Opinions Needed Please

[piratebg]

I am fixing to buy my first home comptuter(that's right I said first) and I'm not sure what to buy as far as brands. Dell? HP? Compac? EMachine? Does the name really matter? Thanks yall. :)

[Gobbla2001]

I don't use a dell, but I recommend a dell... dell dell dell

[sinton66]

Originally posted by piratebg
I am fixing to buy my first home comptuter(that's right I said first) and I'm not sure what to buy as far as brands. Dell? HP? Compac? EMachine? Does the name really matter? Thanks yall. :)

Do NOT buy an eMachine. Total waste of money. Dell is the better buy for the money you will spend. HP and Compaq are actually the same company now, both are decent computers.

[piratebg]

Originally posted by sinton66
Do NOT buy an eMachine. Total waste of money. Dell is the better buy for the money you will spend. HP and Compaq are actually the same company now, both are decent computers.

I knew HP and Compac were the same company but the Compacs are a little cheaper as far as price goes. A Dell would be fun, but I don't know if I can afford a $900-$1000 computer. Right now I'm leaning toward Compac or HP.

[44INAROW]

I hve a Compaq PC and HP Laptop and am happy with both,, I have a new Dell at work and I like it too.. of the 3 - I think Dell then HP then Compaq

[sinton66]

Dell has cheaper models than that, and they will do anything you want to do with it. We got a discount through my son who works for Dell, gave $450 for each of ours. Without his discount, still would have been around $700 or maybe a little less.

[piratebg]

Originally posted by sinton66
Dell has cheaper models than that, and they will do anything you want to do with it. We got a discount through my son who works for Dell, gave $450 for each of ours. Without his discount, still would have been around $700 or maybe a little less.

Everyone I've put together comes out to about $850 plus and I'm on a budget. It sucks but that's my life. :D

[sinton66]

Check your PMs.

[SintonFan_inAustin]

Originally posted by sinton66
Do NOT buy an eMachine. Total waste of money.

I've have two eMachine and i dont think i wasted my money. I bought one in 2003 and bought another one with more punch for less than my wife bought on her Dell. I have yet to find something that just outclass eMachine for that price. :)

[ASUFrisbeeStud]

I have two Dells, a desktop and laptop and love them both. I've heard people complain but I've never had any problems. The laptop has been through hell and still works fine. There customer service is good once you get to a rep, you'll be on hold an hour before that though.

[Emerson1]

Build your own. You can pay $800 and get one that is 10 times better then if you were just to go to a store and buy a dell for the same price.

Computers are marked up so high it's not even funny.

[shankbear]

eMachines was bought out by Gateway in 2004. That is who does tech support and warranty as I understand.

I have a Dell laptop and a couple of AMD custom desktops at the office. Keep digging.

[pirate4state]

Dude, you're getting a Dell :cool:

[FormerBellvilleBrahma]

Originally posted by pirate4state
Dude, you're getting a Dell :cool:

The Farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell, hi ho computero, the farmer in the dell.:D :D

[Who-dun-it!!?]

I like my hp from wal-mart

[NDFootball]

Emachines are crap...ok to start out with but good luck upgrading it. That's a nightmare.

[99IHSMustang]

Originally posted by Emerson1
Build your own. You can pay $800 and get one that is 10 times better then if you were just to go to a store and buy a dell for the same price.

Computers are marked up so high it's not even funny.

That is not true anymore. About 6 months ago I priced the parts for a machine with the same specs as a dell and it was cheaper assuming that you had a monitor, keyboard, and mouse already. Since the customer didn't it was better for him to get the Dell.

[rundoe]

The service beats the heck out of Dell. I have 6.

[rundoe]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
I don't use a dell, but I recommend a dell... dell dell dell
Their service sucks. I changed all 6 of mine over to HP and never been happier.

[rundoe]

Originally posted by piratebg
I knew HP and Compac were the same company but the Compacs are a little cheaper as far as price goes. A Dell would be fun, but I don't know if I can afford a $900-$1000 computer. Right now I'm leaning toward Compac or HP.


Hp's are slighty higher that Compac, but much better machines.

[rundoe]

Originally posted by sinton66
Dell has cheaper models than that, and they will do anything you want to do with it. We got a discount through my son who works for Dell, gave $450 for each of ours. Without his discount, still would have been around $700 or maybe a little less.
YOu may save on the front end, but after you need service looook out. been there done that. Hp blows their doors off.

