# Brands To Avoid?



## rebeljoe7 (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi, how's it going? I'm looking to buy a new computer for college this summer, and I'm looking for a fast processor, a lot of RAM (like 512MB), a large harddrive, a CD-burner, and maybe a dvd-player, and I'm not looking to spend over $1000 unless its a notebook (I haven't decided if I should get a notebook or a desktop yet). I once read in a computer-related newspaper column that "HP's suck," but there was no explanation why. 

I was wondering which brands to avoid and why?

I'm also wondering if anyone has an suggestions for my next computer?

Thanks for you time!
Peace!



(One last question- what is the difference between SDRAM and DDRAM? Thanks!)


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## websurfer (Jun 24, 2002)

I suggest building your own;0 If you can't, or don't know how, the best brand would probably be a Dell. You might find some good deals on them, and they are usually fully loaded

DDR is faster than SDR


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## GoJoAGoGo (Dec 26, 2002)

I agree Dell is probably the best. They are the #1 selling PC. I own a Dell Desktop and have been satisfied with it performance. Brands to avoid, one sticks out in my mind because I've heard a couple of nightmare storys about E-Machines. As far as other brands, HP, Compaq, IBM, Gateway, Sony etc... I really can't say which one of those to avoid.


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

RebelJoe
If you are not up to building your own then I agree Dell has the best unit for the money and most importantly they have had a good reputation for service if needed. Many of the other manufacturers will back up their units but you have to pack it up and ship it to them or drop the whole unit off at a service center. Dell sends a tech out most times if problem is not fixable ove the phone.

Had Compaq do the same before the were purchased by HP and HP never offered doing that!

Note: E-Machines are a budget unit and can be great work horses but limited in power\options but their Support leaves allot to be desired!

Have had very little involvement with IBM or Gateway so have no opinion there.

Dave


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

Check your areas shops for some that may custom build a systeem for you matbe even a freelancer.


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## rebeljoe7 (Aug 14, 2002)

Thanks for your advice, this is very helpful.
Right now I'm looking at emachines, Dells and HPs.
If anyone could explain emachines downfalls a little further, I would really appreciate it. I would also appreciate some tips on where to find computer-building instructions so I cansee if it's something I could maybe do myself. Thanks again!


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## ridgerunner (Jan 20, 2003)

Here is some info on a e-machine that sells for $498 at Wal*Mart

17-inch CRT monitor with .27 dot pitch (16 inches viewable) 
AMD Athlon XP 2200+ processor with QuantiSpeed architecture (1.667 GHz)
128 MB DDR memory 
40 GB hard drive
48x24x48x CD-RW drive 
3.5-inch, 1.44 MB floppy disk drive 
56 Kbps v.92 modem
Built-in 10/100 MB Ethernet connection
Integrated S3 ProSavage8 graphics
AC '97 audio 
6 USB 2.0 ports (2 on front)
Serial port
Parallel port
2 PS/2 ports
Available AGP slot
2 available PCI slots
Audio input and output
Microphone input
Headphone jack on front panel 
2 available PCI slots
Multimedia keyboard
2-button wheel mouse 
Amplified stereo speakers
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 
Additional pre-installed software includes Microsoft Works, Money, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Power DVD, Microsoft Media Player, Real Player, Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator
Computer dimensions are 14.25" x 7.25" x 16"

Notice that there is an agp slot to upgrade video if you want. I've seen these run straight from the box and I believe it is a very good value for the money. I would not hesitate to buy one of these machines if I needed a computer at this time.


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## RSM123 (Aug 1, 2002)

For some background on whats involved in home building try these links :

http://www.acme.com/build_a_pc/memory.html

http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/

http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/tutorials/109/1/

To learn more about what sort of systems people currently run according to whether they are gamers, video editors, home office users, etc try these :

http://www.sharkyextreme.com (Reviews and Forums.)

http://www.overclockers.com (-------Do----------------.)


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## Fyzbo (Feb 6, 2002)

I would avoid an HP for the sole reason that they come with proprietary software. This means you don't get real software cds, just backup cds that force you to waste space on your hard drive. I've also noticed that their hardware tends to be less then common making it very hard to upgrade your OS when the time comes. I have heard ok things about Gateway, not the cheapest brand, but you get good hardware and original software disks.


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2003)

Got my used dell laptop in good condition at latopexperience.com, they have nice staff, help, accessories, prices, and IBM laptops too!

Try it out,

HexStar


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## Cosmic (May 5, 2003)

If you are thinking about a Dell or even Gateway or HP read some of the other threads from folks who own one and have had problems. I never have owned one, don't think I ever will. Too much proprietary software and hardware and the customer is roped into "the only game in town" scenario. Usually at some over priced level.

That emachine described before does sound interesting. Having the ability to expand it somewhat is a big plus. The big thing to watch out for; do you get a good complete set of docs, manuals and software disks? Is the OS one of those crippled versions, where it is unique to that particular machine and you only get a restore type disk.

