This place has a lot of mixed reviews- personally, I had an excellent experience today. After seeing the prices that RadioShack and other big-box 'office supply' stores in the city were charging for the cables I needed, this place was a godsend- they had an excellent selection of items and at a fraction of the cost. Clearly, this is not a store for the type of shopper who wants to try out ten keyboards before they pick the one they like. Likewise, it's not the place to go if you need your hand held while you shop or if you're not 100% sure of what you need. I received perfectly pleasant customer service, but I get the impression that these guys don't suffer fools gladly. Do your research first and this store is both efficient and inexpensive. read more

Good prices, good selection for computer components, including cases, cards, chips, drives, peripherals, etc. Service can vary as with any discount store. I've been there several times and will continue to go back. Very convenient location, as they are only a couple of blocks from the 5th and Mission garage across from the Metreon. Once I bought a processor, memory and motherboard and they did a free POST test for me which I appreciated....it's nice to verify these components before you leave the store. Another time I had a power supply go bad on me a couple months after I bought it. Since it was still under manufacturers warranty they handled the return to the manufacturer for a replacement . All I had to do was bring the power supply back to store. They shipped it back, got the replacement, and called me when it was in so I could pick it up. Very helpful. read more

If you want parts, in a hurry, and you know what you need....this is the place to go. On the other hand, if you need maintenance....dont bother. The sales staff conflict each other all the time, you never get a straight answer. The tech guys are either total jerks, or very nice but english deficient to a fault. It took me literally 15 minutes to get a receipt for work done, and while I was waiting for it I decided to ask a few simple questions/suggestions about hardware. These guys had very little interest in helping, and the one that did, ended up giving wrong advice. Over all, I would say that if you have them build a machine for you, it will work well, but if any part fails after 3 months....you will have to go through the nightmare of an RMA on your own, which generally will keep you out of business for weeks. Parking is a huge issue here....so you gotta plan your drop offs and pick ups very strategically read more

I walked into this place, waited for someone to make EYE CONTACT with me, then waited for service. Told the guy my issue, he preceded to tell me all the most expensive repairs my machine COULD need (even though I told him what was wrong) then told me it would be $29, to JUST look at it... At a different site and I wouldn't get any info till Monday (it was Tuesday) after he took my money and said, " they could fix it". I had to PUSH for info, he was willing to take my money quick enough, but I should have just accepted shitty, slow service (never mind that I'm only there because they screwed up my machine in the first place). Don't believe comments from "Homies" putting positive comments here... They [Central Computers] suck, go elsewhere!!! If I could UN-Star I would've! read more

I was dreading having to find a power cord for my Samsung Galaxy S III, having just left mine at my friend's ranch two hours north of San Francisco. However, I was happily surprised that no stress was needed. 1 Looked on Yelp to find local stores that sell phone peripheries 2 Found Central Computers 3 Called and they said they had a few different packages available for my device 4 Went there and bought a powercord & mobile adaptor for $14, including tax. The guy on the phone and the pasty white punk-computer nerd who finally helped me were clearly knowledgeable (possibly the same guy?), while the clerk behind the counter seemed a bit befuddled, kept on asking me what I wanted. He pointed me in the right direction, at least, and I finally found what I thought might work. read more

I was impressed with Central upon my first visit. Rows and rows of software, components, LCDs. Wow. I asked my coworker "wow, is this what Fry's is like?" and was handily mocked. Now I know better. This ain't no Fry's, which for those of you who have never been inside one, is kind of like a Home Depot sized store with anything that is remotely geeky or runs on electricity, plus appliances, books, music, and more. But back to Central. When your server has just fried a component and that critical client work must get done TODAY, this is the place to come get parts for the transplant. The service is spotty as previously noted, and never trust if they say "yeah, it's in stock" if you call ahead. Unless it's actually in your hands at the store, you will never really know if the guy on the phone misunderstood you, misread the label, or actually has a clue. (Note - probability of the first two is significantly higher). read more

I go in here when I can't be bothered driving down to Fry's. Service is always good, prices aren't the greatest, but they are convenient. It's a total mish-mash of stuff that they sell, from computers and peripherals to weird cables and small parts for who-knows-what? It's fun! read more

