My $3,952.68 unit was purchased in 2006. Included,a 3-yr-onsite-warranty. I have had many issues: spontaneous reboots, reinstalling the OS several times, not successfully booting up or shutting down. My liquid cooling unit recommended for these game machines and still sold today stopped. Support claims this is the root of my problem even though I had the other issues when the cooling unit was working. They now not only want me to have this $150 part replaced with a $30-40 air-cooled substitute but also want me to front the cost of replacement/repair! They also tell me that the liquid cooled is no longer sold yet they are building them into their configured systems still today. I am furious today and a call placed a couple months ago was met with rudeness and laughing at me for purchasing this computer. I couldn't believe it myself but a good friend made the call for me and heard it for himself. He and I are former on-site technicians! Buyer beware here or at least don't waste your money on the on-site-warranty. Jul 24,Sent back the unit RMA. Company would not send a shipping box container nor do a pick-up. So it cost me $87 for me to ship to ABS Computer. My 3 yr On-site Warranty had been suddenly changed to Depot Warranty and they're not even covering the cost of p/up. They sent me an email that they would cross-ship a replacement if I would choose to give them a credit card, OR/ provide a tracking number as proof my defective unit was on the way. I sent them a confirmation with the tracking information and they ignored it. So I suspected either correctly or incorrectly that they would attempt a repair. I light of that possibility, I sent a whole list of issues should they decide to repair/not replace the unit as promised. Instead they repeated the same info as before. Again, I re-sent them the confirmation with tracking info again. Aug 6: Recd communication from ABS I would get an update on the unit tomorrow. To-date, Mr. Alverez took over the customer serv. so we'll see how things are resolved in the end and I'll do a final update. Customer Service is the key in all computer businesses. NOV 04: My warranty is now expired. I found some old notes that I wrote in Google Docs and sent them in: "Please forward to bench testing: Please pay special attention to the following areas in addition to the general diagnostics: 1. Video has some issues (I've lost the ability to play games strickly on this unit/not online (one reason for buying this unit and configuring it this way, as well as for my home business). 2. Lan has to be replaced due to issues 3. Wireless cards have been failing as there has been three new cards since purchase (suspect problem in peripheral slots) 3. Liquid cooling: pump and fan are not functioning 4. Problems with one of the audio ports 5. Possible power supply problems in PSU and/or on Motherboard (spontaneous reboots or refusal to boot-up even before system gets a chance to warm up). This isn't a constant situation however but it does happen. 6. Not all USB ports are functioning (have had to use a usb hub in order to utilize all needed accessories) 7. Adding two additional matched 2GB Corsair RAM modules (total 6GB) did not result in utilization of additional memory In the first week of SEPT '09 I received the unit again (2nd time) after having to send it back the first time. Upon removal from the perfect packaging, found that the system case had been severely crushed. Possibly dropped off the work-bench prior to packaging, and the tech didn't want to fix it. So I had to send it back, again. When I finally got it back, it had been put into a new system case, new video card and liquid cooler. Nothing else was replaced and this concerns me due to the impact that had to occur which caused significant damage to the case. Also, they did not address the LAN issue. I have to use my own wireless card in a slot which is working. <By the time I got my computer back and online, my partner had to close down our website and partnered with another man in Canada. Because of this I've lost months of work that it took in establishing the site, editing, contributing, the SEO work, and more! Est.$31,000> This due to not working because NO COMPUTER! They did not provide an answer to why I am not able to utilize all the memory slots though I found out myself; it having to due with needing to take parts out of Windows XP Server and put into the regular XP. No one at ABS seems to know this, No more purchases from ABS or NewEgg.com due to this experience and the money that I had to put out in order to get this problem resolved. Then there was the partnership, and time I've lost due to the amount of time I was without the computer while ABS was doing their "thing". ABS was a good company once and had an excellent staff. Joel Alvanez is the exception though apparently the last stop in the customer service line; but no customer should have to jump though hoops and fire when you have an on-site warranty. I've been researching very carefully...and if I need another computer in the next year, it will come from DigitalStorm.  
 

This review was modified by its author, Future1investor, on 11/5/09 11:52 AM.