Compacs are NOT the same machines as HP. They are just owned by the same company.

[rundoe]

Originally posted by pirate4state
Dude, you're getting a Dell :cool:

You'll be sorry later.

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

I hate brocolli.

[Ranger Mom]

I have had 2 Dells, will NEVER own another one. I have a Dell at work and I hate it. I have 2 HP's at home and 2 e-machines.....the best computer I have now is the one I am on.....a rebuilt mutt basically.

[BuffyMars]

2 words:

Sony Vaio...we bought ours 4 years ago, and this puppy is still top of the line.

Granted we spent $3,000 bux on it that long ago...that was top of the line then, and they have only gotten bigger and better since then....and cheaper. ;)

[SintonFan_inAustin]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
I have had 2 Dells, will NEVER own another one. I have a Dell at work and I hate it. I have 2 HP's at home and 2 e-machines.....the best computer I have now is the one I am on.....a rebuilt mutt basically. My wife has a Dell laptop(says 3.1 ghz seems more like 1.1 ghz) and i have a Toshiba laptop(on my 3rd one from work always having problems) these two brands are not worth the price u pay for them.

[Blastoderm55]

Buy your machine from Dell, but make sure to call in your order and talk to a rep. They are able to give nutty discounts and are encouraged to by management just to close the sale. You might pay $850, but you'll be getting upgrades out the wazoo and free peripherals. My fiancee worked there for a while and knows the secrets. :p

[SintonFan_inAustin]

Originally posted by Blastoderm55
Buy your machine from Dell, but make sure to call in your order and talk to a rep. They are able to give nutty discounts and are encouraged to by management just to close the sale. You might pay $850, but you'll be getting upgrades out the wazoo and free peripherals. My fiancee worked there for a while and knows the secrets. :p :doh: Dell i laugh at my wifes computer and the laptop she bought from them thru call in.:D I work for Toshiba but they just as bad as a Dell.

[Blastoderm55]

Originally posted by SintonFan_inAustin
:doh: Dell i laugh at my wifes computer and the laptop she bought from them thru call in.:D I work for Toshiba but they just as bad as a Dell.

The prices and upgrades you can get by calling in are ridiculous. Most depend on whether you'll splurge for the extended warranty, but doing so just gives you so much that its hard to refuse.

I rented Dells to customers for about 3 years and received not a single complaint, well aside from one time the moron forgot their password to login and another time a customer complained that the DVD-RW drive didn't burn fast enough. :rolleyes: I've never had an issue with the two I have personally. Laptops are probably another issue, but their desktops have worked perfectly for me, and that's even through the rigors of renting, picking up, refurbishing, and re-renting. Emachines didn't stand up to the challenge and neither did Compaq or H-P.

[sinton66]

Originally posted by SintonFan_inAustin
I've have two eMachine and i dont think i wasted my money. I bought one in 2003 and bought another one with more punch for less than my wife bought on her Dell. I have yet to find something that just outclass eMachine for that price. :)

Wait until you try to upgrade one of them. (Voice of experience here.)

[DU_stud04]

i hate broccoli as well.

[SintonFan_inAustin]

Originally posted by sinton66
Wait until you try to upgrade one of them. (Voice of experience here.) the one i have now i have upgraded my video card, Ram to 1 gig and i bought this computer for $89 on Black Friday (day after thanksgiving) in '05. The only issue i notice on emachines is their monitors go out within 3 year range. i now get HP monitors when i buy a emachine system.

[Keith7]

please whatever you do.. DONT GET A DELL.. my mom and one of my bestfriends both bought a dell at about the same time (about a year and a half ago), and both are no longer useing the computers.. I'm not real sure what was so bad about them. i'm ussually somewhat computer savy and can figure out at least what is wrong w/ a computer, but these computers seem like the hardware that came w/ them just decided to go out one day.. Dells do come with a warranty, but with repeated problems this becomes more of a hassle more than a benefit.. I suggest a HP, my last 2 laptops have been HP and have yet to have a problem..

[sinton66]

Originally posted by SintonFan_inAustin
the one i have now i have upgraded my video card, Ram to 1 gig and i bought this computer for $89 on Black Friday (day after thanksgiving) in '05. The only issue i notice on emachines is their monitors go out within 3 year range. i now get HP monitors when i buy a emachine system.

The problem with eMachines is that they use an "all in one" motherboard. The video card is about the only periphial that is easily upgradable. Sound card is built in, etc. Hard to find the drivers when you need them too.