An incredibly honest customer service experience. I'm certain that if I'd taken my computer to Fry's or Best Buy, I'd have been charged a huge fee just to have the computer diagnosed and may have never seen it again for all I know. Paul was extremely cordial, honest and forthcoming about all information. I feared a major problem with my laptop, and because I was lucky enough to go to someone who isn't interested in taking advantage of people, I'm getting off easy with a simple part replacement. I give my highest reccomendation - if you are having any computer issue, please go see Paul before you go anywhere else. read more

I'm glad to report, Paul is still capable of amazing me. My computer crashed after Microsoft had pushed through an update--I mean, won't boot, looping through odd diagnostics that would then get stuck. Typically, I lose my mind in these situations, but knowing I had Paul in Walnut Creek, I figured, "Damn, I've got to drive out to Walnut Creek in the heat." But figuring how little of the computer worked, I was figuring it would cost me a bundle. Paul looks at the screen. "Hmm. That's odd, blue screen. That's typically a hardware problem." He takes maybe 3 minutes to fish around inside, and he turns it on and the machine boots and is fine. I clearly didn't know where to start to fix this, and I bet I could have paid for a new motherboard and figured that was what was up. Paul hoovered out the inside, dusted everything, gave me a tutorial on how to back up the hard drive, a little random wisdom on buying computers, and I'm out the door in 30 minutes for $65. Paul's expertise is invaluable, but what may be even more valuable is knowing that he's there. When my computer screws up, no matter how badly, I don't have to panic (and I'm capable of panic with computers). It's a very comforting feeling. read more

About 6 months ago, my home computer crashed. ALL the photos of my 2 year old son lay in no-man's land on the computer. I was too scared to go to a repair shop, only to have them tell me that my child's life in photos were gone forever. So... after obtaining a new computer and letting our old computer sit like a paperweight for 6 months... I finally go the nerve to search Yelp for a computer repair shop. Paul's name came up with rav reviews - so I gave him a call. Hearing the desperation in my voice, Paul reassured me that in almost all cases of computer crashes - he is able to retrieve all the computer files (and photos!). We set an appt for later that day. Paul works in a small shop outside of his home. Its very well organized and his shop easily conveys that he knows what he's doing. And that he does. With in minutes, Paul was able to view and access the files from my old computer. And within a hour or so - he had restored all the files to my back up hard drive - and made them easily accessible. Paul's rates are very reasonable, less than that of the Chain Store Help Squad. I can't thank Paul enough for his calm demeanor and knowledge of saving the unsaveable! read more

Paul is great to work with. My HP laptop suddenly would not turn on. I was desperate because I have very important work files on the hard drive. I took it to Paul, who examined the computer within an hour of dropping it off. Turns out the motherboard was fried and he recommended not replacing it because it is too expensive and the computer was too old to make it cost effective. He pulled all the data I needed from the hard drive and the price for all of it was very reasonable. Paul also gave me some good recommendations on replacements for my laptop. I will certainly return for my personal and business computer repairs and setups in the future. read more

I had a great experience doing business with Paul. He is very knowledgeable about laptops. I called him and described the problem with my Asus and it turns out the hard drive burned out. I was able to drive over and drop off my laptop immediately. He gave me several options for replacing the hard drive and I upgraded it to a SSD. I left my laptop with Paul overnight and was able to pick it up early the next day. I thought the prices were reasonable. He is also very knowledgeable about Macbooks as well and was able to provide answers to my questions regarding my other macbook pro. Because he doesn't work for Apple, I feel like I was able to get good, unbiased advice. I am very satisfied with Paul's service and am definitely a repeating customer. I would highly recommend giving him a shot. read more

I have used Paul's expert talents for all our family's computing needs for over ten years. He has built new computers, upgraded computers, solved problems, helped with networks, allowed our son to build his own computer while he gently guided him in his shop and been a solid tech guru whenever we have a problem. He can build powerful new systems and advise on economical or practical choices better than any of the major commercial lines. And he answers his phone or emails when you need him. In case anyone wants to know, I found out from his blog, that Paul had about thirty very favorable reviews recently, and because he declined to pay a monthly advertising fee, they decided most of his reviews were bogus. Well, I can tell you that I personally knew some of the reviewers and they were not bogus at all, but just satisfied customers. As I am still, writing now on a great new Windows 7 machine that he built. I am a plumbing contractor, my name is Marc Brenner and Yelp has some very suspect practices. read more