Overall, not a good experience. 5 months after purchasing my laptop the hinge began to crack. It got worse and became difficult to open/close it. When I sent it in for repairs (at MY cost of $36.00) they said it was from abuse and wanted to ship it to the manufacturer to have them look at it. So off it went to the manufacturer where they determined it was a fault of theirs and they repaired it. I had several conversations with J.A. during all of this. He was always nice to me, but the fact remains that ABS tried to weasel out of their warranty and I didn't have my laptop for about a month. Plus they never reimbursed me the $36.00 shipping costs to repair a warranty related problem. Would I buy from them again? Absolutely no way!!  
 
Update: 7/24/2007 J.A. has called me several times and sent emails to me over this review. He wants me to edit this review and make it a positive one. Yes, he did credit my card with the $36.00 shipping charges I paid, but only after I had posted this review. I will NOT change my review, because the overall experience was lousy. And I suspect other people who have left a negative review have been approached in the same way and eventually changed their review because of all the phone calls. This whole experience reeks.

This review was modified by its author, a9114, on 7/26/07 7:24 PM.

Computer is well built but out of the box there were software incompatibilities (related to sound). Issue fixed but tech support isn't as helpful as I would hope. They are inclined to advise you to reinstall the operating system if there are freezes and similar problems rather than help you try to troubleshoot.  
--------  
Review update. Since this review ABS Computers has called me multiple times....my estimation seven times, to explain my rating to them. In our first two conversations I explained in depth the rationale for what you are reading above. The last two times I told them tersely to stop calling me. This evening they left me a phone message. To say the least, their conduct is quite strange and if they call me again I'll need to contact the BBB. In the meantime, I'll need to reflect my current experience with them by modifying the rating.

This review was modified by its author, Greenwit, on 7/20/07 10:21 PM.

I ordered an Ultimate X8 II from these guys. The order process was very straight forward although it was a bit unusual to have to talk to a sales rep to get it ordered. the PC was shipped 7 days later. My credit card was charged 13 times. This obviously caused lots of problems with the VISA fraud department and further use of the card for the next 2 weeks. It took until 10/10/2006 for this to get totally resolved. At least I think it is totally resolved. The ABS customer service department basically said, "Oops. We are very sorry. Visa should have prevented this." It took me hours on the phone to get this finished up.  
 
Now, to the computer itself. I ordered a Logitech G15 keyboard and a different one was shipped. I asked for an RMA to be done and it took several attempts with customer service to get this handled. Each try with customer service takes a phone call to a dispatcher and then wait for a return call (usually within 5 hours).  
 
All said and done, the computer works fine and had they not had the credit card glitch, (which was an incredibly stressful event) and sent the wrong key board, I would have glowing remarks here. As it stands, I would not recommend these guys. There are other boutiques with better attitudes to post sales customer service than ABS.  
 
I will say, that though out the process, through all the mistakes, they did make an effort to correct the problems. There were just so many of them!

Mix up in Models. Vendor would only accept wrong model back at a charge of shipping plus 15% restock.  
 
WOULD NEVER USE THIS VENDOR.

Quality of components: Low  
Build quality: Poor  
Customer service: Dodgy and abrasive  
Value for price: Terrible  
 
Will I do business with them again: Never

When tracking the UPS number, the status says that it was delivered and placed outside next to the wall. I've checked the entire area around the house and could not find the package.  
 
So I contacted UPS and they told me that the tracer can only be initiated by the shipper.  
 
So I called ABS and told them that the package was not delivered and UPS needs the shipper to contact them to initiate a tracer so that UPS can begin the investigation on where the package is.  
 
ABS told me that they will not do this and offered to a discount on a replacement order.  
 
I run an online business and ship daily with UPS so I know the process of tracking lost packages and packages that were not received.  
 
I told ABS that they just need to call UPS so that the driver can come to my house and either (a) show me where he put it and find it or (b) not be able to find it and file it as a lost package.  
 
ABS REFUSED TO DO THIS SIMPLE PHONE CALL AND INSTEAD OFFERED A DISCOUNT ON A REPLACEMENT.  
 
I asked to talk to a supervisor or the owner and was told that he/she will call me back later.  
 
I understand that packages get lost and that it wasn't ABS' fault at that point. The problem is that they are not willing to help after that point in which THEY are the only ones that could initiate the investigation with UPS to FIND my order.  
 
I have contacted MY COMPANY'S UPS rep and trying to work around ABS' unwillingness to help and find the package.  
 
