Brands I don't buy...

[bulbasaur]

There are some brands that I just no longer buy for one reason or another.  Let's start the list...

1. Dell
I used to like Dell, especially its laptops.  Nice on the budget and decent on the specs.  However, after owning a couple and working/troubleshooting more, I have come to hate them.  Their desktops don't use standard parts, so if you need a replacement, you have to pay a premium.  Then, their laptops are hard to fix.  Granted, all laptops are hard to fix, but Dell makes it even harder.  It doesn't help that their computers lose performance efficiency over time. 

Maybe things have changed now, but Dell just left such a sour taste.  A couple of their new computers look really good too, like that 13in with the super small chassis. 

I am still willing to buy an Alienware and monitor from Dell......migh t regret it though. 

[Im a Guy]

Own a Dell but too slow now these days technology to use so got the Intel i5. Using Dell Flat screen for 10 years now. Good luck with the Alienware from Dell. Heard bad review's but lots of good review and I would never buy an Alienware that I can built one cheaper and as fast as the Alienware offer...

Intel i5 cpu - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-i5-4460-Haswell-PC-Processor-Chip-3-2GHz-5-0GT-s-6MB-LGA1150-OEM-/221895586872?hash=item33aa01f438:g:WY8AAOSwsB9WBK--

CPU Cooler - http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZALMAN-CNPS9900MAX-B-135mm-Long-life-bearing-CPU-Cooler-Blue-LED-/301380789477?hash=item462bb1e4e5:g:Mk0AAMXQGQRSA~Nk

Memory - http://www.ebay.com/itm/CORSAIR-Vengeance-8GB-2-x-4GB-240-Pin-DDR3-SDRAM-DDR3-1600-PC3-12800-Memory-/301380763615?hash=item462bb17fdf:g:OJUAAOxyXTRSA-UU

Graphic gfx - http://www.ebay.com/itm/EVGA-GeForce-GTX-970-DirectX-12-04G-P4-3975-RX-4GB-256-Bit-GDDR5-PCI-Express-3-0-/381500457173?hash=item58d33300d5:g:DJQAAOSwCQNWe9 yE
  This one run at 1660 mhz CUDA Core. The higher the CUDA, has the best performance.

Hard drive - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-850-Pro-Series-256GB-2-5-SATA-III-Internal-Solid-State-Drive-/391312955444?hash=item5b1c11d834:g:mpoAAOSwQiRUpH-R

Motherboard - http://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-MSI-Gaming-Z97-GAMING-5-LGA-1150-Intel-Z97-HDMI-SATA-6Gb-s-USB-3-0-ATX-Intel-/301380753427?hash=item462bb15813:g:T8cAAOxyBotTY-dh

Remember you need to buy the matching CPU to fit your new Motherboard, ex: LGA 1150 which I got both link to fit. good luck... this should beat the Alienware at this price unless you want it more extreme at a higher cost.

This is my current PC,

7.9 rating is max but it is fast for most game or use for desktop. Total cost me, $850 with no Operation Window. Have to use one with key already been use. You can only use the same key for windows operation in 3 or 4 PC until Microsoft locked it. Otherwise it will cost about $140.00 to buy Operation Window. Stay away from ebay for purchase of a new Operation Window system. lol it is most scam or duplicate key number.

I try for $500 budget but I just have to get some cooler stuff to add and not run on normal by not designed or name is much cheaper... 

[Sifu]

Well if you think Dell's suck then don't ever buy HP or Toshiba.  Why my company continues to buy HP is astounding considering the breakdowns I have.  Our IT tech must get a kickback from it or must really be bored at work.

[bulbasaur]

It is often better to build your own desktop if you can.  Laptops are a different story...

[bulbasaur]

2. HP

If it is not  printer, then I am not buying them.  All the HP computers I have used have decent specs, but they perform awful.  Performance is weak.  They run hot.  Etc.  It just seems like a design flaw. 

They got a new Surface-like computer coming out.  I kinda want to give it a try, but HP hasn't given me much in the past. 

[shadowball]

Just buy a thinkpad 420 that plays videogames and it way cheap!!!  The ultimate whiteboy geek secret I picked up from a wise Caucasian tech specialist...

[Sifu]

It is often better to build your own desktop if you can.  Laptops are a different story...

I will prefer to build myself but that's for personal use.  If it is for work then I'd take reliability over all.  Dell's are predictable and affordable.  My boss won't care if my super OC'd, liquid hydrogen cooled PC is faster and cheaper than the next machine purchased from HP.  He's only going to care for the daily reports and that the reports keep coming.  Other times when your machine decides to take a crap you just give it yo IT, pull the,drives, turn it on and get back to work.

