Are Costco Gaming PCs Good? (8 Hacks To Know)
Costco Wholesale Corporation is well known for having excellent, durable, and solid goods in their discount stores. In addition to fair prices, the company has a no-questions-asked return policy on some of its goods.
You may have heard or seen Costco’s sale of gaming PCs and are wondering whether they’re worth your money. Electronics and, more specifically, gaming PCs are delicate items.
Costco gaming PCs are excellent and reasonably priced. In terms of performance, the gaming PCs use decent motherboard, GPU, and CPU components that can suit even heavy gamers. However, Costco gaming PCs don’t have room for expansion or upgrades.
So what exactly are you getting if you buy your gaming PC from Costco? Is it worth your money?
While you’ll occasionally come across some good deals in the gaming PCs section, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have the best gaming PC at that price range.
Today’s article looks at Costco’s gaming PCs and whether they’re a good fit for you. Read on.
How Much Do Costco Gaming PCs Cost?
Costco’s gaming PCs come in with a $1,200 to $2,000 price tag. Since building your high-end gaming system can cost you an average of $2,000 to $3,000, it’s safe to assume that you’re getting a massive discount from Costco.
The company operates with very slim profit margins enabling it to sell good quality goods at favorable prices.
A Costco $1,799 gaming PC will rival a significant percentage of gaming PCs with higher price tags.
What do I mean?
The value of the gaming PC you’re buying from Costco is very close to what the manufacturer recommends. The higher price tags from other stores don’t necessarily signify that their products are better.
Does Costco’s Return Policy Apply to Gaming PCs?
Before 2007, Costco had a very lenient return policy whereby you could return goods after several months of use and get a full refund.
Such leniency starved the company of its profits, forcing it to alter its return policy on electronics.
Currently, Costco has a 90-day return policy on electronics whereby you can return your gaming PC or whatever gadget you bought from them and still get a full refund.
Their return policy is so lenient that you can return an item without having the original purchase receipt.
In comparison, Best Buy’s return policy on electronics is 15 days but can be extended to 60 days if you purchase its TotalTech support membership; Walmart and Target have 30-day return policies.
Does Costco Do Gaming PC Deliveries?
Yes, Costco delivers all ordered gaming PCs through a partnership with GoShare, FedEx, and UPS. Their deliveries take between 5 to 10 business days but don’t be surprised if yours takes a month to arrive.
According to the company, how fast they deliver depends on the item’s availability and your location.
If you’re not very sure how you’ll set up your gaming PC, I’d recommend looking at Costco’s White-Glove delivery.
A professional will deliver your package, unpack it, set it up, and will only leave once you’re satisfied that your gaming PC is running.
What’s Costco’s Warranty on Gaming PCs?
Costco offers an extended two-year warranty on all its gaming PCs in its Concierge Services policy. You can return a gaming PC during this period, and the company’s technical team will sort you out free of charge.
The company, at their discretion, will either refund, repair, or replace your gaming PC.
The catch here is that you have to be a Costco member to enjoy these premium warranty services. If you’re not a member, you will have a 5 percent surcharge in addition to exclusion from seeing members-only products from the company’s online stores.
The charges for the memberships are as follows:
Gold Star Membership – $60/per year
The Gold Star Membership is a basic membership that allows you to shop at any Costco store globally and on Costco.com.
You’re also eligible for Costco’s Concierge Services and an additional two-year warranty.
Executive Membership – $120/per year
In addition to what the Gold Star members get, you’re eligible for a 2 percent cash back on all purchases up to $1,000.
What’s Costco Concierge Service?
Costco’s Concierge Services is a technical support platform available to all individuals who’ve purchased the company’s membership. The online support is open all through the week, excluding national holidays.
You can call to ask questions on how to set up your gaming PC, how you can troubleshoot if it’s problematic, or when you need an upgrade. The good news is that the Concierge Service package lasts a lifetime.
Reasons To Not Buy a Gaming PC From Costco?
Limited Gaming PC Selections
One area that Costco fails is stocking its shelves with enough gaming PCs to give its customers options to choose from when buying.
The company lowers its expenses by limiting the number of electronics on its shelves to only those high in demand. If your gaming PC needs to be customized to suit you, the chances are that you won’t find one that’s good for you at Costco.
Costco’s Pricing isn’t Always the Best
When purchasing a gaming PC, don’t always assume that you’re getting the best offer at Costco.
Some items have marginal discounts to the extent that buying from another retailer won’t make much of a financial difference. Secondly, Costco gaming PCs don’t have the flexibility most gamers like.
You won’t tweak their gaming PCs the way you do with your custom-built PC.
Customer Reviews
Costco is rated an above-average company according to ConsumerAffairs customer reviews. The company has excellent customer support, a favorable return policy, and genuinely good products.
However, the company is no longer a prime go-to shop for electronics. It has very few gaming PCs and accessories that you can select from when purchasing.
If you go to them to buy your gaming PC, there’s a high chance that you might overestimate a gaming PC’s strengths due to a lack of options.
Be very cautious when purchasing a Costco gaming PC.
It isn’t to say that they’re poor quality, but the few options available might blind you to buying them, yet you could have had a better offer elsewhere.
Final Remarks
Costco might not always have the best prices for their electronics and, more specifically, their gaming PCs. And as the gaming industry evolves, more and more processor-intensive games are being launched day in day out.
As a gamer, you need to have gaming PCs easily upgraded to match the game’s requirements. Costco gaming PCs are somewhat generic and lack room for upgrades.
The casing structure allows minimal modifications; the power supply suits stock gaming PC components and may not accommodate additional drivers.
If you’re an intermediate gamer or are not planning to upgrade your gaming PC any time soon, a Costco gaming PC suits you well. Go for it.