Which DELL computer should I buy?

[Grinch123456]

Technical Support – 3/10

We had a long debate in the office about what to give the Dell for this category. How do you quantify customer service? In the end we went with the score above, but in case there is any confusion, let’s just say it was “very bad.”

We could almost excuse technicians not knowing everything there is to know about a specific product, but being hung up on when calling Dell’s exclusive tech support line is inexcusable. Once we actually got someone on the phone, things didn’t get much better. Not only were the technicians we spoke with obscenely ponderous and generally lackadaisical in their responses to our problems, they didn’t fix any of our issues on their own, and were adamant about not sending us a new video card despite our repeated requests.

Even if they had fixed our problems, we would not wish Dell’s tech support runarounds on our worst enemies. The entire system is so incredibly infuriating due to how unbelievably long it takes to get someone on the phone. And when they finally do get on the phone, they sound completely uninterested in helping you fix your problems. You can hear the lack of interest in their voice, and it shows in how unbelievably slow the entire process is. What’s troubling is that this is supposed to be Dell’s premium XPS support. We shudder to think what owners of run-of-the-mill Dimension desktops have to go through. If it’s anything worse than what the XPS support system offers, they have our sympathies.

In short, the support process was so excruciating that we had to either solve our problems ourselves or just disregard them completely to avoid having to jump through any more hoops. The techs refused to acknowledge our F.E.A.R. issue as a hardware problem, and there’s really no certainty in saying that they would have eventually come around to the fact that the problem could indeed be the video card. Our tech was stalwartly adamant about the issue being software-related and he couldn’t be told otherwise. We eventually had to give him a scenario in which there was one, and only one, solution just to get what we wanted - an RMA. Then, in an act of unprecedented inexplicability, he dispatched an on-site tech to replace our card that we had already described as having replaced ourselves.

I think that about hits the spot of why NOT to buy a dell. You're paying for the support and "ease of use" which is clearly nonexistant.

 

[Grimmy]

And the total score board for that 410:

Tech support isn't going to be the only thing to look at.

I can understand some people are going to have some bad luck in getting something that doesn't work right. Pre-Built or Home-Built.

But hey... if you hate dell, you hate dell. :lol:

 

[obryan]

Though I cannot definitively dispute any claims about reliability or support with Dells, I can dispute that they are always more expensive than building it yourself. I bought a low end system to get on the internet and do my billing. It is a P4 524 3.06 GHz, 1 GB DDR 533 Ram, 80 GB sata, DVD Burner, 19" lcd, windows XP home. Even if you value xp home, case and power supply, keyboard and mouse, modem, the inkjet printer that came with it, and the 1 year warrant at nothing, I could not build this system for the $439.27 (Inluding tax) I paid for it. Now this is a very low end system, but that is all I needed. I sold the monitor for $200 and got an system adequate for my needs for $239.27 and did not have to mess around with building it myself.

I think if you watch the deals and stay with the base systems without upgrading them, you can consistantly buy Dells for about what the components would cost and often less.

 

[Grimmy]

I'm not against shopping around for the best prices. Especially if you know what you want, that will fulfil your needs.

The other thing is, not everyone will have access to all companies (depending on where you live) where you can get a decent price, especially when your looking for some specifics (AM2 5000+ or E6300 prebuild).

As the old saying goes... you get what you paid for.

It would be nice if you could find more deals like you did for mid range to high end systems. 😀

 

[Sunburn]

Because I believe the "for-Dell" position is based on ignorance, I am forced to conclude that arguing against it is pointless. Ignorance not only causes direct problems (a crappy Dell computer in your living room, a thousand dollars out of your bank account) but robs the ignorant of the metacognitive awareness of their own ignorance (they don't know their computer is crappy), let alone identify the causal relationship between their ignorance and the chronic problems in their life ("maybe if I learned about computers, I would have a decent computer" is knowledge beyond their ability to attain).

This is a recurring problem throughout the human psyche; it is not unique to computer-related knowledge. Knowledge of math, science, history, and even quasi-subjectives like humor and human relationships all share a pattern: the bottom-quartile always thinks they performed best (incidentally, the top-quartile thinks they performed average). In plain english: the dumbest people think and act like they're the smartest, consistently, in every domain of human knowledge ever studied.

Here is where a metaphore about a car salesman goes. Those who know anything about computers saw this coming and know the metaphore by heart. However, I want to emphasize the difference between the two industries: "When a car salesman lies, he knows it. Someone selling computers does not."

