Author Topic: Any particular reason NOT to buy a Dell? (Read 4956 times)

idolminds · « **on:** Saturday, February 16, 2008, 08:52:11 PM »

I found this and speced out a system.

$876.85 system:

Intel® Core™2 Duo Proc E6750 (2.66GHz,4MB L2Cache,1333FSB)
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
No Pre-installed Productivity Software
Dell 19 inch Widescreen E198WFP Analog Flat Panel Monitor
4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 4DIMMs
Single Drive: 16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800 GT
No Floppy Drive
56K PCI Data Fax Modem
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

I also did a version with the 24" monitor and 2GB of RAM, and that came to $902.

Is there any reason for me to NOT buy this system? I know, its Dell. My old Dell from 2000 is running still, the family uses it, so I can't really say anything against them. I can build a system to similar specs on Newegg, but the price would likely end up higher even without the monitor and OS.

The coupon that makes this so cheap expires Wed, so I have a few days to decide.

Ghandi · « **Reply #1 on:** Saturday, February 16, 2008, 08:57:24 PM »

Quote from: idolminds on Saturday, February 16, 2008, 08:52:11 PM

No Floppy Drive

NO DEAL!

/waits for people who actually know what they are talking about to comment

MysterD · « **Reply #2 on:** Saturday, February 16, 2008, 09:40:41 PM »

Quote from: idolminds on Saturday, February 16, 2008, 08:52:11 PM

I found this and speced out a system.

$876.85 system:

Intel® Core™2 Duo Proc E6750 (2.66GHz,4MB L2Cache,1333FSB)
Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
No Pre-installed Productivity Software
Dell 19 inch Widescreen E198WFP Analog Flat Panel Monitor
4GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz - 4DIMMs
Single Drive: 16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800 GT
No Floppy Drive
56K PCI Data Fax Modem
Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

I also did a version with the 24" monitor and 2GB of RAM, and that came to $902.

Is there any reason for me to NOT buy this system?

Ummm....how upgradeable is this PC?

What's the mobo on this?
Intel, I'd guess?

What's the watt supply on this bad-boy?

What kind of DVD-Burner drive are they using here??
Hopefully, not Phillips...

Quote from: Cobra

I've seen Oblivion on a PC that can barely run it right, and I've seen it on a console that runs it very well. Guess which one I'd rather play? Yes, I could spend 4 figures on equipment to run it even better. I don't need to. It's good enough.

Since that's still 3 figures, I wonder if Cobra saw this...

scottws · « **Reply #3 on:** Saturday, February 16, 2008, 09:52:30 PM »

I don't think I'll ever be enticed after my first (and last) brand PC purchase. It was a fairly beefy PIII system at the time. I took the liberty of upgrading RAM and adding a videocard (a GeForce 3) right away.

I was having trouble with the system randomly rebooting, which most people attributed to the PSU not being able to handle the power draw. So I look... the thing was like 140W!!! I'm like, ok, I'll replace it. Well, that was impossible. It wasn't a standard ATX power supply. In fact, it wasn't standard anything. It was some proprietary power supply and HP didn't sell and sort of upgrades for it. I was stuck.

No thanks.

Plus, you can't touch memory, FSB, or CPU timings on a brand-name PC, generally.

idolminds · « **Reply #4 on:** Saturday, February 16, 2008, 10:00:48 PM »

Yeah, thats whats making me cautious. Just the quality of components to get that price. Notice theres no mention of the mobo, nothing on the PSU. Those are pretty important things to know.

Also, I posted this on IGN and they suggest I dont buy the 4GB RAM from Dell...just get the minimum and buy the 4GB elsewhere since it'll be cheaper (which is true).

Cobra951 · « **Reply #5 on:** Saturday, February 16, 2008, 10:29:32 PM »

I'm on my Dell Dimension 8100 still. It's 7 years old, and has never given me any major trouble. I replaced the DVD drive with a Pioneer burner. It was getting weak in reading DVDs, but never failed outright. I've upgraded it twice. I added a bigger HDD, but the original 40GB one is still in there. I've worked with Dells in offices as well. No problems then. I don't know how the newer ones stack up.

Pugnate · « **Reply #6 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 12:03:29 AM »

Damn, that's a pretty good deal Idol. Especially considering it is branded.

MysterD · « **Reply #7 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 07:14:33 AM »

Quote from: idolminds on Saturday, February 16, 2008, 10:00:48 PM

Yeah, thats whats making me cautious. Just the quality of components to get that price. Notice theres no mention of the mobo, nothing on the PSU. Those are pretty important things to know.

I agree.

Mobo, Watt Supply, all of that stuff that isn't listed....eh, that worries me a little bit b/c it is all important stuff.