UPS did not find the package and told me to tell the shipper to file a claim because the package is lost.  
 
I need either a replacement shipped out to me because the package is lost, or a full refund because my order was never delivered.

This review was modified by its author, psycho_klown66, on 1/2/06 5:40 PM.

Words cannot convey how terrible my experience with ABS was. However, I will attempt to highlight a few of the "low points" in the hope that I might help keep someone else from going through this same experience...  
 
The product itself was faulty. I purchased a laptop and after running for a few minutes the case would get so hot you couldn't even rest your hands on it to type! Customer service told me that it was "normal" for laptops to get hot like that and "within their alloted range" because they had tested it. I've owned and used several laptops before, and I've never had one get this hot. In addition to the sheer pain and inconvenience, the laptop undoubtedly would have broken after a few months of use due to the heat. Heat is like kryptonite for computers and eventually the hard drive would have shut down. But hey, at least it was "within expectations" for ABS because "they had tested it."  
 
Also, ABS was selling two versions of the laptop I ordered: one in a black case and one in a silver case. I specially asked for the silver case, and even had them make a special note on my invoice that I requested the silver case. Sure enough, the laptop was black when it arrived. No attention to detail whatsoever!  
 
Finally, the first two problems could have been solved if it weren't for the DREADFUL customer service. Please, please listen to me if you are thinking about buying an ABS: their name is wrong. You don't get "Always Better Service." In fact, it's false advertising, because this company represents some of the WORST customer service I have ever had the misfortune of encountering. They barely speak english. Worse, they don't answer your questions. Instead, they just read to you from what must be a "script" that they all have with pre-written answers. Their answers in no way address your question or help you out, they just serve to annoy you. It's like talking to a brick wall. Oh, and from what I can figure, they don't track your history at all, and the different departments don't talk to each other. Each time I would call, I would have to re-state my ENTIRE problem because the person I was talking to had no idea about my situation. Worse, they had no record on the computer. I mean, they had my name and invoice number, but they never made any notes about my complaints. On the bright side, that did solve the mystery of why no one ever called me back when they promised to (because there was no record ever made).  
 
The ONLY positive thing I can say is that they finally took my laptop back on a return when I threatened to call MasterCard and dispute the charge. ASK YOURSELF THIS: do you really want to go through this? NO!!!!  
 
The sad thing is that I bought an ABS laptop two years ago and it was great. The service was even great back then too. Something has happened in the past few years, maybe a change in management or something, but trust me, ABS is a company you want to avoid, at least until they fix their production and customer service problems.  
 
F minus.  
 
(oh, and I guarantee you someone from ABS will write back to this post and say something to the effect of "our door is always open to you, please call us and we'll help you." If they don't write that here, just check out all the other posts, they have written something like that to nearly every bad review. This is EXACTLY what I'm talking about with their pre-scripted responses. That have these great one-liners but then they never stand behind them. ABS is the epitome of having a nice glossy exterior with ZERO SUBSTANCE on the inside. Don't get sucked in!!!)

I purchased a Mayhem G2 laptop from ABS last August on the basis of positive online feedback and recommendations from friends. It was perhaps a little more expensive than it would have been had I bought an equivalent model from another vendor, but there were no dead pixels or other obvious defects, and it arrived on schedule. When I began to put it through its paces on some demanding 3D games, it would consistently crash out in under half an hour. After a little research online I found new graphics drivers to fix the problem, and all was well.  
 
However, I cannot recommend ABS to anyone in good faith because of their nonexistent customer service. I began having hadware problems with the display a few weeks ago, and tried to contact ABS to get the problem resolved. The emails I sent disappeared into the ether with no replies, so I tried phone support. After being bounced around from Customer Support, to Tech Support, and finally to Sales, I was instructed to download and submit an Advance Replacement form with the RMA # I had been given. I was told I would be sent a replacement part in 3 days, and should return the faulty one within 10 to avoid being charged for it. So, I dutifully filled out and faxed the appropriate form, and waited a week with no reply. Finally, I sent them a scanned copy to the email address listed on the form, with an accompanying note explaining the situation. It is now several days later, and I have no package, no response to any of my emails, and very little patience left. Unless ABS does something about their terrible support, I doubt I will ever buy from them again.

