Should I even buy a Dell again

compiler · May 13, 2022

OK, I've had my new Dell for about 6 weeks. I needed a new laptop, this computer had what I wanted, and it was on sale for a great price. It now works great. But what a journey!! I had all kinds of problems. I won't rehash it, but you can probably spot my threads throughout this VERY helpful forum. They were serious issues. I learned a lot solving them, but I don't want to go through that again. (I'll be 76 next month -- I'm thankful my brain still works and I'm not drooling yet). So, hopefully all hypothetical, if I got another computer I am leaning NOT to buy another Dell. I really don't want to reinstall Windows from scratch.

Any suggestions? I really liked my Acer, but I had hardware issues (hinge kept breaking). I've heard good things about Asus. Folks?

Mel

jvickers · May 13, 2022

I bought my wife an Asus VivoBook Pro about a month ago. She works on it all day and loves the system. If I ever need another laptop, that's what I'll buy myself as well.

Here's what I bought her:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09MMX24B8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

CornishRattler · May 13, 2022

I've only ever had Dell laptops, never a problem. My daughter has an Asus Zenbook laptop and again not a problem

Fabler2 · May 13, 2022

HP laptop- no problem, Acer laptop- no problem, Asus laptop- no problem; I think it's called the luck of the draw

Wynona · May 13, 2022

I've seen way too many issues with Dell products; the same with Dell support. If you should wish to add RAM, you will have to buy it from Dell at a jacked up price . . .

I have used HP products since I quit building my own (I'm 84) and have only had a couple problems. HP support is good and I have no complaints. Problem was solved immediately and third party hardware works just fine in HP stuff.

CornishRattler · May 13, 2022

Wynona said:
I've seen way too many issues with Dell products; the same with Dell support. If you should wish to add RAM, you will have to buy it from Dell at a jacked up price . . .

I have used HP products since I quit building my own (I'm 84) and have only had a couple problems. HP support is good and I have no complaints. Problem was solved immediately and third party hardware works just fine in HP stuff.

Never bought a mem module or drive from Dell yet and I’ve upgraded each and every one I’ve owned.

Wynona · May 13, 2022

CornishRattler said:
Never bought a mem module or drive from Dell yet and I’ve upgraded each and every one I’ve owned.

But do you have the same speed the computer came with? Someone added RAM to her computer and it was slowed down.

Berton · May 13, 2022

Got a Vostro 14" Notebook back in mid-October and a Vostro Desktop 3 weeks ago, both came with Win10 and Upgraded to Win11 after all the updates finished. No problems yet. I did change the RAM in the Desktop from 8GB single channel to 16GB dual channel, no problems with Crucial and saved $125.

I have several Dell machines both Desktop and Notebook, only one was new and that was nearly 10 years ago, others I've rehabbed.

snerd · May 13, 2022

One word……… Alienware!

Berton · May 13, 2022

snerd said:
One word……… Alienware!

Great high-end machines, think Dell still owns it.

TraderGary · May 13, 2022

This is my 5th Dell laptop in 20 years. The specs are in "My Computer" below. I've had nothing but excellent experience with Dell and Dell support over the years.

I have 32GB of memory user expandable to 64GB. I have a 1TB SSD and there is a 2nd bay where a 2nd SSD can be added.

You bring up an excellent point that I hadn't considered. Does my adding more memory and a 2nd SSD affect my extended premium warranty? I'll check and report back.

wabbit · May 13, 2022

I've had several Dell laptops over the years. Currently using a Dimension laptop, which is 2 years old and working fine. I've also had good luck with HP and Lenovo laptops. Only laptops I had issues with in the past were the old Gateway laptops.

Porthos · May 13, 2022

wabbit said:
Currently using a Dimension laptop, which is 2 years old

I have never seen one of those. Dimension was an old model of desktops.

Berton · May 13, 2022

I've only had 1 Gateway Notebook, got it about the time Gateway bought eMachines and before ACER bought Gateway. I've a couple older HP Compaq 17" Notebooks I rehabbed and are too good to discard but they have programs installed that can't be transferred to another machine except by the original owner but are useful for me.

geeklife · May 13, 2022

There is always QC issues. We are a Dell shop and yes, I have had a dozen of weird hardware failures. But We also buy 100+ machines a year. My XPS 8940 and XPS13 have been bullet proof for the last almost two years. Daily drive both 40+ hours a week.

wabbit · May 13, 2022

Porthos said:
I have never seen one of those. Dimension was an old model of desktops.

My bad. The laptop is an Inspiron. I had a Dimension desktop many years ago.

Porthos · May 13, 2022

wabbit said:
I had a Dimension desktop many years ago.

I figured. I have not worked on one of those in a very long time.

bobkn · May 13, 2022

I'm still gnashing my teeth over a recent experience with Dell support. I bought an unusual monitor from them, and needed a little help. It wasn't available. I called multiple times, hoping to get a support person who could assist me. (My questions weren't covered by their scripts. A little knowledge would have been needed.) That was a strategy that has worked for me with other companies. Not this time. They were all clueless. I generally do OK with South Asian accents, but I admit I was getting tired of them by the time I gave up trying to get assistance.

The worst thing was that I wanted to download the "drivers" for the monitor, that would identify it to Windows. The link on Dell's support page served up an SDK (software development kit) for the monitor. It didn't contain the drivers. One support person was dim enough to send me a download link to a firmware updater for the monitor. To make it slightly more comical, the firmware revision was older than the one the monitor came with. I eventually found the drivers at Dell via a Web search. They weren't nominally for Win11, but the installer ran without issues.

My main past experience with Dell was with desktops and workstations at former employers. They were all gone over by the IT department, so I wouldn't have needed to deal with any infant mortality. They also tended to be on 3 year leases, so longevity was also something I didn't have to worry about. Given all that, they were solid machines. Never had much use of Dell laptops.

I suspect that the IT people didn't like me much. When I got a new PC, I always turned on hyperthreading in the BIOS settings. (I guess IT defaulted to maximum stability, rather than performance.) I went so far as to bring in a surplus monitor, because the one they gave me was smaller and lower resolution.