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Product & services pricing
4.00/5
Chance of future purchase:
3.75/5
Shipping & packaging:
3.75/5
Customer service:
3.75/5
Return/Replacement policy:
2.50/5
Featured Review


Verified
5/5

2009-05-28

"Excellent company. GREAT customer service. They have knowledgeable staff. I got a custom system and they found some incompatibilities with the parts I selected and immediately contacted me so we could work out some changes.

I love how they're website lets you buy parts, kits or custom systems. Save money however you want. Great prices too.

It's been a while since my last parts/kits merchant went out of business, I was glad to find these guys and even more impressed with their service and prices.

HIGHLY recommended.
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-25

"I was looking for a custom gaming system to replace my 5+ year old home build, but I didn't have the time or recent hardware knowledge to build a system myself.

I was impressed by AVA Direct's ratings and reviews, especially here on Reseller Ratings. It was easy to customize a system on their website. They had the latest hardware available while being surprisingly affordable.

I hadn't dealt with hardware in a few years, so I emailed them for some advice on my build. Joseph Mundy was very helpful and professional. He helped adjust my build to what I was looking for, while helping me stay within my budget.

It took a little while to build and ship my system, but I knew to expect it and they kept me apprised of the progress. The packaging was very safe. The system itself is well built. The wiring is clean and secure. It's also very pretty with its red lighting and fans.

I waited for a while to fill out a review so that I wasn't just pleased with having a new computer. I also wanted a chance to see if their technical service was as excellent as their sales, but I've yet to have reason to consult them. My system has worked better than I'd hoped. (I at least expected trouble from 64-bit Vista.) Still, I'm confident that they'll be there and do an excellent job if I need them.

My build:
# INTEL, Core™ i7-920 Quad-Core 2.66GHz, LGA1366, 6400 MT/s QPI, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm, 130W, EM64T EIST VT XD, Retail
# eVGA, EVGA X58 SLI, LGA1366, Intel® X58, 6400 MT/s QPI, DDR3-1333MHz 12GB /6, PCIe x16 SLI CF /3, SATA 3 Gb/s RAID 5 /9, HDA, GbLAN /2, FW /2, ATX, Retail
# CORSAIR, 6GB (3 x 2GB) XMS3 PC3-10600 DDR3 1333MHz CL9 (9-9-9) 1.5V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC
# eVGA, GeForce® GTX 295 576MHz, 1792MB GDDR3 1998MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, DVI /2, HDMI, Retail
# WESTERN DIGITAL, 150GB (WD1500HLFS) WD VelociRaptor™, SATA 3 Gb/s, 10000 RPM, 16MB cache
# WESTERN DIGITAL, 1TB WD Caviar® Black™ (WD1001FALS), SATA 3 Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 32MB Cache
# LITE-ON, iHDS118 Black 18x48x DVD-ROM Drive, SATA, OEM
# LITE-ON, iHAS422 Black/Beige 22x DVD±RW Dual-Layer Burner w/ Smart Erase & LightScribe, SATA, Retail
# THERMALTAKE, V9 VJ40001W2Z Black Mid-Tower Case w/ Window, ATX, No PSU, SECC
# THERMALTAKE, Toughpower, 80 PLUS®, 1000W Power Supply w/ Modularized Cable Management, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, Quad +12V, Quad SLI Ready
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-20

"The computer I ordered was a very specific build. I do not game, but I demand audiophile quality sound, seem-less 1080p video, and extreme quiet all in an extremely stable, attractive, package. Joe Mundy was very very gracious in helping me with every whim I asked him to meet, and doing so in a very timely manner. Responses were received within an hour of asking during business hours. The build took a while due to a faulty cpu, but the rig came completely stable. The staff answered all questions honestly and without trying to sell extra components. I am now the proud owner of a very fast very high quality performance pc, where I picked every part. It was also almost as well priced as if I built it myself. I have already recommended them to friends and I will use them the next time I need a pc. "

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-19

"I ordered a MS-1722 laptop from AVA Direct. Their customization options exceeded those of any other brand. The price was excellent. Service was very good. Turn around time was decent at just under two weeks and it arrived very well packaged. The machine is fantastic. They've even followed up a couple times by email to make sure that everything is working properly.