I'm one of the few people who can destroy a computer simply by looking at it. If it weren't for Paul Brounstein, I'd be helpless in this computerized world. He keeps my network operating, gives me a (long) list of things I should be doing, and a (longer) list of things I should not be doing - all meant to keep me operative a the lowest possible cost. Don't even consider going to a BigBox to purchase or service your computers. I now purchase everything I need from Paul. read more

I have had the pleasure of working with Paul (Recom Computers) for many years. I am in the tech business as well (Data Recovery). For me to refer one of my clients means I am not only assuring Recom's reputation but mine as well. They all have been very happy with the service, and mention how knowledgeable Paul is and willing to share it. Finding old world customer service is very uncommon today and is the foundation of his business. He is my go to for all my computer needs, and wish all business offered that level of support. It is probably unusually that some business owner writes a review to another business, but I believe that I owe this to Paul and all old and new customers of Recom Computers. Another one of my Data Recovery customer just inform me and thanks me for recommendation - they solved all his problems and he is very happy. Robert Kotar read more

Paul is best in class. After I had already given approval to complete a $325 repair on my laptop, Paul identified that a simple $16 replacement that would fix the problem. Very responsive and honest. Highly recommend. read more

This was my first time using Recom and I am very satisfied with his service. I priced the parts prior and his price was very reasonable. He maintained communication with me when the supplier sent the wrong part. He gave me honest advice about what to look for when buying a new computer. I will be using his services again. read more

I found Paul surfing on the net, looking for someone to fix computers and who wasn't pushing a brand. I happened on his blog and was impressed by his honesty about computers. I took a chance and called him. He is completely cordial, honest and candid. I live in Santa Clara and took my hard drive to Walnut Creek. He fixed all the problems with my computer, explained everything, did not talk me into increasing my RAM (as most other salesmen would). I am so lucky to have found him. He has answered all my other questions immediately. I would send anyone to him. He is a genius! read more

I wasn't sure at the outset how I would feel about Paul, but as it turns out, he gets the highest rating I can give. Mine was a tough pc build with some issues that were not my fault or anyone else's. He advised not wasting time trying to troubleshoot my issues (which I did a bit of on my own without success), but since it was a new build, to replace the part he thought was the problem..which I did, and it was. Paul's advice on what to do was spot on. He really understands pc hardware at a very detailed level. I would not hesitate to use him again, or to recommend him to anyone looking for a custom build or just to fix/upgrade something. Plus we share a common background and love for east coast food. read more

This review is long over due. Paul thank you so much for recovering my photos!! I shopped around and spoke with many "computer guys" prior coming across Paul. His customer service, knowledge and service was outstanding. He is personable and reasonable as well. He came to my house picked up my broken computer and a couple days later gave me a recovered product. Now that's service you can't find any more. He's truly the best. Thanks again, I've kept your number in my phone for future questions and concerns, and will definitely refer you. read more

Just saw Paul. Straight shooter, no nonsense. Couldn't fix my computer, but no point in fixing it if possible. It was 9 years old. Didn't charge me and even disposed of it for me. I would use him again. read more

Paul was so helpful to me with my laptop concern, and I am very grateful to him. When I saw his services highly recommended on NextDoor, I sought his opinion. I had had an appointment with the Best Buy Geek Squad scheduled for the next day, but thanks to Paul's excellent advice, learned that pursuing service for my old laptop would not be worthwhile and most importantly, it wasn't even necessary. He was very patient answering my questions and really put my mind at ease. When I am finally in need of a new laptop, I will be seeking him out again. Thanks again, Paul! read more

