The quality of any company's product is dependant on proper control procedures. Our 92 point quality control system ensures that your machine receives all the attention needed to make sure you get what you paid for! See below for a list of all the checkpoints your computer must pass though:
Build / Assembly | |
| 1) Test the power supply for adequate voltage levels Your power supply is tested for stable output of all voltage levels (3.3V, 5V, 12V rails). | |
| 2) Check for post of mb/cpu/ram before mounting Your motherboard, CPU, and memory are tested outside your case to ensure they are in working condition before we take the time to assemble the whole computer. | |
| 3) Assemble the rest of the system, verify all parts Your system has finished assembly! We also double check all the parts on your order at this step, to make sure they are all correct, present and accounted for. | |
| 4) Check for post of fully completed system The completed system is turned on for the first time! | |
| 5) Update BIOS Your BIOS is updated to the most recent stable release. | |
| 6) Set Memory Speed, Timings, and Voltage We verify that your memory is running at the correct settings for best stability and performance (sometimes the motherboard does not automatically select the right speed). | |
| 7) Set QFan and fan monitor settings Special features are turned on to keep your system running quieter. | |
| 8) Set SATA controller mode We set the SATA controller to either IDE or AHCI mode according to the operating system. | |
| 9) Set Boot order Your boot order is set to Floppy -> CDROM (top drive) -> Hard Drive | |
| 10) Disable all unnecessary onboard devices All onboard items that are not used by your configuration are disabled (depending on your hardware configuration this may include RAID, sound, video, etc). | |
| 11) Verify all cards and cabling is hot glued All loose connectors are hot glued in place to help prevent them from being knocked loose in shipping. | |
| 12) All bundled items boxed and area cleaned All manuals, CDs and accessories that came with your components are bundled and placed with the compuer. | |
Phase 1 Testing | |
| 1) All fans spinning at correct RPM All fans are confirmed to be spinning and properly controlled by any included fan controllers. | |
| 2) Front LEDs functional All front LEDs (hard drive, power) are confirmed to be properly hooked up. | |
| 3) Hard Drive Test Your hard drive has passed a full test by the manufacturer diagnostic tools. | |
| 4) CPU Test Your CPU has passed testing at full speed. | |
| 5) Memory Test Your memory has passed testing with MemTest86 | |
Install / Setup | |
| 1) Install Base OS Your hard drive is pre-loaded with a base level install of the operating system, which is later customized to your order. | |
| 2) Install / update device drivers All the most recent drivers (downloaded from the manufacturer) are loaded for your devices. | |
| 3) Uninstall Unnecessary Device Drivers All software used for unnecessary devices that we disabled earlier is uninstalled, to keep Windows as clean and fast as possible. | |
| 4) Check Partition Sizes We make sure that all your hard drives are correctly partitioned, and that any special instructions about partition sizes are followed. | |
| 5) Synchronize time with server Your time is synchronized with an atomic US government clock. | |
| 6) Run WindowsUpdate.com All Windows updates and service packs are applied. | |
| 7) Install all software and updates All software on your invoice is installed and any applicable update packs are applied. | |
| 8) Update optical drive firmware Your optical drive firmware is updated as applicable, to ensure best media compatibility. | |
| 9) Copy Feedback Icon to Desktop A link is placed on your desktop to leave feedback about your computer. | |
| 10) Verify front ports (USB, firewire, sound) All front ports on your case are verified to be functional. In some cases, it is not possible for all ports to be active (ie, if you have a sound card with no front audio support, we cannot hook it up to the front sound port on a case). | |
| 11) Verify floppy drive, DVD-ROM, card reader All removable drives are confirmed to be included in My Computer. | |
| 12) Optimize Windows Settings for SSD (if applicable) We tweak the pagefile and drive indexing settings for your SSD harddrives to optimize the drive's lifespan | |
| 13) Check special notebook functions (if applicable) At this step, we test some specific functions to laptops: 1) Wireless continues to function on battery power 2) ALL special physical hotkeys function 3) ALL function keys across numeric row function 4) Integrated accessories (ie, webcam, fingerprint reader) 5) Bluetooth can pair with a device | |
Phase 2 Testing | |
| 1) Double Check System Specs Your system specs are double checked for any mistakes, using an automated utility we have built that not only checks for the right parts, but that they are configured correctly. | |
| 2) Test Standby Mode and Power Off We put your system into standby and back, and turn system completely off and back on, to verify normal behavior. | |
