock. Otherwise if you come in on your own, and especially if you're not a tech nerd who knows what to look for, you're absolutely going to have a really tough time finding things. The Pros 1) The staff seem knowledgeable about parts, and the repair they were working on when I walked in was a more challenging board level diagnostic test, which told me they have experience and knowledge in this field. 2) They have TONS of stock, especially in monitors, old hard to find adapters, cards etc. So, if eBay seems like it'll take too long, you'll likely find what ya need here. Repairs They do offer repairs, and I overheard a customer call on the phone and ask the guy working here if he "had updates on his PC they are fixing." The worker did acknowledge the shop did in fact still have it on their bench, but "needed another day or so to give any updates." I worked and managed a repair shop on the Eastside for 4+ years, and based on my experience, when you tell somebody only that you "need more time," it's 99% of the time due to 1 of 2 possibilities: 1) You haven't had time to even look at it; 2) You've run some diagnostics, but it yielded little/no clues as to how it can be fixed. Why transparency matters I think it's critical to communicate with customers and see their problems from their perspective. Instead of just treating them as a work order number, and getting them off the phone as quickly as possible, which is what this shop did. When I ran my shop, I always greeted the customers warmly, often by their first names (as most of them were repeat customers) and just be completely honest with them, even if it's news you may think they don't want to hear. I learned the hard way that if you don't give them information they're paying you for updates on, it often just makes follow up communications much more challenging, and can easily sour business relationships. In summary, this shop has a LOT of potential! They're in an AMAZING location, close to Microsoft and high value real estate, and they have the expertise, but couldn't help but notice the passion and organization was extremely lackluster. And yes, I realize this review focuses heavily on the negatives, but I do this from a lens of constructive criticism for my industry peers, to better improve public assumptions of the consumer tech repair industry, and to improved awareness of the right to repair laws. I hope this helps somebody, whether it's a potential customer, or the owners of this business. Thanks read more

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I have done business here several times over the last 5 years. Their customer service is just amazing. Like in an old school way. Fair fees for services, extremely knowledgeable, and nice to work with. Today they just went above and beyond. read more

I walked in to inquire about parts. The owner is super friendly and technical. Though they don't sell the screen cable separately, I would probably come back when my laptop completely dies (: read more

Horrible service I called to ask for a price and the guy said i dont have to tell you the price and hung up in my face. The reason i asked is because i would have to drive two hours. As i can see most people are giving bad reviews to this guy as well.... And im not the first person that he hung up on and wont be the last. read more

Love this place! Originally came in to have cpu fixed but within few weeks was setting up my own server/cloud at our house thanks to Thomas. Both owners (thomas and Lee) go above and beyond for their customers, are friendly, helpful and 50x more knowledgeable than anyone you'll get calling customer service, Microsoft/Apple, etc. Well deserving of 5-star review. Its great knowing that if I run into issues with anything tech related, these guys got my back! read more

Computer Surplus - Dual 10tb home network, aka my own personal 'cloud'. Thomas, one of owners had setup for me! - IT Services & Computer Repair Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I bought my first computer with my dad here around 20 years ago, peripherals and components before and since then. There are bigger computer shops around but as far as Ive seen this is Washingtons best. Consistently great and always helpful knowledgeable and respectful. Prices are great on mostly used components. If I'm in Redmond you will usually find my car parked in front of my favorite computer shop. read more

The owner tried to rip me off today. He probably saw a fairly young woman who knows nothing about computers and thought he could get away with it. My dad actually recommended the store because he buys computer parts there quite a bit (but he also used to be in the computer industry). The only thing I needed was an AC adapter for my Dell laptop. The owner offered one to me that he claimed was new, despite it being dirty and not in a box. He then tried to charge me $39 for it. Luckily I listened to my gut and looked up comparable products on Amazon. I can get a new one on Amazon for twenty bucks. When I told my dad what happened, he agreed that I had been overcharged. Don't go to this store unless you're a computer whiz and know how things are generally priced. read more

I had an old computer & computer parts, some old wires & connectors, and an old cell phone. Where can I recycle all this stuff? The answer is Computer Surplus. When I went in to drop off the to be recycled components, there was a slew (more than 4) elder gents perusing and asking questions, and the phone was ringing off the hook. I guess business is booming. Apparently they also repair LCD and LED tvs and monitors. I will agree that this place needs to be inventoried, cleaned and prices adjusted, but, they have some good old equipment that you may not be able to find today in a big box stores. Most importantly, I can drop off old equipment for recycling here, most of which is free of charge. read more

Thomas and Lee are 2 great guys and I have been going to this shop now for many years. They have always been helpful and friendly to me and willing to help on price when they can. I would recommend them and their shop to anyone. Also not long ago, I had a Seagate external hard drive I used for backing up files and one day where the data cord attaches to the case broke inside the case. I frantically took the hard drive out of the case to see if anything could be done. Which there was was not. I called this shop and Thomas answers the phone and says come down and lets take a look. In like 10 seconds he put the hard drive into this new case, which has a connection for usb and its working again! LOL Best $20 I ever spent. This small hard drive case works for laptop hard drives as well up to 2 TB and was an upgrade from my Seagate since this case works with USB 3.0. Thanks again Thomas and Lee ! read more

