# PC Quandry **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-quandry/142909 "2002-12-15T17:15:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheTailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@TheTailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTailor)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-quandry/142909/1 "2002-12-15T17:15:18Z")
For some reason, all my threads lately have dealt with consumer issues, but alas, here we go again. I’ve been promised a new computer for Christmas. I’m not a big gamer, maybe once a year I’ll buy a new game. I’m always on-line, though, and I listen to lots of music and want to take advantage of DVD-roms. I want to stick with a PC as opposed to a Mac. My general question was should I go with Dell or Gateway, but feel free to throw in any other advice/suggestions… ---
**Author:** ![deathawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@deathawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deathawk)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-quandry/142909/2 "2002-12-15T18:03:25Z")
If you are going with a major manufacturer, personally I’d recommend Dell. The hardware is solid & I’ve never had issues with support (mainly dealt with support at work however). Others on this board may have had different experiences (See[KidCharlemagne’s Dell vs. Alienware thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149036) for a recent discussion). Some places of interest in your search [PC World Rankings](http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,107405,00.asp) [CNet Shopper](http://shopper.cnet.com/shopping/0-7075-301-0-0.html?tag=st.sh.1257.dir.list-7075) Google or Yahoo should produce more reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-quandry/142909/3 "2002-12-17T17:44:03Z")
I’d suggest that you seriously consider a custom made PC from a local shop. You can get MUCH better bang for the buck, and just take it down to them if you ever have an issue with it. ---
**Author:** ![merge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@merge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merge)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-quandry/142909/4 "2002-12-17T18:02:26Z")
If you have to choose between Dell and Gateway, go with a dell… just curious though… why not a mac? ---
**Author:** ![Pergau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7c8e57/32.png) [@Pergau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pergau)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-quandry/142909/5 "2002-12-17T18:22:07Z")
It all depends on how good you are at fixing pcs. if you’re good and willing to soend the time doing it, go for a generic one, but if you aren’t into that, go for a Dell and take out the 3 year warranty. Because only one thing is certain - it will go wrong at some stage.