Regardless of whether you’re shopping for a whole new PC or just the parts for a new one, it pays to do research. With so many different vendors selling computers these days, it can be hard to find the absolute best deal for your money.
Thankfully, there are services out there that specialize in collecting data from all reputable websites and collating them. This makes for an easy-to-browse experience, where you can be sure you’re paying the lowest for the best. Here are some of the best computer price comparison websites to make your life a little easier.
Tip: follow these online shopping tips if you plan to buy computer parts online.
Useful for: Computers, Parts, Used Components
Everyone knows about Google and its powerful search engine. However, Google can do more than just browse the Web. Google Shopping is a search engine that focuses on the prices of items. Just enter what you’re looking for, and Google will scour the stores for the best deal. Google Shopping works with both computers and computer parts and dives into some very reputable sites to ensure you get the best deals.
There is no lack of sorting options and filters to narrow down your search, from criteria like price and brand, to in-depth specs like memory capacity and memory type (in the case of graphics cards). Google is kind enough to indicate whether a product is on sale or has recently dropped in price with a “PRICE DROP” or “SALE” tag on the listing. It even has user reviews for each item, so you can make your purchases more confidently.
A nifty feature you can use on Google Shopping is price alerts. Whenever you “like” a product using the icon at the top right of a listing, it gets added to the “Products that I like” collection. Head over to that list, and click the bell icon on the respective listing to start tracking it. If there’s a price drop on that item, Google will notify you by email. Google Shopping is excellent for having a complete view of the online market; however, it often shows international websites with nonsensical prices.
2. PCPartPicker
Useful for: Parts
If you’re looking to build your own PC, you should check out PCPartPicker. The idea behind the site is to allow you to build custom PCs and check whether everything is compatible before you buy the parts. However, it also pulls the price information for each part instantly. Each component you choose for your new rig has a price tag attached. The site will list the cheapest one, but you can also click on the product to browse other vendors to compare.
In the “Builder” section, there is an exhaustive list of filtering options on the left to tweak the list of parts, based on your preferences. PCPartPicker compares prices from numerous websites and includes reputable options, like Amazon, Newegg, B&H, MemoryC, GameStop, and a few manufacturer websites, like Dell and Asus. You won’t need to do your own vetting.
You can also open a product page and set a price alert to be notified by email when it drops below your desired figure. Another great thing about this site is that the “Build Guides” section can help you out if you’re stuck, and “Completed Builds” inspire you to come up with your unique build style. PCPartPicker is widely used and trusted by the PC building community, due to its easy-to-use interface and real-time compatibility checks. It’s a fantastic option to start with when planning out your next PC build.
Also helpful: don’t miss these building considerations for gaming PCs before you start ordering parts.
3. Shopzilla
Useful for: Computers, Parts
One of the most popular price comparison websites, Shopzilla collates prices from thousands of stores, covering not just computers and components, but also electronics, clothing goods, sports equipment, and more. However, the list of retailers it pulls from to find computers and computer parts is often limited to Walmart, B&H, and a few manufacturer websites.
The search features and overall UI need work, but you can find some good deals here if you’re persistent. You can start by heading to the “Computers & Software” department and selecting sub-departments, like Desktop Computers, Laptop Computers, or Graphics Cards. Finding exactly what you want may take a bit of gymnastics, as you’ll often have to browse multiple pages, even after typing in an exact keyword. Additionally, the sorting and filter options aren’t helpful at all.
Shopzilla often displays absurd listings, like a Radeon RX 6900 XT at Walmart for $3,699. But overall, it’s one of the top sites to hunt for deals. You can even get lucky and find used computers and parts, but you’ll have to put in the legwork, as there’s no filter to specifically search for used products.
4. ShopSavvy
Useful for: Computers, Parts, Used Components
ShopSavvy is a deal-hunting and bar-code-scanning app that lets shoppers arrive at the best price for any product. Available as an Android and iOS app and browser extension, you can enjoy your bargain-hunting experience when you want. Besides operating the same as other price comparison websites, comparing thousands of retailers, ShopSavvy will allow you to scan barcodes at offline stores to instantly determine whether it’s worth leaving the store to look for a better deal.
ShopSavvy conveniently offers price alerts and back-in-stock alerts for all the products on your radar. You can even use the “Share to ShopSavvy” option to get real-time price intelligence if you’re shopping on other apps. There’s more: the app also features “Smart Reviews,” which use AI to summarize almost all the reviews of a particular product. This feature didn’t work for the CPUs, GPUs, and desktops I searched for, but it’s worth a try.
In terms of the UI, there’s no departmental classification here. You need to search for any product you’re looking for, and ShopSavvy will display all the listings for it. Prices aren’t visible on the results screen, so you need to click on an individual listing to view all the retailer and PC price comparison info for that listing. Despite these issues, ShopSavvy is one of the most refined and exhaustive price comparison apps, with a massive database of new and used PC parts you can buy.
5. Price.com
Useful for: Computers, Parts, Used Components
Price.com is a cashback and coupon-focused price comparison website with a smooth and slick interface. You can use the website, install the browser extension, or download the mobile app based on your preferences. This website works best when you already know the product you want to buy, as simply browsing for, say, “gaming desktops,” will spit out thousands of products with no filter options to help you out.
When you search for a specific product, however, that’s when the magic happens. The site will instantly show you all the listings for that product, along with the retailers selling that particular product. You can also see the amount of cashback you’ll receive when ordering from a particular retailer and the coupons applicable to each retailer. These additional features allow you to maximize your savings and get the best price.
Price.com allows you to set PC price comparison alerts and filter between listing types, such as “new,” “used,” and “buy now, pay later.” It’s one of the fastest sites we’ve tried and one of the best-looking ones. The cashback and coupons certainly make it one of the most popular among buyers, and it deserves to be on your top sites to try when hunting for deals online.
Good to know: these custom PC builders offer prebuilt units and parts for sale.
6. bestValueGpu
Useful for: New and Used Graphics Cards
bestValueGpu is a site that provides pricing and performance information on the best graphics cards on the market. It uses 3DMark benchmarks and prices from Amazon and eBay to score every GPU on a price-to-performance scale. With daily updates and a simple UI focused only on graphics cards, bestValueGpu could be the go-to spot for all your GPU bargain-hunting exploits.
The idea here is extremely simple: every GPU on the market is available as a new and used listing. You won’t find countless retailers to choose from or hundreds of graphics card listings to browse. Only Amazon and eBay prices are used to calculate GPU value scores and enable shopping listings. But this simplicity comes at the cost of choice and, potentially, lost savings. Although Amazon and eBay are some of the best sites to shop for new and used graphics cards, other retailers like Newegg often have much better deals.
I even noticed many eBay links not working. But, for all its limitations, bestValueGpu fills a much-needed space for those buying a GPU. The site shows benchmark videos from YouTube on every GPU’s page and even shares helpful information regarding its performance, like its launch reception, specs, and PSU requirements.
Bargain Hunting
When you’re out and about, searching for new hardware, checking through every site for the best deal can be daunting. Fortunately, you don’t have to! With so many services doing the job, buying new hardware can be a breeze. On the other hand, if you’re more interested in the used market, you can look at the best places to buy used PC parts. With this knowledge, you can make your next shopping spree easier for both you and your wallet.
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Tanveer Singh.
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