This used to be a decent computer store, back in the 90s. I went in today around 11 am and spent 15 minutes trying to get someone to help me with a question. After watching the help talk to one another and on their phones, I left. If this is typical of brick and mortar, no wonder they are going to hell. read more

The shelves are packed with gizmos you wouldn't recognize without an engineering degree and the staff isn't exactly service oriented. But if no-frills warehouse style computer emporiums are your thing, the location is a lot more convenient than Fry's in the South Bay. Do your homework and know what you want when you come in, have the model number written down and they can take care of you. Don't plan asking a lot of questions. Actually, don't plan on being acknowledged until you're at the counter, cash in hand. Even if they don't ooze charisma, prices are very competitive with online retailers. Great for when you need instant gratification of your USB 2.0 Micro Type B hankering. read more

I love central computer and why go to best buy right? The best thing about central computer is they're local and you're supporting them. Now more than ever with the economy, you want to keep the locals afloat. And you usually don't feel ripped off by prices. They don't have the best selection, but they aren't a big store and I've walked away plenty of times with something that I liked. So the question for me becomes, which flavor of bad service do I want with this purchase? Do I want the the best buy: the totally clueless, ignorant lack of knowledge type of apathy, willing to help but largely unable, or the central computer: totally superior than thou, geek elite, the customer is so borishly not savvy in IT or hardware that he/she is not even worthy of the benefits of my expertise apathy. So I would give central computer 5 stars but since their staff finds it necessary to be arrogant I give them 4 stars. read more

I have been a regular shopper at Central Computers for over twenty years. Even though I moved out of California, I continue to shop here because of the great selection and customer service. I recently built an i9-9900K based PC and Central Computer was able to get me an Asus motherboard that was not available anywhere else yet. They match Newegg.com prices but pack much better than Newegg. There are very few really good brick and mortar stores left these days, so I will definitely continue to support Central Computers with all of my PC business. read more

When you arrive they must buzz you in and then they will check your temp. If there are to many people in the store they were grabbing things from inside the store for people outside that knew what they needed and doing the transaction that way, which I thought was a great quick solution to helping people. I bought a few items and the young gal that helped me was very helpful and nice. They had a large selection of everything to pick from. A lot more than expected. I thought I would be in and out grabbing why I needed but browsed for a bit and obviously bought a lot more. They were low on a couple of the very hot items that everyone is trying to buy right now but they did have some. If you are looking for one the new graphics card that you see scalpers marking up everywhere. They do have some at this store but there is a small catch. Most computer shops don't want to sell their cards but rather sell them in builds so they can make some profits off of theirs services. 100% understandable especially coming from a small business like this. So if you want just a graphics card at msrp you must buy 4 other components with it so they can make up some like of profit. I needed a couple things so this worked out. A SSD, AIO, couple of fans, new surge protector and a 3080 in had I was good to go. I will be coming back to this store to get parts whenever I need. Already need something and I just got back from there haha. If you are looking for keyboards they have some out of the boxes already so you can handle them and check them out. This was a big thing for me as I bought mine online and couldn't play with it before ordering. Wish I would of held out and went here instead. If I had to complain about anything it wouldn't be anything about the store or the people but the parking out front. This could be the fact that I'm not from SF so I'm not used to it but the parking is on the street with parking meters. When I parked and paid the meter they was an empty spot in front and behind me. When I came out both spots were taken and the people from both cars parked within an inch from me on both sides (I should of takin a picture because it's funny after the fact now) so I couldn't move and had to sit for 35 min before someone came to move one. I was telling my wife on the phone that it was almost like they were trying to park so close so they could argue the meter (mine) which was paid for was theirs. The meters that were suppose to be theirs were flashing red (expired time). Only thing I could think of. What I would suggest is there's a parking garage around the corner. Park in there and make the small walk. read more

Selection is OK, but interactions are lacking. After spending over $1000 on a Ubiquiti setup, I then realized I should have ordered a Cloud Key with Storage, rather than the one without, as I wanted to add video. I realized this on a Friday night, and my Tues when I reached out to their support, it was 16 days since the gear arrived. Their policy is 14 days. Am I beyond that? Absolutely. Was I about to spend another $1000 on video gear and storage? Yeah - and most places would have realized they'd be better off with a little flexibility. Time to go elsewhere read more

Ordered a part, only to have them email a few days later that they didn't have it in stock. You'd think a computer company would have an excel spreadsheet or something to track their inventory. Guess not. What a disappointment. read more

