Whats bad about Dell laptops ?

I ve chosen the right Dell laptop with some help but now I wonder if Dell is durable etc for example, cos the 3 year warranty is like 400$ where i live, and im not sure if 1 year is sufficient

 

Generally the long term coverage plans are not worth it. It's more about your comfort level with taking the chance than anything else. You can buy an extended plan at any time through Dell, so you don't need it day 1.

 

the only bad thing about dell laptops is they are made to fail after your coverage is up......you asked for that one

 

I'm thinking of getting the Dell XPS M1210 should i get the extended warranty, i don't really want to because it's about a extra £200.

 

Ow thats why Dells warranty is that expensive huh , because they know there is a big chance that the laptop might not work for the long term.
Too bad thought now i hear this, because i wanted a notebook for the long run... no idea what to choose now.

 

Buy it with the minimum warranty. Extend it before it expires if the laptop is still technically state of the art enough for you. Don't "bet on the come" that the same laptop you want today will be the one you want 3 or 4 years from now. IMHO

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Dell laptops. It is a big misconception. Maybe 4-5 years ago, Dell was making poor laptops, in terms of build quality. But now, with their Road Ready design, Dell laptops are awesome. For example, the E1705 is an excellent machine. I encourage everyone who does not own one, to go online and buy this baby right now! Thats how good it is.

 

i think this post is not to be taken seriously

good one, poster

i laughed

 

please tell me iceman is joking...
i can only afford a 1 year warranty and i want mine to last for at least 4

 

Fearing that next Thursday the price will drop, again....

 

actually that depends on what laptop you get. Dell still does make poor laptops - I can't speak for the brand new E series that supposedly has better stuff, but the Inspiron series is probably below average on comparison with other laptops. Just because you like the E1705, doesn't mean that it is the best machine out there. When it comes to laptops, there are several manufacturers that beat dell in terms of quality, price and customer service.

If you don't believe me, then I invite you to come to my house right now and see how I have to use my laptop. I'm actually using my laptop at a 45 degree angle with the backend shoved into my bed or whatever else I can use because the power supply is coming loose from the motherboard - and the motherboard is about to fry. My laptop is barely a year old - luckly it is covered under warranty for another year, but still you don't pay 2200 for a laptop that falls apart this quickly.

Its not like I have kids or pets that trampled my laptop - my laptop is just falling apart. The inspirons are not meant to travel everyday to work/school,and if you do that, you are putting more wear and tear on your laptop than it can handle.

Some parts of dell are good - like the XPS and latitude series, but hasn't anyone wondered why only the Inspiron series (for the most part) gets the coupons? It is because the latitude and XPS are more durable and better built - they get the best materials, where as the Inspirons are cheaper because of the materials that are used.

Don't get me wrong... i like some parts of dell, but the truth is that if the coupons weren't available, the Inspirons wouldn't be worth it and wouldn't be as popular.

 

Well that's not just a Dell problem. My first laptop was an HP/Compaq and had the same problem after a year or so and to add to it, the battery wouldn't hold a charge past a minute. This was with casual use. Used the battery every other day for an hour or two. Mostly had it plugged in to the outlet though.

Then you look at my brother's laptop he got from cheapy Gateway and his is running smooth as ever, no problems at all and he has had the thing for almost three years.

Desktops are like domestic cars, its a lot easier to fix a problem here and there with a new, usually inexpensive part, while notebooks are like foreign autos where every little problem costs an arm and a leg to fix mainly because just about everything in a laptop is proprietary.

There's my little rant for the day. Am I out of "newbie" status yet? How many of these things does a guy gotta post before he can't get rid of that shame.

 

Hahah exactly, but that's how it always is. Same thing happened with us selling our house this week.

 

LOL, i think you have to have 10 posts...

I know it is not just a problem with Dell and that it happens with other manufacturers - I've had a computer for the last 20+ years, so trust me, I know that dell isn't the only one that has problems.

I was just trying to point out that Dell has it good side but it has its bad side. I know several of you probably don't think about it, but alot of users don't like dell and they have a right to that. We need to respect that and not try to push something down their throat. The fact is that dell isn't for everyone, and I think we need to respect other user's preference to that. If you are a teenager or college student who is on a limited budget, then yes a dell is probably the best choice for you.

But for users that have a larger budget and have special circumstances like travel all the time, Dell is the wrong choice. There are so many better laptops on the market than the Inspiron series.

I know that is bad to say, but it is the truth. Go check out our what to buy forums --- you'll see a pattern. If a user is on a limited budget, usually Inspirons are recommended. If they are on a higher budget, Fujitsu/HP/Sony are mostly recommended.