Computer Surplus - external hard drive case - IT Services & Computer Repair Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Had a slow laptop with a broken button, some missing screws and some wear, but did NOT want a new one just yet. (The guys at the Windows store told me I needed a new one if I wanted to run Office more quickly which I somewhat resented since I bought it from them in the first place) Lee at Computer Surplus opened it up, popped in a faster drive, fixed the button and loose screws in the back and basically converted my laptop into an awesome, FAST machine at a FRACTION of the cost (and hassle) of a new one. He kept my original drive safe and sound with ALL of it fully accessible and I cannot say enough GOOD about my experience here. He has helped me out before and I finally felt it time to sign up to Yelp and give the guy and his place just dues - Excellent place!! Thank You Lee!! read more

Attempted to call them today about helping me with a laptop stuck in a boot loop. First time I called I got dead air so I called back and the gentleman started to speak with me but as I explained the problem he hung up on me. I tried twice to call back and they are letting it ring to voicemail. Incredibly unprofessional behavior and they should probably look at who they have answering the phones. If that's how they treat new customers i can only imagine how they treat existing ones. read more

Great place for computer builds, very helpful, will take time to discuss what you actually need. Threw in a small thing I needed free, which is always the sign of a customer-first business. read more

My hard drive died and I, of course, did not have a back up. Lee at Computer Surplus was kind, knowledgeable, respectful, and encouraging. He called in less than 24 hours. Amazing service. Quick and complete! I would definitely recommend them for all of your computer needs! read more

I bought a couple things from here. Great prices, amazing selection. However, I felt extremely uncomfortable with my last visit. I have autism, can't help but to touch and revisit things. I felt this cold piecing stare from one of the employees there. I believe it was an owner. I love the place, but I feel way to uncomfortable there now. Go for the value, but be aware of stone eyes... read more

Extremely fair prices, super helpful desk counter support and adorable dog. Helped me find the right monitor for my computer and was not afraid to help me without being too intrusive. Great local store. read more

Thank you for all your efforts and expertise. I always feel comfortable going to your shop!

Imagine, if you will, a computer junkyard. Ever been to one of those wrecking yards where you pay a fee and they let you wander around the park ripping shit out of cars and then paying by weight? ...no? Well, believe me, they exist. This is like the computer version of that. You walk in and there are just walls and walls of busted up computer parts. It's like something out of Star Wars. The people working behind the counter strike me as a married couple, or some other form of family business. The place is really dusty. They have a wide selection of everything. My problem really boils down to the price. When you are selling second hand goods, you really should make your shit down. Ya know? MARK IT DOWN!! read more

They sell junk parst for twice the cost of new. There are no sales people in the store to answer your questions so you have to deal directly with the techs/owners, and they are touchy and more than happy to pounce on your ignorance with or without a good reason, as if everyone who enters should know every spec and detail about what they need, so this being said; if you are tech smart and know EXACTLY what you are looking for AND; for some reason still own your first computer you bought in 2001 then this is the place for you. But, if you have questions or are simply looking to upgrade then it's probably better to head to Best buy or Fry's or buy online. The owners seem territorial, almost as if you're interrupting them just by shopping in their store. read more

Guy on the phone was a complete asshole. He interrupted me several times on the phone when I tried asking questions, and his general tone was aggressive and condescending. Go to someone like Dr. PC Fix It instead, way nicer and far more helpful if you need to get work done on your desktop computer! read more

$13 bucks for an old used cpu heat sink? What a rip. Go somewhere else and get brand new equipment for less $.

I Love These Two Guys! I tell you the two gentlemen that run the place are fabulous. They are always right on target with what I need (recovering files and adding life to a secondary machine), identifying monitor issues for correction . . . the service is always fast and friendly! The prices are fair & reasonable. They must love what they are doing because they always have a smile. I would highly recommend! [Don't get hung up on the clutter . . . they seem to know exactly where everything is . . . that is what counts.] BTW, one guy makes a reference junk . . . it is NOT junk, it is recycled parts and sometimes that is all your machine needs . . . no need for an expensive big box store when you can buy for 1/10 the price and it works just as good (yes, my daughter is always losing their laptop adapter). Yes, I have a new machine, but many of us also have older machines on the sideline storing files we haven't had time to move . . . without Computer Surplus many precious files would have been lost = devastation to me. Lifesavers more than once! Thanks Computer Surplus!!! Norma read more

