Could you give feedback on this Dell proposal. I havn't bought it yet. [Archive]

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Pnaxx

02-14-2009, 04:19 PM

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="560"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" width="558"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="558"><tbody><tr><td align="center">224-4049</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Inspiron 530, Intel Pentium Conroe Dual Core Processor E5300(2.6GHz,800FSB,2MB)</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">311-7751</td><td align="center">1</td><td>3GB DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">330-0916</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell USB Optical Mouse</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">330-3666</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell USB Keyboard Black</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">320-3000</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Video ready option w/o monitor</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">320-6205</td><td align="center">1</td><td>256MB Radeon HD 2600 XT</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">341-4810</td><td align="center">1</td><td>320GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive (7200RPM)</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">341-5008</td><td align="center">1</td><td>No Floppy Drive or Media Card Reader</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">313-5582</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell Resource DVD with Application Backup</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-6436</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Vista, PC-Restore, Dim/Insp</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-8507</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 Home Premium Edition, English</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-7622</td><td align="center">1</td><td>DELL SUPPORT CENTER 2.0</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">463-2282</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-8873</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell Dock Consumer</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td>Integrated NIC card</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center"></td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">982-4310</td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">987-6238</td><td align="center">1</td><td> </td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">960-3249</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Banctec Service Agreement</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">983-3680</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Warranty Support,Initial Year</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">990-8029</td><td align="center">1</td><td>1 Year Limited Warranty and Next Business Day,Desktop</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">988-0099</td><td align="center">1</td><td>To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">988-7707</td><td align="center">1</td><td>2GB DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 FOR SDO/DIM/INS/XPS</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-9518</td><td align="center">1</td><td>DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 2GB FOR DIM/INS/XPS</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">330-0172</td><td align="center">1</td><td>S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Desktops</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">310-8626</td><td align="center">1</td><td>You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-9352</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell, Software, Wild Tangent Inc Games</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">464-9572</td><td align="center">1</td><td>No Entertainment software pre-installed</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">420-9800</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell Remote Access free basic to access your PCs from outside your home</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">993-1919</td><td align="center">1</td><td>Dell Remote Access, free basic service - access your PCs and files from outside your home</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center">*</td><td align="center"> </td><td>-DISCOUNT/COUPON APPLIED</td><td align="right"> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="5" height="1" bgcolor="#999999"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="5" height="10" bgcolor="#ffffff"> </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="550"><tbody><tr><td width="400" height="4"> </td><td width="150" height="4"> </td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">Subtotal:</td><td align="right" valign="top">$499.00</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">Shipping & Handling: </td><td align="right" valign="top">$35.00</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">Tax:</td><td align="right" valign="top">$32.04</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top"><a rel="nofollow">Environmental Disposal Fee:</a></td><td align="right" valign="top">$0.00</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" height="4"> </td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">Total Price w/Discounts:</td><td align="right" valign="top">$566.04</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td width="1" bgcolor="#999999"> </td></tr></tbody></table>

Pnaxx

02-14-2009, 04:28 PM

Sorry for how it looks, the color was all messed up. I got it so you can reaqd the important stuff. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

Chondrichtheyia

02-14-2009, 06:31 PM

It really depends on your budget and how well you wanna run the game...Not sure if it's a typo, but is it 1.3 GB of ram? It looks like 13GB which is very unlikely.It seems that both your cpu and your vid card are going to bottleneck you. The cpu is now considered very old (especially since the i7 is out now), and so is your vid card. If it IS 1.3 GB of DDR2 ram, then thats also very low. The standard these days is 4GB, especially if you plan on running vista.I would say that, at best, you'll be running the game at low to (maybe, and this is a BIG maybe) medium settings at best.

Pnaxx

02-14-2009, 07:22 PM

<cite>Chondrichtheyia wrote:</cite><blockquote>It really depends on your budget and how well you wanna run the game...Not sure if it's a typo, but is it 1.3 GB of ram? It looks like 13GB which is very unlikely.It seems that both your cpu and your vid card are going to bottleneck you. The cpu is now considered very old (especially since the i7 is out now), and so is your vid card. If it IS 1.3 GB of DDR2 ram, then thats also very low. The standard these days is 4GB, especially if you plan on running vista.I would say that, at best, you'll be running the game at low to (maybe, and this is a BIG maybe) medium settings at best.</blockquote>Hey there. It is 3 Gb Ram. As far as the cpu goes, your saying the Duel Core wont do the job? What about it is insufficiant? I am on a tight budget. Right now I run a much lesser computer, ancient, and I run exteme or the next best performance now. It would seem that this huge step up in tech would offer better results than what your sayin. So, thats why I am asking for reasons why soemthing may not work well. Then I can pick other substitutes. I want to run on Balanced at the very least. This set up I showed here is $599 from Dell, including shipping and taxes.

