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Hats off to Mumbai and its Gray dealers (whom I didn't have much knowledge about so far). I've always felt bad about how graphics cards (the high end ones) are priced outrageously in India, but not anymore. I've finally found the panacea to the m.fckin distributors and re-sellers who jack the prices.
Most Mumbai folks already know, so if you're willing to do a little bit of digging in sweet Mum then you'll come across astonishing stuff!
(Note: Obviously you don't get a bill or receipt or warranty stuff, but you do get a factory sealed box pack which contains the real thing. Fortunately the Chinese can't duplicate these like mobile phones, lol
)
Here are some of the figures:
9800GX2 - Rs. 13,000
GTX260 (c216) - Rs. 14,000
GTX260 (c192) - Rs. 12,000
GTX280 - Rs. 16,500
4850 X2 - Rs. 14,000
Surprisingly, none of the folks I dealt with had the 4870 or 4870X2 in the .....err... grey stock, but they can acquire it on request. I was tempted to pick up a GTX280, but I knew that the 4850X2 beats it in most benchmarks and was cheaper with the dealers. Plus I saved some money with which I had a mega grand meal back in Washi.
I can't tell you what Mass Effect @ 1920x1200 now feels like. And did I mention that these folks are kind enough to give you at least 6 to 7 game DVDs? Which re-seller/shop does that?
Lastly, I got a big fcukin' lecture from one of my MBA pals on how I've betrayed the nation and messed with the tax system buy purchasing something from the gray market which is detrimental for the country's economy. Needless to say, I've given him a picture of my erect middle finger.
Three cheers for MumGray markets, YOU ROCK!
Some tips for those who will go hunting now:
0. They have too many things other than computing components. You might want to ask! (otherwise you'll be sorry
)
1. These guys ARE VERY knowledgeable. They cater to enthusiasts, so they know what GDDR5, 800 stream processors, PCI Express 2.0 etc. mean. They made very knowledgeable suggestions while I was there regarding my motherboard, power supply etc. (They enquired about my case too!)
2. Don't negotiate. It's ridiculous. They sell at newegg like prices, which is perfectly fair.
3. If they conclude that you're a serious buyer, they'll open the pack to let you feel the card. (They do it very carefully).
4. Don't open more than 3 or 4 card boxes (I opened two), they get irritated, just like you would.
5. Carry a bag or something. You don't want to walk out of those places with a huge eVGA or BFGTech box conspicuously visible. Safety at all costs!
6. Be polite. Some of these guys are a little less approachable at first since they are at risk, and they maintain a stern attitude full of suspiscion. It's best if you can channel through a friend of yours who they know (if you have one). Otherwise be patient, be polite, and they'll be convinced.
7. They won't return stuff easily. I was told at least 10 times that they won't accept returns. Needless to say, you can check for physical damages on the spot, and I can testify that 100% of the boxes are spanking new factory sealed blah blah blah. You just can't go wrong unless your luck is really really bad.
8. Kill the conscience. I'm not sure how we screw our economy by doing this, but it's ok. Ours is a country which is ruled by monstrous distributors with an apetite for money. It's a little screwing back we can do to them.
Amen and happy buying! My only destination for comp shopping is now Mumbai. Gotta ask my boss for more work in Mum, definitely.
P.S. Anyone from B'Lore here? I need to find out if there are similar sources in BLore. There's gotta be. Otherwise I have a lot of travelling to do.
Most Mumbai folks already know, so if you're willing to do a little bit of digging in sweet Mum then you'll come across astonishing stuff!
(Note: Obviously you don't get a bill or receipt or warranty stuff, but you do get a factory sealed box pack which contains the real thing. Fortunately the Chinese can't duplicate these like mobile phones, lol
)Here are some of the figures:
9800GX2 - Rs. 13,000
GTX260 (c216) - Rs. 14,000
GTX260 (c192) - Rs. 12,000
GTX280 - Rs. 16,500
4850 X2 - Rs. 14,000
Surprisingly, none of the folks I dealt with had the 4870 or 4870X2 in the .....err... grey stock, but they can acquire it on request. I was tempted to pick up a GTX280, but I knew that the 4850X2 beats it in most benchmarks and was cheaper with the dealers. Plus I saved some money with which I had a mega grand meal back in Washi.
I can't tell you what Mass Effect @ 1920x1200 now feels like. And did I mention that these folks are kind enough to give you at least 6 to 7 game DVDs? Which re-seller/shop does that?
Lastly, I got a big fcukin' lecture from one of my MBA pals on how I've betrayed the nation and messed with the tax system buy purchasing something from the gray market which is detrimental for the country's economy. Needless to say, I've given him a picture of my erect middle finger.
Three cheers for MumGray markets, YOU ROCK!
Some tips for those who will go hunting now:
0. They have too many things other than computing components. You might want to ask! (otherwise you'll be sorry
)1. These guys ARE VERY knowledgeable. They cater to enthusiasts, so they know what GDDR5, 800 stream processors, PCI Express 2.0 etc. mean. They made very knowledgeable suggestions while I was there regarding my motherboard, power supply etc. (They enquired about my case too!)
2. Don't negotiate. It's ridiculous. They sell at newegg like prices, which is perfectly fair.
3. If they conclude that you're a serious buyer, they'll open the pack to let you feel the card. (They do it very carefully).
4. Don't open more than 3 or 4 card boxes (I opened two), they get irritated, just like you would.
5. Carry a bag or something. You don't want to walk out of those places with a huge eVGA or BFGTech box conspicuously visible. Safety at all costs!
6. Be polite. Some of these guys are a little less approachable at first since they are at risk, and they maintain a stern attitude full of suspiscion. It's best if you can channel through a friend of yours who they know (if you have one). Otherwise be patient, be polite, and they'll be convinced.
7. They won't return stuff easily. I was told at least 10 times that they won't accept returns. Needless to say, you can check for physical damages on the spot, and I can testify that 100% of the boxes are spanking new factory sealed blah blah blah. You just can't go wrong unless your luck is really really bad.
8. Kill the conscience. I'm not sure how we screw our economy by doing this, but it's ok. Ours is a country which is ruled by monstrous distributors with an apetite for money. It's a little screwing back we can do to them.
Amen and happy buying! My only destination for comp shopping is now Mumbai. Gotta ask my boss for more work in Mum, definitely.
P.S. Anyone from B'Lore here? I need to find out if there are similar sources in BLore. There's gotta be. Otherwise I have a lot of travelling to do.
