Just buy a DELL?

eidolon · Post by **eidolon** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 11:32 am

Grampa is going to buy his granddaughter a computer for Christmas.
And since gramps has come to me for advice... I'm coming to this forum for some input.
This will be my nieces first computer. (her mom's a moron, oops that must be my inner voice coming out)...
Anyhow, build a little inexpensive desktop or just take the easy way out and go with a DELL?

Thoughts?

dshreter · Post by **dshreter** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 12:52 pm

Go with the Dell. Even though it might not be the ideal computer compared to something you could put together yourself, the price to performance ratio is actually pretty good compared to a self build.

The real issue though is how many times have you upgraded, built, or done something to your computer that you had to RMA, return, etc? For me this has happened many times, but is much much less likely if you go buy a Dell. I doubt your niece wants to go returning and replacing computer parts, and I doubt you want to do it for her. Plus the dell will come with tech support (In India, really crappy, but still good enough for silly n00bish questions, which I'm sure there will be plenty of).

Its unlikeley your niece will care about the extra 10% of silence, or customization you can achieve over a dell.

Anyway, to sum it all up, remember who the computer is actually being bought for and you'll probably have an easy decision to make.

Dreamstalkerwolf · Post by **Dreamstalkerwolf** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:33 pm

I have a Dell laptop (I'll keep it as a backup after I get mine built) and am tech support for my mom's Dell desktop. The desktop's about 4 years old, and aside from being overdue for reformat/reinstall is running fine. Their TS isn't the best, but compared to other OEMs I've dealt with they're pretty good.

Post by **Rusty075** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 5:43 pm

Remember, if you build it, you're on the hook for every silly little tech support issue. And anything that does go wrong with it, even if its total user error, will somehow be your fault. I'm not neccessarily talking you out of it, but if you've never built one for a family member before you need to prepare yourself.

I got an angry phone call from a relative once whose PC (which I built) got infected with a worm after he opened a "expand your penis" email. He was upset that I didn't "wormproof" the machine. Turns out he had disabled the auto-updating of the AVS, because it "annoyed him"

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:22 pm

Personally I don't like Dell at all. I've had them screw up orders for companies I worked for several times.

"No sir, I really can't find your order in our computer system. Are you sure you placed it?" Yes, I have a printout from the last order screen, including all three different order numbers. (Can anybody explain why the Dell orders for large companies have three different order numbers?????)

"No sir, I don't know why your order already takes five weeks. Yes, it normally really is two weeks maximum."

The PSU in a Dell broke a few month after the warranty expired. Tough luck, Dell PSUs have a proprietary format. So forget putting a standard ATX PSU from some retired system in it. Spare PSUs from Dell are so rediculous expensive it is not economical to buy one for a system of three years old.

Some time later I worked for a small company (15 employees). We bought a Dell with Windows XP preinstalled. When we received the system the HDD didn't spin. So a Dell tech support guy comes on site and replaces the HDD. Surprise

The replacement HDD is completely empty. Good luck installing Windows XP from the recovery CD

I told them not to buy a Dell and they agreed afterwards that I was right all along

When my sister asked advice what computer to buy, I asked her what she wanted to do with it and how much money she had availlable for it. Then we adjusted both the expected price and expected specs a bit. Next I sent here to a local shop I know has knowledgeable salesmen and told here to only come back to me if what they told her was radically different from what I told her. AFAIK she's happy with what she got. (She didn't complain afterwards

)

dshreter · Post by **dshreter** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:49 pm

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with Dell, but I don't think its really representative of the average experience people have with them. I don't love Dell, nor do I own a Dell, but chances are for ordering a home PC, it will be a painless experience without order #s being lost. Its also unlikeley that they'll ever want or need to replace the power supply.

eidolon · Post by **eidolon** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 8:53 pm

Thanks to ALL whom replied.

I myself thought the DELL in this case was the best avenue to persue but it never hurts to also accept outside input.

I don't have the time to be customer support.

Again thanks to all.