| 3) Test Wireless Connection (if applicable) If your configuration includes wireless, we check for normal reception, and test the component by copying a large file over our office wireless connection. | |
| 4) Test DVD-RW Burning If you have a DVDRW drive, we burn a short movie to a DVD to test the drive. This DVD is next used to verify DVD movie playback. | |
| 5) Play Movie DVD We play a movie DVD in your drive to confirm drive functionality, as well as codec installation. DVD playback software is installed if needed. Not applicable if you do not order a DVD drive. | |
| 6) Check for sound output Your sound card is confirmed to output sound. | |
| 7) Disk Cleanup Install files and temp files are cleaned from your hard drive. | |
| 8) Disk defragment Your hard drive is fully defragmented. | |
| 9) Burnin Test BurnInTest performs a massive amount of operations on your computer simultaneously. Each operation is tested for the expected result. This not only thoroughly exercises the hardware in a PC in a short period of time, but it brings any intermittent or hidden problems to the surface. | |
| 10) Performance Test Performance Test benchmarks various aspects of your computer, from disk transfer speed to CPU calculations. These numbers allow us to look at your hard drive, optical drive, video card, memory and CPU, and check that they are running at the speeds we expect. | |
| 11) System Test Suite We run a variety of tests to benchmark various aspects of your system. These benchmarks include Cinebench R10, Euler3d, Lame Encodine, Windows Media Encoding, and WinRar compression/extraction. | |
| 12) X3: Terran Conflict X3: Terran Conflict is a space simulator and RPG game, which we use to test the performance of your system as it plays a real game. We run through several levels in predetermined routes, and measure the frames per second. | |
| 13) Upload Benchmarks and Temperature Logs All the benchmarks taken during the phase 2 testing process are recorded on our server, providing you with benchmark scores, and providing us with statistical information that will help us assist future customers. We also upload our temperature logs, giving you a baseline you can compare to after you receive the system. | |
| 14) Clean Up Installation We perform one final clean-up of your installation, so Windows is clear and ready to use! | |
Quality Control | |
| 1) Verify all parts are present and installed correctly We re-check the computer to make sure everything is present and installed. | |
| 2) Ensure machine is built to customer expectations We look at all notes put on the order by your sales rep, and make sure the machine is built with your requirements in mind. This might mean tuning the fans (if you emphasized you wanted it quiet), checking drive placements, etc. | |
| 3) Double check partitioning and dual boot instructions We review any provided instructions regarding partitioning and dual boot, and make sure the machine is set up per your instructions. | |
| 4) Provide sales rep opportunity to review system We allow our sales reps to flag an order, to allow them to take a look at the computer before it ships. This allows one more double check, in case you have a detailed and complex set of needs that are difficult for the sales rep to communicate fully to our production crew. | |
| 5) Check user/computer names We name the main user the customer's first name, and the computer Puget-ORDER#. | |
| 6) Check for loose or missing screws We give another check to your screws, to make sure they're all secure. Looks can be deceiving, so we check manually. | |
| 7) Ensure all items are secure (esp. heavy components) To make sure the computer is prepared for shipping, we double-check the solidity of the items inside, especially the heaver ones like video cards or CPU heatsinks. | |
| 8) Check all heatsink mountings We check all system heatsinks, to make sure they are both secure, and make good contact with the chip they are cooling. | |
| 9) Make sure all cards are seated in their slots evenly We make sure your PCI cards are square in their slots. Uneven seating could be due to a partially unseated card, or even an out-of-square chassis. | |
| 10) Check hot glue for neatness We use hot glue to secure certain items -- at this step, we make sure it is tidy and not over-applied. | |
| 11) Make sure all accessories are present Many of your components come with accessories, manuals, CD, or adapters. We make sure they\'re all present. | |
| 12) Ensure rear IO shield is properly mounted When installing a motherboard, the rear IO shield can sometimes seat improperly. We check to make sure it is correct. | |
| 13) Check fan orientations We review your system fan orientation, and make any corrections that might be necessary to implement an optimal cooling strategy. | |
| 14) Record wattage draw under idle and load We record the wattage draw of your system under idle and load, and check that against your power supply to make sure it is appropriate. | |
| 15) Run machine load test, and investigate for hot spots Not all hot spots have temperature sensors. We run your computer under full load, and use a thermal probe to make sure there are no hot spots that aren't logged. | |