I will definitely buy my next computer from AVA Direct.
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-18

"Bought two computers- I higher end custom gaming workstation (which is also now my file server, tivo, etc.) and a slim desktop system (ASUS).
I had a very positive experience- from a person who handled all my issues (a MOBO I wanted was not in stock, it was ordered and I got it as promised) and questions in a timely fashion.
Systems were assembled and tested very professionally and I am really content with the products I got. I got all docs and leftover material (such as thermal paste for example).
They even installed linux on my gaming system. I would definitely recommend/buy again.
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-15

"I am completely satisfied to have done business wih AVA Direct. They are very professional and customer service is great. They take time to make sure that what you need is what you receive. "

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-15

"The computer I order was a medium high end computer. My wife was tired of using older generation computers and works a lot from home.

I asked for counsel on quiet and I added an item half-way through the process. They answered the phone promptly, they gave me good advice, and they were quite friendly.

The system was delivered on 5/12. Though it took a long time, an eternity when you are excited about receiving a new toy, they kept me up to date, and I was patient. I have built many computers myself, and I know that parts arrive dead, they arrive later than you want, and stuff happens to slow you down. I wanted this computer to work when I received it, even though I was not asking for it to have an OS on it.

The build was beautiful!! The system consisted of:
# COOLER MASTER, Cosmos 1000
# INWIN, Commander Modular Power Supply, 80 PLUS®, 750W
# ASUS, P6T Deluxe V2
# INTEL, Core™ i7-920
# NOCTUA, NH-U12P Copper CPU Cooler, Socket 1366
# OCZ, 6GB (3 x 2GB) Platinum XTC PC3-12800 DDR3
# SAPPHIRE, Radeon™ HD 4850 X2 650MHz, 2GB (
# WESTERN DIGITAL, 150GB VelociRaptor
# WESTERN DIGITAL, 250GB WD Caviar® SE16
# WESTERN DIGITAL, 250GB WD Caviar® SE16
# LG ELECTRONICS, BD/DVD±RW/CD-RW Blu-ray Disc™ Burner w/ Lightscribe
# CREATIVE, Sound Blaster® X-Fi Titanium, 7.1 channels, 24-bit 96KHz, PCIe x1# LOGITECH, Cordless Desktop® MX™ 5500 Revolution Keyboard & Mouse
# SYMANTEC, Norton Internet Security 2009

The system was absolutely wonderfully quiet, fast, beautifully wired, and I am a hero to my wife. It has Windows 7 x64 Ultimate. What else is important in life except to have your wife think that you are a hero?

I would say that the time it saved me in putting the parts together and testing was worth the price that you pay to them to do it. I had seen a couple of people complain about the length of time it takes to get the system and sloppy wiring. This was not the case for me and the wait was very well worth it.
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-14

"I purchased a custom notebook computer from AVA Direct. The website was easy to use and the wide selection of options was amazing. You can't find a better site to buy a customized computer for a reasonable price. They are upfront and honest about the production time. You have to understand that it takes some time to build a custom computer with the huge number of options they allow. I was pleased with every step of the buying process. I have had my SSD notebook for close to a month now and have had no problems. My next computer purchase will be a desktop from AVA Direct. "

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-12

"This was the first computer I have bought from AVADirect but won't be the last!

My order was placed on 04/11/09 and shipped on 05/06/09. They exceeded my expectations in responsiveness and quality. Messages were responded to within a matter of minutes and they were able to accomodate special requests, such as updating the firmware on my solid state drive without any extra cost. The quality of the build looks excellent and it is running perfectly so far.