Chondrichtheyia

02-15-2009, 03:30 AM

3GB of Ram is good then. My bigest concern for you is that the E5300 is - while dual core - part of a lower line (entry level) series. Granted, it was released not too long ago, but you're not really future proofing yourself if you wish to expand your horizons beyond EQ2. The other thing is that running at whatever settings is one thing, but it mostly depends on how many frames per second you deem is playable, and this is largely subjective. Personally, if I can get 30fps or more, it's playable for this type of game.The video card is another issue here. If you look at this http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064-7.html]hierarchy, you will see that the HD 2600 XT is 13 tiers down. If you can upgrade to at least the Radeon HD3850 (which is still 1 generation old), you'll see vast improvements in performance. The 3850 should be pretty cheap now - around $70 on newegg.com. So yeah, it's up to you whether you want to replace it yourself after you buy the system (which will be cheaper) or pay additionally for an upgrade by Dell, but you should definitely upgrade that video card.One thing you definitely have to consider if you were to replace the video card is your system's power supply. Make sure it has enough juice to support whatever card you're replacing the original with, as better cards consume more power.

Pnaxx

02-15-2009, 10:35 AM

<cite>Chondrichtheyia wrote:</cite><blockquote>3GB of Ram is good then. My bigest concern for you is that the E5300 is - while dual core - part of a lower line (entry level) series. Granted, it was released not too long ago, but you're not really future proofing yourself if you wish to expand your horizons beyond EQ2. The other thing is that running at whatever settings is one thing, but it mostly depends on how many frames per second you deem is playable, and this is largely subjective. Personally, if I can get 30fps or more, it's playable for this type of game.The video card is another issue here. If you look at this http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064-7.html]hierarchy, you will see that the HD 2600 XT is 13 tiers down. If you can upgrade to at least the Radeon HD3850 (which is still 1 generation old), you'll see vast improvements in performance. The 3850 should be pretty cheap now - around $70 on newegg.com. So yeah, it's up to you whether you want to replace it yourself after you buy the system (which will be cheaper) or pay additionally for an upgrade by Dell, but you should definitely upgrade that video card.One thing you definitely have to consider if you were to replace the video card is your system's power supply. Make sure it has enough juice to support whatever card you're replacing the original with, as better cards consume more power.</blockquote>Very good info! Thanks. I see your point. I knew the vid card was suspect, thanks for showing me another better choice. In regards to future proofin, that will ave to come latre, I just want to be able to play the game in balanced at elast, that would be a huge step up for me. Hehe. So, great info. Thanks.

Wingrider01

02-15-2009, 11:23 AM

<cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Chondrichtheyia wrote:</cite><blockquote>3GB of Ram is good then. My bigest concern for you is that the E5300 is - while dual core - part of a lower line (entry level) series. Granted, it was released not too long ago, but you're not really future proofing yourself if you wish to expand your horizons beyond EQ2. The other thing is that running at whatever settings is one thing, but it mostly depends on how many frames per second you deem is playable, and this is largely subjective. Personally, if I can get 30fps or more, it's playable for this type of game.The video card is another issue here. If you look at this http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064-7.html]hierarchy, you will see that the HD 2600 XT is 13 tiers down. If you can upgrade to at least the Radeon HD3850 (which is still 1 generation old), you'll see vast improvements in performance. The 3850 should be pretty cheap now - around $70 on newegg.com. So yeah, it's up to you whether you want to replace it yourself after you buy the system (which will be cheaper) or pay additionally for an upgrade by Dell, but you should definitely upgrade that video card.One thing you definitely have to consider if you were to replace the video card is your system's power supply. Make sure it has enough juice to support whatever card you're replacing the original with, as better cards consume more power.</blockquote>Very good info! Thanks. I see your point. I knew the vid card was suspect, thanks for showing me another better choice. In regards to future proofin, that will ave to come latre, I just want to be able to play the game in balanced at elast, that would be a huge step up for me. Hehe. So, great info. Thanks.</blockquote>It is a laptop, about the only two things that can be field upgraded after purchase is the hard drive and the memory. you cannot upgrade the power supply or video card. You need to future proof at order time because it is the only time you can do it.drivers are another major issue. The vendor chipset manufactrer's rarely publish reference drivers that can be loaded on a laptop with out inf modifications. There are a few exceptions to this, but they are not the normal senarioOrder carefully since you will be stuck with what you get with little upgrade path

