Any problems with Dell notebook?

How about the quality of Dell notebook?
Is it good?
Has anyone met any problems or found any disadvantage of it?

:centrino:

 

Nope, I'm happy with my I6000d.

 

i love my 700m.

 

ThinkPads are the best built notebooks. There is some variation in Dell's lineup. Generally Lattitudes are better than Inspirons.

 

Just do not have a problem with yout IBM, we use them at work and two of us have been waiting 5 months for a replacement part from IBM, due they say to a world wide shortage in various part.
I think it more has to do with IBM and there poor service, especially the group they sold to take over making and selling of their machines.
Strong build, expensive paper weights in many cases.
I have I9300 and 700M, get the 3 years warranty and never worry

 

I think you are in the minority.

 

Well, Thinkpads have always been nice and solid, but good luck getting parts for them if one DOES fail.

Dells are easier to get parts for, but aren't usually as well constructed. The Inspiron "consumer" line are the only ones they want "regular people" to have because of the 90 day warranty default...make sure it's at least a year.

The Latitudes are constructed ALMOST as well as the IBMs, and are still easier to get parts for, and they come with a 3 year warranty. You just have to pretend to be a buisness in order to get one.

Basically, it's a trade off. Inspirons are cheaper, and usually shorter warranties. Cheaper plastics, not as much thought in the design. Latitudes have longer warranties, and are well constructed, with higher-end parts (though notably lower-level GPUs). Both Dell lines are extremely configurable. Thinkpads are built like Swiss watches you might say (or Hondas, maybe), but they're more expensive than anything, hard to get parts for, will ONLY accept Thinkpad parts for the most part, and are NOT very flexible in their custom configurations (it's more like 20 pre-defined trim lines). Come to think of it, Thinkpads are a LOT like Hondas.

 

You put perfectly what I was trying to say with IBM's. Great if they work, just do not be one of the unlucky ones if it breaks down and are stuck with a dead system for months. The worst part is that you can only replace them with specific IBM parts, thus you can wait a while.
My best friend worked at IBM for the past coupe of years in Australia. I get this info first hand when he tells me of the abuse especially bussiness customers give him when faced with long waits.

 

I love my Latitude C640

 

Had a problem with my keyboard on my old T41. I called IBM and had a new one the next day.

 

Or, "Why I Went And Started My Own ****ed Company".

So, after being notebook-less for the large majority of my college career, I finally decided that it was time to give in to the urge and be able to distract myself from the tedium of classes by getting myself a notebook. I rationalized this by saying, "It's for taking notes in class!" but knew that the wi-fi connection in all of the classrooms really had far more to do with it.

My college computer store prices their markup to target those who come to school with a trust fund, apparantly. So I hustled off to Dell and got myself some of their ridiculous credit, spending most of the limit on a new machine. At the time, the specs were good (40GB HDD, 256MB RAM, Pentium 4 2.8GHz processor). I figured, "Hey, buying from a brand name is a good thing." I had my roommate, who was a computer geek, spec it out for me and thought I was on my way.

Whew. Was I wrong.

Back-ordered. For two weeks. But this is okay. I can wait. The semester is new.

Two weeks and three days later I get the box, open it, and the first thing I notice is that the case is cracked. Now, I've sprung for their completecare coverage, so I figure this is no problem. Here's where the fun begins. After 40 minutes of waiting just to reach a human being, I'm told that this is shipping damage and it's not covered!

Huh?

I beg, plead, cry, and about twenty minutes later I'm transferred to someone who does not speak the same native language I do. Things progress from bad to worse here, and I eventually wind up back out in the hold queue again. Finally I wound up speaking to someone in a call center in Canada, get an RMA number, send it back.

Then, I wait.

I wait some more.

I continue waiting.

Nearly two full weeks later, I finally get around to making some phone calls (keep in mind that I ordered this system at the beginning of March, it's nearing April now), and no one seems to know where my computer is. No two people know what the other one is talking about, and in short I was really starting to get angry. Another hour on the phone, and I was finally transferred to someone who had heard of my computer. At last! They did manage to expedite the repair (of course it hadn't been done by the time I called, why would it be?) but in short I lost out on having my notebook for a full MONTH because of the repair service-and I had paid EXTRA for complete coverage!

I can't imagine what would have happened had there been something I needed on that notebook-a paper or notes.

So, my boyfriend and I got together and started our own line of notebooks, vowing that no one would ever have to experience the horrors of Dell customer service again. But that's another story.

I will never, ever recommend a Dell to anyone I like, ever.

Gwen

 

Please dont promote Thinkpads over Dell's in the dell forum. We are glad you like them but some people don't.

 

For every horror story for any brand there are love stories. There is insurance when you get shipped your Dell and if broken will be replaced. The extended warranty is great, they will come to my door, pick it up and take it away again, and I will get my fixed original back or a brand new one within 4 days. They state this on their warranty. I am told if I drop it, pour water on it, etc, It gets fixed. I payed an extra $354 for this for 3 years coverage.

 

I know there are. I *did* pay the extra for the complete care coverage (I have three cats and two horses, lots of things can happen to a notebook in a barn!), which is why I was *so* disappointed.

I think I should definitely state that I have no problem with the Dell notebook itself (I finally just passed it on to another college student in need), just the level of customer service which I was incredibly disappointed in.

 

I stated this also in another thread. Being from Australia, Dell for me is based in Malaysia and on the world stage they have been ranked amoung the best in qaulity control for many years. They are a First world country amoung third world countries.
Northern Hemisphere countries get their customer support from Indian call centres. Thats your problem, From purchase to followup service, I get my own VIP rep to always be there for me. Special VIP number, etc.
I wonder how long ago you bought this complete coverage and your notebook, because even going back a year, there have been many changes not only to the way a VIP customer gets handled, but also the warranty.
Personally I use dell because of their great customer service.

Move to Australia, not only will you get sunshine and happiness, but also better customer service.

 

You know, I think my boyfriend would go for moving there!!! Maybe a visit to his family down there is in order...

My bad experience was more than a year ago now, early in 2004, before they started the VIP service (or started pushing it, because I hadn't heard of it until my roommate bought his desktop a few months ago).

Change is good, I guess! Good to know Dell will correct problems!