Dell or no Dell

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 03-11-2009, 10:22

Hi folks

I'm considering replacing my two current high-end PC/laptop configuration with one high end laptop - best of both worlds

Money isn't really an awful obstacle here. I've got £1,000 from the outset - I'm selling my laptop for £250 to my parents for my brother (I believe that's actually a profit on what I paid on it in the first place - their offer not mine) and my desktop is going for £800 to a friend. I'm willing to add an extra £800 on top making my budget about £1,850.

I've already pretty much decided what I'm getting - the Dell XPS M1730 - third option along, comes in at £1,699. Add the three year warranty, just over £1,800.

Spec:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium SP1
17.0" UltraSharp™ WUXGA (1920x1200) TFT with TrueLife™ with Integrated 2.0MP web cam
1GB nVidia SLI Dual GeForce 9800GT graphics card
4096MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x2048]
320GB Free Fall Sensor (7200RPM) Hard Drive
Fixed 8x DVD+/-RW (DVD read/write) drive, including SW

Now the question is here, do I go for it, or do I not. It looks dramatically under priced (a Cyberpower SLi laptop configuration comes in well over the £2,500 mark). It looks good, it's supposed to sound good, it's a little heavy, but I can deal with that with an ultra-portable later if it becomes a problem.

Now, here is the only obstacle - support! I've been chatting with sales across their chat thing, and, by the names, I'd guess they're all Indian, Arab, Pakistani or from somewhere in that area. It's not that I have anything against those people, it's just that their knowledge of the English language rarely extends beyond what's on their script. Add that to a hard to understand accent, and phone conversations take about twice as long as they would do with native British staff. Bad.

In addition to this, the guys in that sales support chat thing were hardly fantastic with their understanding. I've talked to a total of five - the first three were fine, my more recent two have been absolutely awful. They have all given me conflicting information however (hence why I've talked to five to make sure instead of just one or two).

If their post-sales support is this bad, I don't want to go within a mile of them. I've been reading reviews about them across the web, and they don't sound fantastic - everybody whose not had to go to support has reviewed them five stars. Everybody who has has given them one or two. They all moan about what I've just commented on, people who struggle to speak English. I'd get XPS Premium support apparently which could actually be better, but I can't really know for sure.

Now I'm totally torn. Get a fantastic laptop for a good price, or get a fairly average laptop for the same price. Has anybody here had any nasty experiences with Dell support, or am I just getting paranoid?

All help appreciated

**pevergreen** · 03-11-2009, 11:43

Don't.

I bought an XPS M1530 (its what I'm posting on now) and the simple amount of bloatware they give you is enough.

I've been working for an IT repairs company, and I love my laptop, but I have to agree with them. Dell is a misprint - its actually "Hell".

Support will be terrible, this was acknowledged by the sales guy I bought it off (friend of mine through school, he was two years above me). I got a 15% discount, but I still wish I had of got a custom built anything.

Do you need it to be a laptop? If so...see if you can get a local IT store to build one for you. It will cost less (most likely) have better support and have a good install of Windows.

I learnt my lesson. I've convinced my parents. I finally get to build the PC when we upgrade.

**Fragony** · 03-11-2009, 11:53

Originally Posted by Omanes Alexandrapolites

Now I'm totally torn. Get a fantastic laptop for a good price, or get a fairly average laptop for the same price. Has anybody here had any nasty experiences with Dell support, or am I just getting paranoid?

All help appreciated

Nope the support is great, much better service then I got from Apple.

**pevergreen** · 03-11-2009, 12:24

Originally Posted by Fragony

Nope the support is great, much better service then I got from Apple.

Its apple...

**Fragony** · 03-11-2009, 12:34

Originally Posted by pevergreen

Its apple...

It's overpriced crap I am getting sick of my Macbook crashing I bought it because I want to use it it costs 1000 euro's it should WORK, and you actually have to pay to use their helpdesk, and from my experience with the Apple helpdesk I would rather pay for being gangbanged and wake up torn up in a ditch at a parking lot.