Terrible customer service, tech support people DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, computer had SEVERAL SERIOUS problems, bad hard drives, overheating, bad RAM, bad power supply, etc. Tech support refused to fix it, lied to me, told me they don't have supervisors. After a year, they agreed to take my computer back to "fix" it, and returned it with the same problems, but with worse parts, eg, the computer came with an athlon xp 3000+, it came back with an athlon 1800, video card was also downgraded, etc. They've continued to refuse to help me, and I'm going to be getting lawyers involved if they don't give me my money back very soon. I will NEVER buy anything from this company again.

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!  
I made a purchase from these guys and was very happy until the machine shut down. Well now I have over 14 phone calls and a service tech trip and many hours into a machine that does not work. I was charged for a power supply that was under warranty. The tech took the old one with him and said he could not fix the machine. I am now forced with legal action.  
(A word of advice... run from these guys..run fast....dont waste your money) Srv #731447  
Hold on .. another tech came out and tried to repair the machine. Abs billed me over 1,000.00 in parts telling me they would refund the parts when I shipped them back. Needless to say,the tech couldnt fix the machine and I am seeking a full refund. These guys are a joke. Just remember, I warned you.  
(Update) I could not take it anymore. I faxed them a letter indicating I wanted a refund or a new machine and of course I recieved no response. I have now filed a claim and affidavit in the Michigan Judicial court. I will keep everyone up to date.

This review was modified by its author, tradewinner, on 3/30/05 4:18 PM.

5 more laptops DEAD this week 11-17-05 - ASUS, not ABS is the problem now - I don't expect to see these systems back for at least a month, they'll work for another month and then I will end up sending them back in when the break again and believe me they will die again, no doubt about it.  
 
In regards to the ABS reply:  
 
"2/16/05 8:16 PM  
Dear Valued Customer,  
In reviewing our record on your account, I do see we have shipped some of your systems back. It is unusual for our systems to have such a hardware or software failure rate. Our quality control is very extensive. We will take your concern to our product development.  
ABS is continually changing to keep up with customers concerns and the technology. This is why we now have a dispatch system where customer&#8217;s calls are picked up quickly and why some models are retired. Notebook repair is also changing to better service you in a more efficient manner.  
Sincerely,  
Customer Care"  
 
You still have 2 laptops 8 WEEKS NOW that we were told weeks ago (February 07) would be replaced outright with G2's although my emails are continually being ignored and NO systems have been received! I don't currently see a change to better service me. BTW - I just purchase 2 new servers, almost 10K from an alternate vendor. Do I need to turn this matter over to our corporate attorney?

This review was modified by its author, -=rex=-, on 11/17/05 2:31 PM.

After buying a high-end gaming laptop from this company, I recently ran into a problem with it. The screen went dead, so I called up their tech support #. They couldn't figure it out, so they gave me an RMA. I called the company's own tech support, and they said it could be the RAM, so they said they'd next-day-air me a replacement. That was 3 days ago, and now they say it'll be another 3 days til I receive it.  
I'd purchased this laptop from them because I'd heard their customer service was better than most. This is the first time I've needed it, granted, but it certainly is far from impressive so far. Be warned.

On a Monday evening, I purchased components to build a new PC from three different online retailers, one of which was ABS, using the same credit card. My situation was that I had moved ten days earlier and had recently changed my address with my bank (the issuer of the card used) among others. One of the other merchants phoned me on Tuesday morning stating that my billing and shipping addresses did not match. I explained that I had recently moved, but had updated my address with the issuing bank. A few hours later, I had an email from this company (not ABS) that my address was verified.  
 
Well, as of that Thursday, my ABS order, a single video card, had not shipped so I called them. They said that my address had not verified (billing and shipping did not match). I explained to them, as I had the other merchant, that I had recently moved. They asked for my old address to help verify and I gave it to them. The lady asked if someone had contacted me and I replied "no." She said she would turn this over to accounting and I should get a verification email in about an hour. No email came.  
 
The next morning, Friday, I check my order status and it's still the same. So I check my bank statement online and I see a charge from ABS from the amount specified in my sales order. I figured the wheels were in motion at this point.  
 
So early Friday evening comes around and my order status from ABS has not changed. By this time, the order from the other two merchants had already been delivered to my door and my ABS order had not even shipped. I called them back.  
 