| 16) Take idle/load thermal images We use our thermal camera to take pictures of the system at idle and under load to check for any unexpected hotspots. | |
| 17) Ensure cooling is in customer desired configuration Some customers want their computers quiet, others don't care as much about noise and would rather the computer be cooled as well as possible. We review any instructions given to us, and match the machine configuration to your desires. | |
| 18) Test any ports not tested during production Any ports that are not already tested in the course of the build or installation of your machine are tested at this step. | |
| 19) Test as thoroughly as possible any special cards Some non-standard or special order cards do not have standard tests during our install process. Those cards are manually tested. | |
| 20) Test secondary video outputs We verify that all video outputs are functioning correctly. If your machine has SLI, we specifically have to take it out of SLI to test the output ports on the secondary video card. | |
| 21) Verify high quality sound output We double check your audio output for clarity, stereo panning, 5.1 surround sound panning, and volume. We test both analog and digital output. | |
| 22) Verify HDMI output with audio If your machine has an HDMI port, we make sure it is functional and carries an audio signal (which is the most problematic aspect of HDMI) | |
| 23) Verify standby functionality We check for standby functionality one more time -- as we have found it to be quite problematic (especially in Vista). | |
| 24) Verify functionality of alternate networking adapters Since our install process only uses one network adapter, we now test all other adapters (some computers have two LAN ports), including KillerNIC cards and wireless. | |
| 25) Double check any parts with known higher failure rates We keep detailed logs of failure rates of all our components. Anything with a recent unusually high fail rate is carefully double-checked. | |
| 26) If PCI-E bus is overclocked, double check PCI-E cards If you requested overclocking, it may mean your PCI-E bus is overclocked. Some cards do not respond well to that, so we specifically test them. | |
| 27) Check for proper recovery after simulated power outage To make sure your computer recovers properly from a power outage, we simulate one! We make sure that no data corruption occurs as we run this test, though that is not possible to guarantee if you experience a power outage. | |
| 28) Verify proper post and boot-up with USB device attached Some computers do not boot up properly when there is a USB device (ie, a USB thumb drive) attached. We make sure this is not an issue. | |
| 29) Review the windows event log We review the windows event log for any errors we do not expect (some errors are normal, specifically before all drivers are installed). | |
| 30) Verify all updates are applied We make sure windows update and anti-virus show all current updates installed. | |
| 31) Review temperature logs for proper levels We review the temperature logs taken during your system benchmarking, and identify anything unusual. | |
| 32) Compare benchmarks to expected results To make sure your computer performs as expected, we check your benchmarks against those of similar machines. | |
| 33) Verify proper responsiveness from the OS We verify proper responsiveness from the OS (start menu, control panel, application loading). | |
| 34) Verify proper laptop battery drain rate We make sure your laptop battery is performing as expected. | |
| 35) Verify proper out of box experience We reboot your computer one last time and make sure your first experience is as we would like it. | |
| 36) Record approximate bootup time As the machine reboots, we record the boot time, so we have a number to compare to later if you have any problems. | |
| 37) Record any additional testing performed If we performed any other tests, we record them for our benefit and yours. | |
Packing / Shipping | |
| 1) Double-check all parts All parts are confirmed to be included with your order. | |
| 2) Affix COA to chassis Your Windows COA is attached to your case. | |
| 3) Include power cord We double check to make sure you have a power cord! | |
| 4) Include invoice and packet A full packet of information, including registration information, contact information, and benchmark infomation is printed. Also, an invoice and business card packet is included. | |
| 5) Verify Tools CD included with system We include a Tools CD to assist in the diagnosis of any problem the system may have in the future | |
| 6) Verify Restore DVD included with system We include a System Restore DVD with all Windows 7 machines. | |
| 7) Clean any smudges from the chassis Since the computer has been handled, we ensure it is clean as a last step before boxing it up. | |
| 8) Check that all peripherals are present We double check that all peripherals are included with your system | |
| 9) Take pictures of the system We take pictures of each system before we ship. | |