**Polemists** · 03-11-2009, 12:42

pevergreen is right on this one.

Most major computer companies and even minor web ones have horrible support. This is do to two things.

First, major companies like Dell, Gateway, Apple, etc are almost all outsourcing customer support as noted. To further complicate this almost all the offices are in the states, so if you are traveling overseas (even in England) you run into problems. Plus they won't actually fix anything on site, you have to send something in, and wait 3 weeks and hope the tech guy on other ends understands your issue.

Secondly, the smaller online companies, if you read around, Ibuypower, cyber, stealthmachines, etc, are all so small that they can't really offer you the fast responses and lower prices of more stock based companies.

Your best bet is to go to your local custom computer shop. 3 reasons.

1. If you have a problem it's local, they don't want to screw you because they really don't want to deal with the hassles.

2. These guys are all gamers and geeks, that's how they got hired. So when you ask things like does it run Empire? How does Crysis work? They can answer and give knowledgeable commentary.

3. Despite the fact they are small you will probably get a better deal. Dell, Bestbuy, Gateway and others put a TON of fluff software on the pcs. Random start up stuff that you just don't need and will become a pain to try to get off your desktop start up tray.

I still think your better off going with a desktop, but if you have to have a laptop for work or travel, then your best bet is a local custom shop.

Take note high end gaming pcs in general usually have shorter battery life. So you usually need to keep them plugged in to the charger..which basically defeats the purpose of a "Mobile" pc.

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 03-11-2009, 14:14

Thanks for the advise.

I don't think I would actually have to send my laptop in for repair BTW, the premium warranty is an in home service. Not sure whether it actually works that way or not (do they come out to diagnose the problem and fix it or do you have to take it apart yourself to diagnose - I'd certainly hate the latter).

Problem is all local PC stockists don't quite go up to the high end I'm looking at. They do multimedia laptops (8600, 8700, 9600, 9700), but that's about it. They don't actually custom make them either (only selling brands with brand warranties).

They do, however, all do ultra-high end desktop systems (quad-SLi, 8GB RAM e.c.t). I could have a look, but I do like freedom to move around - it's not really essential, I don't go very far anyway, but it's certainly nice.

I've also got a fairly good desktop anyhow, so buying another one would sort of defeat my objective.

@ pevergreen, I can cope with bloatware - I think everybody sticks that on - my current PCs came with enough of it. Un-installing isn't too much effort.

**Polemists** · 03-11-2009, 14:23

do they come out to diagnose the problem and fix it or do you have to take it apart yourself to diagnose - I'd certainly hate the latter).

Usually they come out once to Diagnose the problem, and much like the cable guy will not be there when they say.

Then usually they have to come out a second or third time to actually fix it.

Sometimes they don't even fix it on the 3rd time but make you send it back into the shop anyway, even though you have premium because they tell you the error needs to be fixed in a "shop" and you are paying for thier at home advice.

I've dealt with dell, i speak from experience.

**naut** · 03-11-2009, 15:46

I've never had any problems with Dell. Or bloatware, most of it is either related to components like the webcam or can be uninstalled.

**Xiahou** · 03-11-2009, 19:46

Originally Posted by Omanes Alexandrapolites

I don't think I would actually have to send my laptop in for repair BTW, the premium warranty is an in home service. Not sure whether it actually works that way or not (do they come out to diagnose the problem and fix it or do you have to take it apart yourself to diagnose - I'd certainly hate the latter).

I was going to mention that they offer on-site service for a premium. My former employer issued us Dell laptops that had on-site support. The motherboard on mine went bad once and they had a local guy at my house within 24hrs to replace it.

Of course, the advantage of being a business customer was that I didn't have to deal with the outsourced call centers. I got to talk to someone who was actually semi-competent and spoke the language, which helped.

To help with the shovelware, you could try something like PC Decrapifier, if you're disinclined to do a clean install. In my experience, an out-of-the-box Dell will have a lot of useless garbage installed on it.