Buying a new Desktop, what brand

[CLC Stables]

I am anxious to hear everyone's opinions on new desktops...............we are looking at purchasing a new one, 11 years is about all mine can handle............

What brand do you have and recommend??

 

[minimama]

We have fourteen computers in our house. (I know it sounds extreme huh?) we have HP and Dell and a gateway. i would recommend Dell hands down every time. Better quality, built better, stronger, better service. I will not buy another HP and never another gateway.

Oh hubby had a Toshiba for a while he liked too. I never used it, but he relaly liked that one too.

 

[Sterling]

I love my Gateway. Hubby just got a new Mac lap top (Mac Book Pro) a couple of months ago and it's awesome. When it's time to change my next desk top will more than likely be a Mac..

 

[Just Us N Texas]

I have a gateway, HP, and a two dells. I don't like any of them!

 

[lvponies]

We had really bad luck with an HP once and hated their customer service trying to rectify the situation. Have had nothing but Dell laptops and a desk top ever since. I am on an IBM ThinkPad laptop right now though that I've had for a year and it's been great!!

 

[Alice]

I have 3 Mac's and really like them, 2 laptops and 1 desk top. Very easy to run.

Alice

 

[Leeana]

I went through 4 Dells in 6 years ....enough said!

I just, over the weekend, purchased a Windows HP Vista desktop with a 19'' LCD Screen. Its wonderful, super fast and loaded! I've read some bad reviews, but, i re-installed all programs that i had on my old computer to my new on just fine, no issues at all. Its wonderful. I believe it was $1,455 where i purchased it from?

My brother has a HP at the office, it works so smooth. On my old Dell, it would take (and i am not kidding), 3-4 minutes just for the start menu to open up

.

I expect my HP Vista to last a very very long time

 

[Shari]

Only "bought" model of computer we have is my" Dell XPS M1710 laptop". Does everything,, from Gaming and what ever other uses you need. Best in it's class...but I did have to return the original one because of many issues. But this one, the replacement that is..so far, hasn't given me any problems.

Hubby makes all our other boxes,,,or should say.. "Frankin boxes". Is cheaper if you know how to put them together yourself.

Can get yourself a rip snorting fast one for the fraction of the cost, that way.

I always go by what Consumer Reports say... that way you have the best chance of getting something reliable and works well.

I will recommend though.... staying away from Vista. Not worth it at this point,, not much is compatible with it even now, which is frustrating.

 

[Alex]

I have an IBM, hp desktop, and hp laptop. I love em all.

DONT gew a dell. A friend got 1 for x-mas, and the windows wasnt installed right, and it had some infection thingy. There customer care also sucks.

 

[Becky]

I bought a new Dell Inspiron 531S desktop in September and I love it! I don't have a lot of programs on mine so I have no issues with Vista, but if you do get Vista, my recommendation is to get as much memory as you can afford. I have no problems with Vista whatsoever, but it does use a lot of memory.

Dell is very reasonably priced and you can get just what you want and build it right on their website. Also check their refurbished site. My daughter got a heck of a deal on a 'scratch and dent' model. Not refurbished and only a couple of scratches on it.

 

[Valerie]

We have had Gateway (totally stunk...so did their customer service)...then we switched to Dell....also totally

stinks (as does their customer service)..... we got what we think was a "refurbished" hard drive...and we bought brand, brand new...and the top of the line to boot......totally stunk. The customer service is awful, when you call you are out-sourced to people in another county (don't know which one, but I hava good guess) and they do not understand you and you cannot understand them (well, we couldn't....., strictly my point of view folks)...it was a disaster. We ended up going to our local computer store & the rebuilt our Dell for us....and it does work better.....but that said, our next one will be a MAC........

Good luck...and I totally agree.....research on Consumer Reports...... that is a great idea!

 

[LowriseMinis]

I will never, ever, EVER buy another Acer ever again, I can tell you that. Currently working with a lawyer on that subject.

I'm on a Dell now which is four years old, it's a little quirky sometimes but it's held up really well. A tech friend of mine says his favorite of the 'box brand' computers is HP.

 

[dreamlandnh]

I have 3 HP's at the house and one Lenovo laptop. We will only purchase HP's at our house...granted my husband is a Technician for computers. We both work for a mail order computer company and can purchase many different brands and he stands behind the HP.

He has worked on all the brands also. He can't stand Dell.

 

[Connie Ballard]

I've used Dell laptops and desktops for past 10yrs LOVE them. This year bought a 2 new ones for our engraving business...the old ones still worked...but my needs increased due to graphics and running my computerized engraving equipment so upgraded to business level systems...OptiPlex tower and awesome laptop.

