What are the most strange or weird or you-never-thought-of it-or imagined PC parts on Amazon

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philb2

[H]ard|Gawd
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I hope this is a good fortum for this queston. I'm still amazed, after reading this forum for years now, that people reply to a thread with a link to some product on Amazon that I never imagined existed. Here is good example. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BFJZWG...KCF4ZT236NAVS&language=en-US&tag=hardfocom-20

Who thinks up these parts? It seems that if I have some problem with my system, there is a good possibility that the solution exists on Amazon. But how do you find such parts? Or even on the Egg or Ali Baba?
 
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Back in the days of ye olde goog, I'd search for something (with a pretty good idea of what I was looking for) and go through 10s, 100s of pages of results until I found it, or something like it, or I'd change the query and go through some more pages.

Nowadays it's a bit easier to find popular things at least, but the less popular stuff is pushed down (or entirely removed) in the results, unfortunately. In my experience, on amazon at least, less (keywords) is more, and if all else fails, search amazon via an external engine.

For something like that, I'd search for "4pin sata fan", or "4pin sata", and then maybe go to the "computer parts/accessories" category (if you can). It's actually not far down in the results for me.

I really like that one. It's a genius pcb layout, sata/fan can plug in on either side and work correctly, so you can turn it around if you want. Exposed power pins kinda suck, but not a huge deal -- just gotta be careful about placement.
 
Google is your friend. I just google what's in my head. You'd be amazed when your actual question pop up just as you type it and find what you are looking for because someone else had the same question.

My Corsair 5000D case has one of these powered fan hubs already built into the back of the case. I don't use it because I use a better more robust controller, but it's nice that some cases provide these powered fan hubs nowadays to ease the burden on the MB.
 
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I used to love browsing for those chtockies, though I would usually just end up with a new little blower fan that will die in seven months like the ones it replaced.

More recently I found a PCIE 56k modem somewhere. It wasn't on Amazon though.
One of those sites that the really [H]ard core people on here use to esoteric capacitors and whatnot.

There isn't really a market for that stuff anymore now that USB is relatively reliable.

Just found this though https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com...7b4-417c-872d-4aaec41430d3&pd_rd_i=B0037ECAM2
 
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Tactlesss said:
I used to love browsing for those chtockies, though I would usually just end up with a new little blower fan that will die in seven months like the ones it replaced.

More recently I found a PCIE 56k modem somewhere. It wasn't on Amazon though.
One of those sites that the really [H]ard core people on here use to esoteric capacitors and whatnot.

There isn't really a market for that stuff anymore now that USB is relatively reliable.

Just found this though https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Express-Adapter-Card-PCI1PEX1/dp/B0037ECAM2/ref=pd_aw_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=Wz3Cb&content-id=amzn1.sym.0e5c7f8b-153f-45ea-a1fd-9585fc3a0cd5:amzn1.symc.2b06b7e8-a86c-4e6e-b02c-90d58278f4f1&pf_rd_p=0e5c7f8b-153f-45ea-a1fd-9585fc3a0cd5&pf_rd_r=1M8PZBTN05H25M44P4VR&pd_rd_wg=JUoQw&pd_rd_r=2d012198-77b4-417c-872d-4aaec41430d3&pd_rd_i=B0037ECAM2
Click to expand...



USB has been reliable for decades.
 
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Perhaps I'm missing something here, but what exactly is so strange, weird or unusual about fan hubs or pci-e adapters or similar items...they have been readily available for many, many years, yes ?

For odd or unique stuff, I usually googly it 1st, then go to da Zon to buy it if they have it....

Case in point:

I recently had 1 of 2 small plastic rotating hinge pin brackets break on my side-by-side fridge door....I googly'd it, found a listing for it on the mfgr's website, then copy/pasted the part number into da Zon, and boom, there it was.... AND at 75% less than the mfgr wanted for it (I ordered 2, just in case the other one breaks in the future :)
 
One tech company I've grown to appreciate is Startech.com. They make a lot of stuff that's great for older computers, but they also stay in the modern era too, which keeps them relevant.

Two other companies worthy of mention are Syntech and Sintech. Completely different, but both make some nice stuff for niche uses.
 
I love how Startech still makes original PCI expansion cards for my awesome Z77 motherboard.
 
This thing is pretty cool. Wish they made a 2.5" version with two or three drives, though.

SilverStone Technology 3.5" to 2 x M.2 SATA and 1 x M.2 PCIE NVMe Adapter SDP12 https://a.co/d/coZXudv

Screenshot_2024-03-16-16-22-52-70_4d38fce200f96aeac5e860e739312e76.jpg

Edit: There's another model, also 3.5", that supports 4x sata m.2 drives.
 
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