Altex Electronics

Searched for «Austin Electronics» just to see what would come up because I didn’t want to go back to Fry’s. Altex came up and was only 5 minutes away so I headed down there. Got there around 10 minutes before closing, I was helped to find the SATA expansion card I needed, and it was only $ 1 more than from Amazon which is basically unheard of from a brick & mortar story (same exact item, model number and all). Not sure about the guy below me but he sounds like a «know-​it-​all» who wouldn’t be «helped» even if he actually needed help. They probably looked at you like you were stupid because you might be… It’s called an RJ45 connector/​jack. Anyhow, I walked in, told the guy what I was looking for, he walked me over to the item, told me that it was software raid not hardware, didn’t matter, rung me up, and I was on my way.
Easy, best service I have had, didn’t try to sell me a warranty or any BS.
I will be back.

Fantastic store. Purchased 8 or so computers from here already (for personal and business purposes) and they are very very responsive and awesome. Never going back to Fry’s. Dexter and Matt and Max have been amazing. Highly recommended.

This place is top notch! We went all over Dallas and Austin looking for a specific item and finally found it at Altex! The staff is amazing!

Walked in today with a three year old UPS that died. Jason, assistant manager according to his name tag, helped me pick out another one that was more in line with my business need, then offered to instead to sell me replacement batteries for my uninterruptible power supply. This way, I didn’t have to buy a new one. That’s customer service that exceeded my expectations! That’s the number one reason I keep coming back to this store for all my office’s computer and electronic needs.

Bought a refurbished Leveno Thinkpad T400 there recently. Came with 1 year warranty and the store clerk let me unpack it to make sure it wasn’t all dinged up. Looked nearly new.
I have been having my computers repaired at Altex for years and have bought many parts. Good people and a good store.

A great place to get what you need for your IT issues or Computer concerns.
Most recently I needed a 10ft shielded USB A/​B cable. I know what it is. Do you? Well, if you don’t you can go here and ask and they will help you. The only help I needed was «where is it?» type of questions.
Upon entering the store, I was greeted by Dawn (sorry if I got your name incorrect. I was late on this review) and I simply stated what I needed. In a matter of moments she brought me to a few selections and then I was done.
Just that quick and just that simple.
Altex has always helped me out when I needed it. There may be bigger «box» electronics stores, but Altex gets you what you need fast and they get you on your way.

This is the hardest review I have ever had to write. I LOVED Altex. It was always my go-​to store for any computer/​electronic part I needed. I have fond memories of the Altex of old.
However, this place has really gone downhill lately. The past two times I’ve been there, it was downright painful. The knowledgeable staff that I had loved is gone. The past two staff members that ‘helped’ me had no clue about anything I needed.
I went in for an Optical Toslink Cable a few weeks ago. I looked on the website and saw they had them in stock, but the guy that tried to helped me had no clue what it was. I mean, come on, you work at Altex. After he searched the back for 10 minutes, I was able to find the cables, get the right size I need, and head to the check out. He came back as I was walking to the checkout line to tell me they didn’t have any…
The last and final time I went in was yesterday. I needed a simple CPU fan for my mother-in-law’s computer. That was painless, but when I asked for a USB 2.0 Header Bracket Extension Cable, he looked at me like a monkey trying to do algebra. He took me to the USB Expansion cards, and said, that’s all they had. I looked at some of the USB 3.0 cards, because I had a PCI-​Express slot open, but the cards were waaaay overpriced. $ 40 for a 2 port card? Is this 2008? I can order a 7 port from Amazon for $ 19.
When I asked again about the USB 2.0 Header Bracket Extension Cable, he said that was all they had. I replied «are you sure, because this is Altex?» He asked another person and they took me to a different area. This guy was a total jerk. Said, «this is what we have» pointed at a shelf and walked off.
As much as I hate to say it, save time and just go to Fry’s or order online.

