What are your views on Dell?

Question

iS dell laptops good?

Answer 1

Dell laptops are very good and I would recommend them to anyone. There was a time when IBM and Toshiba notebooks ruled the top tier (as well as the higher prices). Dell, however, had a better balance of quality and price. I purchase the IT equipment for our company (about 300 users of which 80 are laptop users) and we would have probably become an IBM or Toshiba laptop user company had they been equipped with touchpads as the Dells, Gateways and Compaqs had been. Those eraser-head pointer sticks were just so annoying, that we decided to try Dell just because of that issue. This was in 1998

There has been such an improvement in quality in the past five years that we can't get much of a turnaround in machines that we did years before due to breakdowns. In fact, users are complaining because they have to use five-year old laptops, but we can't help them because they still work perfectly. There are still the same laptop vulnerabilities - hard drives and keyboards. But these are cheap and easy fixes these days. And face it - laptops are fragile pieces of electronics. People should treat them as such, not like game console that you can just toss around the living room.

As a corporate IT service technician, I laugh when I read a lot of these complaint threads because I know from experience that the user is their own worst enemy. Especially the ones that fancy themselves as "knowledgeable", because these are the ones brave enough to try to load anything and everything that catches their eye. Then they cry and moan about what a piece of s*** this computer is when it crashes and how Tech Support sucks when they have to re-install Windows. I would say that 80% of my support calls are user-introduced problems. That is, the user installed, downloaded, clicked-on, tried to fix improperly something that crashed/slowed down his PC or brought in viruses/adware/spyware.

Anyway, Dell Tech Support is what keeps our company a Dell shop. Dell/Compaq/HP/Gateway/IBM/Toshibas are all so close in quality. Tech Support is what sets them apart for us. We started out with Compaqs, went to Gateway, and now have been with Dell desktops/laptops/servers exclusively for the last 7 years.

Here's a couple of observations:
- we have scores of bank auditors and CPA firm auditors in our offices on a regular basis. They have almost always carried IBM laptops (once considered the best laptop). Since IBM sold off their PC division to Lenovo (a Chinese company), most are now carrying Dell Latitudes.
- if you've ever caught news scenes of military situation rooms and control rooms, especially since Desert Storm, it seems the laptop of choice of the US military is now Dell. This is a ringing endorsement of the quality of Dell laptops because these have to meet extremely strict quality, climate and durability standards just to qualify.

Important note - for a laptop PC the warranty is oh-so-important. It's rather expensive but completely worth it. Laptop components are so integrated that there's really only 2 major parts - motherboard & LCD. Replacement of either one of these will most like total nearly half the cost of a new laptop. Most things that are separate parts on a desktop PC are integrated into laptop motherboard - sound/printer ports/network card/modem/etc. Also, spill a can of soda on a desktop keyboard, replace the keyboard for $20. Spill a can of soda on a laptop keyboard, you're going to spend $900+ (parts/labor) to replace a fried motherboard. And this is not covered under their regular warranty as it's considered user abuse. That's why their no-fault warranty is so nice. Get the warrranty for as long as you think you'll own the PC.

Answer 2

I worked at Dell three times. The turnover there is astounding as they use almost 40% temp workers and want to ship more of their capabilities overseas. The downside of Dell machines is they are unique in batches of 20. Machine number 21 might have a different CD reader installed than the 20 before it. Dell machines are hardly upgradeable unless you buy the tower model and then, you should have ordered the Intell mobo.

You can't beat Dell on price. You buy a Dell anticipating you will give it away to somebody in 2 years when you get serious about hardware.

Laptops??? I don't know. That was the facility right next door to where I worked. The rumor was you sure didn't want to work in that building as Michael wants to move laptops to India.

Answer 3

Dells are okay computers I have a laptop myself. I can't say it has not given me problems but it is an okay computer over all.

Dells customer service is horrible.

Answer 4

I don't like my Dell notebook, the CD drive detaches all the time. The customer service is also lacking...I don't mind if my call is taken in India, but they read from a script and don't actually listen to what you're saying. Very frustrating.

Answer 5

Dells are great if you want to larn how to reinstall windows by repatition. My inspiron 6000 crashes mothly since the second month f ownership andthey have refused to fix it because it passes diagnostic tests wjen I just reinstalled everything after system crash.


HP is the way to go I have learned the hard way

Answer 6

I recently bought a laptop from Dell, and have nothing bad to say about them at all.

I've heard horror stories about their customer support, but I have yet to experience any of that myself.

Answer 7

pr, rep has plummeted. reality? i have no idea. would require outside reviews. ichose hp over dell and gateway. hp seems to tend to the little details for high quality even in the little cabinets and a more solid keyboard etc. better value it seems to me. other may be okay. acer? dell really took aa fall. rep matters. big mistake at dell. they are no longer the leaders.

Answer 8

They are great, my longest lasting desktop has to be Dell, 4.5 years and it's still doing very well, shouldn't have any problem with their laptop i believe.

Answer 9

Personally I love dell, top quality..

Answer 10

they are good in making hardware. not software. their laptops are fair. Microsoft apple company has unique style, but if your going for quantity not quality, then choose dell, apple if otherwise.