Thank you Lee! We took my laptop to Computer Surplus this morning. I had spilled coffee all over the keyboard last week and even though it seemed to work I couldn't use all the keys. I thought I was going to have to get a new one (and after paying for an exploratory diagnosis). I was pleasantly surprised when Lee told me that it was probably just the keyboard that needs replacing. I didn't even know you could do that! I just got my laptop back for only $50! Same day! I am so grateful. Thanks again Lee! read more

Stripped a screw in my laptop and gave up trying to crack it after wasting a few hours. Tech here got it open in a couple minutes and pointed out where the proprietary SSD card was hiding. They didn't even charge me for it. read more

The guys at computer surplus are very good at repairing computers. They have over 25 years experience. If your computer is misbehaving, they can probably fix it. I have used them since the early 90's before they moved to Redmond. read more

We've been customers of Computer Surplus for about 10 years. Lee and Thomas have helped my two kids with many projects including, burning DVD's, desktop editing, and most recently installing a CPU upgrade. They are generous with their time, patient, and really knowledgeable about computers. It has been a great place to recycle out unused items too. I really appreciate this business and the advice that Thomas and Lee have given our family over the years. read more

Super nice guys! Went in to put together a really simple computer. Once we explained what we wanted, they hooked us up with what we needed, checked to make sure it all worked, and were really pleasant! read more

Awesome service and had a great variety of products. Staff was incredibly friendly, and more importantly knew exactly what they were talking about. Needless to say, if I ever need any computer parts, supplies, or repair sometime in the future, I know I'll be headed here first. read more

I purchased a used desktop from Computer Surplus and had problems with it. They repaired it once and then just switched out the machine and gave me a new one. I am impressed with their service and recommend them! read more

I brought my dead hard drive into Computer Surplus yesterday afternoon, and they called me this morning to let me know that they recovered my data and my computer was ready to go. I really like going to an independently owned shop and not one of the big-box stores or one of those online places that treat their warehouse people like garbage. I got my computer back fast, and am so very grateful to Lee for his fast and competent service, especially since I had been negligent in backing up any data, much of which was irreplaceable! read more

The guys are so helpful and patient! They always warranty there work to the highest standards. If you need work on your computer don't go ANYWHERE else! read more

My son's laptop power startup button stopped turning on the machine. I took it in, got a quote over the phone when the main tech looked at it, it was a fair price for the part + labor and was fixed quickly and efficiently. The tech knew his stuff and had it repaired to as good as new. If you have hardware problems with your machine - this is definitely the place to take it to. Also looking at their shelves, if you have an older machine, I'm sure they'd have the part you're looking for :-) read more

Yes, you should visit this place even if you do not any thing. You will find something useful any ways. People are helpful, fair and knowledgeable. Besides you will save money. I went there to buy a part, came out with a laptop for less than I could buy the part. read more

I brought my laptop in today because it wouldn't connect with internet. Thomas tried to identify the problem, but needed to keep it. He called a couple of hours later and it was ready to go. Reasonable price and it's working, or I wouldn't be online writing this review. Thank you! read more

I've been doing business with computer surplus for over 10 years. It's not a fancy shop but Thomas and Lee know there way around desktops and laptops. They are generous with their time and advice and I can always depend on them to provide excellent service. read more

Besides all the junk, this is a great place to get your computer fixed. My laptop screen was broken and the computer company called and said it would be $400 to replace it. I went to computer surplus and they had my screen and replaced it for $200. Great deal and they replaced it in one day! read more

Inquired about an Item, was told the price would be $10. Agreed to the price of $10 and began the checkout process. I didn't look at my receipt until I got home and was charged $20. STAY AWAY!!! read more

I don't know what the other reviewers are expecting but... these guys are smart, quick, reliable, totally honest and completely flexible. I have purchased several refurbished laptops from them and had them serviced here and come all the way from Ballard to do it. They are worth the trip. Every minute. Lee and Co are the best. read more

I have been a customer since about 2005 and have had nothing but positive dealings with this store. I have bought a number of refurbished PCs and laptops here that were within my budget. On a recent visit I decided to return an external sound card which I had bought and have an internal one installed instead. I expected to pay $20 more for the internal card, but Lee, the owner, charged me nothing for the exchange. The store is occasionally busy, so don't be offended if verbal exchanges appear more rushed. Lee and his assistant get the job done right. read more

I found these guys by accident over ten years ago and have never gone to anyone else since. Knowledgeable, honest, impressive group of gentlemen who try hard to provide excellent service and back up what they do. I had a laptop stolen from me at just the worst possible time financially for me, and they pieced together a perfectly adequate replacement for me for $150, to tie me over. I then 'recycled' that machine to my grandson who happily worked it hard for another 4 years! They always check before they fix things to make sure the machine is worth fixing and make recommendations of other options if it isn't. I hate to give them this good a reference because it'll just make them busier, but these guys are REALLY good and I refer them to people regularly with everyone i send there ending up glad they went. I think the term is integrity? These guys have it, along with the skills. Sign me, one computer programmer... read more