Evetech, a company I no longer recognise

Extremely disappointed with Evetech, a company I no longer recognise

I have been buying PC hardware for years, and I used to have a completely different opinion of Evetech. Back when they were based in their old office in Centurion, I had the impression that the staff actually understood PCs and were willing to help customers. Unfortunately, my recent experiences have been completely different.

I recently purchased a R46,000 pre-built gaming PC from Evetech. Before placing the order, I specifically contacted their sales department because the listing only stated that the PC came with a “high-performance 1000W power supply.” I wanted to know exactly what PSU I would receive.

I was explicitly told by the sales consultant that the PC would come with an ASUS TUF 1000W power supply (“We'll make sure to throw one in for you”), which made sense given that the rest of the build consisted almost entirely of ASUS components. This was important to me, and I specifically asked about it before purchasing.

When I arrived to collect the PC, however, I discovered that it had been supp**** with an Antec 1000W Bronze PSU instead.

I asked for the sales consultant there and then and explained the situation. The response, as I remember it, was essentially: “I deeply apologise, but take it or leave it.”

That is an absolutely unacceptable way to treat someone who has just spent R46,000+ with your company.

What made the collection experience even worse was the physical customer service environment. Customers are separated from staff by security bars, with a tiny opening through which products are passed. There was no feeling that I was dealing with a professional PC retailer where someone could actually sit down with me, discuss the build and resolve the issue properly.

This is a massive change from my previous experiences with Evetech.

Then there is the slogan “You dream it, we build it.”

Unfortunately, my experience suggests otherwise.

When I tried discussing component changes to my build, I was essentially told that I would have to pay a massive difference over and above the actual price difference between the components, despite the fact that I was willing to pay the genuine difference. I understand that pricing and stock limitations exist, but when a company markets itself around building the PC you want, I expect considerably more willingness to work with the customer.

I am also now dealing with another frustrating situation involving an Antec C5 case that I ordered from Evetech.

After placing the order, I was informed by email that they do not have the case in stock and that I would therefore need to either select an alternative or receive a refund.

The problem is that Evetech has already issued me a tax invoice for the original Antec C5 that they have told me they cannot supply.

Why am I sitting with a tax invoice for a product that Evetech has already confirmed is unavailable, when I have not even decided whether I want an alternative product or a refund?

Surely the correct process should be:

1. Inform the customer that the ordered product is unavailable. 2. Discuss suitable alternatives with the customer. 3. Allow the customer to accept an alternative or request a refund. 4. Once the matter has actually been resolved, issue the appropriate tax invoice.

Instead, I am now sitting with an invoice for a product I am apparently not going to receive, while being told that I need to make another decision.

The alternative offered was a Xigmatek Meta Mid Tower Gaming Case.

This is not simply a different brand of the same product. The alternative has materially different features and, from my perspective as someone who specifically selected the Antec C5 after researching it, is an inferior alternative for what I actually wanted. The Antec C5 was selected for specific reasons, including its fish-tank configuration, cooling/7-fan setup and ARGB functionality. The proposed Xigmatek alternative does not provide the same feature set.

What I find particularly frustrating is that I am not someone who blindly buys PC hardware.

I research the components. I know why I am buying a particular case, PSU, motherboard, GPU, etc. PC enthusiasts choose specific components because the details matter. Being told that an alternative is “good enough” completely misses the point.

I have also had a frustrating experience with an ASUS cashback promotion. The pre-built PC was advertised on Evetech's website under the ASUS cashback promotion, yet when I attempted to claim the cashback, I needed an itemised invoice for the individual ASUS components. Evetech would not provide me with one because the PC was sold as a pre-built.

This left me in the position of having purchased a product that was advertised alongside a promotion, only to discover that obtaining the documentation necessary to make the claim was effectively impossible.

At this point, it feels like there are simply too many inconsistencies.

The website says one thing. The sales consultant tells you another thing. The product arrives with something different. You ask for assistance and are essentially told to accept it or walk away. You order a specific product and are then told it is unavailable, while simultaneously receiving a tax invoice for that unavailable product before the issue has even been resolved. You purchase a pre-built advertised alongside a manufacturer's promotion, but cannot obtain the documentation required to participate in that promotion.

And the most frustrating part is that I am not a new customer.

I have personally spent tens of thousands of rands over the years with Evetech on my own PC hardware, gaming chairs, peripherals, accessories and other equipment. I have also recommended Evetech to at least ten other people who went on to build computers through the company.

These weren't small R5,000 or R10,000 builds either. I have personally recommended people to Evetech for R30,000–R40,000+ gaming PCs, because I genuinely used to believe they were one of the best places in South Africa to buy PC hardware.

Unfortunately, I have also experienced inconsistencies with some of those orders, including AIO coolers not being the exact models that were ordered and the same frustrations with customer service.

That makes this experience even more disappointing.

I placed an order with Wootware at roughly the same time as my recent Evetech order. Wootware had already processed my order, scheduled the delivery and had the package on its way, while I was still having to contact Evetech simply to ask whether they had even received the payment for my order. The difference in communication and customer experience has been enormous.

I genuinely feel that Evetech has become far too corporate and transactional. The personal customer service and enthusiasm for PC hardware that I remember from the old Centurion office days seems to have disappeared.

Back then, you could walk into Evetech to buy something as simple as a keyboard and still feel like the person helping you actually cared about PCs. They would explain things, make a plan and genuinely try to help you get what you wanted.

That is the Evetech I remember.

This new experience feels completely different.

And honestly, this is what makes this situation particularly sad for me. PC building and PC gaming are my main hobbies. I have spent years researching components, building systems and helping other people with their PCs. It is something I genuinely enjoy.

It is disappointing when the company that you have re**** on for that hobby starts making the experience feel like nothing more than a transaction.

For someone who doesn't know much about PCs, this is even more concerning. A knowledgeable customer can identify when something doesn't add up. Someone who isn't fami**** with PC hardware may simply accept whatever they are given because they assume the retailer knows best.

I don't expect every retailer to have unlimited stock. I don't expect every component to be available forever. And I understand that mistakes happen.

What I do expect is honesty, transparency, proper communication and respect for the customer.

It takes a lot for me to post a review like this. I am normally extremely lenient when companies make mistakes, because I understand that things go wrong and that people are human.

But this feels like the tipping point.

After spending tens of thousands of rands with Evetech personally, recommending the company to numerous other people for substantial PC builds, and previously having such a positive opinion of the company, I never expected to find myself writing a review like this.

After being told to essentially “take it or leave it,” receiving a component different from what I was specifically told I would receive, being offered an inferior alternative for an item I deliberately selected, being invoiced for a product that Evetech has already confirmed is unavailable, and dealing with the cashback/invoice situation, I can no longer recommend Evetech with confidence.

This isn't one isolated bad experience.

It is a pattern!

And that is what has ultimately made me lose faith in the company.

I sincerely hope Evetech takes this criticism seriously, because I would genuinely like to see the company return to the level of service and enthusiasm that made so many of us recommend them in the first place.

The old Evetech built its reputation by earning the trust of PC enthusiasts.

I don't believe that reputation should be taken for granted.