 

I will report out in about 12 months. Two years ago I paid premium $ for a 15" IBM T42 because I was traveling constantly and I wanted dependable, reliable. etc...and it did fine for what it was...a business and other light use machine...even after I stuffed it with 1.5gb RAM it still bogs down in photoshop...about 6 months ago (out of warranty) the screen developed a little star and then about a month ago I pulled it from my briefcase and there was a crack all the way across the screen. I could have put in a new screen for $450 or a refurb one for $250...but instead I spent $1300 for this nicely spec'd e1705...even though I vowed about a year ago to never buy dell again after some typical crappy customer service experiences...go figure...I will travel occasionally (every couple of weeks instead of twice a week) with this inspiron since I have a great camera/laptop backpack that negates the weight burden...and time will tell as to the reliability...but I know way too many unhappy sony and other "high end" mfr customers to categorize them as head and shoulders above dell...one man's opinion

 

tnx everyone for the replies, and i THINK i gonna go for the Vaio FE21M - VGN-FE21M , im really not in the mood to play the lottery with Dell by guessing if my laptop would survive for longer than a year

 

I agree with this statement mostly, but not price. When I bought my E1405, for the price, no other company could compare. The closest similarly configured notebook was from HP and that had some features I had to compromise on, (HD speed, high resolution display). The HP was $300 more. The closest manufacture that I've seen recently that comes close to competing with Dell with similar configurations is Acer. I ended up with my E1405 because it was the cheapest in it's class (and Acer doesn't have 14.1” with anything but Celerons in them). I'm a grad student and I couldn't spend $2000+ on a notebook. I've been pricing out notebooks for the last year or so and always I could configure a Dell cheaper than any other company. Quality and customer service wise, I know where Dell is in these areas, but in price they are still the best.

 

I think you're going to be playing the lottery with any company, not just Dell. I've never had any luck with Sony products, so I guess I can say that they all break right out of their 1 year warranty too. I can't because other people have had good luck with Sony products and laptops. Same with Dell. No matter what, no company produces perfect products.

 

I don't know why i asked i never keep a laptop more than 12 months anyway lol.

 

I guess I need to clairfy my statement a bit. I meant in combination of each other. There are manufacturers that have better laptops and better customer service, if you are willing to pay a bit more.

I don't think spending $3000 for an Inspiron is worth it. That is what I meant about the price.

Again, it is just a user preference. My whole problem with this is people just constantly saying that everyone needs a dell. I just wish people were more open to other manufacturers, and realize that there is several manufacturers that beat Dell - in a different areas.

LOL, i wish I was like you Mazza. Right now, I'm tempted to set fire to my laptop.

 

agree 100% and more...for $1300-$1400 nicely spec'd, the e1705 is an excellent value IMHO...the downsides of service and reliability are factored into that cheap price...

 

I has my Dell Inspiron 8500 for over 2 years now. In that time, I replaced 1 AC adaptor, 2 motherboards, 1 LCD, 1 LCD frame, 2 hinges and did pay a cent for the replacements. I am STILL under warranty as of now. I paid $269 back then for 3 year at home warranty. So yes, Dell build quality is flimsy but I guess the warranty service rocks!

Rule is, if you are getting a Dell, you should get the 3 year warranty. It is said that after 2 years, Dell mobo's tends to give up.

 

There is nothing wrong with Dell at all!

If you had seen some of abuse one of my friends old Dell laptops had gotten then you would never douth Dells quality again.

Also if anything was ever to happen with you computer Dell has (for me atleast) the best service ive seen for any company thus far.

So i can say that its pretty safe to buy a laptop from Dell.

 

same here! new laptop smell is the best!

 

I think any brand can be top of the line and any brand can be on the bottom at any moment, it just depends on the owner and how he cares for his item. Some people just buy warrenties and don't care what happens to their notebook because they can get it fixed easily, while others can keep the same notebook without having to replace things. If you can keep your notebook in mint shape and still use it, it will still get some ware and tear from time to time but if you keep it securely placed and always take care of it, you can keep it for a lifetime. If you think that you can keep your notebook safe and sound for long periods of time then any computer can be top of the line quality for you, but if you usually break stuff and aren't great at keeping your stuff new then you should get an extended warrenty and try to keep it in good condition at all times. Best of luck with your notebook decision.
~Arman
sorry for my grammer

 

As much as I agree that the reply isnt the best... Ill have to agree somewhat.. I was scouting the inspirons forums on dells official forum.. You dont wanna know how many posts I saw about issues with a laptop a month or few months after their 1 yr warrenty expired.... Just made me laugh thinking that Dell might be evil that way..

But for the most part you should bank on that the systems are good. Imagine.. if they sucked that much, everyone would know about it and no one would buy dell. Just be careful how you use yours.

 

At point of sale the three year cover was UK £176 for my Inspiron 6400, but I downgraded to the one year cover to lessen the total cost and about one month later I got a call from Dell offering me the three year cover for UK £100.

 

Well I guess this dell explosion was an isolated incedent

http://theinquirer.net/?article=32550

Insane

 

This exactly sounds like sony products.
Well at least Dell is cheap....

 

I think you are mistaken. I have a dell that has laster 6 years.. yeah, it's slow, but still chugging. Also - Dell has BETTER reliability than Compaq and HP according to Consumer reports. The ones that scored the highest are Sony, Apple and Toshiba. Apart from Apple, those leading brands have really bad tech help, according to Consumer reports.

Dell's are not timebombs. This came in and said a one liner, that is obviously a falacy. Your dell MIGHT blow up 2 days after warranty, but dell did not plan it. I gaurrenty that.

 

Dell is very well made.. better then Compaq, Compaqs I always seen break down or something after awhile, Dell were sturdy made. Just makes me wonder.. I mean I have a 3 yr, but I didnt buy insurance.

How many of you here bought into the insurance?

 

Dell's are really nice. They're just too mainstream.
But overall, beautiful & sturdy laptops.

 

Good tech support too. I mean its reliable Ill say that much. =) Good for traveling too. =) Sony is a look nice laptop.. but seems flimsy from exp I saw. Compaq breaks down and is harder for drivers.

Emachine is decent.

Im happy with Dell and thats why I bought one. =)