Pnaxx

02-15-2009, 06:51 PM

<cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Chondrichtheyia wrote:</cite><blockquote>3GB of Ram is good then. My bigest concern for you is that the E5300 is - while dual core - part of a lower line (entry level) series. Granted, it was released not too long ago, but you're not really future proofing yourself if you wish to expand your horizons beyond EQ2. The other thing is that running at whatever settings is one thing, but it mostly depends on how many frames per second you deem is playable, and this is largely subjective. Personally, if I can get 30fps or more, it's playable for this type of game.The video card is another issue here. If you look at this http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064-7.html]hierarchy, you will see that the HD 2600 XT is 13 tiers down. If you can upgrade to at least the Radeon HD3850 (which is still 1 generation old), you'll see vast improvements in performance. The 3850 should be pretty cheap now - around $70 on newegg.com. So yeah, it's up to you whether you want to replace it yourself after you buy the system (which will be cheaper) or pay additionally for an upgrade by Dell, but you should definitely upgrade that video card.One thing you definitely have to consider if you were to replace the video card is your system's power supply. Make sure it has enough juice to support whatever card you're replacing the original with, as better cards consume more power.</blockquote>Very good info! Thanks. I see your point. I knew the vid card was suspect, thanks for showing me another better choice. In regards to future proofin, that will ave to come latre, I just want to be able to play the game in balanced at elast, that would be a huge step up for me. Hehe. So, great info. Thanks.</blockquote>It is a laptop, about the only two things that can be field upgraded after purchase is the hard drive and the memory. you cannot upgrade the power supply or video card. You need to future proof at order time because it is the only time you can do it.drivers are another major issue. The vendor chipset manufactrer's rarely publish reference drivers that can be loaded on a laptop with out inf modifications. There are a few exceptions to this, but they are not the normal senarioOrder carefully since you will be stuck with what you get with little upgrade path</blockquote>This unit is a desktop. But I do want to get the best bang for my buck without breakin the bank. I really dont want to spend more than 5-600 bucks and be able to play in balanced mode.

Wingrider01

02-15-2009, 08:04 PM

<cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Chondrichtheyia wrote:</cite><blockquote>3GB of Ram is good then. My bigest concern for you is that the E5300 is - while dual core - part of a lower line (entry level) series. Granted, it was released not too long ago, but you're not really future proofing yourself if you wish to expand your horizons beyond EQ2. The other thing is that running at whatever settings is one thing, but it mostly depends on how many frames per second you deem is playable, and this is largely subjective. Personally, if I can get 30fps or more, it's playable for this type of game.The video card is another issue here. If you look at this http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2064-7.html]hierarchy, you will see that the HD 2600 XT is 13 tiers down. If you can upgrade to at least the Radeon HD3850 (which is still 1 generation old), you'll see vast improvements in performance. The 3850 should be pretty cheap now - around $70 on newegg.com. So yeah, it's up to you whether you want to replace it yourself after you buy the system (which will be cheaper) or pay additionally for an upgrade by Dell, but you should definitely upgrade that video card.One thing you definitely have to consider if you were to replace the video card is your system's power supply. Make sure it has enough juice to support whatever card you're replacing the original with, as better cards consume more power.</blockquote>Very good info! Thanks. I see your point. I knew the vid card was suspect, thanks for showing me another better choice. In regards to future proofin, that will ave to come latre, I just want to be able to play the game in balanced at elast, that would be a huge step up for me. Hehe. So, great info. Thanks.</blockquote>It is a laptop, about the only two things that can be field upgraded after purchase is the hard drive and the memory. you cannot upgrade the power supply or video card. You need to future proof at order time because it is the only time you can do it.drivers are another major issue. The vendor chipset manufactrer's rarely publish reference drivers that can be loaded on a laptop with out inf modifications. There are a few exceptions to this, but they are not the normal senarioOrder carefully since you will be stuck with what you get with little upgrade path</blockquote>This unit is a desktop. But I do want to get the best bang for my buck without breakin the bank. I really dont want to spend more than 5-600 bucks and be able to play in balanced mode.</blockquote>Guess I should have verified, wierd because the Inspirion model is normally a laptop line, we get the Insipions and Lattitudes at the office

