To Dell or not to Dell

Post by **Kills On Site** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:03 pm

I hate Dell as much as everyone here, believe me. However, a deal from Dell popped up that got me thinking. First off, my mom is in the market for a computer and an LCD would be nice due to space constraits. Dell is offering a machine with a P4 630, HyperThreading and EMT64 3.0GHz 800MHz FSB, 512MB of DDR2 RAM at 533MHz (2x256), 80GB SATA 7,200 RPM HDD with "DataBurst Cache", 48x CD-RW/DVD-ROM and the best part, 20" Ultrasharp 2007FP LCD. The total system price is about $600. I know you guys are thinking, but its a Dell. My thought is that I could get that, then spend about $300 to get a case, PSU, mobo, HSF, and graphics card that would be all good parts. So I'd just take the good stuff from that Dell. Even at that price it is cheaper then anything I could build completely on my own, mainly due to the monitor. My questions are, do you think this would work for one. Also I've heard that Dell uses good RAM, is that true and would it work in any DDR2 mobo? Also the RAM is 533MHz, I haven't kept up on DDR2 so is that the speed I would want, or would that hender system performance? The "Databurst Cache" on the HDD, is that some Dell thing, or would it be a good HDD like a Maxtor, Western-Digital or Seagate?

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:26 am

lol @ people that hate dell.

Post by **Bdw3** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:05 am

I know. They are defiantly the best pre-built pc manufacturer out there, esp. the laptops. :icon14:

In any case that's a nice computer for anyone's mom... Unless your mom is a hard-core gamer?

I say go for it.

Post by **AmIdYfReAk** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:20 am

Go for it man! i have been fighting NOT to get that!

p.s., i will Not agree with the laptop part.... Leveno/IBM does a beter job

Post by **dzjepp** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:53 am

That is a nice price for those components. Dell is pretty good. You could do worse like get compaq/hp/gateway.

Post by **Oeloe** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:38 am

About the ram: DDR2 533 is slower than (DDR1) DDR400. DDR667 would be the way to go if it's available and reasonably priced.

Post by **Underpants?** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:59 am

+JuggerNaut+ wrote:lol @ people that hate dell.

somewhat of a collective ignorance from the sound of things.

Post by **Silicone_Milk** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:13 am

I grew up on a Dell. So... *pats his old Dell Dimension 4100*
Im currently on an Emachine though since the Dell... isn't feeling too well.

*kicks his piece of shit Emachine*

Post by **Silicone_Milk** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:16 am

Holy crap... I have a whopping 384MB of RAM on this bad boy :icon28:. woot!

Post by **Kills On Site** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:41 am

Well are you guys fairly certain all the parts will work on another mobo and whatnot? And is the brand of RAM Dell uses good?

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:00 pm

Underpants? wrote:
+JuggerNaut+ wrote:lol @ people that hate dell.
somewhat of a collective ignorance from the sound of things.

ding.

Post by **+JuggerNaut+** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:03 pm

Kills On Site wrote:Well are you guys fairly certain all the parts will work on another mobo and whatnot? And is the brand of RAM Dell uses good?

not sure about your first question, but in regards to your second, i have 150 Dell workstations (the actually models come and go, but right now GX280's and GX620's) on our network and Remedy shows that we've only had one issue with ram in just over four years.

Post by **obsidian** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 2:06 am

Silicone_Milk wrote:Holy crap... I have a whopping 384MB of RAM on this bad boy :icon28:. woot!

Same as my Dimension 4100.

Kills On Site: Learn to use paragraphs please.

Sounds like a good deal. Dell's are not for gamers, I wouldn't even get one of their XPS systems. But if it's for your mom, just for normal office/home use, then it should be fine.

Post by **Kills On Site** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 4:35 am

The reason I cannot stand Dell or any premade computer, is that if something needs replacing or an upgrade is wanted then something else must be replaced.
Example being the HP we have, I wanted to get a 5700 Ultra, but to do that I needed to get a new power supply, in order to do that I needed to get a new case.
I recall Dell did something with their power supplies and motherboards so that the wiring was specific to Dell machines. There is no reason, other then corporate gain, to do things like that. So I figure by replacing all the Dell specific parts I can have more upgrade room and less fear of a domino effect if something needs to be replaced.

Post by **Scourge** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:16 am

Kills On Site wrote:The reason I cannot stand Dell or any premade computer, is that if something needs replacing or an upgrade is wanted then something else must be replaced.
Example being the HP we have, I wanted to get a 5700 Ultra, but to do that I needed to get a new power supply, in order to do that I needed to get a new case.
I recall Dell did something with their power supplies and motherboards so that the wiring was specific to Dell machines. There is no reason, other then corporate gain, to do things like that. So I figure by replacing all the Dell specific parts I can have more upgrade room and less fear of a domino effect if something needs to be replaced.

You can't judge them all by that HP. I've had an Emachine or 2 and they are very easy to upgrade or change out parts. And they are actually now not really bad. Had one recently that lasted me 3 years with virtually no problems. Changed out vidcards, hard drives, ram, cd/dvd drives, etc.

Post by **Underpants?** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:06 pm

i've had an e-machine running a remote application at one of our harshest ops environments for over 5 years now. One hard drive later, it's survived a hepa environmental purification system, 2 cisco 2600 routers, 3 precision workstations and a gateway v80 :\. Go figure.

Post by **Canis** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:12 pm

I hate dell....hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate!!!!

Post by **Scourge** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:51 pm

Underpants? wrote:i've had an e-machine running a remote application at one of our harshest ops environments for over 5 years now. One hard drive later, it's survived a hepa environmental purification system, 2 cisco 2600 routers, 3 precision workstations and a gateway v80 :\. Go figure.

Lol. Tough old thing sounds like.

Post by **Kills On Site** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:17 am

The coupon for 5% won't work anymore. I entered it earlier and now it says it has already been used. Is this based on my computer or IP that it says that or was this a gobally one time coupon that somebody else used. Would it change if I were to purchase a system and thus set up an account with Dell and then try it?