[bulbasaur]

True.  If you're putting together a workstation or computer lab, then Dells are fine.  I have used Dells in labs before, and they run well.  I just wouldn't want it as my personal computer.  Plus, I rather buy a bunch of Dells out of the box and configure them rather than building an entire lab from parts.  Even if it is just a small lab of 20 computers, it's tedious to put together 20 identical computers for virtually the same performance of a Dell out of the box.  And of course, there is the warranty.  It's easier to just send the computer back instead of finding the one faulty part. 

But laptops....tha t's a different story. 

I will prefer to build myself but that's for personal use.  If it is for work then I'd take reliability over all.  Dell's are predictable and affordable.  My boss won't care if my super OC'd, liquid hydrogen cooled PC is faster and cheaper than the next machine purchased from HP.  He's only going to care for the daily reports and that the reports keep coming.  Other times when your machine decides to take a crap you just give it yo IT, pull the,drives, turn it on and get back to work.

[bulbasaur]

I like their new case design, but I am still not willing to pay their premium.  I would still rather build my own desktop.  But, I would only buy their laptops. 

The case looks useful.  Tilt it over for easy access to the bays.  The tilt also seem to give easier access to the front bays.

That's exactly what everyone says about Alienware and it's for the most part true.  You can build something alot cheaper.

Although I've heard a select few say that their cases err.. towers? are nice.

[Sifu]

HPs?  They make good, affordable printers.  I think they should just try to stay there.  I can't fully speak for their server hardware but commercial/business side?  Not even a choice but hey you can't look a gift horse in the mouth.  A laptop is a laptop.  It works.
Bulbasaur, you know exactly what I'm talking about then.  Trying to manage computers is a full time job at some places.  For work machines, reliability is the compromise.  Honestly who wants to fix and trouble shoot computers all day?
Laptops.  I've had them all at some point (besides Alienware or Razer).  Compaq, Gateway, HP, Toshiba, Dell.  A few Acers and some Asus and a Macbook Pro.  Nothing is perfect enough for me and everyone did have their perks but some were just straight up junk.  Also from fixing so many computers I've seen the trends.  My Dell laptops, all of them (4?) are pretty solid.  My main rig is a Dell Studio 17.  I7, double HD bay, ok components.  It's been my most reliable computer for the last 7+ years. 
Haven't had the need for a more robust rig...  But with prices stupid cheap Im making a strong case to building up my tower.

[Im a Guy]

Next project. No worry of heat. Use a home fan to cool it during the summer season. Just need to mount it on the wall.

[bulbasaur]

3. Compaq

There was a day when Compaq was a big player in direct computer sales.  Then they went south.  The quality of their builds declined so much as the years went by.  Best Buy eventually started selling them, and I believe HP bought them out (which makes sense considering what I think of HP). 

In any case, Compaq still holds sentimental value in retro tech.  Maybe I'll give it an entry in my other thread.  For now, let's reminisce on one of its old school case designs....

[SummerBerry]

3. Compaq

There was a day when Compaq was a big player in direct computer sales.  Then they went south.  The quality of their builds declined so much as the years went by.  Best Buy eventually started selling them, and I believe HP bought them out (which makes sense considering what I think of HP). 

In any case, Compaq still holds sentimental value in retro tech.  Maybe I'll give it an entry in my other thread.  For now, let's reminisce on one of its old school case designs....

Compaq what I see in my high school days in the computer lab.........  Family owned one as computer at home. 

Dell.......... . I don't work or need it for anything else beside surfing the web so it has been fine.  I had a laptop but spilled soda/etc. and it completely was dead in 2-3 yrs.  My Dell desktop died because of my own fault with unplugging from the outlet.  I purchased a new one with the windows 8 version and hate it and hardly on it but then it was just under $500.  This is my 3rd one in almost 20 yrs of just having it around the home for surfing the web and nothing more.  If it was not for income tax purpose of having software installed and keeping documents saved then I would never need a laptop or desktop around.

Nowadays it just apple product mainly 2-3 ipad and my kids have 2 of Samsung tablet. 

I guess for me it just for internet and I don't like brand I never heard of but also don't want to spend too much.  Almost anything that I owned or purchased does last me a good amount of yrs. 

I'm still using the same Dell printer today that I first got.  It has been good to me and the printer cartridge cost as much as $180 for 6k page or $120 for 3k pages.  I'm on my 2nd cartridge but didn't buy it at full price.  I was able to search on ebay and got a authentic one that still has a little over 4k pages left.  I hate color printer because the ink cost a lot and it doesn't last.  I had my sister for a while and it wasn't compare to my Dell. 

[bulbasaur]

Dell got some neat little laptops, but damnit, every one of their laptops have crapped out on me. 

[Sifu]

Surface Pro 3-4.  Check them out.  I'm running the i7 256gb Pro 4.  Runs EVERYTHING!  But its not like a laptop; just a fairly powerful tablet that can replace my laptop on the go.