Central Computers

IT and Computer Hardware Retailcentralcomputer.com

Central Computers is a privately held Bay Area computer retail chain, founded 1985, operating five showrooms plus e-commerce to sell hardware, custom-built PCs, AI GPUs, and networking equipment to consumers, B2B, and government accounts.

Company typePrivate
Founded1985
HeadquartersSanta Clara, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What Central Computers does

Central Computers Inc. is a privately held Bay Area computer retail chain founded in 1985, operating five physical showrooms across Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sunnyvale, and Newark, complemented by a national e-commerce storefront at centralcomputer.com. The company sells a broad hardware catalog spanning laptops, desktops, servers, networking equipment, cables, peripherals, and storage, with a stocked dedicated AI category featuring NVIDIA RTX PRO Blackwell GPUs and AI workstations. Custom system integration is a core service: prebuilt lines include Gamer Core and Gamer Elite gaming desktops and the Orion Pro Threadripper workstation, alongside build-to-order custom PCs and servers, with a Central Keebs sub-brand for enthusiast keyboards.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining in-store sales, online ordering with in-store or curbside pickup, and a dedicated B2B and government sales division supported by an IT subcontractor program and a Preferred Membership subscription for repeat customers. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware transactions and custom system sales, supplemented by professional services (PC repair and diagnostics) and a recurring membership stream. Distribution advantage is the central strategic asset: physical stores provide immediate product availability and in-person technical advice that pure e-commerce competitors cannot replicate locally, while the e-commerce platform extends reach nationwide. Geographic operations are concentrated in California with stated restrictions on international and APO/FPO shipping, and the company has no disclosed institutional investors, suggesting founder or family ownership. Leadership includes Craig Yeung as Operations Officer; no other management team is publicly listed.

Central Computers firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Central Computers
Legal name: Central Computers Inc.
Website: https://centralcomputer.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1985
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Central Computers is a privately held Bay Area computer retail chain, founded 1985, operating five showrooms plus e-commerce to sell hardware, custom-built PCs, AI GPUs, and networking equipment to consumers, B2B, and government accounts.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Central Computers industry classification

Industry

Product category: IT and Computer Hardware Retail
SIC: Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734)
akta.pro primary industry: PC Gaming Hardware Retail (GPUs, CPUs, RAM, Storage) (CRACAFAC)

Keywords

Computer hardware retail
Custom PC building
AI workstation sales
Networking equipment retail
IT procurement services

Where Central Computers is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Santa Clara
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

Central Computers business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

Hardware Product Sales: One-time transaction sales of computer hardware including cables, computers, storage, AI components, peripherals, and networking equipment through retail stores and e-commerce
Custom System Integration: Custom-built PCs, workstations, and servers sold as finished products with configuration and assembly services
Professional Services: PC repair, diagnostic services, and IT subcontractor services with repair warranty coverage
Membership Programs: Preferred Membership program offering discounts and benefits to repeat customers

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Standard retail pricing with student/military discounts and preferred membership benefits

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Central Computers product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Central Computers is a Bay Area computer retail chain that sells computer hardware, AI components, peripherals, networking equipment, and cables through 5 physical stores and an e-commerce platform. The company builds custom PCs and servers, retails prebuilt gaming and AI workstation lines (Gamer Core, Gamer Elite, Orion Pro, Central Keebs), and provides repair services and B2B/government IT procurement.

Product overview

Central Computers is a Bay Area local computer retail chain operating 5 physical stores (Santa Clara, San Francisco, East Bay, Sunnyvale, and San Mateo) combined with an e-commerce platform. The company offers a comprehensive hardware portfolio organized into multiple product categories: Computers (laptops, desktops, servers, tablets), Data Storage (hard drives, SSDs, NAS/SAN), AI Components (CPUs, AI GPUs including NVIDIA RTX PRO Blackwell series, RAM, storage, motherboards, PSUs, cases, server barebones, HBAs/NICs/QSFP connectors, AI supercomputers/workstations), Hardware (CPUs from Intel/AMD, cases & chassis, cooling solutions, memory in DDR3/4/5 for desktop/server/laptop, motherboards, optical drives, power supplies, video cards across GTX/RTX/Radeon series), Cables (audio, video, USB, networking Cat5e-Cat8, fiberoptic, Firewire, iPhone/iPad, phone, SATA, SAS, serial/parallel), Mobile Accessories, Networking (KVM, switches, surveillance cameras, routers, firewalls), Peripherals (gaming mice/keyboards, custom keyboards via 'Central Keebs' sub-brand, monitors, speakers, headsets, webcams, projectors), Electronics (3D printers, USB fans), Smart Home, and Software. The company also offers custom PC/server building services, repair services, and B2B/government sales programs. Featured prebuilt PC lines include Gamer Core (gaming), Gamer Elite (AMD gaming), and Orion Pro Threadripper Pro (AI workstations).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Central Keebs: Custom keyboard product line featuring custom keyboards, switches, keycaps, and keyboard accessories.
Gamer Core

