Dell computers

[wavemaker]

My mate in Sydney is a non computer person and he wants to buy one. He is talking about a dell. they are hopeless aren't they. Please advise>

[Trung]

Dell's marketing is very good as their budget this year is around $15 millions.

As you can see, your mate will be partly responsible for the $15 mil.

Tell him to see a local guy, cheaper and practically the same thing.

http://www.cworld.com.au/ or http://www.cwsydney.com.au/

:D

[wavemaker]

Thanks for that Trung, I wish i was there to help him. I don't know much but I could set him up with something from the Disc Shop or whatever there is in Sydney. I thought I read somewhere that late delivery was a big issue with Dell computers.

[davidp]

wavemaker,

It depends what your friend is buying his P.C for. Dell's standard offering is good value but when you start playing with the system configuration it starts getting pretty expensive.

For Dell's price, as Trung has alluded to, he can get one built to his specs. I put together my P.C from scratch during the year for about $1250. I got:

Intel 2800+ Mhz CPU (non-Barton)
512MB PC2700 DDR RAM
120GB SATA Western Digital Hard Drive
DVD / CD RW+- (Burns DVDs & CDs)
Gigabyte M/B (no LAN support) with built-in sound
Basic 128MB Gigabyte Video card
17 inch flatscreen CRT monitor
Midi-Tower Case with power supply (installed an extra fan as well)
Multimedia keyboard
Optical mouse
Basic Creative Speakers

As none of the components were over $300, and I use it for work and study, it turned out to be very tax-effective. :)

[Bruce]

Dell is marketing to people exactly like your friend. Their products are no better or worse than any other manufacturer but they do offer an easy out fr people who don't really know what they want. Delivery at this time of year may be dodgy but no worse than anyone else.

Take a Dell ad into a yum-cha chop and get yourself a better deal there.
The seller will look you in the eye and not be some call centre or web site who don't give a shit.

[Fishman Dan]

Dell are marketing to punters - but the question beckons: What do you want to do with the PC.

If it's any more than solitaire, the internet and photo editing/printing, then the entry-level PC's from Dell aren't much chop. They will really struggle playing any sort of game with any movement (i.e. not a card game), and large graphics applications.

Last night i was looking at the Dell website for the father-in-law - a great deal (i think it expires tonight) to buy a good PC, flat screen monitor, delivered free before Xmas for $1199. Again i add, not for semi-serious computing.

Technical bit - Dell computers 'share' the system memory (RAM) with graphics applications. Modern PC's have a) RAM (i.e. 256 or 512 mb), and then a seperate number for "Video memory" (i.e. 128 mb etc). The better systems keep these things seperate, but it's good for cost-cutting for Dell.

[Ducky]

If your friend wants to go with Dell, let him. Why? Because if you advise him otherwise and there is a problem with the computer, who is he going to blame? Dell may not make the best performance PCs, but they provide next day on-site technical support with their warranties, which is handy for users who are unable to solve problems themselves.

In relation to onboard components, you are able to customise the setup to have them fill the AGP/PCI slots (and even the PCI-e slots if the motherboard supports it), so that isn't a problem.

Kind regards,

Ben (Ducky).

[Fishman Dan]

If your friend wants to go with Dell, let him. Why? Because if you advise him otherwise and there is a problem with the computer, who is he going to blame? Dell may not make the best performance PCs, but they provide next day on-site technical support with their warranties, which is handy for users who are unable to solve problems themselves.

In relation to onboard components, you are able to customise the setup to have them fill the AGP/PCI slots (and even the PCI-e slots if the motherboard supports it), so that isn't a problem.

Kind regards,

Ben (Ducky).

On your first point - if this person tries to load Unreal Tournament 2004 and it runs like a dog, you will also get asked why it runs so poorly. So make sure the purchaser knows what they intend to do with it today - and tomorrow.

The Dimension 3000 (or whatever the deal I spyed was) could be limited with expansion options - i can't remember, but it's not a flattering machine. On top of that, the average punter doesn't want to buy a new computer, to be told they can expand it (for a small cost of course :roll:) to make it able to play recent games etc.

[Aussielongdriver]

I bought a Dell 6 months ago and they were go to deal with
Delivered 1 day early
3.2 gig
1024 ram
DVD burner
under $1800 look for special offers play around with different configerations on their site to work out what you want at the right price.
very quick
no complaints from me.
I talk to some IT people first and they are as good as anything esle out there.
Cheaper because they used technology that everyone else develops so they don't have over heads for R&D

Stephen

[BrisVegas]

I've bought a couple of Dell Dimension's lately. One was a P4 2.8Gig bare box for my mum, good deal at $599. She already had a monitor.

Then last week I got one for my father in law, it was also a P4 2.8 with a DVD burner, 512Meg RAM and 80 Gig hard drive etc. It was $799 I think. They've been advertising this package with a 15 inch LCD montor for $1199 which is quite reasonable.

All in all, they are great to deal with and offer next business day on site service for the non-techie buyer.

If you're the sort of person who wants a souped up 3D gaming machine etc etc, you'll probably know the exact graphics, sound, RAM specs etc that you want and will buy it a fair bit cheaper at a smaller shop like umart. Horses for courses.

[Deano]

We've had Dells at work now for well over 6 months.
Must be 40plus pc's all up.
No complaints outta the ordinary.

FWIW I've got a HP at home.Lotta guys bag 'em too. :roll:
Mines been fine for me so far.Not a drama in
3 years.


Deano

[Fishman Dan]

We've had Dells at work now for well over 6 months.
Must be 40plus pc's all up.
No complaints outta the ordinary.

FWIW I've got a HP at home.Lotta guys bag 'em too. :roll:
Mines been fine for me so far.Not a drama in
3 years.

This is where i grew to hate them - in the workplace. They are great machines, but if for any reason they fail, be prepared. I used to look after 3 warehouses of them in Sydney and Canberra.

Don't get me wrong, they are prompt to replace anything faulty. It's the customer service rep that P's my Q's, since they outsourced to the subcontinent. They have to go through the 20 questions before they log any fault, and "Samuel" based in Mumbai hasn't mastered the headset.

But they weren't made to break anyway ;)

[wavemaker]

Thanks for all the responses. Seems my info was a bit wide of the mark.

[Fishman Dan]

Thanks for all the responses. Seems my info was a bit wide of the mark.

Wavey, you won't go wrong. I'm also trying to buy one for the wife's boss. Great deal ended yesterday, but as is the case with Dell as soon as one deal disappears, the next comes up.

Check out their website and go to the Home/Small office deals - for $2k you get a really good PC (Dimension 8400), and there's also a special upgrade offer - for $5 you can double the system memory (to 1 Gb - ample), double the graphics card capability (to 256 Mb - recommended), or get a better sound card - all options worth about $450.

All of that with a 19" Flat Screen. Giddy-up! :smt079

[wavemaker]

Thanks Danno. That seems to be a very good deal. So the field service with them is ok?

[Fishman Dan]

That seems to be a very good deal. So the field service with them is ok?

Like i said - getting through their initial helpdesk can be akin to pulling teeth, but you'll get a no questions asked replacement should anything 'break'.

If you want to spend a little more money (and let's face it, who doesn't? :roll:) then i'd suggest IBM - robust machines and also great service, but you'd pay a more than an equivalent Dell box.