paul233
03-08-2001, 01:39 PM
Does anyone have an opinion on Dell or Gateway quality and tech support? It all sounds so good in the ads but I have heard rumors of horror stories. Thanks
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SX
03-08-2001, 02:01 PM
My opinion is build the computer yourself and don't bother with Dell or Gateway http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif, but if I had to chose between the two I'd prolly get a Dell, althoght they're both pretty good. (Just make sure you get an AMD based system)
SX
SX
ZENYO
03-08-2001, 02:10 PM
I would have to agree sx. It's a lot easier to upgrade when you buy your own. You get everything you want and nothing you don't want. I called dell to find out how much it would cost to upgrade ram (128 pc133) and I think it was about $160. RAM is cheap right now, I just bought 128 for $65 at whole in the wall place! I guess when you build your own system you know it well enough to fix yourself and you really won't need tech support. and there's always sysopt http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
cheers
cheers
SoopaStar
03-08-2001, 02:27 PM
youcan't get a dell with an AMD processor.
Pau
Pau
darkmallard
03-08-2001, 02:57 PM
Both are excellent products.
1. Support is good with both, but as is with any company, there are always going to be those few people working for them that don't care about you or your problems.
2. Besides integrating sound and video on the lowest-end systems, none of the parts are proprietary to either company.
3. They all accept standard parts, such as RAM, Hard drives, CD-ROMs, burners, etc. of most any brand.
4. If you know anything about computers, you can support it yourself. You can even get all of the updated drivers from either company's web site. System Restoration is very simple on both if the need should ever arrise.
5. The best part about buying a pre-built system is not having to figure out if video card "A" has conflicts with motherboard "B" and sound card "C." Or trying to return a part you got from "Fly By Night Computers."
6. Gateway has a lot of local stores around the country where you can go to check everything out and bring your system in for support. You can also trade-in any Pentium-class system for some $$ towards a new system.
Yes, you could build a system for less than the cost that either company can provide, but not by all that much, and not when you consider the cost of "truthfully" licensed software and the support they offer. Besides, you know the parts are quality and you know the stuff just works. If you build it yourself, you will have to waste your own time trying to find the answer to any problems that may occur. Of course, you could always post your problems here and get 70 different answers. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
THERE IS ONE THING YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER: Any which way you go, you are never guaranteed to be without problems.
And Gateway sells Pentium 4, III, Celeron and AMD systems. Good luck!
1. Support is good with both, but as is with any company, there are always going to be those few people working for them that don't care about you or your problems.
2. Besides integrating sound and video on the lowest-end systems, none of the parts are proprietary to either company.
3. They all accept standard parts, such as RAM, Hard drives, CD-ROMs, burners, etc. of most any brand.
4. If you know anything about computers, you can support it yourself. You can even get all of the updated drivers from either company's web site. System Restoration is very simple on both if the need should ever arrise.
5. The best part about buying a pre-built system is not having to figure out if video card "A" has conflicts with motherboard "B" and sound card "C." Or trying to return a part you got from "Fly By Night Computers."
6. Gateway has a lot of local stores around the country where you can go to check everything out and bring your system in for support. You can also trade-in any Pentium-class system for some $$ towards a new system.
Yes, you could build a system for less than the cost that either company can provide, but not by all that much, and not when you consider the cost of "truthfully" licensed software and the support they offer. Besides, you know the parts are quality and you know the stuff just works. If you build it yourself, you will have to waste your own time trying to find the answer to any problems that may occur. Of course, you could always post your problems here and get 70 different answers. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
THERE IS ONE THING YOU SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER: Any which way you go, you are never guaranteed to be without problems.
And Gateway sells Pentium 4, III, Celeron and AMD systems. Good luck!
ZENYO
03-08-2001, 04:37 PM
hmm. That's good to know. I always thought dell ram was proprietary. Actually, even after talking to one of there sales guys, he told me the same thing.
RayH
03-08-2001, 05:19 PM
Both Dell and Gateway make excellent products with excellent support. They are both excellent values for people (especially those in business) who need licensed software and need their computers to be up and running w/no downtime.
Although, our build your own computer parts do have warranties, it takes time for the various manufacturers to come through. Dell or Gateway, with their next day on site plans, will have them up and running. It's a premium price. But in business, time is money.
But as a home user, I've found it still less expensive to buy, newer and better replacement parts out of my own pocket than to pop for an extra cost warranty!
Although, our build your own computer parts do have warranties, it takes time for the various manufacturers to come through. Dell or Gateway, with their next day on site plans, will have them up and running. It's a premium price. But in business, time is money.
But as a home user, I've found it still less expensive to buy, newer and better replacement parts out of my own pocket than to pop for an extra cost warranty!
Nighthawk
03-08-2001, 05:58 PM
I haven't seen any current desktop systems with proprietary RAM. Even laptops usually conform to the SODIMM standard.
The salesman was probably trying to make you think you had to buy your RAM there. I know that HP charges exhorbitantly for their RAM (it was thousands of dollars for a gig of RAM vs. a few hundred using generic stuff), though it's just regular RAM with an HP sticker on it.
The salesman was probably trying to make you think you had to buy your RAM there. I know that HP charges exhorbitantly for their RAM (it was thousands of dollars for a gig of RAM vs. a few hundred using generic stuff), though it's just regular RAM with an HP sticker on it.
mind245
03-08-2001, 11:58 PM
www.pricewatch.com (http://www.pricewatch.com) has catagories for dell and gateway compatble RAM
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