MISLEADING MAPS:
Took half an hour to find this place the first time because both Google AND Apple maps were confused about its location. Apple Maps was the most accurate (surprisingly enough). DO NOT trust Google Maps – it points to a spot on Rundberg between I-​35 and Lamar where there’s only houses.
DIRECTIONS:
Going south on I-​35, get off on exit 241 for Rundberg. It’s on the right on S IH-​35 Frontage. Going north on I-​35, get off on exit 243 for Braker, hang a U-​turn onto S IH-​35. The 9914 IH-​35 part of the address is 100% accurate. But it’s on SOUTH IH-​35; not north.
REVIEW:
I suppose the fact that I bothered to look up correct directions to this place for other Austin tech geeks to use shows how much I already like it. They’ve got all kinds of stuff for enterprise-​level IT solutions and some consumer-​level selection as well. I went in with my S.O. expecting to find a store that at least had a section for electronic components much like Radio Shack and Fry’s, but I was disappointed that they did not.
But their selection of other IT equipment more than made up for this as I found several things there that I want (but cannot yet afford). They even had a few small things that not even Fry’s stocks. Overall they’re a great place to shop if you’re looking for the right building blocks to build a LAN (including FC patch cables of various lengths) or even an office-​or-​home-​wide A/​V system.
If you’re spendy with your money like I can be at times, this place can empty your wallet or bank account VERY quickly because they have stuff that you know you need, and some stuff that you didn’t know you needed, and stuff that may be on your wishlist.

Aisles and aisles of cases, chords, connectors, components, and computers! The store is neatly organized and signed so you can actually find what you’re looking for in a timely manner. Sales staff is present and helpful if you need it, but not pushy and annoying if you’re not interested in being helped. Prices are better than Worst Buy, but more expensive than online retailers, which is to be expected. And there’s a discount for checking in on Unilocal,which was seamlessly applied at checkout by a knowledgeable cashier. Hard to beat!

I love that they will make custom cables for you.

So disappointed since I have retired I have been on this computer kick and giving kids computers that otherwise can not afford one .
It is very sad to see a kid on electronic day at school not have anything too take. So I find old computers, buy cheap computers, I erase all the data and back too factory set.
I have a iPad that has a cracked screen and just knew I could go in there and get what I needed to fix it, but to my surprised this Computer does not sell Digitizers or for that matter the only possible Apple product like was an adapter no that is not what I needed. It is great place for building one, I like the challenge to just redo and give away.

They had a ton of stuff, but it was mostly pieces for other parts of electronics that they didn’t have. They were like The Home Depot of electronics. If you want a huge selection of parts for electronics, and don’t mind being talked to like you just walked out of a cave, then this is the place for you. Oh, and the doors on the bathroom door don’t shut all the way. That always bothers me.

Before going here I always thought that if I needed anything having to do with computer parts or accessories then I would have to go to Fry’s Electronics. I had to stop off in this one day for some cables, power cables, and special cable locks.
It was when I was browsing for my items that I discovered just how much of an amazing place this is. They have almost all the components you would need to build anything that has to do with LEDs, cables, wires, computers, home entertainment systems, servers, and much more.
This is a heavy duty store with lots of things you can go crazy buying. If you are very tech savvy then this store will become your new playground. You will know exactly what goes with what and even get some great ideas on how to improve on other things you have or built.
If you are not tech savvy then don’t let a place like this scare you away. That is why they hire sales associates to help you find what you need. It helps if you walk in with a layout or specific details of the item you are looking for. They will be able to give you some great suggestions.
So while the person I came with was already ready to go in the next two minutes I was still drooling over all the great things they had.
For those that don’t really know how to get the most from a store like this, or even Radio Shack. Pick up a copy of the magazine MAKE (
) and you will get some amazing ideas on things you can build with the stuff they have in store.
So again, this store is mostly for those that know how to build things and need internal components as opposed to those that are just looking for cool gadgets to buy. This is not Best Buy, so if you just want to buy something already pre-​made, then you might want to look elsewhere.

Just OK.
Glad we have something like that in Austin as opposed to just Radio Shack.
I wish it were more eclectic, stuffed with gizmos, better selection.

I am not very computer savvy, but Altex quickly helped me and found exactly what I needed. Awesome staff and great service! Prices are also great!

