Dell Computers

Topic: Dell Computers (Read 7975 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #15 – November 06, 2004, 07:02:57 PM

Get used to it - as I said in my earlier post, I'm on #3 for my 1100 :D

Could be worse, though - when I fisrt got my notebook the screen didn't work. I had to plug it into a standard monitor to use until they shipped me a new one. The good thing though was that they handled it very good.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #16 – November 06, 2004, 08:37:47 PM

I'm not surprised. I tend to have bad luck with "new" stuff. They were prompt about shipping out a new one. Maby I should have got that extended warrenty.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #17 – November 08, 2004, 10:19:26 PM

Aww heck, I liked my Dell so much I bought the company...

...Well not really, I just bought me a new system to augment the laptop. I used to be a diehard build-it-yourself kind of guy, but after much research Dell can build one much cheaper than I can. I bought a Dimension 4700 with the following specs:

P4 3.2 gHz @ 800FSB (guess I get to see what this HT stuff is all about)
1GB Dual channel DDR2 @ 400Mhz ('twas a free upgrade from 512MB)
80GB SATA HDD
16X daul layer DVD +/-RW
52X CD ROM
128MB Radion x300 PCI express video
17" flat screen monitor

Total price including shipping: $1200. Canadian dollars. Let's see somebody build a system with those specs at that price or better! I tried "building" systems on local computer parts' web sites with both AMD and Pentium silicon and could not come up with a better price, or even a close price.

Now I just have to impatiently wait 'til it arrives...

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #18 – November 08, 2004, 11:13:45 PM

"impatiently wait 'til it arrives." That's the truth. I've had three delieveries from purolator in the last two weeks. And for each one (one was the laptop, the other my new ac adaptor) I was not yet home from work and I had to drive into the city the next day to pick it up at the terminal.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #19 – November 09, 2004, 10:59:11 AM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken

Let's see somebody build a system with those specs at that price or better!

Mines close if not dead even!! Check the what's your computer thread. I'm only up too $700 ish.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #20 – November 09, 2004, 11:06:21 AM

Building PC's is a lot like building car audio. In car audio you can put together a 2500 watt system for about 20% of the price it would cost using all high-end components if you use the kinda stuff you find at say... http://www.electronixwarehouse.com But, it's not going to be anywhere near the quality and reliability of a better name brand.

Same goes for PC's... if you use a good motherbord, well ventilated case, and high-quality power supply, just for starters, you've already got a more expensive system with the same performance specs as something you could build with cheaper parts. Plus, when you build your own and say your video card screws up... who's gonna send you a free one? Not me.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #21 – November 09, 2004, 11:30:41 AM

Quote from: nirvanagod

Mines close if not dead even!! Check the what's your computer thread. I'm only up too $700 ish.

Quote from: nirvanagod

Amd Athlon XP 3200+ (barton core 400mhz fsb)
Soyo Dragon SY-KT880
1gb Cosair XMS Low Latency (2-2-2-5) Matched Pair DDR 3200 (400 mhz) Ram
Samsung 52x32x52x16 Cd-r/dvd combo drive
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128mb
Sound Blaster Live
3 40gb 7200rpm Seagate Barracuda's
Thermaltake A1745 Extreme Volcano 12 Heatsink And Fan
Thermaltake Xaser Silent Purepower 480W Powersupply

Not bad, but does that $700 include a DVD burner and a 17" flat panel? Or a two-year, in-home service warranty (something I wish I had bought for the laptop)? And it it US or Canadian dollars?

Remember, this new Dell system is 100% new. Everything from the mouse to the monitor, and even a real honest-to-goodness-legal copy of Windows XP! The case, mobo, floppy drive, hard drive, proc, power supply - everything is newnewnewnewnew!

If I still had an old tower system lying around I probably would've just "rebuilt" it with a new mobo, proc, RAM and maybe HDD (and very likely would've gone AMD), but I had zero computer components lying around, so I had to go from the ground up. It's hard to believe how much the little stuff that you usually carry over during upgrades, like the case, mouse, keyboard, floppy, etc add up to. I couldn't find the parts cheap enough to compete with store-bought. Next time around, though, I'll have a base to upgrade from

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #22 – November 09, 2004, 01:29:53 PM

dell can have some really good deals...it was hard to beat dell systems (without monitor/speakers) with top of the line processors/video/good amount of ram for $300 or so it was at times. A lot of people buy the "hot deal" dell systems and use the parts in their own builds since they can save a hundred or two getting the parts that way.

