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OEM hardware and software vs. retail.

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pbXassassinX1524

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Messages
1,295
Whats the difference between OEMed pieces of hardware? As far as I can really tell its just that the packaging is different, and what it comes with is too. Is there any difference between the actualy piece o hardware that I'm buying?

Also the same thing with XP pro. Whats the difference? (I'm looking at new egg for all this stuff BTW) Does the OEM come with some gay programs that I'm ging to have to take the 1st week of use to remove or is it just a nice clean XP?

thanks.
 
There is no difference between the actaul hardware. Just the software and/or the acessories are taken out.
 
Also, oem stuff usually has little or no warranty.
 
OEM is "supposed" to be used by computer stores to build systems and sell them completely built. That means no packaging comes with the hardware, maybe an instruction book and a driver cd.

Computer stores buy most of thier parts in bulk, and can pass the savings on to customers by offering oem parts cheap, but with cheap comes little or no warrenty.
 
OEM just means ya get othing BUT the product. when i got my CPU and video cards they were both OEM and they were both just the CPU and video card. and i do believe there's actually warranties on them as well.
 
ok, thats what I thought. The warrenty thing sems to varry from product to product. Also for most things it seems that all you'd have to do to get the driver pack for the hardware would be to go to the manufacturer's site and download the latest driver from there correct?

not to mention I just realized that newegg's extended warrenty plan extends anything to or an additional 1yr.
 
Sometimes there is warranties on OEM products and sometimes theres not. Sometimes its just a much shorter warranty than the full retail product and sometimes its the same. You just have to look into it to see what kind of Warranty is offered for the individual product in OEM and Retail version cause rarely are they ever the same as another.

If you buy Windows XP OEM its the same thing as the Retail except you dont get any tech support from Microsoft. Like anyone actually get tech support from microsoft anyways lol.

I always buy Retail when i can though. Its rarely more then a few dollars more and i like to get the full packages especially with Processors, Video Cards, and Optical drives. You can pick up some farely expensive software to buy from just paying a couple dollars more for the retail version.

I'm also a sucker for a pretty box :).
 
yea, of course I got the processor, video card, mobo... all that good stuff in retail.or... I plan to when I build a new rig!
 
MY theory is get OEM only when you can save a lot...

If I can spend like 30 or so bucks more on retail then I do...
 
I think for the most part the price difference between OEM and retail is negligible. That's not always true though, as I've seen OEM Audigy 2's selling for about half as much as a retail box.
 
meh... i buy everything OEM except for my mainboards... (OEM doesn't come with booklets, and well, a motherboard manual is very important. i dont think i've ever even seen an OEM motherboard.. sure there's such a thing though).

it's alot cheaper... for the exact same new product
 
oem mainboards do come with booklets, why it wasn't given too you, i have no clue. OEM products except for processors carry a full warranty. Processors don't, because they're not sure you'll be using proper cooling. It's always best to buy a retail box processor to get the full 3 year warranty.

Yes, the bulk packs are really designed for manufacturers. It's frankly a lot easier, and let trash to use them. Having to unpack several hundred mainboads and video cards from retail boxes sucks.
 
On the software. OEM microsoft products are "married" to the original machine. Meaning you can't install it on another machine. Windows XP you can buy with any non-peripheral item (mouse, keyboard, memory, hard drive, et all). Office you can only get OEM with a complete system.
 
I generally go OEM on everything, as long as it's a nice savings. As the poster above said though, processors are one thing to get retail, just for the fan/heatsink. Even if you do replace it, you get an additional 2 year warranty for usually only an extra $10 or so. Video cards on the other hand, you can sometimes pick up an OEM card for $100 or so less. And unless you want some generally lame ass games, you aren't missing out on anything.
 
So OEM XP I can only install on one machine. If I buy retail can I put it on two different machines?
 
Originally posted by Northern
So OEM XP I can only install on one machine. If I buy retail can I put it on two different machines?
Click to expand...
I assume you are talking about windows xp, right? If so, then if the oem was installed on the computer when you got it, then usually that's the only computer it can be on. Retail you can put on whatever computer you want, but if you only bought one license then you can only have it on one computer at a time.
 
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