I purchased a great 6' HDMI cable here last week for $19.95. It looks great, high gloss black ends with a braded cord. So far, no problems. The cheapest I could find at Sony Store or Best Buy was $40. Also, it looked like they had everything I would need to assemble a PC of my own. Now that Comp USA is gone, it's nice to know I have a (fairly) well-stocked computer store within walking distance. read more

I have been shopping here for over 10 years. They are the best place I know to find everything like audio adapters and computer cables. It is so handy to have them nearby when building or upgrading a computer. Being able to get the hardware I need at great prices along with any smaller parts all without having to wait for shipping. read more

Their website lists 2 Evga xc3 3070s in stock. I drive 44 minutes down here to get my hands on one only to find out they are being reserved for another PC build (even though their website clearly specifies there are no reservations/holds) read more

Terrible service, took forever to get someone to help me. I bought a new motherboard and they sold a used motherboard that was missing parts at the same cost as a new motherboard. read more

I've come to Central Computers often to buy parts and I thought that it would be a good place to dispose of an old computer. I went to the store and ask them if I could dispose of it and that I was willing to pay. they said they don't do that. I asked them what do you guys do with your old computers? they had no response except that the manager was saying that there's no room. I guess they either don't believe in recycling or they've never recycled and are filled to ceiling. read more

Until San Francisco gets a Frys Electronics, and since CompUSA closed down, this is the place to go if you need computer parts quickly. They've got drives and cases and cables galore. If they don't have a cable you're looking for, no one else in the City will, and you'll have to go online to find it. Prices aren't bad on bits and pieces, like Flash drives and hard drives. Not so sure about the rest. Be sure to check out their monthly specials posted at the front of the store, and try to avoid picking up things you don't need just because the price looks too good to be true. This is not a place I'd go for larger or pricier items, though, like monitors or full systems. You'll find better prices and selection on those online. read more

Great place to pick up those last minute parts and computer cables. Selection is pretty comprehensive. The staff is always helpful and kind.

I bought a Dell PC there (Central Computers on Howard St). About 2 weeks later, after I had installed and configured Windows and all the apps, it suddenly crashed - without warning and without any error message. It turned out to have a defective hard drive. I took it to their tech support. They didn't even look at it for 5 days. It sat in the store with a sheet attached to it - their tech support order - which had all my personal information on it, including my full name, street address, phone number, and PASSWORD!!! - typed out in plain text - for any bum off the street to see. And there's a hell of a lotta bums around there!!! Like a retard, their tech support guy said - and I quote - "IT BROKEN." He gave me no error message, no error code, no diagnosis,... He said, as their policy, they would not be helping me - AT ALL, and that I had to call Dell myself. I called Dell, and after much wrangling, got them to schedule a guy to come out and change the hard drive. Then, the Central Computers guy said I would have to pick up the PC and reschedule with Dell for them to come out to my house, because they wouldn't let them do it there (another brilliant policy of Central Computer's). Central Computer's "service" caused me to be without my computer for nearly two weeks. They were really rude too, for absolutely no reason. Incompetent, unskilled, ignorant, moronic, jerks! read more

You can expect to find a large selection of parts, but don't expect the staff to be very helpful with any technical questions. I bought my motherboard, ram, and processor online. However I realized I needed a new power supply and case, so I came into the store and they helped me pick out the right ones. However, I explicitly asked if motherboards or processors come with heatsinks, since I haven't built a computer since 2004. They said yes, and when I started my build I realized that it in fact didn't come with a heatsink. It was already 7pm so I couldn't get back in time to buy a heatsink, and I ended up having to wait another day to setup my computer. read more

This store is not the best but has stuff best buy doesn't have. Things here not organized the best and the people who work here are not always the most knowledgable, considering it's a specialist store. ONE HUGE FLAW: They don't sell any apple equipment. In a place which a good portion of people use macs, even for IT purposes thats a big NONO to me. But if your looking for the equipment that may not be at Best Buy this can be your best bet in the city sometimes. read more