I dunno, maybe you could call Dell and hopefully get someone who could answer ask them exactly what the pieces are that you're in question about for that base machine???

I mean, 'cause really -- if those pieces are at least decent stuff, that's a pretty good bargain you could get there, Idol.

I mean, if it's even at the very least a decent Intel mobo and probably at least a 600+ Watt Supply, you could probably start dancin' right now.

Pug, what is the minimum AND recommended watt supply for supporting the 8800 GT?

Quote

Also, I posted this on IGN and they suggest I dont buy the 4GB RAM from Dell...just get the minimum and buy the 4GB elsewhere since it'll be cheaper (which is true).

That's not a bad idea, either.

Xero · « **Reply #8 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 08:13:24 AM »

I worked at Dell for a year and a half building those things and here's what I can tell you.

First off Every part put into a Dell is prety much a crap shoot. Its hardly ever the same brand of RAM, Mobo, even PSU. typically they get parts from whoever gave them the best deal at the time as long as its the same type of part. Now I have seen Kingston RAM with the higher end PCs like the XPS but thats about it for anything name brand.

Second, the PSU was usually bare minimum what you needed to run the system and a few accs. I'm guessing it'll be about 500W on the newer systems. The only exception I can remember is the XPS systems and they had a little leadway when it came to this.

Third, if you decide to buy it, because even so its not a bad deal, work it over hard pretty soon after getting it to see if there is anything at all wrong with it. If so call Dell and have it fixed right away. They usually have decent customer support

scottws · « **Reply #9 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 10:21:17 AM »

Oh, yeah for the motherboard. It's not going to be something you can buy at Newegg. It will be a proprietary part made for Dell, with a proprietary BIOS. It probably won't even be a standard ITX or ATX or microATX motherboard, it too will be a proprietary one.

iPPi · « **Reply #10 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 07:42:46 PM »

I've got a Dell laptop, and although I do not use it on a regular basis because I don't need a laptop everyday, it's been excellent when I do need one.

I would personally never buy a branded PC though. I'd rather buy the parts and have someone build it for me or build it myself.

shock · « **Reply #11 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 07:51:25 PM »

I have had 2 Dell laptops and both of them have been excellent. As far as I am concerned, Dell is the best manufactured PC company.

Quemaqua · « **Reply #12 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 07:53:17 PM »

Maybe they'll send you some cheap fucking foreign labor too since you have a coupon.

scottws · « **Reply #13 on:** Sunday, February 17, 2008, 08:03:29 PM »

Laptops are another story. I too have a Dell laptop. But I would never buy a branded desktop ever again.

Pugnate · « **Reply #14 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 01:45:11 AM »

Wow I had always assumed that a Dell desktop would feature the best individual components because it was....well...Dell. Guess I was wrong.

Quemaqua · « **Reply #15 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 02:04:43 AM »

I really hope that was sarcasm.

Pugnate · « **Reply #16 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 02:26:14 AM »

Well you must understand, in the middle east, Dell systems were always the most expensive etc. Then they also bought Alienware, and I assumed they'd be top of the line machines. They've also got some high class monitors.

Now I am realizing they are more like Compaq or something.

beo · « **Reply #17 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 05:31:34 AM »

come on! dell aren't nearly as bad as compaq or hp systems. at least they give you decent graphics cards and relatively standardised components.

that said, i'd obviously rather go for a home build, but part of that lies in the fact that i have a pcb fetish.

idolminds · « **Reply #18 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 10:08:41 AM »

I'm probably going to skip this and build myself. The price difference isn't that much. I won't get a monitor, but I already have one so no big loss.

Quemaqua · « **Reply #19 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 11:41:34 AM »

Plus you get the satisfaction and security of doing it yourself and knowing that you know exactly what went in where and how.

Pugnate · « **Reply #20 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 11:58:06 AM »

And if you have any problems, Sirean is a phone call away!

Quemaqua · « **Reply #21 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 12:13:47 PM »

Yes, so he can keep you from doing dumb shit like accidentally blowing up your motherboard.

Shut up.

Pugnate · « **Reply #22 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 01:18:14 PM »

Who did what now?

Quemaqua · « **Reply #23 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 03:02:19 PM »

Uuhhhh... nothing. Nobody did anything at all. Nope. What were you talking about?

Hey look, a famous person and/or natural disaster!

*escape*

Pugnate · « **Reply #24 on:** Monday, February 18, 2008, 05:09:09 PM »

*tries to think of a famous person who was a natural disaster*

Why was the first name to mind, Paris Hilton?

Also where did Que go?

News:

Author Topic: Any particular reason NOT to buy a Dell? (Read 4956 times)