Computer brands

Okay, let’s try this again.

As the perfect demonstration, I tried to post this thread yesterday, and the computer crashed, and then I ame back and saw the thread had posted, but it had no OP, so I tried to re-enter the OP and it crashed again. And then I tried again after it had some responses, and it froze up and crashed again. And then I couldn’t even load the front page, much less go looking for the thread again, so I gave up and went to bed. And now I can’t find it, so I’m assuming it got deleted since no one knew what it was about…

Anyway, as you all have no doubt figured out for yourselves, I’m having major computer problems, since this machine is basically a POS and has been obsolete for years. I’ve priced out a computer at Dell, but I honestly would rather not have to wait for something to be shipped to me, so I’m going to go computer shopping and hope to find something that I can bring right home… The question is, what brand(s) of computer would the computer gurus here recommend, and what brand(s) should I avoid at all costs?

Any advice?

We’re a multi-Dell family. IMO, it’s well worth the wait for shipping. We’ve had at least 6 Dell machines, both desktops and laptops, in the last few years and have had little or no problems with them.

Several months ago, Mr. Ruby dropped an entire cup of coffee on his laptop keyboard while it was running. The only salvageable part was the hard drive (Thank Og!). Because he uses the machine all day every day, we decided to shop the local market for a replacement rather than wait to order a new Dell.

After intense shopping, we ordered the Dell.

Good luck!

Apple -

Switched three years ago and won’t go back.

BTW I use MS Office for OS X and haven’t had any problems with working at home (the office uses Windows).

Well, it’s not so much that I mind the wait…it’s that I don’t know if my computer will survive long enough to prevent me from dying from Internet withdrawal.

I agree on Apple. I bought an iBook a few months ago. I don’t ever plan on buying a PC again.

Except for games, of course. Gotta get a real computer for games :wink:

Another switcher that loves my Mac.

If you have no expensive software that you must use for Windows, if you do not want to play a lot of games, if you want to just be able to use your computer and not constantly have to worry about viruses and stuff, then there really isn’t any compelling reason to not give a Mac a chance. They make an excellent computer, and OS X is the bomb.

With that said, if you decide you want to stick with a PC, then I’d vote for Dell.

As for PCs, I have to give kudos to Sony’s Vaio. Very well built machine.

A vote against Gateway here.
True POS company that caused me headaches right from the day it was ordered.

Dell. Dell dell dell dell.

I’ve bought and been through a number of different brands of computer, no real horror stories. I bought a Gateway a long while back, no problems with it, it was great at the time and still works when needed 9 years later. That can’t be bad! But I think their more recent products haven’t been as good and they’ve completely withdrawn from the European market.

Currently I’d advise you buy Dell, as they seem to build the best for your money just now.

But ultimately it’s a matter of personal choice. The Macs are nice.

always used a mac up until i got this job last year, then had to learn to use a PC properly. i cannot understand why anyone would switch from mac to PC. my main beef being it takes approximately 2 seconds to open up and transfer files between folders on a mac, and about 10 minutes to fuck about finding stuff through windows explorer on a PC

not a big fan of OSX though. i prefer OS9.2 still, until i get my G5.

big smiley

I rely on Dells at work. Their tech support has going downhill lately, though.

Honestly, cover up the logos and I have a hard time telling PCs from one distributor to the next. Really, it just doesn’t matter which distributor sells you the darn thing. Some people may have had bad experiences with a particular vendor (For example, I had a Gateway and was particularly pleased with it), but that doesn’t mean the vendor puts out crap. Just that they didn’t make one person happy.

Laptops are a different case. Vendor matters a lot when it comes to laptops.

Dell puts together good boxes. So does gateway. I’ve had problems upgrading Compaq PCs in the past (PC was built with a mainboard that wouldn’t accept upgraded parts), but the box was still good. It was the lifecycle model that sucked.

Gateway and Dell ship quickly. And, using Dell’s refurbished section of the web site, you can get spectacular deals that simply can not be had from chain stores like Best Buy or CompUSA.

I’m hearing more and more complaints about Dell here at work: their support is going downhill, and it seems the computers are starting to slip in quality.

Avoid Gateway: since they left South Dakota, their support has gone downhill, and their computers seem to be a bit more iffy than the others. (Some work so well it’s amazing: others are nothing but #@$#*@(!!!)

Compaq… eeeh. If you don’t mind that it’ll be a bear to upgrade the machine in the future, they aren’t that bad. The ones that my Sis/BIL have had have tended to be really picky about what upgrades and periphials they’ll work with. Might just have been their machines though.

Another vote for a Sony Viao, but I don’t know how good their tech support is.

e-Machines have gotten better in the past year or so, but they’re still problematical. Based on their past, I’d contiune to avoid them for now.

Another option: check around for a local computer shop that builds their own computers. They’re generally more flexible on customizing the computer to your needs, but if you move out of the area there goes your tech support.

And, yet another option: ask the techies at the local big computer stores about which brands they’ve been noticing problems with. (Warning: depending on the store, this may turn into a sales pitch, espically if the manager is looking. YMMV.)


<< Please keep both hands on the keyboard. >>

Stay away from emachines…and if you’re able… Compaq (affectionately called ComCrap) There’s a reason they’re cheap.

Oops Nightsong
It seems we were posting the same thing at the same time. :smiley:

I’ll third the recomendation to stay away from e-Machines. I bought one ecause I was on a seriously tight budget, and regret it fully. It came with a six month warranty and at six months and three days - kablooey! Smoke, literally, was coming out of the case. I managed to save the hard drive, but only could retrieve half of my data and programs.

I use a compaq now, and it is serviceable only because I don’t do anyting intensive on it. Otherwise, they are seriously underpowered for their price (at least it appears so to me now). They are cheap, not only in price but in quality.

Yet another vote for Apple’s Macs. PowerBooks as well as desktop computers. For every individual Mac lemon that gives trouble, there are a couple hundred solid ones that will still be functioning trouble-free a decade and a half later.

PC-wise, Sony makes some nice ones; IBM does too. Compaq is to today what Packard Bell was to yesteryear (crap) and while I used to admire Gateway they seem to have really slid.

I’ve had excellent results from my Gateways. The configuration on them has been improved so that upgrades are a breeze and access to the interior requires no tools or cumbersome latches, screws, etc.

I hated the one Compaq I owned with a deep and abiding loathing. Piece of unmitigated crap with too many proprietary features that prevented upgrades that weren’t made by the company.

We have Dells at work. They buzz, they hum, and if the CPU is sitting on the floor, you can’t tell which drive is in which slot because the drives are recessed for some unexplained reason. I had the IT people bring my Gateway keyboard back to me because the damn Dell keyboard keys would stick and jam.

Dell’s quality has gone to hell over the past few years. I would never recommend a Dell to anyone. If you’re going for a PC, I really like Hewlett-Packard’s machines.

However, for my money, a Mac is the only machine really worth its asking price.