Super helpful staff! They helped me through a tricky hardware problem with patience and good ideas. And unlike some other stores (Best Buy, looking at you) they actually really know what they're talking about (and some of them even run the same linux distro as me!) I saw some other reviews were negative because staff were "too technical" - well, not me. That's a positive in my book! I try to go at off times - at peak times they get swamped with people and it can take a while (it's a good thing they're popular, right?) Docking them a star for having an awful website - very hard to find anything, and the products are often out of date. I find the best approach is to just go there and browse or ask - they almost always have what I need. Luckily for me I'm close by.. read more

Central Computers was highly recommended by Best Buy and Apple so I figured I stop by to see if they could help me determine what was wrong with my external hard drive that had not been connecting to my CPU. I go back to the technician who did not greet me while he was working with another customer so I waited for 10mins without a simple acknowledgement. Then once the technician did begin to work with me he was highly irritated as if asking him to help me was far too much. Then he essentially told me my hard drive was broken (which I already knew) and he handed me a pamphlet for a data recovery service. My review may sound petty but I was disgusted with the technicians attitude as well as the employees of the store and based off this one experience I'd rather over-pay for a service than go back to central computers and deal with them. However they did appear to have a lot of computer parts if that is what you're looking for. read more

I've stopped here for cheap peripherals and cables when I can't wait for shipping from monoprice.com or amazon, so it's handy to have in town. I just stopped by the back repair desk for the first time today, they have a price list posted but for iPods it just says "Ask us!" I asked if they would replace the battery in my iPod, I had done it in the past but it's annoying so I figured I'd pay for the convenience of having someone else do it, but the guy was a jerk and just said no. I don't trust their claims about device repairs any longer, I think I'll just stick to buying adapters and cables when I need them quickly. read more

This is the extent of their customer service: You point to it, they'll sell it to you. No hand holding. Scant, if any Q&A. Long winded diatribes on the part of customers are distilled down to a purchase decision by the staff, and tech geeks that try to impress them are treated gruffly. Their repair department is iffy, and their return policy is brutal. Still, they've got the best prices in the area. When I need a piece of equipment, this is where I go. It's sort of like a little slice of the South Bay....right here in San Francisco. read more

I just had a great experience at Central. I'd gone in for a drive enclosure, and thoughtlessly grabbed the wrong kind. Came back in to exchange it, with the drive this time (duh) and the counterguy asked me if I just wanted to get data off, which I did indeed just need to do. But, my friend had been reporting boot problems and it could have been the drive. He offered to see if it would mount. Really cool. So he did, and aw crap it wouldn't. Drive's deader n' a doornail. He gave us a complete refund, and diagnosed our problem for free! Now that's exceptional service. Super friendly too. Thanks Central! read more

I walked in with a friend to hunt for 20 or 21 inch LCD monitors. We walked out with a great bargain, pretty happy with the purchase. The prices are unbeatable, and the staff are honest but not very motivated. This is odd since all employees here receive annual bonuses based on the Central Group's profits (the parent company). Two of the staff explicitly revealed the dead pixel policy of Samsung, which impressed me. Most retailers hide this for increased $$sales$$$ with no regard for the consumer. The bathroom is traumatic, so just don't ask to use it and you'll hang on to your appetite. I ran out with sheer horror on my face. read more

For the most part, it's okay. One of the only computers and peripherals stores around so sometimes it's your only option. However, they do stock plenty of hardware and accessories which you may need. The price is okay. Of course, they have to make some kind of profit so certain items will cost a bit more than you would be able to find elsewhere. Depends what you buy I guess. Beware of the return policy and ask before you buy. I purchased a bluetooth keyboard once that was not compatible with my tablet, and was charged a restocking fee which was not indicated in the receipt or anywhere else. That has been my only issue here. Overall, good store. read more

I like Fry's better, but if I need a computer part that doesn't justify a long drive or a hefty shipping charge from Newegg, I will definitely come here. Their prices are OK, better then Comp USA or Best Buy, but definitely not as good as Newegg. I usually come here to get a cable, fan, or a hard drive enclosure....things that I need right away. I won't ever buy a mobo or cpu from them....you can do better elsewhere. I don't like salespeople coming up to me, so the bad customer service doesn't really bother me. As an IT guy, it makes me feel I know more than they do. read more

This store is my go to for hard-to-find enthusiast equipment. The staff has always been knowledgeable and helpful. Their customer service has been particularly helpful during these difficult times, working with me to help navigate limited parts availability. read more

