Dell laptops - Good?

[Boriyako]

Hi there

Any comments on Dell laptops - vostro specifically?

Already ahve a vostro 1500 with centrino duo 2Ghz, 2Gb 533 RAM and nvidia geforce 8600m gt graphics card. XP Pro.

Been fine thus far for normal wp and ppoint work plus I use it for gaming (not online) Doom3 etc.

I have been hearing a lot of negative comments about Dell reliability and short product life (rushed out and bought a stand with a cooler fan!!)

Cost me �650

Sell or keep???

All comments appreciated

[markysngc]

in general I have found Dell laptops to be about the best on the market when it comes to value for money, sure you can get better but at a much higher price, I have recomended Dell's to all my clients for sometime now and have had no complaints, as a balance between price and quality they are not far off the mark.

The biggest problem with dell's I have come across is they will advertise a laptop for �300 and when you order it unless you ae very careful to make sure you don't include all the default extras it will cost you �500+

I always say that with all electrical equipment if it has a fault it will go wrong within first couple of months/weeks... if it works ok for 6 months it will go for years as long as you understand they are complicated bits of kit and need to be treated with a bit of care.

mark

[ACtheTROLL]

keep ...
(when you took it out of the box it halved in value .....)
laptops tend to get more facilities for less dosh .... you'll be lucky to find someone who'll give you meaningful money

run it into the ground ... enjoy it ....
come back in 10 years when it starts getting a bit creaky

[Whickerman]

Only thing is you've overpaid, but what you've got (as has already been said, I know ) is fine.

Dell Ireland sold me one just like yours - but with a lower spec graphics card - for �420.

[Postdog]

Not going to be any help, just want to add my two pennorth (?)

As a postman, I see tons of mailshots from them offering really cheap deals. To me, they seem too cheap, and I can't help but wonder what corners have been cut and I would never buy one.

That said, I see Dell stuff at places where reliability matters (my doctors and a local school) so maybe they are better than I think.

[Boriyako]

Mark, Troll, Whickerman (interesting??!! been burnt yet?)) and Postdog..... thanks for the replies. Still not sure. Been offered �450 for my machine and can get a thinkpad (2nd hand) with similar spec (except it has a 128Mb nvidia card) for �600.

inclined to keep given what Mark says about going wrong within a relatively short time. I had problems with XP kernel (got the blue screen of death - physical memory dump!!!!!) and I have to say that Dell were great about sorting out.....phone call to them (courtsey of nomore0870) in india, courier arrived next day, machine back and sorted 4 days later! Going well.

Thans again folks for your time
Shalom!