Recently, I needed to access some documents I had saved on a back-​up hard drive. When I went to power up my Maxtor… nothing. Panic! I asked my man friend what I should do, and he suggested I probably just needed a new power supply. «Oh, that sounds simple!» I said quickly coming out of my tail-​spin.
I started at Radio Shack. The clerk there tried to help but wasn’t able to look on the hard drive to determine the power requirements. He asked me to bring in the original power supply. I pointed out to him that right on the back it says 12 Volt, 3 Amp. He immediately told me he wouldn’t have anything 3 Amp. I asked who in town would, and he referred me to Altex. I knew about Altex, but hadn’t thought of that. Why I didn’t hop in the car and run straight up I-​35 to Altex, I don’t know, but it’s a mistake I won’t repeat.
The next day, I happened to be in the neighborhood of Fry’s so I stopped in that megalith of all things electronic. I was sure they would have what I need, especially since that’s where I bought the original drive. I found the right section of the store, and found a clerk who pointed and told me all the universal power supplies would be on aisle 11B. I was a little disappointed that a pointed finger and 11B was all the help he was willing to offer, but hey I’m intelligent, I can figure this out. Wrong. When I got to 11B there were lots of universal power supplies, but half of them were meant to plug into the car cigarette lighter and I could not figure out which would be right for me. I left.
The next morning I went to Altex. The sales clerk asked what I needed, and walked me to the aisle. They didn’t have exactly a 12V, 3A supply, so he made an informed selection and double checked that what he was suggesting would work for me. Then he walked me back to check out, and we made some small talk. When I mentioned that my errands for the day included renewing my registration, he recommended the drive through window, which is much faster. He even went to the computer to figure out the exact location for me. Turns out, the Tax Office on Airport has a drive-​through window for vehicle registration that I didn’t even know was there. Boom, registration renewed!
When I got home, the new power supply worked like a charm and I’ve lived happily ever after and will always go to Altex first when I have need of anything electronic.

I only went here for gaffers tape so I can’t speak to much else, but service was great and gaffers tape can be hard to find. They had huge 180′ foot rolls for less than the photo supply store’s 60′ roll. I was greeted at the door by someone who immediately directed me where I needed to go. I stopped off on a few aisles to check out some cool gadgets I saw, and twice was asked if I needed any help. I love stores where I don’t have to hunt for someone to help me! Cashier was friendly too. I don’t have technical needs very often, but next time I do, I’ll go here for sure.
BTW, a big thank you to David M. who had mentioned gaffer’s tape in his review. When I searched where to buy it in Austin, that review brought Altex up to the top of the results.

There very knolegeble CPU tech’s and there are A+ certified tech. they help u in any question u may have, they make easy for others to understand the CPU language.
If u a rookie look and learn from other stores not just this one, there many other great stores in Austin Like this one.

I went to altex today because I was looking for some long cables for a home theater project. I couldn’t find what I was looking for at fry’s and worse, I had to look for 30 minutes to verify what I was looking for wasn’t there.
Altex had the long component cables I needed (50 feet) at a good price. I then needed a single composite (old school) cable that was at least 35 feet. The guy helping me Ian said you’ll never find that but just take this co-​ax cable and put some of these adapters on each end. All together it was about $ 13 for that… nice.
He was so helpful it was almost ridiculous. He knew the model number of my LCD monitor and that it had a DVI port that I could use to test the HDMI cable I had bought elsewhere to try and troubleshoot why it wouldn’t work. I needed a wall plate to run the cables out of my wall and he threw a bunch of parts together in my cart that I wasn’t completely sure what they were but when I got them home my friend said wow, this is exactly what you need.
I like Fry’s but I’m going back to Altex next time I need a bunch of random electronics parts. I got everything I needed and was in and out like that.
I wish going to Home Depot was more like my trip to Altex where one person would just lead me around and know exactly what I wanted and put it in my cart for me and when I got home I found they were actually right on about everything.