It would suit my purposes for the pro-Dell party to imagine a scene at an auto dealership where some auto-ignorant person is shaking hands with a greasy salesman next to a car with no wheels. It is that obvious to us. If you'll allow a different metaphore, it couldn't be more clear if your hair was on fire.

 

[obryan]

Your post strongly implies a confidence in your knowledge. Can I therefore assume that you are indeed in the bottom quartile of intelligence?

I am not for Dell, but they are not always high price. There is not a thousand dollars out of my bank account for my Dell. It cost me $239.27, and it does the job for me.

 

[Sunburn]

Your post strongly implies a confidence in your knowledge. Can I therefore assume that you are indeed in the bottom quartile of intelligence?

That's the paradox. However, you must remember also that people reliably misnderstand tone and intent of text-based communication 50% of the time. If you asked yourself "is he a butthole, or is he an okay guy" and flipped a coin to decide which, it would be just as reliable as the impression generated by your brain.

Speaking of your brain, it is essentially a swollen, mutant monkey brain. As such it is hardwired to recognize legitimate knowledge from fraudulent: monkeys have to know if they will survive leaping from one tree to the next or there would be no monkeys. How do you tell which monkey knows he'll make the jump, and which is deluded? It's true, the deluded monkey tends to be more arrogant but I can't think of a scientific test for arrogance. I can, however, test which monkey knows he can make the jump: it's the one you're not scraping off the zoo floor. Brutally Darwinian? Yes, but objective. Give the kids a math test, the confident dumb ones will flunk and the humble clever ones will pass.

Note: the study I'm referencing didn't cover what let's call "Ayn Rand-type confidence," where the genuinely smart ones act as arrogant (or more so) than the deluded dumb ones. As that is beyond the scope of the study I didn't mention it. However it is not beyond the scope of human experience. After all, it's hard to say that the truth should be shouted down by loud delusions.

 

[pyrix]

In order of recommendation if you arent comfortable building yourself:

1) Buy a Mac.
2) Buy a PC from a local system builder, one that doesnt look like its going to go bankrupt next week.
3) Buy a PC from HP/Compaq, IBM, ANYONE but DELL. Please. I beg you.

Reasoning? A mac you will never have any trouble with, a locally built PC SHOULD provide better support, and Dell's are peices of shit, wheres as IBM's, HP and some other major brands have great warranty support, and while not as good as a DIY job, are reasonably acceptable.

 

[niz]

Neither. Build it yourself.

I second that
i third that.. for that money you can make your self a pretty nice pc

Err.. I quad that... If oyu build it yourself:
a) you get much higher quality system
b) you learn about computers
c) you save money
d) its fun and rewarding

 

[Grimmy]

a) you get much higher quality system
b) you learn about computers
c) you save money
d) its fun and rewarding

A) Not everyone will spend money on high end parts. Even people bicker about generic PSU or budget MB.

B) Not everyone cares about how a computer works, as long as it works, and have the best possible rig they they can afford.

C) Not always, how many people could have saved money on parts that just came out? Seems like you can save allot more by doing allot of waiting for prices to go down.

D) Not always, how many people complain about their system temps, finding out what they hate about their build? DOA, or RMA'ing their parts because it was defective or they screwed up?

 

[evilass4]

first off, there is NOTHING wrong with Dell computers. I have one and it is great. i recently built my own computer and man, can u say COMPATIBILITY ISSUES? i agree with you guys that u can get better parts if you build it yourself and all, but Dell puts it together for u and make sure it is problem free. so if you want a problem free and ready to go computer get a dell, if not build it yourself if you are experienced.

 

[Heyyou27]

first off, there is NOTHING wrong with Dell computers. I have one and it is great. i recently built my own computer and man, can u say COMPATIBILITY ISSUES? i agree with you guys that u can get better parts if you build it yourself and all, but Dell puts it together for u and make sure it is problem free. so if you want a problem free and ready to go computer get a dell, if not build it yourself if you are experienced.

I wouldn't call Dell computers great, but they are for people who don't know how to build their own.

 

[Windfish]

Because I believe the "for-Dell" position is based on ignorance, I am forced to conclude that arguing against it is pointless. Ignorance not only causes direct problems (a crappy Dell computer in your living room, a thousand dollars out of your bank account) but robs the ignorant of the metacognitive awareness of their own ignorance (they don't know their computer is crappy), let alone identify the causal relationship between their ignorance and the chronic problems in their life ("maybe if I learned about computers, I would have a decent computer" is knowledge beyond their ability to attain).

