ok, so everyone says that dells suck and well i agree. They are too expensive and have horrible options, but ive also heard that dells cant be upgraded. why is that? my parents have a dell and i was gonna uprgrade the ram, but i dont want to buy the parts and find out that i cant install it.
dells
- Thread starter fishsgood
- Start date
Or the power supply or the case...and sometimes the graphics card...and not enough drive bays.
The options are NOT fine. Highest soundcard available: SB Live! Woo woo!
you get a lot for what you pay for though
my roomate got a 3.0c/9800 pro/512 ram/18 inch LCD for $900 shipped
added an IS7 and a sonata and a Audigy II. now he has a top of the line with an 18 inch lcd for $ $1250
Nope. Some high end ones have standard PSes but most are still proprietary. If you hook up a standard ATX, you'll blow out the motherboard.
apoppin
Lifer
The main problem - as I see it - is dell's lack of service (unlike years past).
Lact of UPgrading options is a minor complaint.
You really DO get what you pay for and I would NEVER buy a Dell (ever again - I put up with one of their notebooks).
Lact of UPgrading options is a minor complaint.
You really DO get what you pay for and I would NEVER buy a Dell (ever again - I put up with one of their notebooks).
I had a Dell, I never used it. I gave it to my mom about a year or so ago for work. It was all messed up and needed to be formatted and a fresh install of XP.
I used a *cough* borrowed copy of XP, and Beau helped me set it up cause Im XP formatting handicaped. I lost the back up CD dell provides you with, had to delete partitions and such... Anyway long story short he helped me and it worked, but now things are all messed up with it. See my Device failure thread.
It just wont take to the DVD/CD rom drive.
So I know what you mean when you say you cant upgrade it. Everytime I restart the laptop now I get an error message (which I've also provided in my device failure thread) and it wont go away.
I used a *cough* borrowed copy of XP, and Beau helped me set it up cause Im XP formatting handicaped. I lost the back up CD dell provides you with, had to delete partitions and such... Anyway long story short he helped me and it worked, but now things are all messed up with it. See my Device failure thread.
It just wont take to the DVD/CD rom drive.
So I know what you mean when you say you cant upgrade it. Everytime I restart the laptop now I get an error message (which I've also provided in my device failure thread) and it wont go away.
Every desktop model, other than the Dimension XPS uses ATX PSUs. Certain cases don't have room for an on/off button, so you need to find an ATX PSU without the on/off button, but that's it.
mechBgon
Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
- Oct 31, 1999
- 30,699
- 1
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Every desktop model other than XPS? Look at this pic. Maybe you mean the current-model-year, mid-tower systems? 'Cause I'm seeing two form factors of the three that have no room for an ATX PSU there. edit: here's the link showing all three: link
As a resource for people trying to determine whether their particular Dell has a proprietary PSU or not, use PC Power & Cooling's PSU configurator.
I guess I mean all of the typical systems that people buy, not the less common small-form factor models which I'd imagine are bought with little regard to upgradibilty.
Still doesn't stop the fact that you're wrong. The typical consumer models, the Dimension 2400, 4600 and 8300 and the PowerEdge 400SC, popular in deal forums, all use an ATX PSU.
Wrong. The pinouts are fudged. ATX PSU will blow out motherboard.
1. You
2. +
3. wrong
4. =
5. you are wrong.
6. carry results from line to 5 to line 7
7. KTHX!
Get it?
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dim8300/sm/techov.htm#1102452
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dim4600/en/4600/sm/techov.htm#1105652
Plus people who've replaced their 400SC PSU with ATX PSUs...
http://www.aaltonen.us/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24&highlight=atx
Those first two links don't work but the third one does.
Yes, that particular model does have a standard pin out but "Some cutting will be required to get it to fit inside."
So in other words, it doesn't take an ATX power supply.
Cutting and drilling screwholes is not a viable upgrade path for most end users.
Thanks for doing the legwork and providing a link which demonstrates that normal PSUs don't fit. Saves me the work
Good job
To answer your question, yes it is alright to upgrade the ram. However then dell tech support (which is based out of india) will not help you with ram relaited questions. I replaced my vid card fine on my dell and they just won't answer video related questions... so i just tell them i have the stock card in
Budmantom
Lifer
- Aug 17, 2002
- 13,103
- 1
- 81
Dell isn't for everybody but it is a viable option for a lot of people. Here is my list of when Dell is for you and when they aren't.
If you want to rip out the motherboard and the psu, Dell might not be your best option.
If you want to overclock, dell is not for you.
If you want an Amd chip, Dell might not be the best option.
If you want tech support, Dell is for you.
If you want great tech support, Dell isn't for you.
If you buy a Dell 2400 and try to install an agp video card and complain that it wont work, chances are you should buy another Dell because there is no way your going to be able to figure out what parts to buy and install them correctly.
If you want to upgrade the video card, hard drive, sound card, optical drives and memory Dell is for you.
If you come here and complain about sound card options, Dell is for you, because chances are you will have a hard time installing a sound card yourself.
If you have been on AT for over a month and complain that Dells are over priced Dell is for you, because if you can't find a good deal on a Dell you won't be able to find a good deal on anything.
Dell has it's downside, if you want to get ripped off just call them and ask them to build a computer for you and they will take all your money. If call Dell for anything chances are you will speak to about 10 people and get transferred about 20X. They are a huge company and if you want tech support you will be speaking with somebody with a heavy Indian accent.
On the upside if you watch hot deals you can get a fast computer for a lot less than you can build yourself, they will give you a year tech support. If you buy a 4600/8300 they are highly upgradeable and I love the clamshell case, the computers are whisper quite.
Tom
If you want to rip out the motherboard and the psu, Dell might not be your best option.
If you want to overclock, dell is not for you.
If you want an Amd chip, Dell might not be the best option.
If you want tech support, Dell is for you.
If you want great tech support, Dell isn't for you.
If you buy a Dell 2400 and try to install an agp video card and complain that it wont work, chances are you should buy another Dell because there is no way your going to be able to figure out what parts to buy and install them correctly.
If you want to upgrade the video card, hard drive, sound card, optical drives and memory Dell is for you.
If you come here and complain about sound card options, Dell is for you, because chances are you will have a hard time installing a sound card yourself.
If you have been on AT for over a month and complain that Dells are over priced Dell is for you, because if you can't find a good deal on a Dell you won't be able to find a good deal on anything.
Dell has it's downside, if you want to get ripped off just call them and ask them to build a computer for you and they will take all your money. If call Dell for anything chances are you will speak to about 10 people and get transferred about 20X. They are a huge company and if you want tech support you will be speaking with somebody with a heavy Indian accent.
On the upside if you watch hot deals you can get a fast computer for a lot less than you can build yourself, they will give you a year tech support. If you buy a 4600/8300 they are highly upgradeable and I love the clamshell case, the computers are whisper quite.
Tom
mechBgon
Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
- Oct 31, 1999
- 30,699
- 1
- 0
Dell desktops ~ McDonalds Happy Meal?. Cheap, easy, no cooking required on your part... and you can buy 50 of them in one shot if your kid is having a huge birthday party. The burger contains the same general ingredients as a burger you'd make on your own grille in your backyard, too.
How's that analogy? Survey says...?
How's that analogy? Survey says...?
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