Not as impressed as I once was with Altex.
Two weeks ago I went here specifically to find a sealed lead acid battery for my home security system. They had shelf space for it, but none on hand. From that experience, I have learned to call ahead and verify that the item is indeed in stock.
Last weekend, I went in for a video splitter I saw on their website. The picture on the website did not match the splitter being sold in the store under the same part number, not just in appearance, but in several key specification features. So I wound up buying one that cost four times as much.
The biggest disappointment was checkout. When I entered the store, there was a cashier at one of the two main checkouts. He was still there as I browsed the store (for all of ten minutes). So I went to that same checkout lane when I was ready and waited for someone to show up.
At least five minutes elapsed before one of the associates in the store standing no more than 10 feet from me finished his BS conversation with another customer who had already completed his purchase and asked if I was ready to check out.
Had I been a little less patient that day, I would have left my merchandise at the register and told them to eff it.
P. S. A full week later, they still hadn’t restocked the battery I needed. I’m glad I bought it at Fry’s the previous weekend. It cost 33% more, but at least I’m not waiting interminably for Altex to restock.

I went to Altex recently when I was looking for a media PC case. I found Altex’s website (which was informative, easy to navigate, and had lots of pictures) and picked out a few cases that might be in my price range and headed over.
The selection of cases was a lot bigger than the selection at Fry’s (which has a terrible selection of cases), and pretty much everything that I’d seen on the site was actually in stock at the store. I was expecting only a small subset of items to be available at this store (they appear to be based out of San Antonio). There were one or two older models that had been superseded that looked like they were available on-​line, but weren’t at the store (the newer models were, though, and that’s what I ended up getting).
The store itself is a single large concrete-​floor warehouse. It’s pretty industrial looking, but most of the folks who would be shopping here are used to that. They’ve got a pretty big selection of a lot of different electronic and electrical-​related equipment including lots of cables, cases, KVMs, networking equipment, and a lot of things that I didn’t look at or can’t remember. The selection of actual computer components (CPUs, RAM, motherboards, video cards) is somewhat less and is on shelves behind counters at the front of the store.
When I was finished looking around, I went up to the counter at the front to pay. When I set the case up on the counter, I noticed that it had a price tag less than I’d expected, though the case actually rang up at the price I’d seen online. I mentioned that there was a different price actually stuck to the box, and the guy ringing me up gladly gave me the discount, and said it’d probably been mistagged with the price of the older model.
Unfortunately they were having trouble with the credit card verification while I was there. I tried three different cards, and none of them would go through, even though I’d used several of them that day or the day before. Eventually the manager came out and said that they were having technical problems. After telling him that I didn’t mind waiting (I was in no hurry, and the place was pleasant enough, with lots of things to look at), he went off to the back. I ended up waiting probably 30 minutes just to check out, but when the system was finally up, the manager gave me _​another_​discount because it had taken so long.
Everyone at the store was helpful, and the selection was great. The only reason I didn’t give Altex 5 stars is because the prices are a bit more than some other places. However, if you’re in the market for some industrial-​size rolls of CAT5 or some specialized equipment, this is the place to go.

I love Altex. I usually don’t go there for myself, but for customers. You know, when you need to pick up 12 one-​foot power cables, three 7-​foot and 6 14-​foot purple CAT5 cables, and twice as many orange ones, a 100-​foot roll of velcro, and an 8-​foot long power strip that can be bolted to the wall. They have all of it and more. Usually I wind up finding a cool tool or connector or something that I have to put on my OWN dime.
I love this place more than Fry’s because their stuff is better quality, it’s a local company, and quite honestly, have you ever had to return something at Fry’s? It’s easier for a New Yorker to make bail on a weekend in Williamson County.

Altex Electronics is a great store for the true computer/​electronics geek. The products that are sold here probably wouldn’t appeal to most electronics consumers as they tend to be a bit more specialized. Here are a few examples of things that can be purchased here which I find rather unique:
Gaffer’s Tape — A must for stagehands. Way better than duct tape but also 5 times as expensive.
Replacement Soldering Iron Tips — They have the full lineup of Weller tips for when you leave the iron on overnight.
Here are a few more: heat shrink, ethernet patch panels, really long drill bits, 19″ Rack stuff, many types of solder, and of course computer hardware.
If you need really off the wall or advanced electronic parts this place tends to beat out Fry’s for the most part, plus it’s a somewhat local business. I have purchased things here many times and will continue to do so because they’re the only folks in town that carry a lot of this stuff in stock. Only 4 stars because it’s always way more expensive (sometimes twice as much) than ordering from a shady online dealer, but hey they have it NOW, so what do you expect?