Advice on Dells

[Wilbur]

I've managed to kill my Acer laptop, I spilt Baileys on it Inevitably the keyboard began to play up a little, was typing random rubbish, and pages were opening all over the place. I've always had Dells before and been able to dismantle them fairly easily for basic maintenance so I took the Acer apart, but it isn't half as easy and now it won't even switch on. Ooops.

I'm going to ask a local repair place for a quote, I think the damage is mainly to hardware but having made it worse once I don't want to try again, but I am also thinking of getting a new Dell.

My computing needs are few, I mainly use Facebook and other forums, browse on eBay, that sort of stuff, I've no need for gaming standard graphics.

My questions are 1. Are the newer Dells still relatively easy to maintain yourself?
2. If I go for the basic Inspiron 15 what are the essential add ons? I don't know what half of them are so it's kind of hard to judge. http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-1...ynote_irrank=0&~ck=baynoteSearch&isredir=true

Thanks once again for your help guys.

 

[muckshifter]

Personally, not for me ... I have the "pleasure" of maintaining two family members' Hell's systems ... they work, but my smartie's phone is quicker.

Key points that put me right off ... the usual slow budget Celeron CPU. I swear Intel give them away, 5400rpm hard drives, huh?? Windows 8, wow, didn't see mention of any touch screen on them Dells.

I won't go into the crap software that is "pre-loaded" on the thing.


Hey, don't let me put you off, at least the screen is bigger than my smartie phone.

 

[EvanDavis]

Keep your dosh in your pocket and stay away from Dell, and anything with Windows 8 on it.

 

[Reefsmoka]

Only ever owned 2 items from Dell. A Pentium 4 PC which was extremely well built, silent and one of the best PC's I've owned. The other item was a Dell laptop which was also extremely well built, quiet and probably the best laptop I've owned but it had a flaw with the cd driver (samsung I think) and when it come to them fixing it they didn't want anything to do with it so I took it back to the retailer and got my money back.

I am a huge fan of Dell's products, just wouldn't own one again due to how they look after there customers.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Advice on Dells? Don't buy one. Simple.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Mr Flops recommends,without grace, favour, bias or anything remotely resembling a back-hander: Toshiba, Asus with runners up Samsung and Sony.

 

[Wilbur]

I've had Dells for years, laptops that is. Main reason I like them is I've been able to buy ''for spares and repairs'' ones for next to nothing off ebay and repair them myself. All the oarts seem to just click in easily. I can't even remove the hard drive from the Acer and pass it on as I have no idea where it is!!

I am talking old laptops though, you lot would probably put them in a museum so maybe things have changed.

If Toshibas are OK maybe I'll just get a basic model from Argos, just round the corner, wo;; save me waiting, and I'm getting a little fed up of using this old Inspiron 1300 which has knackered wirelss connection, the ethernet cable is a trip hazard across the floor

 

[Anon_F]

Toshiba.
But worth having a look in the sales at:
Currys/PCWorls, Staples, Argos and Amazon & Play who are all offering % off if you buy.

 

[Wilbur]

Looks like it is a Toshiba then, I'll get browsing the sales

 

[Wilbur]

I've reserved this from Argos, have I got a bargain or shall I let it go? I can't collect until tomorrow anyway. http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/s...alogId=1500002951&langId=110&productId=764512 It comes with a free laptop case and mouse, but I shan't be too influenced by that

 

[muckshifter]

It's a Celeron, again, however, this one is out-performed by nearly every other Intel processor, apart from maybe the 700/800 series. Avoid the B815 CPU.

Proves a point really, all these 'manufacturers' can produce, junk,

I must stress, this is my personal opinion, and not necessary the norm for this forum.

You can get a Samsung RV520 15.6 inch Laptop - (Intel Core i3 2330M 2.20GHz, RAM 4GB, HDD 500GB, DVDSMDL, LAN, WLAN, BT, Webcam, Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit) for around £350, a hell of a lot better than that junker from Argos.

Compare CPUs

At the end of the day, it's your choice.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I've reserved this from Argos, have I got a bargain or shall I let it go? I can't collect until tomorrow anyway. http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/s...alogId=1500002951&langId=110&productId=764512 It comes with a free laptop case and mouse, but I shan't be too influenced by that

No!

Wot Mucks said

 

[floppybootstomp]

This is over budget but it's a goodie:

http://www.ebuyer.com/414648-asus-a53e-laptop-a53e-sx2225s

Note that model comes with Win 7, most laptops are now being offered with Win 8, which is awful.

You could consider a machine with an AMD processor, much the same performance for less money.

Try looking at E-Buyer and Laptops Direct

This one's a goodie, i3 CPU, Win 7 and a good price if you can trade in your old laptop:

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Tosh...G8_Core_i3_Laptop_PSKDHE-00L004EN/version.asp

If you really want to buy from a 'bricks and mortar' shop/store, perhaps source the model you want online then see if Staples/Currys/PC World/Argos/John Lewis stock it a decent price.

 

[crazylegs]

As Mucks has pointed out that Tosh from argos is a serious waste of money!

You need to be looking at around the £399 mark to future proof yourself a little here, the Asus that Flopp's has linked too is a very good machine for the money, you could do far worse than go for that model..

Or if you can't stretch to that then this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=LT-196-AS&groupid=959&catid=1828&subcat=

 

[floppybootstomp]

I just had a very brief look around to get a few links when I made my post but the model crazylegs has linked to is a winner! Same price as the Argos paperweight too. No-brainer choice.

Argos is very good for under bed storage and those little racks that go on radiators and you dry your underkeks on when it's raining.

And, er, that's about it really.

 

[Wilbur]

Thanks I shall borrow the kids laptop and check out the links properly. Oh and by the way most of the plasti c storage from Argos is crap.

 

[Wilbur]

By the way I bought the Toshiba from Laptops direct, happy with it so far, thanks for your help.