| 10) Order number on boxes Your order number is clearly marked on all boxes to prevent the possibility of mixup before your boxes receive a UPS label. | |
| 11) Install Instapak (if applicable) If we are concerned about the possibility of shipping damage, we will install special foam packing inside the case to help hold the components in place. | |
Sample Benchmarks
Benchmarking - 10/09/09 2:07 PM
| Note: The temperatures shown above were recorded during the benchmark process, when the temperatures are the highest. They are taken directly from the hardware sensors, which means that differences in calibration may lead to inaccuracy in the readings relative to each other. This graph is intended to show you the normal readings of your hardware temperatures, so you have a baseline to compare to when you receive your computer. Remember that a difference in ambient temperature will have an effect on the temperature of all your components. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BurnInTest BurnInTest performs a massive amount of operations on your computer simultaneously. Each operation is tested for the expected result. This not only thoroughly exercises the hardware in a PC in a short period of time, but it brings any intermittent or hidden problems to the surface.
System Test We run various tests not covered by our other benchmarks to benchmark various aspects of your computer.
X3: Terran Conflict X3: Terran Conflict is a space simulator and RPG game, which we use to test the performance of your system as it plays a real game. We run through several levels in predetermined routes, and measure the frames per second.
Performance Test Performance Test benchmarks various aspects of your computer, from disk transfer speed to CPU calculations. These numbers allow us to look at your hard drive, optical drive, video card, memory and CPU, and check that they are running at the speeds we expect.
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Read what our customers have to say about our quality control!
| "I can say with absolute certainty that Puget has the best business model in the computer industry. I have not seen any other system builder on the internet that has the approach or service to building a system like Puget. The people at this company stand behind everything they sell. They spend time testing every component in a system, and track failure rates. If they component doesn't pass their extremely high standards, they don't use the part in their system. Plus, they have informative articles on their website, explaining why they use what they use, or why the changed to a different part for their systems. The website is the easiest to use also. Nothing flashy, just simple and clean. Very friendly people, who know what they are talking about. They help you build the system you need, and not try to upsell you on a lot of unnecessary items. The process of buying from them was so easy, and William was very helpful on the phone. I have built computers for years, and I can tell you I couldn't build one as near as well as they did. It works so fast and so smooth...no crashes. It is the most stable computer I have ever owned. I am telling anyone and everyone I know to get their next computer from these guys! Why settle for substandard, cheap parts and builds from mass producers like HP or Dell? Or lousy support after the sale? Go with Puget, it will be your most sound computer investment ever!" |
Lance Ripplinger [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 06/25/10 |
| "Puget built the perfect computer for me. You can not hear this thing run (except when the CD\DVD platter spins up). Only top quality components configured efficiently and professionally. No ad-ware, no trial software, not even a company sticker on my computer. I compared other companies and other products and settled on Puget for their reputation, customer service, and quality products offered. Their price was very competitive with other custom builders that offer service after the sale. I would recommend this firm if you are tired of the same old cookie cutter systems offered by the mass market firms." |
Marvin Rating: 10/10 Date: 06/16/10 |
| "My first custom computer, and a pleasure all the way. Beautifully built, exactly as ordered; and the follow-up support I needed was pleasant and totally helpful. I am a very happy customer." |
Michael Stern [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 01/26/10 |
