Question What piece of computer gear did you buy but later regretted?

[SHaines]

I suspect many of us have had the experience of being sucked in by advertising, only to regret the decision immediately. It's not so bad when the investment is low, but sometimes people make really big purchases that proved disastrous.

What component, or piece of computer gear did you buy that you later regretted?

My biggest regret purchase doesn't really work in this context since it was the Intellivision 2 back in the early 80s. I also didn't purchase it, I just pushed my parents to purchase it, which they did, but we were broke, so when choosing between food or the Intellivision 2, I made the wrong call.

However, my next purchase was of a magnetic tape backup storage for my Commodore 64 that I bought off a neighbor who was moving out of the neighborhood. I learned at an early age not to take it on faith that technology for sale is still functional.

Anyhow, hit us with your stories!

 

[MojaveTM06]

250fps is fine

Probaly my gtx 1050ti, Im new to bvuilding pc's but started building one and saw the price had dropped from roughly 200 to around 120, so I bought it and instantly regret it, the 1080 ti dropped in price 2 weeks after and im now sat here stuck with under 250 fps on most games

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Insignia usb bluetooth dongle from best buy. $18 iirc

Worked somewhat at first but had horrible range. Sometimes it would cut out around 3 yards away.

My phone never has such an issue.

Then later it started causing a bsod on my pc any time bt was switched on.

Eventually it just quit working. On any pc i tried It would cause all of the other usb ports to turn off and windows to give a usb device malfunction.

 

[madmatt30]

Over the years i have got my fingers burn with all manner of pc extras.

Zx 81 ram pack wobble and bounce on screen 5 times to enter line.
Zx printer with metalic paper .... i am sure i got high on the fumes lol.

My first attempt to buy a pc was from time computers in 2002 i was "offered" a word package as i said i would only use that in an offices suite. The next day the doors were locked , no pc and no money.

I went for a packard bell , flat screen monitors had only just hit the market , it cost more than the pc , and due to a chip conflict their own scanners would not work on their own pc's

A graphics tablet that drew lines so think on screen that it was a joke

A competition prize .... a wireless keyboard that had to be charged by sitting it in the sun to charge its cells.

A web cam that was about as much use as a headache.

Finally a usb microscope that would not stop taking photos until the software crashed

For the last 10 years the only items i have own are new pc's , monitors and printers.

MY BEST BUYS ....
A device called a multiface , it had a magic spectrum copying button , load game past the code then copy , yes it was wrong but back in the day we all did it.
logitech 2.1 speakers.... now 17 years old and still going strong and a Logitec g 5 mouse about 10 years old , weights in base and suits me fine.

Had the zx printer and the multiface, got me reminiscing now

 

[Aeacus]

I haven't bought anything that i instantly regretted since almost all of my IT purchases are well thought out and thoroughly researched before purchase. Or in other words, i don't fall victim for the advertisement.

In my days, sure i have had products that didn't last as long as expected or arrived defective but for that, there is RMA which i've used always, if warranty is still valid. But that doesn't make me regret the purchase.

 

[hendo916]

I would have to say the top of that list for me would be this damn 5700 xt that I cannot seem to get to just work like a 500$ card should ... Its been out for a year now and the driver issues are still going bananas ! Makes me want to put my 1050 TI back in , literally .

 

[Akachibisaru]

I bought an Oric 1 back in the day (well parents did for Christmas) because the spectrum had sold out everywhere.

It was a good machine but lacking software, kept it nearly 3 months then returned it and swapped for a spectrum.

Back in the day before the Internet returns etc to shops were dead easy.

Kind of had a free 3 month trial.

You still get 3 months at Costco. I tried out two comps before I bought the 3rd. An 18.4 inch HP DV8. Bought a Asus Vivo Book Pro the second time.

 

[madmatt30]

You still get 3 months at Costco. I tried out two comps before I bought the 3rd. An 18.4 inch HP DV8. Bought a Asus Vivo Book Pro the second time.

Its good rhat shops still do that but in the UK you've got no chance, generally 14 days and the item has to be returned as new(when they say that they generally mean unused)