StaticLex

02-16-2009, 01:17 AM

I would suggest buying a PC from almost anyone other than Dell. Their stuff is garbage and I am embarrassed to admit I have bought 2 brand new machines from them.Machine #1 - Dell Dimension ($1600ish): After about a month the fan started sounding like a lawnmower. I called them and they sent someone out to replace it no problem. I had the machine for another 5 years probably with no problems, which lead me to think that maybe they weren't such a bad company after all..About a year and a half ago I gave that Dimension to my brother and bought a new one for myself.Machine #2 - Dell XPS 710 ($2800ish): This thing arrives at my place and I set it up to notice an insect pinned behind the glass of the monitor. I assume this was just a random assembly line flap, so I called Dell and asked them to send me a new monitor. I get the replacement monitor and the thing was OBVIOUSLY used. I was furious, I pay for a brand new item and they have the nerve to send me some used POS. I called them back and had to fight past some clown who kept insisting that refurbished wasn't the same as used to get to some sort of supervisor who could issue me a brand new monitor.I get the new monitor and things work fine until about a week after the warranty (1 year duration) runs out and the main CD-ROM drive flat out dies. I called them again to see if they'd maybe throw me a bone since it was one measley week out of the warranty period. But of course not, instead I get quoted warranty dates and hundred dollar an hour prices for any kind of tech/help. I say screw it and move on, planning to pick up a drive at Best Buy or something to fix it myself.A few months after this however the supposedly top-end speaker system blows out. After 5-10 minutes of being on they screech pure static. I haven't used the speakers in months, instead plugging in a pair of Labtec all-ear headphones that I have had for close to 15 years (imagine that, a product that lasts!).Most recently the fan or some other gadget near the grill on the front of the tower is making a small but noticable clicking noise. I imagine this will degenerate into a lawnmower roar in a matter of months as well.Anyway, I had owned 2 PCs for 5 years each prior to buying my first Dell and had absolutely no problems with either of them the entire time. SO, as far as I am concerned Dell has managed to edge out even SOE for the king of crap product and poor customer service. Like I said above though, if you are going to buy a PC.. I highly suggest buying one from a non-Dell company.

Pnaxx

02-16-2009, 07:15 AM

<cite>StaticLex wrote:</cite><blockquote>I would suggest buying a PC from almost anyone other than Dell. Their stuff is garbage and I am embarrassed to admit I have bought 2 brand new machines from them.Machine #1 - Dell Dimension ($1600ish): After about a month the fan started sounding like a lawnmower. I called them and they sent someone out to replace it no problem. I had the machine for another 5 years probably with no problems, which lead me to think that maybe they weren't such a bad company after all..About a year and a half ago I gave that Dimension to my brother and bought a new one for myself.Machine #2 - Dell XPS 710 ($2800ish): This thing arrives at my place and I set it up to notice an insect pinned behind the glass of the monitor. I assume this was just a random assembly line flap, so I called Dell and asked them to send me a new monitor. I get the replacement monitor and the thing was OBVIOUSLY used. I was furious, I pay for a brand new item and they have the nerve to send me some used POS. I called them back and had to fight past some clown who kept insisting that refurbished wasn't the same as used to get to some sort of supervisor who could issue me a brand new monitor.I get the new monitor and things work fine until about a week after the warranty (1 year duration) runs out and the main CD-ROM drive flat out dies. I called them again to see if they'd maybe throw me a bone since it was one measley week out of the warranty period. But of course not, instead I get quoted warranty dates and hundred dollar an hour prices for any kind of tech/help. I say screw it and move on, planning to pick up a drive at Best Buy or something to fix it myself.A few months after this however the supposedly top-end speaker system blows out. After 5-10 minutes of being on they screech pure static. I haven't used the speakers in months, instead plugging in a pair of Labtec all-ear headphones that I have had for close to 15 years (imagine that, a product that lasts!).Most recently the fan or some other gadget near the grill on the front of the tower is making a small but noticable clicking noise. I imagine this will degenerate into a lawnmower roar in a matter of months as well.Anyway, I had owned 2 PCs for 5 years each prior to buying my first Dell and had absolutely no problems with either of them the entire time. SO, as far as I am concerned Dell has managed to edge out even SOE for the king of crap product and poor customer service. Like I said above though, if you are going to buy a PC.. I highly suggest buying one from a non-Dell company.</blockquote>Wow! That is horrible. I had rough beginnings with my Dell too about 5 years ago, but like you, it served me well and I am enticed into thinkin they are not so bad. When I first got this Dell, I xcalled it the Dell from Hell. It has lasted a long time now. But things change and I have wondered if Dell lost some of its quaility over the years. If your story is a microcosm of them now, then I have cause for pause on this.