| "Puget Systems stepped up to the plate where others failed, including myself! I wanted a high-end HTPC/video & photo editing machine capable of cutting-edge performance and stable use. I chose to have Puget build a Win7(64), Core i7 870, Asus p55 MB, Intel SSD & WD drives, Radeon 5770, Xonar HDAV sound card, Hauppage TV card, Blue-Ray burner, quiet system, all squeezed into a Silverstone HTPC case. This machine had to be mated to a Denon AVR receiver for sound, HMDI video, and media server. This system also needed connection to a 2nd high-end monitor via DisplayPort for video/photo editing. Well, I soon discovered it was a bit beyond me, and other custom computer builders had either limited configurations available, or a lack of understanding regarding my specific requirements, or indeed promised too much(red flag!), Puget came through with high marks on all accounts. After working with a very responsive William George, we contrived a fantastic build that met those needs. At the conclusion of the build process, when the pricing for my system was calcultated, I asked appropriately, "Is this the best price you can give me for this computer?" I was then offered a deal that I thought was appropriate considering the expenses involved. Thanks Puget! Along with William, it seems that most of the Puget staff had some involvement in the build as noted by the "Status Updates", which were informative and exciting to witness from afar. When the Benchmarks started to appear in my account file, I knew I had made a good choice in Puget Systems. Then, there was an issue with the case which was discovered in the "Quality Control" phase. The unique combination of the Silverstone case, Asus MB, and Radeon 5770 would not allow the HMDI and DisplayPort out cables to fully seat due to an interfering bracket. William presented some possible solutions, and I chose the more difficult solution of having the case modified. This was performed by the staff in a smart way without additional charges. The computer was then run through the entire "Benchmark" and "Quality Control" process one more time to confirm the status of the machine. The system was double boxed and shipped across the country(I'm east coast). It arrived well and booted in about a minute on the first try. After I "popped the top" to have a look inside, I was reminded of my first real computer, an IBM PC-XT: built like a jet airplane, solid construction, neat wiring, good components, and looks good too. I am still configuring this new system, but it has "married" well to the Denon AVR and is in the process of becoming a fantastic addition to my family's multi-media experience. In conclusion, I would offer that Puget Custom Computers delivers a fine product and I would recommend them to build your custom computer." |
Joe Long [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 01/11/10 |
| "Computer is blazing fast with Core i7 860, absolutely silent in P183 case with silent video card and V8 Coolermaster. Build quality is impeccable. Zero work on my part, except installing a few more programs. Shipped in a box within a box with plenty of protection, computer arrived unscathed by UPS. Attention to detail is amazing. This computer was for my Dad, I will be buying a new computer for myself shortly--from Puget Custom Computers." |
John Hollenberg [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 12/31/09 |
| "We have owned 2 Dell desktop computers. While the Dell products were good, their customer service is an unpleasant experience. When shopping for a new computer system I began researching options, looking for a smaller American company with quality products and good customer service. I ran across Puget Custom Computers and nearly all the reviews I read were excellent. I communicated with Jeff Stubbers from day 1 and all of our communications have been fast, personal and pleasant. When I picked a system, Jeff offered suggestions on how to make the system less expensive and/or more quiet. When I made my final choices Puget reviewed the system components to make sure they were all compatible. They provide a link where you can check the progress of your system as parts are collected, assembled and tested. When testing is nearly complete they provide photos, including internal thermal photos showing how well the cooling system works. The only problem I had was not with Puget, but with FedEx. They had the correct address, but their driver kept going to the wrong house. When I finally got things straightened out, it was day 5 when I finally took possession of our computer. Jeff and I were both concerned about the amount of time the computer spent on the FedEx truck, but when I got everything set up it started right up and works perfectly. Puget packages their computers very well and they come complete with every nut, bolt, wire and cable from the assembly table. They also include an information notebook with details of every component in the new system. I love the personal attention, great communication and great product Puget provides. I have every confidence that if I ever need help with my computer, the guys at Puget will be there for me. The final cost of my system might be slightly more than a comparable Dell I was looking at, but, honey, you can't put a price on their customer service and there is absolutely NO comparison between dealing with a corporate giant vs. talking one on one with a person who knows your name." |
Sharla Schultze [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 12/26/09 |