Deep down I really don't like this place, but I keep going back since they seem to be last remaining OEM store. They are rude, anal, and really not that knowledgeable. Every time I go into the store, it always feels awkward. But you know, I still go. They have reasonably good prices on parts. It's not Newegg, but it will do if you need something in a hurry. Their selection on common "consumer" items like keyboards and mice are like pitiful. But you don't go to Central Computer for that. You go for the huge selection of rare cables and cases. Some stuff you can't even find online unless you order off eBay. So go for "techie" stuff. Don't go for the normal stuff. read more

The service here is sucky, and yet I'm giving the place 5 stars. That's because the inventory and prices are so unsurpassable that you just HAVE to love the place, even if you direct questions at associates and they don't pay any attention to you until you get into their faces and repeat the question for the 8th time. This is the Fry's Electronics of San Francisco -- and Fry's, by definition, blows away Best Buy and, of course, Radio Shack, along with the late chain known as Circuit City. read more

walked in here for the first time with extremely high hopes of awesomeness. That bubble quickly burst as soon as i walked in. The place is chaos. Inventory is somewhat poor and service is mediocre. I did need a blu-ray drive right away so i opted for one of the two models that they had. I was competitively priced so this made the experience OK. Other than that, only go here if you need a quick part and you cant wait for delivery or don't live near a fry's. As a side note: I'm no leading etiquette expert, but i expect acknowledgement when i say thank you like three times and not just be handed a bag and start talking to someone else as i never existed. Or at least say thank you when i just gave you my business, or something! Again, that's minor, but it is a store, and customer service is a must when you're dealing with customer. To give you and idea of their customer service skills i will semi-quote Mickey Blue Eyes: Not clerk, Owna!!! read more

The staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. I can get some internal parts as well as general cables and supplies. Last week I was looking for a 6-pin to 6-pin firewire cable. When I was checking out, the cashier said there was another brand on sale for 1/4th the cost of the one I found. He ran back and pulled it for me. This is my first go-to place when I need to get it fast in person. read more

I've always liked Central Computers. I frequented their Santa Clara store when I lived down south, but moved up to the downtown SF store when I moved to SF. My interactions have always been good, but this one was worth writing a review about. I had an old PC tower that I cobbled together out of parts many years ago, and decided I needed to resurrect as my new desktop. I went in and randomly spoke with Ray, back in the system builders area. He looked over the machine and said that he thought that given my usage profile we could put together a super speedy system for about $300 of parts upgrades. This was great to hear, as I thought I was in for a lot more money! True to form, he upgraded the drive, the OS, the wireless, but left my motherboard, memory, and super old graphics card. He said that given my office-worker usage profile it would be speedy enough. And it is! I'm so happy! The system runs like a dream and is running the newest OS and version of Office, and it didn't cost me much at all. He could have probably upsold me on a new system and I would have paid twice as much and always wondered if I was overpaying, but instead he earned a customer for life by being honest and thrifty with my money as if it was his own. I love Central Computers, and I love Ray (in a platonic geek sense, of course :) read more

Been coming to this place for fourteen years, and have absolute confidence in them. Back in the day, I had them build a couple tower computers for me to spec as well as do motherboard upgrades, etc. I've also bought scores of drives here (internal hard drive, external/portable drives, CD/DVD drives) as well as adapters, cables, blanks disks, sound cards, etc. They have great prices, and a good selection of the best equipment. Not everyone that works there speaks the best English (more Chinese), but they are all knowledgeable and helpful to whatever extent they do. Fry's is great, but the closest one to SF is a two hours round-trip drive. Best Buy and the former Comp USA are/were both Hell on Earth (and seem more interested in making a hefty profit than in getting you what you actually need). So: Central Computers FTW. read more

System repair only review. Never have bought an XYZ thingy here. Have had a couple of pc's repaired over the past few years. One had a power supply that went bad, one had to have the Windows 7 reinstalled. They require a $50 deposit on the service when diagnosing the problem. They then call with an estimate - the last time the tech told me in addition to replacing the power supply my system needed to be cleaned and quoted $45 for this... after a brief discussion I turned that down... I could spend 10 minutes with my dust buster...thank you. Be cautious on the upsell on the services ! They could be quicker (who doesn't want their system back asap?) - seemed like a few days. Thats ok w/ me since I have multiple systems. read more