This is a recurring problem throughout the human psyche; it is not unique to computer-related knowledge. Knowledge of math, science, history, and even quasi-subjectives like humor and human relationships all share a pattern: the bottom-quartile always thinks they performed best (incidentally, the top-quartile thinks they performed average). In plain english: the dumbest people think and act like they're the smartest, consistently, in every domain of human knowledge ever studied.

Here is where a metaphore about a car salesman goes. Those who know anything about computers saw this coming and know the metaphore by heart. However, I want to emphasize the difference between the two industries: "When a car salesman lies, he knows it. Someone selling computers does not."

It would suit my purposes for the pro-Dell party to imagine a scene at an auto dealership where some auto-ignorant person is shaking hands with a greasy salesman next to a car with no wheels. It is that obvious to us. If you'll allow a different metaphore, it couldn't be more clear if your hair was on fire.

What you say is mainly true, but for someone who is trying to make a post about intelligence, you don't do yourself any favours by spelling the word metaphor incorrectly, three times. Not only that but I don't think you were using it correctly everytime either. Apart from that it is so true that computer salesmen generally have no idea of what they are on about.

 

[Sunburn]

A) Not everyone will spend money on high end parts. Even people bicker about generic PSU or budget MB.

B) Not everyone cares about how a computer works, as long as it works, and have the best possible rig they they can afford.

C) Not always, how many people could have saved money on parts that just came out? Seems like you can save allot more by doing allot of waiting for prices to go down.

D) Not always, how many people complain about their system temps, finding out what they hate about their build? DOA, or RMA'ing their parts because it was defective or they screwed up?

I could go after each bullet but here's the point: If you were talking about a car instead of a computer, you would realise your mistake. The "so long as it works" argument would get you laughed out of a Jiffy Lube, and being knowledgeable about cars you would never make that argument about cars.

People are ignorant about computers. Hence the existence and ubiquity of Microsoft Windows. In America the People choose, yes, but in America the People are dumb.

What you say is mainly true, but for someone who is trying to make a post about intelligence, you don't do yourself any favours by spelling the word metaphor incorrectly, three times.

#1) I'm using a 7-year-old laptop because my P4 killed itself. Several keys don't work right. If intelligence is pattern-regocnition then intelligent peoplehave noticed theconspicuous absence of "u", spaces, and occassionally other letters.

#2) Mark Twain said "I never trust a man who can only spell a word one way." He was intelligent, hence

#3) The "LRN2SPLEL" argument, while time-honored among 13-year-old AOL'ers and grammer nazis, is lame.

Not only that but I don't think you were using it correctly everytime either.

On the one hand, I've always hated nitpicking english professors. Hamlet and I agree, "the play's the thing," which implies nitpicking metaphore from say aphorism or simile is lame. On the other hand, I believe I was using the word correctly. At the least I was using it in a way that was understandable - itself the underlying principle of all hman language. "Say what you mean" is the key. So I will, again:

Dell sucks. DIY or buy from someone who does.

 

[Grimmy]

I could go after each bullet but here's the point: If you were talking about a car instead of a computer, you would realise your mistake. The "so long as it works" argument would get you laughed out of a Jiffy Lube, and being knowledgeable about cars you would never make that argument about cars.

People are ignorant about computers. Hence the existence and ubiquity of Microsoft Windows. In America the People choose, yes, but in America the People are dumb.

Well, I wasn't talking about a car, and what you do mean I would realise my mistake? I find it irrelevant when comparing car to a computer, in this case of the thread topic.

LOL, laughed at Jiffy Lube? Ya, I wouldn't take my PC there.

You know, one person I know, who prolly doesn't care about the performance of his PC, but as long as it works, is my old dad. And he brought his PC from a local computer store to get his orginal PC fix, which they said they couldn't (PSU replacement), and I did when I got the time.

So rather then that local company having to fix it, they offered a new system, which I pretty much thought.. sucked, and was afraid to ask him how much he paid for it.

As far as the phrase, "so long as it works" is how I ment. I would tell him about what he could do to upgrade, make things better, but he doesn't really care. As long as it works, is okay with him.

Even though some people may not know much about PC's.. doesn't make them dumb.

 

[burn-e86]

as much as i prefer AMD i'd say go for the intel, you've got double the storage, though to be honest it depends more on what you are gonna use it for.
if gaming, forget it...its a P.O.S.
for crunching numbers...i think the Core is better, though AMD is much more powerful.
general surfing on the net, get a cheaper one, you dont need a powerful PC for just surfing
otherwise, as many have said, DIY it!
i mean...Tom's is pretty much as anti prebuilt as you can get (from general looking around anyway...no offence to anyone who says otherwise)