As other reviewers have mentioned, there is no extra bloatware for which I am very greatful. When I have bought computers from other online retailers I have always had to spend time removing all the extra junk they put on the hard drive. I also appreciated the folder with all the test results and specs and link on the desktop to an HTML page showing the benchmark results.

I have bought custom gaming systems from other manufacturers/online retailers before but this is by far the best looking and performing system I have received.

Pros: Many - Reasonable price; quality of wiring, build and packaging; responsiveness to messages; selection of components; accomodating special requests; inclusion of performance testing

Cons: Minimal - Had to wait a little on the build to get a hard drive adapter for tne SSD - only bothered me because I was impatient to get my new computer :D

"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-12

"Excellent transaction; recommend this company. Salesperson was very helpful and knowledgeable. I gave him my requirements (including price) and he put together a system. I went away to do some more research and concluded that what he had suggested was right for me. I called him once during my research. He called back fairly quickly and gave me more information. At no time was there any pressure to place the order.

The machine arrive 4/29/09 (place 4/15/09) and has been working without any problems at all since then. The quality of the workmanship was excellent with the exception of the one loose screw on the bottom of the case. Very easily removed in case I ever find that I need it!
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-04

"I had no problems with purchasing of custom built laptop and it works just fine. If i have any questions about anything, these people have always answered in minutes."

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Verified
5/5

2009-05-02

"What an excellent experience. There was an issue with my credit card placed on hold by my issuing company for some reason and I was immediately notified, by phone, that there was in issue with my order. The staff over at AVA Direct helped me resolve the issue in an extremely timely manner without me having to do much of anything. After the order was finally placed, I received an e-mail of confirmation with a tracking number. Shipping was incredibly fast and it reached my residence a lot faster than I had expected. What a wonderful experience. I will definitely do business with this company again."

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Verified
5/5

2009-04-30

"I spent about two months doing research before I decided to go with AVA Direct. Ultimately my decision was based on the huge configuration options and the very reasonable prices. I received my computer about a week ago and could not be more pleased. The craftsmanship is superior. I would not hesitate to recommend AVA Direct to anyone looking for a great computer!"

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Verified
5/5

2009-04-22

"This is my first time ordering from avadirect. The reason I ordered from ava? Good track record, known for good craftsmanship (time and care taken to assembly and wire) and the best component selection in the business.

Price and selection: I ordered a mid priced system that was slightly more than cyberpower but definitely lower than puget systems, digital storm and velocity micro (I've owned PCs from velocity micro and ABS). Their initial model selection is a little confusing, they could streamline the number of PC models. Once you pick a model you are greeted with the largest parts selection of any PC maker, this is the main reason why I ordered thru ava.

Process time: You are sent an email once your order is placed. Questions and part/conflict problems are handled thru a very nice messaging system built into their site. The system notifies you, thru email, if you have any questions or answers waiting for you. Message response time is very quick, usually 5 minutes or less. Build time was about 3 weeks which is standard for a custom PC.

Packaging: It came in a large brown box. Inside the brown box was the case manufacturers box surrounded by Styrofoam peanuts and a spare parts box. I removed the PC from it's box which had a note attached warning me the internals had temporary foam bracing against shipping damage. I opened the PC and noticed foam blocks cut to length supporting the GPU and CPU cooler in all directions. I was impressed with the care in packaging.

PC build: Excellent, you could tell time, thought and care was put into wiring and assembling this PC. The case had no scratches, the wiring was routed for aesthetics and to minimize clutter.

Software: I checked the drivers which were all up to date. No hardware conflicts were present and windows was up to date. Another plus was no bloatware, they don't load the PC up with promotion items. They also included the futuremark, CPU-Z and stress test data in a document folder. I didn't have to do anything extra except register windows.

Bottom line is that I would order though AVA again. I was very impressed with the overall process and they showed a genuine interest to ship me the best computer they could.
"

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Verified
5/5

2009-04-15

"Really great experience! Was notified when the order was recieved and when it was shipped. Sales staff is very attentive!!"

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