Pros: --I was able to bring my PC by the same afternoon for a major fix (e.g., wiping computer clean). --He's very knowledgeable, seems honest, trustworthy and genuinely wants to help (i.e., and explained the term "foolware" to me and how to get out of it safely if it ever happens again). --He actually answers his phone. --Gave me a fair price to fix it. --He called the next day to check in and see if everything was working. --He did eventually get me out of the mess he got me into without having to redo all the work he (and later I) did. --Sold me a hard drive he had on hand at about $10 more than the Fry's price (I wouldn't have known what to look for had I shopped for it myself quite honestly); then took the time to show me how to back up my hard drive (though I would have appreciated less "blaming/shaming" for not knowing how to do that in the first place). Cons: --I've read reviews that he's 'pugnacious'. You bet. His customer service skills needs serious refining. And yes he's condescending and opinionated. And he will probably not like this review either. But I wanted others to know what I experienced. --After wiping my computer clean because of a hacking scam I fell for, he upgraded me to Windows Pro when I previously only had a license for Windows Home. Took me two weeks of troubleshooting (with numerous IT departments and finally MicroSoft) to finally figure out the error! And when I called him back to explain how he messed me up by upgrading my Windows Home version to Windows Pro, he first asked me if I had left my Yelp review yet and then said "it's going to be glowing, right"? Then afterwards he made me feel like I was sooo lucky to have the upgraded version (which he admitted I didn't really need). --When you call with a question/problem, he makes you feel rushed--like he has to get off the phone as quickly as possible. And he speaks VERY quickly, so if you aren't well-versed in 'tech speak' you might not be able to keep up. --"His way or the highway" is the feeling you get (i.e., he is not good at discussing alternatives for your individual situation/tastes, etc.) When I asked about reloading certain program I use, he first questioned why/what I use them for, then tried to talk me out of those and instead use the apps he uses (in other words, anything I used was basically crap). I would have preferred he showed me how I could get the same function from a currently loaded app. Instead he just said "Windows 10 does that." Fine. But he did not bother to show me how/where to find that function, etc. In the end, I felt 'roped in' to the one solution he offered. That should have been my clue to get another opinion. --He told me he couldn't reload lots of the things originally on my computer despite several requests. Fine. But I found out later that wasn't exactly accurate. For example he should have been able to reinstall certain other programs/apps like my MS Office Product. (He told me he couldn't without the product key; but I found out that the product was automatically tied to my PC because I downloaded it from the Internet and it was still in my Download file. That's what I did to reinstall it!) I spent the next few weeks using other resources (Google, tech people, MicroSoft,) to figure out how to reload a lot of my original programs, etc. when I had expectations that would be something inclusive of the work he charged me for. --He would only take cash, checks or PayPal. But then he wouldn't issue me a receipt on the spot (and argued that I couldn't deduct his work from my taxes and that if I tried to he would need to add extra fees for taxes, etc. and told me I wouldn't want to do that, would I?). He told me he would email the receipt the next day. But I didn't get the receipt until I reminded him of it a week later when I called with another post-fix problem. In the end he didn't offer any other alternatives, and then he improperly set up expectations of what he would/wouldn't do for the fix because perhaps because he rushed through it. I think if Paul could refine some of his customer-service skills, he would be a great guy to do business with. But overall my situation was such a mess, and I came away with such a bad feeling that in the end I felt like I should have taken it somewhere else. read more

Talked to Paul and he was extremely ethical. Had a laptop that was broken and he was honest and flat out said it wasn't worth spending the $ to fix it. that i'd be better off buying a new one. Appreciated his honesty. will return to him should a need arise. read more

Paul worked his magic and Got my pc up and running again. It's hard find somone who provides honest work these days. After finding the problem Paul didn't stop he keeped looking for other problems. And he found a few. After learning what was wrong. I was able to fix it. Paul will have my Buissness from now on. Thank you so much paul read more

Thank you Paul for your excellent advice, your magic and your honesty. Dell third-party, outsourced technicians told me to buy a new motherboard. I am not the kind of person who is going to buy a gadget just for fun. So, I yelped "computer repairs" and found Recom Computers. Guess what? I don't need to buy any new laptop. Mine is working fine for the time being. read more

I was waiting in line at Best Buy to talk to the Geek Squad about my frozen laptop. Lucky for me I had my iPhone and Yelp app handy. While in line I checked out Paul's reviews and I called him. He said come on over. I left the line and in 5 minutes I had a real computer expert looking at my machine. I drove home and while I pulled into the driveway Paul called me and told me my computer was fixed. I was stunned. I thought i needed a new hard drive. When I picked up my computer he wouldn't take any money, telling me it only took him a couple of minutes. Bottom line: if you want a line, go to geek squad. If you want results from a highly knowledgeable, honest computer expert, give Paul a try. read more

I needed to consult with an expert about options for migrating my existing email to a different email system. The owner, Paul, set me straight on what my options were. He was knowledgeable and generous with his time, even though I was just exploring options (not yet ready to hire a consultant). read more

