Writing a Paper on Dell

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PHiuR

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
9,539
2
76
people are truly retarded when it comes to computers...This girl I was talking to said that her computer 'broke' because of spyware and it won't turn on anymore so they have to buy a new one...Then they got a new one and it broke 6 months later even though they had all these fancy smazzy anti virus/spyware software on it...

Oh yeah, people will buy Dells just because they are Dells...
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
Originally posted by: Tenshodo
Do you Have any horror stories?
when i ordered my computer it took 3 calls to customer service to fix it. their website was screwed up and the option i selected said '3rd year of warranty with complete care free" so of course i got neither 3 years of warranty or complete care. no one at customer service knew what the specials were that previous week. the indian guys wouldn't tell me what extension i was being transfered to either. the 3rd try i got an american and he told me the extension. wtf? why couldn't the indian guys do that?

then my notebook had some hardware error where if the agp driver was installed the system would crash on boot. first they told me i had a configuration problem with windows xp. when i get there i explain my situation and the girl tells me that i should be back in tech support. so then i go back there. first the guy tried to tell me there was no agp driver because there was no agp port. then he tried to tell me there was no agp driver, even though there was an agp bus. he thought the driver was 1 big monolithic driver, rather than being 1 installer for several drivers. it took me an hour of beating him over the head before he finally got it. at least he didn't hang up on me.

the last time i dealt with them was when the 2005FPW's price dropped another $60 the day after i got mine. first the said i they couldn't do anything, then that i could have a coupon. i ended up returning the first reordering, which is just silly.
Do you like or dislike Dell?
i generally like them
Why or Why not?
they have low prices, so i guess i'm not actually paying that much for service (note that the large enterprise, and now XPS series, prices are always higher, that's because you get much better service, don't have to wait on hold forever, you get someone who can speak US english properly, and knows something about computer hardware), and the accident coverage is very nice piece of mind.
What do you think of customer service and other misc.. stuff about products.
it blows. see above for stories and caveats.

 

bucwylde23

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2005
4,180
0
71
Had an Inspiron 8200, bought in Jan 2003. Gave it to my dad, still running great.

Currently own:
Dimension 8400
Inspiron 600m

Never had any MAJOR problems. Had to get one mother board replaced, and had a power supply go out.
All issues were handled within just a couple days at the most.

Between me and my parents, we have bought 4 Dells and are satisfied with all of the machines.
 

cw42

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2004
4,227
0
76
Originally posted by: Kyteland
You need more granularity in your poll options. I neither love nor hate Dell. I can't say that they're great, but I wouldn't call them bad either. They are merely OK.


+1
 

Skiguy411

Platinum Member
Dec 4, 2002
2,093
0
0
Originally posted by: ucdbiendog
dont have a dell
hate them
bad

for a tech forum im surprised to see numbers favoring dell

What is your reasoning for hating them?
 

NiKeFiDO

Diamond Member
May 21, 2004
3,901
1
76
Originally posted by: cw42
Originally posted by: Kyteland
You need more granularity in your poll options. I neither love nor hate Dell. I can't say that they're great, but I wouldn't call them bad either. They are merely OK.


+1

ftw
 

NiKeFiDO

Diamond Member
May 21, 2004
3,901
1
76
I have one, its served its purpose without fail.
I dont like how their equipment is non-standard, but it is cost effective.
Their customer service can be horrendous (my roomy is going through some sh1t with her laptop right now)
 

DeathReborn

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 2005
2,786
789
136
My parents used to have a Dell PC and it didn't last more than 5 months before the PSU blew, followed by the RAM then finally the CPU overheated (cos the Fan stopped). While the PSU was replaced quickly, the RAM & CPU took over a month to sort out. They sol dit to some hapless fool and bought a HP Laptop (whicxh is not much better btw).

My advice to anyone thinking of buying a Dell, shop around or get one custom built to your needs. Most PC Retailers (not Comet, Dixons or PC World) will do custom builds.
 

