Advice needed - buying a new PC

[Farganger]

I had three Dell desktops (purchased in 1995, 2000, and 2003), and never had any problems with any of them. The Dell laptop I got in late 2006 had a video card that fried early this year, had oddball problems since it got back to mostly working state after two trips to the repair depot, and at this point I think I need a reinstall to see if it's salvageable. Since I'm getting a new laptop for work, I've given up and ordered a new desktop.

Very similar history with Dell desktops, although I just bought my third a few weeks ago.

I've had great luck with their fairly high end systems and their technical support guys have always been quite good. We also use Dells at work -- hundreds and hundreds of them -- and it's clear they are at least reliable.

 

[Thanee]

Dell certainly isn't bad. Just too expensive.

Bye
Thanee

 

[drothgery]

Dell certainly isn't bad. Just too expensive.

Eh. On the low-end, assuming you want a legit copy of Windows and don't have one, and aren't otherwise cannibalizing parts from an older system, OEM boxes are cheaper; the midrange is a wash; and ultra-high-end isn't worth it anyway.

Edit: In the US, anyway; in Europe, things may very well be different.

 

[Thanee]

Eh. On the low-end, assuming you want a legit copy of Windows and don't have one, and aren't otherwise cannibalizing parts from an older system, OEM boxes are cheaper; the midrange is a wash; and ultra-high-end isn't worth it anyway.

Not entirely sure what you are saying here...

Bye
Thanee

P.S. As for the legit Windows... you can simply buy system builder versions here without having to get it together with a computer. And you actually own the software then, regardless of what MS puts into the license agreement, because german law doesn't allow some of the stuff they have in there; especially the part that they are only selling the right to use it.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I agree, too expensive. Not *way* too expensive, but yes, the difference is there.

The 'system builder' version of Windows is the OEM version, btw.

The only time I've seen Dell be cheaper for anything is the occasional *very* good deal on one or two of their LCD monitors.

The parts are no better than what you'll get elsewhere (and often subpar), warranties are likewise no better, and service is - on average - worse than that of the smaller businesses (around here, at least).

But there is certainly a lot of room for regional variation, anecdotal evidence and so on.

 

[drothgery]

Not entirely sure what you are saying here...

Basically, for a cheap box with all new parts and a legal copy of Windows (at least in the US) you can't beat a pre-built system on price by building your own, or even come all that close. For a midrange system it's about even.

And building a high end box is crazy unless you need it for work, in which case you want someone else to do it so there's a support contract in place, or you're a hardcore PC gamer (in which case, yes, you should build your own).

 

[Thanee]

Basically, for a cheap box with all new parts and a legal copy of Windows (at least in the US) you can't beat a pre-built system on price by building your own, or even come all that close. For a midrange system it's about even.

I see. Well, that's definitely not the case here. While there are plenty of companies around that sell pre-built systems (including Dell, HP, Fujitsu, and so on), the only reasonable use of those I can think of is for businesses, so the computers are all roughly the same, and because of long-running service contracts (which I would never consider for a home computer).

Other than that custom always wins... price, performance, quality, upgradeability, in every regard really.

For a mere €20 I get all the parts I want put together professionally including testing, OS pre-installation, and so on, and with a 2yr warranty on the full system on top (which is more than enough to cover the occasional defective hardware). I can even bring some of my own parts from somewhere else (as I did last time with the case, since they didn't have the one I wanted, anymore ).

And building a high end box is crazy unless you need it for work, in which case you want someone else to do it so there's a support contract in place, or you're a hardcore PC gamer (in which case, yes, you should build your own).

Don't even need to be a hardcore gamer. I wouldn't consider myself as such, yet I have a fairly high end machine (or had, one and a half years ago; it still runs all the new games, though ).

But maybe the situation is different here, quite possible.


You can buy System Builder / OEM Windows seperately here. It's illegal to restrict them to a specific machine.

Bye
Thanee

 

[drothgery]

You can buy System Builder / OEM Windows seperately here.

You can here, too (though it'll only be good for one machine). But generally a cheap Dell (or especially a cheap store brand PC) is less expensive than the cost of parts + OEM Windows.

 

[ssampier]

Getting a computer through a big box store may be a good idea. It's cheap and easy. The support not so good. A local Mom and Pop can be a good idea, if you can find one that will survive.

Then again if you require really good support you may want to buy from a boutique vendor. Puget System is one such example.

 

[Thanee]

You can here, too (though it'll only be good for one machine).

That's the difference, the "you bought it, but we still own it, you just got the right to use it as we please" crap doesn't work here. If you buy it, you own the copy and can install it wherever you want (one installation at a time only, of course).

But generally a cheap Dell (or especially a cheap store brand PC) is less expensive than the cost of parts + OEM Windows.

I see.

Bye
Thanee