WytchDokta 6 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 This is probably a stupid question, but what's OEM? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whisper_44 0 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Original Equipment Manufacturer (pronounced as separate letters) Short for original equipment manufacturer, which is a misleading term for a company that has a special relationship with computer producers. OEMs buy computers in bulk and customize them for a particular application. They then sell the customized computer under their own name. The term is really a misnomer because OEMs are not the original manufacturers -- they are the customizers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WytchDokta 6 Posted August 30, 2004 Author Share Posted August 30, 2004 I go to choose a graphics for my new rig and see: OEM Radeon x800 256 MB.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whisper_44 0 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 To me that would indicate a card made by ATI not some ther manufacturer using the Radeon X800 Chip in their own Grahpic Board??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WytchDokta 6 Posted August 30, 2004 Author Share Posted August 30, 2004 Ok...... Maybe I should just post the exact specs of the rig up here because some other stuff is OEM on the new rig too.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whisper_44 0 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Not trying to be a smart a** but it sounds like you are going to be spending some coin on this new rig, I would call the seller, maybe they can clear these questions up. Crimson may be able to offer some insight, as I may be getting in over my head..good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pyro_Monty 0 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 All it means is that it doesn't come with fancy packaging (read: box) or a games bundle. You'll get the hardware and appropriate drivers, but it's pretty much no frills. It does tend to be a lot cheaper than a "retail" package, though. At least, that's what I presume it'll mean with a piece of hardware like a graphics card. If you're still in doubt, do as Whisper says and call/e-mail the seller. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dannik 43 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 OEM: OEM hardware is the same gear found in retail stores, except the packaging and extras bundled with are no frills. This hardware is intended for computer system manufacturers (like Dell, Gateway, etc) and not end users, but some retailers will sell OEM parts to end users. OEM gear is NOT covereed by the original manufacturer's warranty. If it goes bad, you are exclusively reliant on the point of sale to support you, which frankly is a snowball's chance in.. well, you get the picture. OEM gear really isn't meant for the consumer, but for the professional system builders. Still, it can be a great value for the end user who doesn't mind taking a little chance on the hardware going off in a couple of months, to find out they don't have a warranty on it any longer. I will not purchase OEM gear for anything major. If it's a budget video card, or a cheap optical drive, sure, why not go OEM. If it dies, it's easy to replace. For a major purchase like a CPU, motherboard or high end video card, I always stick to retail boxed hardware. If anything goes wrong, I've got the retailer in the short term and the manufacturer in the long term, to cover my repairs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KRP 56 92 Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Dannik hit the nail right on the head. I think one of the biggest catches is the part where OEM parts are generally not supported or covered by the manufactures warranty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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