I just stopped by to see Paul today after seeing the positive reviews on Yelp. It turned out that the motherboard on my Dell is fried and would cost at least $300 to fix, which means I should just buy a new one. As Paul put it, "I wouldn't let you fix it even if you wanted to. Anyhow, I wasn't able to sample Paul's repair abilities, but he seems like a nice guy who knows his stuff. He had a lot of good recommendations for what I should buy, including a recommendation for a deal that had been going on over the weekend. I'll certainly go back to him if I have any problems with the new one. I also recommend the FAQ and the blog on his website, which were both informative and amusing. read more

I called Paul on a Sunday morning when our home computer died. Told me to come by at 11. Discussed options and decided to have him build me a new computer. By Monday afternoon it was completed and at a fair price. Thanks Paul! read more

I've taken my laptop to him twice. The first time my laptop just wouldn't download anything, and I didn't know what was wrong, but he fixed it. The second time my screen was broken, and he fixed it when the people at best buy told me to buy a new computer. I will always call Paul first. He knows what he's doing, he's professional, and he's fair. And he doesn't make you feel like an idiot. read more

Paul was very professional. He cut me a great deal on a hard drive replacement. Quick and prompt service. He also dust cleaned the interior of my tower. I will be going back to Recom Computers for all of my computer issues. read more

Super nice guy. Helped me solve my laptop problem with the minimum of fuss. Paul is the best!

I called Recom to get a quote on a hard drive recovery project. As a somewhat tech-savvy person, I was disappointed at the dismissive tone and his lack of taking the time to want to hear about my particular situation. He went straight to a blanket suggestion with a quote of over $1K. After the discussion, I was turned off and looked for other options. Another company listened to me, and was able to use another method to recover the data successfully at a fraction of the price. read more

Paul is extremely knowledgeable. Not only did he get me up and running with a short amount of time, he assisted me later with my external hard drive. (new to that) He works great hours, and easily accessible. Will def. return....hopefully not soon. :) read more

I have an older laptop that was running suuuuuper slow and I have such a hard time with that. I took it over to Recom Computers to see if it was worth to have some work done in it or if I was better off buying a new one. Paul was so great and very honest that after looking it for a few minutes and base on the shape and model of it offer me to clean, restore it and add more memory for a few dollars, saving me a bundle of cash. This only took him a couple of hours since he has to transfer all my pictures and music to my external hard drive, plus cleaning a lot of junk. This work got done the same day and I am so thankful that he was able to fit me on his scheduled. The computer is running like new and for a very affordable price ($125) this is a bargain compare to other computer services, but the mos valuable thing is his honesty. Thank you again Paul and I will defenetely recomend this guy to anybody that is looking for a computer expert. read more

Paul did an incredible job. First of all he is extremely knowledgeable and efficient. I went to him twice. The first time he looked at my machine and told me that I could call Dell and have the machine repaired for free. Per his suggestion I had my machine repaired for free by Dell! I brought it back to have it upgraded to Windows 10 after it was repaired. It was short notice on a Sunday that I called him and within a few hours of my initial call, my machine was up and running and performing better than it ever had. I am thinking of other projects where I could use his services. I'm grateful to have found him. Thank you Paul! read more

Paul is extremely honest and really knows his stuff. He works from home but has a really nice computer lab in the back of his house. It's a separate building. My computer worked fine once Paul plugged it in so I was not charged anything. Even so he took the time to talk to me about computers and what to do in the future. This is an amazing little business and I would certainly use Rencom again if I have another issue or need a new computer. Highly recommended. Why can't I give more than 5 stars? read more

One day, earlier this week, I booted up my home PC...and the machine for some CRAZY reason thought it was March 2007. Over 3 years of family pictures GONE. Thousands of MP3 files...gonzo. We were devastated that all that information was lost...then we found Paul. In a matter of a day, my data was restored, my PC rebuilt and my heart-rate restored to normal. His prices are incredibly fair, his workmanship top notch and his demeanor refreshing. Thanks, Paul...you will see me again in the future! Edit - Delete read more

A++ Speedy service. Fair price and explained as he went. He even took the time to call and let me know how things were going. Left my computer there at 12:30 and picked it up at 5:30 ! read more