The lady I talked to (Cynthia this time, I did not get the woman's name with whom I had previously spoken) said that my address had not verified. I explained to her my situation and that I had called yesterday to rectify this. She said there was no record of this and, again, asked for my old address to help the verification process which I duly supplied her ... again. I also wondered why my credit card had been charged, despite having an unverified address. So at this point, they had enough information from me to charge my credit card, but not to send me what I ordered. A shady practice if you ask me.  
 
Not long after that, I got my verification email from them, but it was Friday evening and I didn't expect the parts to ship immediately.  
 
So late Monday evening (one week after my original purchase), I get a ship notice email from them stating (in my FedEx status) that I should have my goods on Friday morning (Thursday was a holiday). Not too bad, I figured. I was home all day on Friday and FedEx never came. I checked my online status for the FedEx package and it said they tried to deliver at 10:30am that Friday morning (almost two weeks after I placed my order).  
 
So I went back to check my emails that were sent to me and that's when I discovered after I had supplied them with my OLD address in order to help verify the charge to my credit card, they CHANGED the shipping address to my OLD address and not the one I used in my order! So FedEx had tried to deliver it alright... to the OLD address which, by virtue of the name 'OLD ADDRESS' is not where I am.  
 
It was the weekend at this point and ABS was closed, so I called FedEx and explained the situation. They said I could pick up the goods from the local center if I supplied the proper documentation to them, which I did, and was able to walk out of there .. finally .. with my order nearly two weeks after placing it (it was only for a single part and NOT a built system) and a full week after I had received parts from the other online merchants over a week ago. Let me tell you that FedEx saved a raving mad phone call to ABS.  
 
Had I not ordered parts with the same credit card at the same time, I might have not found this to be so appalling. But I did, and one of the other merchants verified my address and did so in a MUCH MORE professional, prompt, and courteous manner than did ABS, who *I* had to call to find out what the holdup was.  
 
I would not get *free* parts from ABS in the future and would recommend anyone who values customer service do the same. I find their actions to be completely inexcusible, irresponsible, and not actions taken by a reputable business who values its customers.

Because my story reaches maximum characters, I decide to delete it and conclude here. If any customer want to know my story, you can request it (2 pages) from me.  
 
PROS:  
cheap price  
CONS:  
- terrible technical support and customer service, no service mind e.g. ignore my notes and e-mails  
- no knowledge-based service e.g. they told me that my problem was because of overheating in the first time. When I called back, they said that's not overheating although I told them the same CPU temp and fan speed.  
- no responsibility for wrong things they did e.g. telling me that it's impossible that they did mistakes because senior tech support took care of my system; They sent me wrong CPU with my PC last 3 years; They didn't set up BIOS after mainboard replacement. They wrote in the invoice that my PC worked fine although my BIOS never recognize any HDD !!??!!  
- tried to find excuses eventhough it's not reasonable e.g. jumper setting on the mainboard was moved because of shipping process.....!!??!!  
- unfair business e.g. I have to pay for shipment eventhough it's their fault; I paid $80 last 3 years for my 40 GB HDD and I have the problems with this HDD. They sent me new 40GB HDD which cost $40+ but they want to charge me for $90+ ($80+shipping) when I need my HDD back to transfer data.  
 
If you don't believe me, please check by yourself at BBB website.(http://www.labbb.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=wsbroker1/C%3A/Inetpub/wwwroot/SouthlandReport/default.htm?hCompID=92002302&hAKAID=1&hAddrID=5)  
 
UPDATE:  
Dear ABSPC customer services,  
I know that I bought my PC almost 3 years but it came with 3-year service and part warantee. It seems like you tried to hold the time until the warantee will be expired which is next 2 weeks.  
 
I've just contact my credit card company and they said your company NEVER contact them and there was NO REASON to decline in my case because my credit limit is very far away from this amount of money. Do you have better excuse than "unknown reason"?  
 
I do understand that you can't transfer or retrieve any data. I put the note on my HDD but you ignored! If you have a "service mind", you will call me to tell me that you couldn't do that for me. I had the backup for my data but I want my HDD back to check that I didn't miss anything important. You can advice your customers to backup the data as you mention (you never advice me though). That's good practice...but...Do you really backup your data every single day for your "home PC"? If your answer is "no", you'll understand why I wanna check my HDD again.

This review was modified by its author, naravat, on 11/28/04 2:04 AM.