Kaervak

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
8,460
2
81
Do you Have a Dell?
Two acutally. Inspiron 8200 purchased new from them back in 2002 and a Latitude LS purchased from eBay last month.

Do you Like or Dislike?
My Inspiron has been pretty much problem free from day one. Had to have the LCD replaced due to dead pixels, but other than that, fine. Only complaint about my Latitude LS is the max resolution is 800x600.

What do you think of Dell as a company?
Pretty decent. The few times I've had to call support I didn't have any problems and their computers, in my experience, have been pretty problem free.

Do you Have any horror stories?
Nope

Do you like or dislike Dell?
Fairly neutral on them. They make a good product and have some great deals fairly regulary, but if another company was able to out-do them, I'd switch to them.

What do you think of customer service and other misc.. stuff about products.
CS was ok the few rare times I've had to use them. Prices are good on systems, but sometimes overpriced on other things.
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
meh. They don't use AMD procs.

Plus their GX260s-280s pop PSU's really easy. I've had like 25 go in the last year, their cases have always been a PITA to open until recently...

We have every flavor of GX280 and have never seen one go yet? :confused: Perhaps the power in your building sucks?
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,402
8,574
126
Originally posted by: dainthomas

Not saying they have to be "super leet", but saying you love Dell is like saying you love GE because they make the greatest toasters. A Dell is a tool, nothing to get excited about.

seeing as how the only choices are love or hate, love is much closer to most peoples' feeling (like) than hate.
 

TreyRandom

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
3,346
0
76
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Judging from the poll results, there are a lot of n00bs in this thread. This is an enthusiast website folks, not some AOL chat room filled with 11 y/o girls talking about how "OMG!!!!! ORLANDO BLOOM IS SOOOOO HOTTTT!!!!!!".

:roll:

I'm an enthusiast who enjoys his 3.2 GHz Inspiron 5160 for $800... purchased LAST year. Can't beat the price. I don't need a self-built uber-box for going around to client sites. If I want to game... THEN I'll use my self-built desktop.

And yeah, I'm a total n00b. I've been messing with computers only since 1980, so I've got a ways to go before I reach your 1337 level, huh?
 

Regs

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
16,666
21
81
I would be writing my report entirely on the business relationships that they have....
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
142
116
Originally posted by: loup garou
I :heart: Dell.

Same here. I'm typing this on my whisper-quiet $124 Dell 400SC (got it last year), which is sitting right next to the much larger $124 Dell 3100cn color laser printer (got it last month, love it).
 

BD2003

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
16,815
1
81
I used to build my own PCs. Then I caught a new dell on a deal.

It was like going from a modded civic, loud, obnoxious, and crude, to a fast, refined, QUIET, trouble free maxima.

I hate their tech support, but Im not the kind of guy who needs it. I just threw in some new ram, a new video card, and I couldnt ask for more. Everything just works, and I like having a dead silent PC without having to spend extra on supier quiet fans etc.
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
We had a Dell, never gave any problems, upgraded it with no issue (more RAM, then added an extra HDD).
We had a monitor issue, which they sorted (under warranty) with a replacement warranty.
But this was a while back (like 6 or 7 years), and things may be different now.
 

Rock Hydra

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
6,466
1
0
Have?
Yes, and old P3 system
Like dell?
Yeah, they're okay.
As a whole?
I have no basis for making a judgement, so I decline to vote for the last one.
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Originally posted by: Tenshodo

Do you Have any horror stories?
From our users yeah. From working with Dell, No.
Do you like or dislike Dell?
I love them. Have never had a problem with them. I recommend them to everyone I know as long as they get an extended warranty.
Why or Why not?
Service is great (once you get past the long hold times). We use them at work and have all parts shipped out overnight. Know people that have them at home and have never had a problem getting something fixed under warranty.
What do you think of customer service and other misc.. stuff about products.
Hold times can be long. Reps can be from India or somewhere hard to understand. But once you are able to get your point across, service is normally great.