I am writing this review because I just saw that Paul is on Yelp. I have used Paul's services for over 15 years and have his phone number, so never had to look. I have also referred Paul numerous times (almost everyone has a computer problem). In that 15 year time, I purchased 3 custom built computers from Paul and was extremely satisfied with the product, his service, experience AND his price. He has it all. I know when I call Paul, if he doesn't answer the phone (unusual), I will get a call as soon as he is available and he will have the time to talk to me and cover all my questions (basic stuff or new equipment). and I know that he has lightening speed turnaround time for repair work at his shop. Everything that is important when you are in the midst of a computer problem, since they only happy at critical times (or so it seems). Note: My really only big computer issue was related to ATT internet set up (they caused a problem) and not the computers from Paul. I have upgraded over the years (10 MBs was not enough storage as our world became digital). I would also like to note that Paul does not 'upsell' to make money. If anything, he tries to ground people and give them something that they will love, will use and at a great price. Of course, he is happy to give you any extra bells and whistles you want, but many people just check email, surf the net, watch Youtube and listen to music and store your photos - they are not doing world saving mathematical computations, are not professional gamers or save 1 million photos or documents. If you are, he will take great care of you too (much better than a store, because he can really customize your machine). Bottom line, I only repeat and refer solid, reliable companies (or people) with whom I have had positive personal experience. I highly recommend Paul. read more

I got a virus on my almost new computer and Paul was able to fix it very quickly as well as optimize my system. He responded almost immediately to my initial request and he was very professional. He only charged me a very small amount for this service. I highly recommend him to everyone. read more

I've dealt with Paul for more than 10 years and purchased as many computers from him. He does a great job building systems, he is responsive, he works fast and I recommend him highly. Over the years, I've found the systems he builds last a couple of years and then it's time for a new one. His recommendations are always good ones, if a little on the expensive side. I was going to give a 4 out of 5 rating because his costs keep creeping up (whose aren't?) but I switched to 5 of 5 because there's no one else like him, the Michael Dell of Walnut Creek. Good work! read more

Contacted Paul, after having been through serious issues with another computer repair company, in an effort to fix my desktop PC. He is honest, helpful, fair, quick service--provides a great experience in this complex world of computers. Sadly I have found other computer repair places to be the exact opposite. Paul was kind enough to help me and offered to provide any assistance needed in dealing with the ordeal I went through with another company. I ended up buying a new desktop from Paul at half the price I was quoted elsewhere. Paul really has a kind heart and strong ethics, not to mention his expert knowledge of computers. Even though he is located a good distance from my home, I have found my go-to place now. Lesson learned the time-consuming, hard way (and you'll read it on his website) do not spend money trying to fix a computer that's more than 4 years old. read more

Fantastic service. Paul knows his stuff. He's helped with service for an existing computer as well as building a new one to order and allowing my son to shadow and assist with the building He's always available for questions and has passed on important information and general wisdom about all things in the realm of computers. We are very happy with Paul and Recom. read more

At the end of October 2017, I was looking for someone to fix the cracked screen of my Lenovo laptop quickly before I moved from PH to a different city. I gathered a few quotes from other computer repair people and Paul provided the lowest price that was also in the time frame in which I needed it completed--less than 2 weeks (possibly even within one, hard to remember). One could do it for a little less but not in time. Most could do it in the same time but for much more. Before I sent him a quote request, I read a few reviews about how rude he was to his own customers, so I was initially hesitant about asking about his services. After having interacted with him through yelp messenger, phone, and in-person, I can honestly say I have no idea what those reviewers were talking about. I won't begrudge those people their experiences but Paul wasn't rude to me in the slightest. Maybe he learned better people skills, maybe my cosmetic problem didn't earn the ire that hard drive/software problems earn, maybe people are weirdly expecting a no-nonsense computer repair guy to engage them in meaningless small talk about their kids or something, I don't know... but he was really patient with me, even when I couldn't tell him the full model name of my laptop for him to order the screen and *I* was the one who needed the screen quickly. In fact, I got a little snippy with him in our earliest yelp messenger interaction but Paul didn't react badly to it at all (no rhyme intended). After I had my new screen-ed laptop in hand, he even asked for a yelp review in a very nice and polite manner. I have no complaints about Paul's work, prices, time, or attitude. He was able to fix my laptop during the weekend within the same day of him receiving the new screen. I paid through Venmo, $50 deposit required. read more

Outstanding and fast service. Paul is very knowledgeable he was able to quickly fix my computer at a very reasonable price, look no further, you cannot find better than Paul. read more