(no subject)

[vaznetti]

The BH has decided to spring for cable internet (huzzah!), because the college will pay the bill, and because he's obsessive about checking his email. But this means that we need a new computer at home -- our old Gateway machine dates from '98 or '99 and is solid enough for word-processing, but the monitor is at death's door, and anyway 6 years is old enough.

Any suggestions? He wants a desktop rather than a laptop, because he doesn't care for laptops; I know that many people dislike Dell for laptops, but my own experience with them has been good, and the university buys their desktops (which is no guarantee of quality, as his first university computer -- I can't even remember the brand, I think they've gone out of business -- was a complete lemon.) I might look at Gateway again as well.

ETA: We'll use the computer for internet-stuff (which may include viewing downloads), word-processing, and playing computer games. We are both Civ III addicts, and like games of that kind.

Comments

[muridae-x.livejournal.com]

Gateway is no longer an option, alas - they pulled out of Europe completely.

I went with an HP desktop when I bought a new one last year to replace my ancient Gateway, but one of the factors in making that decision was that I have a still-very-good monitor that I didn't want to swap out and with HP I could buy just the PC itself without having to add a monitor I didn't want. Obviously that's not a factor in your case.

At work I'm using a Dell, and have had no problems with it other than a slightly sticky keyboard, which is pretty much a random luck-of-the-draw issue. And a friend replaced a Dell desktop of about the same age as your Gateway with a new Dell in January. Both have been trouble-free, or I'd probably have been called upon to fix things for him!

[vaznetti]

Looking over the Dell pages, I think they look more and more like the best bet, although it appears that you can buy Gateways at pcworld. I'll probably stick my head in there to look around soon, as there's one of those on the way home. I think my problem will be not getting more computer than we really need, considering what we use it for.

[k2daisy.livejournal.com]

I like my Dell better than my Gateway, but I couldn't tell you why. I have a Dell laptop and a Gateway desktop, and the desktop has always, always, ALWAYS run slow -- even when the OS was the latest and greatest (it's not anymore).

With a new desktop, you'll be able to get a flat-screen monitor because they come standard now. That was the nicest part of upgrading, for me -- no more ginormous TV-like thing that takes over most of the desk!

Yay new computer! Enjoy!

[vaznetti]

Yay new computer! Yes! And I can't wait for the flat screen -- those CRT things drive me crazy and take up So Much Space. (As I said to Muridae above, the Dells are looking like a good option, at the moment.)

Our old Gateway was never fast, but now, obviously enough, it's creaking along in a frightening and dispiriting way.

[chele74.livejournal.com]

The stories I've heard from nova88 about HP/Compaq are far worse than anything I've ever experienced with Dell. Not that I like Dell. On Ray's Dell laptop, several things have been replaced in the two years we've had it (the keyboard (twice), the touchpad, the powercord, and the motherboard). It's frustrating, but they were all under warranty. Any other issues we've had have been Windows-based issues, not specific to the Dell hardware.

[vaznetti]

I did raise the Mac issue, because heh ad one once and liked it, but it's not really what we want, and they're even more expensive here than they are in North America.

It sounds like Ray has had a lot of trouble with the hardware -- my own Dell laptop is clunky, but hard-wearing.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited for you!! So jealous! :) But cable internet... oh the bliss. How did I live on dial-up for so long?!

[vaznetti]

I don't think we really want a high-end gaming computer. First of all, we tend to prefer strategy games, and second, it's not exactly a habit we need to encourage!

I had a terrible time with Gateway product support, the two times I ever tried to contact them; I'd forgotten about that, actually, but it's a good point.

[bardsmaid.livejournal.com]

I've had both Compaq and Dell, and the Dell experience was vastly superior. Compaq seemed eager enough to fix things that went wrong... but there were always problems. Very frustrating.

Had a few odd problems with my Dell equipment over time, though they were very promptly taken care of. One note, though: Dell's tech support is now totally outsourced to India, so you often get people who are difficult to understand and sometimes are hard to communicate with if the discussion veers off the script. My latest computer was custom-built by the guy who has built Paul's computers. Kind of handy to have tech support right here in the area if needed, though I haven't had any problems.

And hooray for flat-panel monitors. Unfortunately, I've really got to stick with my 57-pound behemoth because it's made for graphics and the resolution is amazing, a feature I'm not willing to give up.

[muridae-x.livejournal.com]

HP/Compaq have also outsourced to India, at least over here. Often their English accent is impeccable, but it's a dead giveway when they don't spot that they've just read out a London telephone dialling code that was replaced several years ago...

[vaznetti]

I think nearly everyone has outsourced their telephone support to India these days. My father used to do what you do -- have the computer he wanted built, although he tended to do a certain amount of it himself, but that's not really practical for us here, I think.

[darcydodo]

I haven't had a desktop in years, so I really don't know what there is. My friend leech has a Dell desktop that he got recently and hasn't had any problems with it yet, so far as I know. For laptops, I love IBM, but I don't know that they're anything special for desktops.

[ms-pie.livejournal.com]

We've had our Dell desktop for 8 years and outside of a few upgrades that we've chosen to do ourselves, it has been a solid piece of machinery. Highly recommended :-)

[cassandre.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I know you want a desktop rather than a laptop, but I have a new Packard Bell laptop that I got for £499 from PC World on the Botley Road, and I love it. (It was recommended to me as a cheap, reliable option by an Oxford friend who is a computer whiz.) Come to think of it, the home desktop that M and I shared for 5 years or so in Oxford was also a Packard Bell. We would probably still be using it, except it was destroyed summer before last by a power surge. :(

We've also had good experiences with Dell laptops. I didn't buy a Dell this time because the web prices turned out to be higher than they looked at first glance (if you opt for an extended warranty or any extras).

[vaznetti]

The next laptop we buy will be MINE! ALL MINE! And it will be small enough to carry everywhere. So there will be no more talk of purchaisng a laptop this go-round!

I'll phone Dell to order, I think -- I have a paper brochure from them which looks promising, but yes, I worry about the way they add on charges for every last thing.