FAQ

Updated: September 6th, 2023

Q – Can I customize the builds?
A – Absolutely. You can select different options on the build pages. For more advanced customization, you’re free to contact us to request something else.

Q – Can I buy that pink cat Cute Pet Yeston case?
A – No. Sorry it is sold out and not made anymore, so it isn’t coming back.

Q – How much is shipping?
A – All orders in the continental US are FREE. We do 3-4 day ground shipping via FedEx. For faster shipping, it’ll be extra. We do not ship to Alaska or Hawaii, the cost is prohibitive, we suggest looking at another builder that may have better rates.

Q – Do you ship internationally?
A – We used to, but after experimenting, we have decided to focus on just the mainland US.

Q – How soon can I expect my PC?
A – About 10-16 business days. More (~21-45 business days) if we’re waiting for a specific part to come in stock or import a unique part. We spend 3-5 days stability testing

Breakdown of the process:

  • Receive Order and Money – 0-3 business days
  • Order parts – 0-3 days depending on part availability
  • Receive Parts – 2-3 Business days. This can translate to 4-7 days to get parts in depends on weekends, holidays, and where the part comes from
  • Assemble System – 0-1 day. We try to assemble machines as soon as the parts come in, but it depends on our ability to assemble it that day
  • Hardware Testing – ~0-1 day. As soon as the assembly is finished, we run stress and stability tests on the system hardware to ensure the parts function correctly. If a part is bad, we must RMA the part. We will immediately order a new part, which can add 2-5 business days
  • Operating System Install – 0-1 day. We install the requested operating system. Configure it. Install drivers
  • System Stability Testing – 3-5 days. We thoroughly stress test the fully assembled and installed system to ensure it is properly cooled and that the system runs with out issues and crashes. If we have an issue with the stability, we may troubleshoot the issue for up to 1-10 days
  • Prepare for Shipping – ~0-1 day. We prepare your system for shipping by preparing your system recovery drive, securing the internal parts, labeling the system, and packing it in a box
  • Shipping – 3-4 Business days. We provide free shipping to all orders. This is typically a FedEx Ground or Home Delivery Shipping

Q – Do you only do AMD builds?
A – Our pre-selected tier options are AMD CPUs only and AMD GPUs by default. We offer options for NVIDIA GPUs as well. At the moment Intel CPUs do not offer as much value over existing AMD parts. That said, if you want an Intel build, we will do a custom build for you. Just contact us!

Q – What OS (Operating System) does my computer come with?
A – For Gaming PCs and Mini PCs, the default selection is Windows 11 Home. Some Workstations and all Servers come with a Linux OS selected by default. In the configure options, you can select what Operating System you’d like. Linux and unactivated Windows OS installs are always free.

Q – Do I need a monitor/keyboard/mouse? Does my computer come with a monitor, keyboard, and/or a mouse?
A – We only sell the computer itself. You will need to have or buy on your own a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to use one of our PCs. We don’t bundle in any accessories to keep prices down for individuals who don’t need them.

Q – Can RGB do the same thing as White only LEDs in a White Out Package?
A – Yes. RGB components can turn white, though not always completely pure white. White LED parts cost less than RGB ones usually

Q – What do the names mean on the computers?
A – They’re names of Star Trek starship classes. The name of the build is a reflection of that starship’s power, speed, weapon capabilities, physical size, and overall class or legacy. It’s just for fun

Q – Do you provide support?
A – Yes and No

Yes and no? Explanation: We’re a very small team and providing support to too many people can be impractical. Our prices are way below competitors, so free support has to be limited

We will try our very best to help you though, whether that is remotely, shipping your system to us for repair, or if you are local to a builder (Florida and Victoria, Australia)

Paid support options include shipping your system back to us for hardware support and remote software support. We offer 1 and 3 year hardware and remote support options

We will also make sure that a website exists online with information about your specific system including: Specifications, Build date, Drivers, Warranty status

Q – If I need to, can I reinstall my OS?
A – Yes. We will give you a USB drive with the operating system you chose to install on it. Windows licenses are tied to the motherboard and will automatically re-activate themselves on a new install.

Q – Can you preload games and software on my system before you ship it to me?
A – Yes. In the order notes, please let us know what software and games you’d like for us to preload. We’ll try to preload as much as we can. Preloading does not cost extra

Q – Why do you use All-In-One (AiO) water loop CPU coolers? Why not use a high end air cooler?
A – All-in-One water loops won’t cause damage to the motherboard and the CPU in shipping. A large heatsink can snap a board or yank a CPU out of it’s socket in shipping, even when properly packed.

Q – Who are you?
A – I’m Mike. I have a blog: https://blog.mikesulsenti.com, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram . I’ve been building PCs for over 13 years, back when the Phenom was cool. I have a lot of experience building high and low end systems for friends and businesses. I really enjoy coming up with system builds and putting them together. I’ve learned a lot over the years about choosing the right parts. That applies not only to compatibility but also system reliability

Q – Should I trust you?
A – Nope, we just met! Always stay cautious!

Q – Can I trust you?
A – Probably, but I’m biased. I’ve already shipped out a nearly one hundred PCs with this shop in the short time I have operated this as an online store. All of them have been extremely pleased by the service and my attention to quality and details. Small and Medium Businesses in the Tampa and Orlando areas trust me for their system and networking administration. If you don’t want to trust us now, hopefully we can earn your trust if this venture becomes successful

Q – What’s your goal with this shop?
A – 1 – Do something I love doing
2 – Build high quality computers so people don’t have a bad time
3 – Build computers people want to show off
4 – Give good performance per dollar options for people who don’t know what they want
5 – One day design a custom case for a computer
6 – Have a product lineup with Star Trek ship class names
7 – Perform a magical ritual ceremony reviving SGI and SUN from the grave

Q – What’s Blue Gem?
A – A subsidiary of Sapphire Praxical LLC. aka Sapphire. Sapphire does a lot of things. Especially web apps. Blue Gem is the B2B and hardware division

Q – Why buy from you over any other gaming PC or workstation maker?
A – 1 – Price. Our systems are cheaper than most of the competition. Typically from $200 to $600 cheaper or more. And this is despite using better parts!
2 – Performance. Our systems are not only cheaper, but they have better performance. We try to provide the best performance-per-dollar for our customers.
3 – Supporting small business / start-ups. This is a 1 man show who would love to see it grow.
4 – We care. Sure other businesses “care,” but if you watch Linus Tech Tips video series on boutique gaming PC shopping, not all venues seem to give a damn about the customer or product, the selection process, the experience, or the value.
To learn more and watch those videos, I’ve placed them into this FAQ:
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzpYkpZX8qw
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGoCMDrzCq0
Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsfjx5T46Zk
Part 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRFEr3rAizY
5 – Support competition. We also favor using parts like AMD CPUs and GPUs in our builds. Intel and Nvidia have been very anti-competitive over the past 20 years. Intel and Nvidia also have contracts with many O.E.Ms to use their parts almost exclusively. This includes Dell, HP, and even boutique PC makers.

Q – Do you also make servers?
A – Yes

Q – Do you make Hackintoshs?
A – Not anymore. Apple Silicon has made that too difficult and no longer viable

Q – Are you gonna sell other stuff on here besides computers?
A – Yes. We now have Blue Gem Merch including stickers, magnets, mugs, and more!