What brand of lcd? If its samsung or an equivalent brand, great price on the system. The videocard will bring down the rest of your system if you game at ALL though. Its their new budget card. I keep seeing it compared to the FX5200 and that card was slower than the geforce 4 Ti's.

"and even a real honest-to-goodness-legal copy of Windows XP"
heh, if its Pro, thats a good $150USD or so there...really jacks up the price. Don't think nirvanagod can compete ;)

Let us know how it runs and if dell includes a bunch of bloatware from the factory. It may be a good idea to just wipe the system and reinstall windows (as long as they actually include the bare OS cd with the system)

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #23 – November 09, 2004, 01:36:36 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken

Not bad, but does that $700 include a DVD burner and a 17" flat panel? Or a two-year, in-home service warranty (something I wish I had bought for the laptop)? And it it US or Canadian dollars?

DVD burner is on it's way so i'm up to about 800'ish (US dollars). As for having a flat panel, i'm not 100% convinced on the technology based on my experiences with laptops having theirs blow out. So for now i'll just stick with my 19" dell crt :) . As for the warranty, all the parts range from a year to 3 years, so i'm not terribly concerned on that front. Besides the parts were cheap enough that if one did die and it was outta warranty I could easily just by the same part cheaper or just upgrade to something better. Granted it's just my personal opinion and all. But I do work with dell quite often at my job and I do like what they put out. Plus for people who are not technically inclined enough to build their own computer or want the highest end machine possible for gaming or staying ahead of the curve for a couple months, I typically suggest buying a Dell... Or IBM!!

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #24 – November 09, 2004, 01:42:34 PM

Quote from: Seek

heh, if its Pro, thats a good $150USD or so there...really jacks up the price. Don't think nirvanagod can compete

I've got legit copies Of all micro$oft os's Up to Windows Server 2003, courtesy of my work, and they were free!!! It's fun working in IT!!

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #25 – November 09, 2004, 03:30:43 PM

Seek: the fp is Dell branded, so I don't know who made it (I'm sure it won't be hard to figure out when I actually see it in person tho). It is XP home - I have Pro on the laptop and it runs pretty much the same as Home in my eyes.

I'm 100% certain that it will come loaded with ware, just like my laptop did. Before I even have it connected to the internet the HDD will be wiped clean, partitioned, and re-windowed. They do come with real OS CD's (thank God).

The only gaming I do is playing old arcade games on MAME, and some late-90's era games such as Need for Speed IV and Deer Hunter II. I think the vid card should be able to handle that with no probems - I played all of those games on my old Geforce II with a paltry 32MB VRam!

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #26 – November 09, 2004, 10:12:43 PM

' Dell just shipped me a second AC adaptor that didn't work. My oppinion of them is steadly declineing.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #27 – November 09, 2004, 10:16:08 PM

if Dell is still going with the lcd's they have been for years, it should be a Samsung. Some of their products are nice. Myself, I have a Dell rebadged Sony G520. $180. Good stuff.

and if I ever had a lcd with a backlight die, or find one, it'll just be the next lcd to be built into a projector. Svga projector at 90" (room isn't big enough for a longer throw distance), with $30 bulbs that last 10,000+ hours, for $300 is hard to beat :D

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #28 – November 09, 2004, 10:45:31 PM

Quote from: merccougar50

' Dell just shipped me a second AC adaptor that didn't work. My oppinion of them is steadly declineing.

Are you sure it's the adapter and not the jack in the back of the computer? That may have a bad solder joint on the motherboard, causing a no charge condition. Both of my fault adapters worked for awhile, and even worked when I returned them. They just had shorts in their output wires.

Re: Dell Computers

Reply #29 – November 09, 2004, 11:36:12 PM

my dad had the same thing happen on his hp pavilion