| "Incredibly fast PC delivered with exceptional customer service. Pre-ordered a Win7 PC in September and it was shipped on the release date. i7 920 processor overclocked 35% and you would never know it except for the speed, cool and stable. As a self-employed person the PC is saving me a ton of time, the i7 processor and the newest intel SSDs are game changing in terms of productivity. I utilize a lot of startup programs and my old PC took about 4 minutes to boot and load all the programs, this PC takes about 15 seconds. Other programs I avoided using because of loading/processing times, I am now running multiple instances of at lightning speed. Can't say enough about Puget and the new Intel hardware and throw in some props to Microsoft for Win7. This is the time to buy a new PC and you won't find a better premium PC builder than Puget." |
John Herms Rating: 10/10 Date: 10/17/09 |
| "This will be my third time around with Puget in 2-3 years - new comp arriving tomorrow - and the level of service is quite exemplary. From pre-sale advice to after-sale troubleshooting (though I've has little issue there!), I have nothing but commendation for the superbly smooth and thorough service. Who is crazy enough to send you pictures of your system before it ships - both inside and out? And I'm still not sure why I enjoy seeing them, but I do. Anyway, as much to say... the attention to detail is excellent, the technical expertise invaluable - I made a few novice mistakes building my own computer that adversely affected upgrade possibilities. For anybody wanting a custom computer built to specific demands there is no better company. Honest! It's with little hyperbole that I give the company a deserved 10 /10 Alistair celimages.com" |
Alistair [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 10/05/09 |
| "I stumbled onto Puget Systems quite by accident and decided to give them a try. I've personally built up well over a dozen computers on my own but time no longer permits me to much of that. I checked out Puget and went through their easy to navigate customization screens. It was absolutely brainless except for a couple of minor questions regarding modifications I wanted. I used their "contact us" section via e-mail to send off my inquiries (expecting to hear back in a day or so). Within a matter of a couple of hours they (in particular, Jeff), were back to me. We kept up an ongoing dialogue because one question I had led to another, primarily regarding possible future business with Puget if I was happy with their first product to me. The prices were, I thought, quite fair given what I know would have been my component costs if I had built my own with the same apparatus. I was still suspicious that all wouldn't quite be as "rosy" as I had hoped until the computer arrived within 5 business days of ordering. I was stunned to find that this computer and all of its installation details was given a link on their web page so that I could examine the progress of the build and exactly which techncians installed and tested various components. At every step of the process I was kept fully briefed (to the point of overkill compared to what I'm used to). When the computer arrived I got right into it and began loading the programs I wanted. (This was a duo-core computer, 2 gigs of rAM, and a new 320 gig SATA2 drive. When I first turned it on my reaction was "Aha! I was write. Something's wrong already." I believed this for about 10 seconds until I saw the screen come up with the Windows XP Pro logo. I was stunned because I couldn't hear a thing from the computer. It was totally silent. When they offer the option of a "silent computer" they mean it...believe me. Bottom line is this: I'm thrilled with the job they did. The wiring harnesses and layout were beautifully done, obviously with great care and attention. When the package arrived they included a binder notebook indicating all of the scores of high-tech tests, including temperature vs performance tests they used to benchmark this unit. For my money, literally and figuratively, this is the way to go. Goodbye Dell and HP! Thank you Puguet. Lest you think I'm a paid shill I am absolutely not. I hold a Ph.D. in broadcasting, worked at Xavier University for 30 years, and have never had nor do I have a relationship of any kind with Puguet except as a current and future customer. Thanks for reading this. Try them...you'll be impressed if your experience was even remotely like mine." |
James King [Send Email] Rating: 10/10 Date: 08/10/09 |
| "Puget Systems has given me an incredible experience in my computer purchase. I'd been going through the motions of looking for a new computer, as the last two I'd built on my own and ended up with extremely loud comps. I wanted something quiet. I was about to settle with Dell (again..) when I googled "quiet computers" and was linked to Puget. The service was extremely helpful, doing things like checking what I'd chosen for a comp to see if it'd be quiet enough, to willingly switching out both the RAM and motherboard I'd chosen AFTER I'd placed the order. I didn't think that was possible from a computer company. I'm using the comp right now - it's quiet as a tomb. The packaging was flawless, the comp looks and acts terrific, and I'm one satisfied customer. These guys know what they're doing. If you want a truly great computer shopping experience, go with Puget. Thanks Jeff!" |
Christopher Rating: 10/10 Date: 05/15/09 |