I use my laptop a ton at home and traveling. Whenever my old laptop needed something done (their extendede NO FAULT warranty IS INCREDIBLE)....I'd call the 800...they'd send Fed Ex...and GET THIS>>..it left our home in Ohio....came back next day from repair center in Georgia with whole new keyboard installed...no charge...SERIOUS!!! And...it was wear/tear on my part that caused it...which I told them.

I bought an HP desktop couple years ago for a project...HATED it and their service was so so sad....!

Believe me...I am a Customer Service Department's worst nightmare. I managed a Fortune 500 company's customer service department for 23 yrs....so I have been there...done that...so I truly know what service! LOL

AND....know how so many 800 numbers are staffed for people with real heavy accents that make communicating problems really hard some times...last time I talked to Dell it was an english speaking agent...I asked where he was...most are overseas....he said Utah....said Dell is in the process of bringing their customer service jobs ALL back to the US. I was like YIPPIE....our country could use the jobs!!!!!

 

[tagalong]

Well, I am nursing along a 5 year old Gateway that is barely adequate...

If I had the $$$$$ to start over - I would go with a Mac - hands done, no contest.

When this thing locks up or has a temper tantrum - or tells me for the hundredth time in the middle of something crucial that IE needs to shut down for whatever lame reason... I flee to the comfort of my friend's i-Mac... or the Macs at the nearby Kinko's with the lovely BIG monitors.

My boss has had repeated problems with Dell - as has my mother...

 

[Kathy2m]

I have a Dell laptop so does my H for work I like them, we have a gateway desktop, we have had it about 3 years with no problem but my favorite was my sony desktop had it 7 years ended up with a corrupt hard drive so we had to trash it (too much to upgrade everything) I still am using the flat screen sony monitor its over 10 years old. Kathy

 

[nootka]

My father builds my computers from the ground up. It really isn't that hard, and if you know anyone that does it, it would pay to have one built specifically for your needs.

Install the OS you want, and choose the monitor you like (you can spend some of the money saved on buying a box/bundled computer on a nicer, bigger monitor) and you're basically ready to go.

My "home built" computers are not loaded down with "cr@pware" (the little fragments of sample programs they give you that are disabled, or crippled so you only get to sample them, but end up taking up a LOT of resources on your computer, as well as causing possible problems and conflicts), they are very fast, reliable, and easily serviced. I can replace almost any component of my computer easily if need be.

The only thing I've had issues with were power supplies, and those are simple to replace.

I do have one out of box computer (desktop) and it's a Dell. It is retired, though, and it was what I would deem as "adequate."

I am spoiled, though, with custom-built computers and customized components.

My laptop is an IBM Thinkpad, a little over a year old.

Liz

 

[Bluerocket]

I have had IBM, HP and Dell -- would never own another HP -- and the Dell has had some problems but otherwise is ok.

The IBM was good but expensive.

Considering trying MAC next -- but then none of my software would be compatible.

so --- if we get a new computer -- probably will be another Dell -- love their current commercial for the XPS system that looks like a monitor and keyboard only --- no frame.

JJa6

 

[Jill]

Rob,

Try checking out www.epinions.com for ideas on the way to go with a desk top.

At my office, I have bought Dell desktops for my employees and they work fine. For me personally, I have Toshiba laptops (replaced every 2 years or so, but not because they have broken).

Jill

 

[Paige]

After much research last year I too bought a Dell believing it was the best bet as far as desktops. My experience with Dell has been nothing short of horrific. Six months after getting my computer it stopped working. I then spent countless hours online being coached in how to repair my own computer. When that didn't work they set up a time for a tech to visit. After taking time off of work to meet him at my house he didn't show up. Dell finally tracked him down and I got to see him weekly for a month while Dell insisted on replacing every major component of my computer without any luck in fixing it! They finally told the tech they would send me a new computer and when I called to set up shipping no one knew anything about it. In fact they told me they didn't send out replacement computers. Needless to say, I was beyond mad when I again had to spend a whole lot of time trying to track down someone who knew something about my case. After much wasted time on the phone I was able to finally get a replacement. After taking a few days to salvage what I could from my hard drive I had to send my broken system back to Dell. A week and a half later, I get a letter from Dell telling me I needed to return my old system or I would lose my warranty on the replacement computer. After checking with the delivery service I found the computer had arrived 2 days after I mailed it out to Dell, but apparently Dell couldn't find it! To top this story off, I am currently planning on buying a new computer because my replacement "refurnished" computer came with it's own host of problems. Needless to say, I will never waste money on a Dell product again. Prior to purchasing my Dell, I had a Gateway that lasted six years before dying. This time I'm having someone locally custom build me a computer.