Products and services

Computer and Electronics Retail Full range of computer hardware including cables, laptops, desktops, servers, tablets, data storage, hardware components (CPUs, GPUs, motherboards, memory, power supplies), networking equipment, peripherals, smart home devices, and software — sold through 5 Bay Area retail locations and a U.S. e-commerce platform.
AI Servers and Workstations Dedicated product category for AI computing solutions including AI servers, AI workstations, AI Mini PCs, and AI GPUs such as the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell series, targeting AI researchers, machine learning developers, and deep learning practitioners.
Custom PCs and Servers

Companies that use Central Computers

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Central Computers technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Central Computers partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

UbiquiticoreTechnology or IntegrationUbiquiti is a key technology partner for Central Computers, offering a comprehensive lineup of UniFi networking products including switches, access points, cameras, cloud gateways, and accessories. The company carries Ubiquiti's full product range including the UniFi ecosystem for enterprise and SMB networking deployments.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Central Computers competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Newegg: Leading online retailer of computer hardware, components, peripherals, and gaming PCs. Competes with Central Computers on the same core SKUs (GPUs, CPUs, storage, custom gaming PCs) but via e-commerce rather than physical storefronts.
Puget Systems: Custom workstation and high-performance PC builder specializing in configured systems for content creation, engineering, and AI workloads. Direct competitor for Central Computers' custom PC and AI workstation service lines.
XOTIC PC: Custom gaming laptop and desktop configurator serving enthusiast gamers and prosumers. Competes with Central Computers' custom PC service for customers seeking highly-configured gaming systems.
iBuyPower: Custom gaming PC manufacturer and retailer offering prebuilt and configured desktops for gaming and streaming. Comparable to Central Computers' custom gaming PC build services and enthusiast customer segment.
Micro Center: National multi-store computer and electronics retailer specializing in DIY PC components, custom builds, and in-store technical support. Directly competes with Central Computers on walk-in gaming/AI hardware sales, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
B&H Photo Video: Large multi-channel electronics retailer with strong B2B/government sales operations and broad computer/peripheral catalog. Comparable to Central Computers in offering both consumer walk-in retail-style service and dedicated business/education/government account management.
MAINGEAR: Premium custom PC builder focusing on high-end gaming desktops, workstations, and content creation systems. Comparable to Central Computers' high-end custom build capability and enthusiast-targeting positioning.
TigerDirect: Online computer and electronics retailer offering PCs, components, servers, and networking equipment to consumers and businesses. Directly comparable SKU mix and customer base to Central Computers' e-commerce operations.
CyberPowerPC: Custom gaming PC builder offering configurable prebuilt desktops and laptops (including the Gamer Supreme/Xtreme lines). Competes directly with Central Computers' Gamer Core and Gamer Elite featured product lines.

Broad incumbents

Best Buy: National big-box consumer electronics retailer with broad computing assortment and Geek Squad services. Overlaps with Central Computers on consumer desktop/laptop sales and accessories but competes more on convenience and broad assortment than on enthusiast/AI hardware depth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Central Computers financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Central Computers leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Central Computers funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Central Computers M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Computers

What does Central Computers do?

Is Central Computers a public or private company?

Central Computers is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.

When was Central Computers founded?

Central Computers was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Central Computers based?

Central Computers is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States, in the North America region.

How does Central Computers make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom System Integration, professional Services and membership Programs.

Who are Central Computers's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Newegg, Puget Systems, XOTIC PC, iBuyPower, Micro Center, B&H Photo Video, MAINGEAR, TigerDirect and CyberPowerPC. Best Buy is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does Central Computers have an API?

No public API is recorded for Central Computers.

What industry is Central Computers in?

Central Computers's product category is IT and Computer Hardware Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAFAC, PC Gaming Hardware Retail (GPUs, CPUs, RAM, Storage). Its SIC code is 5734.