'I want to acknowledge that we messed up': NZXT addresses concerns about its controversial Flex gaming PC rental program and commits to taking action
'I want to acknowledge that we messed up': NZXT addresses concerns about its controversial Flex gaming PC rental program and commits to taking action
The company's also tried to clear up some misconceptions.
Completely lackluster and insufficient response in my book
Man, GN is legitimately a pillar of investigative journalism. They’ve broken, like, a LOT of (tech-oriented) corporate fuckery stories, and they ALWAYS bring receipts.
yea, as usual its a "we will strive to do better in the future" not-apology.
This should be a either a rent-to-own system, or just a monthly payment system. Be clear "you will pay 150% the purchases price of the equipment over this time period", and it would be mostly better.
They could still make a fortune doing a rent to own model, charge 2x the cost of the computer and easily pocket that money…
yea, and be clear about it. Don't hide that they are turning a profit, but there's a lot of people that might find that attractive.
I like working with some contractors, because they will list each item, at cost... and then the last line item is "20% profit".
Rent to Rent, for a $150/m computer, is just robbery.
It was clearly designed to be a practical scam, bilking the ignorant, who can't afford the up front cost of a new computer.
Messing up isn't the phrasing I'd use.
Completely lackluster and insufficient response in my book
What would you like to see differently?
I have no NZXT products but I'm wary recommending them now, depending on the use case.
Does anyone know any alternatives for people with an active subscription?
Does anyone know any alternatives for people with an active subscription?
Put the same amount of money they were paying towards renting a PC into a savings account each month and then buy a PC outright in a few months.
Yeah I've waited 2 GPU generations before upgrading my GPU, which was several years. So this whole I can't wait I need it now subscription model for hardware is just bizzare to me.
I did not find it to be genuine at all but here are my highlights:
- There was no acknowledgement of having interest rates higher than a payday loan and justify it indirectly with the "customer survey says!"
- Shifting blame about swapping lower spec equipment to hardware availability is bullshit.
- No addressing of the various shady contract wording with the whole cancel anytime.
- Man that line of "maybe your want to be a streamer", that was no worse that telling kids "you can be the next fortnite champion!"
- Bottom line, no actual apology to gamers for ripping them off worse than the mafia and offering refunds.
To me it comes off as "I'm sorry we got exposed" rather than being actually sorry for ripping impressionable and desperate gamers off.
Alternative, just like gamers Nexus said, contact a loan shark is a better alternative.
Realistically, any other boutique seller offering financing would be infinitely better.
- Buy an external HDD
- backup any data you have on the rental computer
- bite the bullet that you probably won't have a computer for a bit
- wipe the rental computer
- then put the amount spent each month on the rental into savings and buy and own a better computer with actually new hardware
Not sure such models can be fair and reliable. I guess an alternative would be an installment plan, where you at least own the computer when you paid it off. Not sure if it exists for PCs but I know sometimes there's 0% plans for electronics so you would not even pay extra, besides what stores add anyway for prebuilt computers. I'd still recommend saving up and building your own or use a build service for individual components, since that tends to usually be cheaper and you have more control over what you get, since a lot of prebuilt PCs have odd components.
I have an old NZXT case I'm still using. I recently have been thinking about a new case. It definitely won't be NZXT even though I've enjoyed the one I have.
Really wondering about what's stopping ppl outright stealing the computer
They have all your info, what you gonna do...start a new life in India under a false name to steal a pc?
Technically GN was able to rent a pc with a fake ID so... You could totally steal it, only problem would be the mailing address
Wait.....I can do that?
Laws?
Probably a deposit for the value of the computer itself if it isn't returned or something.
If you could afford such a deposit, you would probably just buy a PC.
The GN video says they want a photocopy of your ID. They used a fake name so couldn't provide one. A few weeks later the PC showed up even though they didn't have a copy of the ID.