StaticLex

02-16-2009, 12:13 PM

<cite>Pnaxx wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>StaticLex wrote:</cite><blockquote>I would suggest buying a PC from almost anyone other than Dell. Their stuff is garbage and I am embarrassed to admit I have bought 2 brand new machines from them.Machine #1 - Dell Dimension ($1600ish): After about a month the fan started sounding like a lawnmower. I called them and they sent someone out to replace it no problem. I had the machine for another 5 years probably with no problems, which lead me to think that maybe they weren't such a bad company after all..About a year and a half ago I gave that Dimension to my brother and bought a new one for myself.Machine #2 - Dell XPS 710 ($2800ish): This thing arrives at my place and I set it up to notice an insect pinned behind the glass of the monitor. I assume this was just a random assembly line flap, so I called Dell and asked them to send me a new monitor. I get the replacement monitor and the thing was OBVIOUSLY used. I was furious, I pay for a brand new item and they have the nerve to send me some used POS. I called them back and had to fight past some clown who kept insisting that refurbished wasn't the same as used to get to some sort of supervisor who could issue me a brand new monitor.I get the new monitor and things work fine until about a week after the warranty (1 year duration) runs out and the main CD-ROM drive flat out dies. I called them again to see if they'd maybe throw me a bone since it was one measley week out of the warranty period. But of course not, instead I get quoted warranty dates and hundred dollar an hour prices for any kind of tech/help. I say screw it and move on, planning to pick up a drive at Best Buy or something to fix it myself.A few months after this however the supposedly top-end speaker system blows out. After 5-10 minutes of being on they screech pure static. I haven't used the speakers in months, instead plugging in a pair of Labtec all-ear headphones that I have had for close to 15 years (imagine that, a product that lasts!).Most recently the fan or some other gadget near the grill on the front of the tower is making a small but noticable clicking noise. I imagine this will degenerate into a lawnmower roar in a matter of months as well.Anyway, I had owned 2 PCs for 5 years each prior to buying my first Dell and had absolutely no problems with either of them the entire time. SO, as far as I am concerned Dell has managed to edge out even SOE for the king of crap product and poor customer service. Like I said above though, if you are going to buy a PC.. I highly suggest buying one from a non-Dell company.</blockquote>Wow! That is horrible. I had rough beginnings with my Dell too about 5 years ago, but like you, it served me well and I am enticed into thinkin they are not so bad. When I first got this Dell, I xcalled it the Dell from Hell. It has lasted a long time now. But things change and I have wondered if Dell lost some of its quaility over the years. If your story is a microcosm of them now, then I have cause for pause on this.</blockquote>Well, let me say this. While I owned the Dimension and before I bought the XPS I had multiple people try to convince me that Dell stuff was crap. I kinda figured these people were unfairly biased for one reason or another. I mean some built their own machines and seemed to hate all companies that assembled PCs while others "knew people" who worked for one company or another and consequently seemed to favored them. Personal bias aside, the company really does seem to suck. I have been hearing about far more negative experiences with Dell over the past few years than positive. I have also seen reports that the company is floundering growth-wise, which leads me to think the poor product is finally catching up with them. Whatever the case, I guarantee they will never get another dime from me.

Wingrider01

02-16-2009, 12:57 PM

have been purchasing Dells for my company for around 15 years, have not had any major issues with either their PC's, laptops or servers. They have always been reliable and stable. Now some of the other brands that I have tried leave a lot to be desired - HP for one.