Affordable Computer Repair — Attraction in Bellevue

EDIT: DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME HERE. Go across the street to Tony at AME Computers. His services are more affordable and he is very thorough in making sure his customer's are treated right. Affordable Computer Repair costed me more time, money, and stress, and was a BAD mistake.

Safe to say, I am absolutely displeased with the service I have received.

I went in to get my laptop screen repaired (it was detaching every time I opened or closed the laptop). I was told it would take around 3 days. But with barely any communication (I had to call every few days just to get any updates or to figure out it was done). Instead, the installation of a new screen and laptop lid took about 2.5 weeks. When I got it back, my laptop that started as a touch screen can no longer use the touch screen AND my brightness can no longer be lowered (both things worked before I took my laptop in). The new lid also had several cosmetic scratches, the least of my worries but still sad that it happened. I paid hundreds of dollars for a new lid and a screen replacement and was majorly inconvenienced by the installation time and lack of communication, just for more things to NOT work.

I brought it in a week after for him to look at it, but he did not find anything. I am a full-time student needing a laptop for class, so could not take it in for another 2.5 weeks. Circle back to this past spring break (a few weeks ago when I am writing this review), I brought it in and asked him if he could take a better look. He told me that I would need to pay an additional $400 on top of the hundreds of dollars I have already paid (for a used part that seems to be not working). Not to mention, when I picked it back up after he had not found issues other than it needing a new screen, my mouse pad completely stopped working.

He fixed the main issue I had: my screen separating from the lid. But in him fixing that, he ended up causing more issues (scratched lid, brightness, touch screen, and my mouse pad). I absolutely cannot recommend Affordable Computer Repair. I feel that I am being taken advantage of. I paid hundreds of dollars for a service, and it is my assumption that the service includes making sure everything functions properly and is installed correctly. The touch screen and brightness were not checked when the screen was first replaced, and the mouse was not checked the latest time. It should not have to be on me to pay for ANOTHER screen when Steve is the one who installed it and I did my part taking it in for him to examine it, multiple times.

Plus, his shop is disorganized (he kept mixing up laptop screws and ended up putting someone else's laptop stick in my laptop, which one would hope would have been labeled). Guess not. I would not step in here unless you want your computer to be more broken or to lose parts because things may not be labeled and properly separated. I would not step in here unless you do not want the person fixing your computer to check and make sure everything works correctly before you get it back. If a person fixes a computer and the part is faulty or something is installed wrong, I would hope they would be willing to fix THEIR issue and make things right instead of try to charge them a second time for a service that was mediocre at best.

I would...

I had an initial Great experience with this company at it's Old town Bellevue location~the staff member there was exceptionally kind. However, my second experience was not as great. I had an issue with my Mac work computer. I explained the issue and asked if my 6 year old computer was worth repairing. Yes, they advised...it can last many more years. I took their advise and also opted to get a new battery installed. (I did not have a problem with the old battery, but figured if I was going to get the computer repaired, I would also get a new battery.) I assumed they would repair the computer with new parts. Never assume. The motherboard was replaced. When I finally picked the computer up, later than anticipated, the staff advised me to bring it back if it didn't work. I was surprised by this and questioned why they thought it wouldn't work. They explained the comment was because the parts used were refurbished. I was never told that initially. The computer worked for a few days and then went back to the same problems, so I promptly took it back and they installed yet another "refurbished" motherboard. (I do understand that my Mac does not have new parts to order, only refurbished...but I wish I would have been told that at the beginning, because it would have changed my decision about repairing the old computer and I would have opted to spend the repair funds towards a new machine.) The computer has not been functioning properly since. I often work out of the country in the developing world, and I do not bring this computer. When I returned, just a little over 3 months after the initial repairs, and turned the machine on for the first time in 6 weeks, it does not work AND the power no longer works! (with the "new" battery) I understand that it is an old computer, and that the repairs cannot be guaranteed forever. That is not my concern here. My concern is the way I was treated when I called to inquire about the non-functioning motherboard and "new" battery that was installed just 3 short months ago. The staff did not offer any help, just continually claiming that it was past warranty and "out of their hands". Again, I understand parts and/or computers, batteries etc cannot be guaranteed forever, but I also would have appreciated an upfront, honest answer about the repairs being made with used parts in the first place. Also, I appreciate working with companies that treat their customers with kindness and offer solutions or suggestions, not ones that make customers feel as if any responsibility ends with the warranty and they do not want to be bothered. This was a huge expense to our small non-profit business, we took the leap to fix the computer as that was the advise we were given by the experts, and now we have a broken machine that doesn't charge and we are out a huge downpayment towards a new functioning computer. I respect the knowledge of computer repair technicians, but I will be finding a new place to take...

I've read some of the "negative reviews" about this place and I can see a common theme with the reviewers: they want things cheap and don't really know what they are talking about.

One person thinks you can get a "high-end CPU" for $265. Really? Where? Off-the-shelf at Walmart? A "high-end machine" will range from $3,000 - $6,500 depending on the brand. If you custom build it yourself, you're probably looking at $5,000 depending on the quality of the components you put in it. To the "Karen" that wrote that post... asking a local small business to work for pennies on the dollar because you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about is morally wrong and shows you have no basic human decency.

Another person wanted hardware for much less than you can buy in a regular store. Well, I have to caveat that with what I think the person wanted because the post was syntactically devoid of any type of grammar and then devolved into an incoherent tirade. To the last-place-spelling-bee-participant that vomited that post onto the internet, if you want cheap computer hardware that is questionable... do a back-alley, haggled deal on Craigslist and pray you don't get your kidneys sold on the black market afterwards.

To everyone else that is reading these reviews because they actually want to know what kind of service you can get at this place... here you go:

I completely destroyed the screen on my $3000 laptop, and severely damaged the outside cover as well (p.s., don't take a laptop camping). I dropped off my laptop on a Friday afternoon and it was repaired and ready-for-pickup the following Wednesday... Now that's responsiveness for you! I can guarantee if I would have brought it to the "Geeks" or "Geniuses" at one of those big box stores... they would have fiddle around with it for 2-3 weeks and then most likely would have told me it was irreparable so they could sell me a new one that they just happen to have in stock.

At any rate, I have been building computers since the 80's and I own a custom software development company... so I researched this repair myself. They charged me the same price for the hardware that I would have gotten if I would have bought it myself. Then, they charged me 2-hours of shop-time. That seems very reasonable if you ask me.

People are always looking for the "cheap solution" and often forget that their nickle-and-dime haggling is the same as telling the other person "I don't value your time or your skill". Take the negative reviews with a grain of salt. From what I can read, most of these negative reviewers were probably tight on cash and wanted to see if they could strong-arm a small-business owner with visceral diarrhea-of-the-mouth on the internet.

My opinion, if you are not experienced with computers but want a good, quality repair (in an expedited manner)... Affordable Computer Repair is a local small business and they provide a service like seasoned pros! I will definitely use...