The best deals I have found have been at local computer shows.

A number of VAR guys who offer no brand machines that are basically custom built, many similar to the emachine in specs. The advantage is they will also offer an entire chart of upgrades, so you can really tailor it to your own specs. Even to include if you want to buy a particular part seperate from another vendor, it can be subsituted in your new machine. Everything in terms of parts has a price. You can deduct or add. Upgrades automatically credit you for the old part price. You can not beat the prices buying parts yourself as seperate pieces.

You can get an OS of your choice with complete docs and disks. All the software loaded has the OEM disk included. Everything is licensed and shrinkwrapped. Just you don't get the fancy boxes. The vendor also includes a CD-ROM with a lot of drivers, etc that supports their typical equipment. 

Most of these type machines have a lot of ability to be expanded and you can even pick the tower or case of choice. They will guide you in what parts must be upgraded for particular setups.

The big advantage you don't have to buy the parts you don't want and then buy upgrades. I never bought their keyboard or mouse. I just got a deduct and bought better ones from other vendors and that is OK. Usually you upgrade the memory in the basic packages. You get to see the hardware, see systems in operation and play with them. Usually I never bought their monitors, always got a bigger used one than was in the standard packages.

In the end the price is always right. I always picked vendors who were within my local driving distance. You get a full warranty of everything. They had techs who would do any customizing and upgrades right at the show, it typically would be ready at the end of the day. 

Never had a problem with any of them. Most of them I added drives, etc as time when on. Never had one of them fail. The manuals, docs and software packages are such you can do most things yourself. I say forget buying the brand name. In the end price is determining factor. Especially if you can get the hardware, specs and system you really want. My price always creeped up a bit from the more come on basic low ball packages. I always upgraded certain areas like memory, always added a ZIP drive.

That emachine looks attractive but what is the price after you do the upgrades you want? At the computer shows you typically can find something similar (maybe at a better starting price) but have the options to do the upgrades on the spot and get credit for the hardware swapped out.


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## boyoh53 (Nov 28, 2002)

Hello,On 1st August I will have my eMachines computer one year
and I have never had to use Helpline of any description. It goes like clockwork being used at least 10 hours every day and stopped and started maybe half a dozen times daily. Admittedly I was weary of purchasing, it being an economy computer.
I got eMachines 360 Tower, 17'' Monitor, Epson C42 Printer and
Packard Bell Diamond scanner +4 extra years warranty for
£958.00 which works out at approx. $1600.00.
The computer has 40GB Hard drive, 256 RAM and 1.40GHz and
CD-RW/DVD. I stripped the Real Player out of it entirely. From my
experiance I wouldn't say a bad word about my set-up. After 3 or 4 years they are already outdated anyway.
It is only the PC World Group here that handle them. :up:
I forgot to add Windows XPHome pre-installed.


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## Anna21 (Jul 2, 2003)

htttp://www.storepc.com


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## lisaa7002 (Jul 14, 2003)

I listed some info about dell in best cheapest pc thread, might be a tiny help!


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## bootyboy (Jul 16, 2003)

if ur gonna get a notebook, get an alienware...they just blow everything else away


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## melonhead (May 6, 2002)

If you go to www.cnet.com they have reviews on laptops and also reader reviews. I've gotten some great information from that site


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## BEENTHERE (Jul 17, 2003)

Like the others have said It sounds like Dell and Gateway may not have the cheapest, but maybe the best support and thats important. I own an H.P. Pavilion and couldn't be happier 

I had computers from the beginning Since 1967 and, programing and have used Altair's (kits with only switches-Commodores-Home built using Asus mother boards to an H.P.

The H.P. comes with 2Ghz Athelon Processor -60 gig H.D. and CD burner, Win XP and other software preinstalled and no need to activate and get both on-line and phone support. Every time I had a question they would respond in as little as 24 Hrs. All I have done is installed is Pop Stopped (free) and McAfee's for Govt. Employee's (also free). I have installed Spy Bot (free again) and have had no problems that can't be handled. I have had my computer lock up twice In 6 months. I have Shut it down and restarted it and the lockups were taken care of (Yea WinXP). This all from Wall-mart for $688.00 

For reviews of different systems Go to some of the other Tech sites like PC mag. etc.


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2003)

Avoid the eMachine if at all possible.


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## tomlunt (Feb 9, 2001)

rebeljoe7 -

What does your college recommend? Do they have any deals set up with Dell or IBM or Apple or HP or anyone else? It might be worth looking in to.

Tom

PS - I like Dell.


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## cnimbus (Mar 1, 2003)

Taking all things into consideration - price, features support, etc. - I would recommend a Dell system.

Dell systems have Intel motherboards, and the ones I used worked quite well. The only thing I did not like about them is that, unlike their standard Intel counterparts, they did not have motherboard monitoring (CPU temp, fan speed, voltage level, etc.) Other than this, they are great. Another advantage to Dell is that their technical support is pretty good.

HP systems tend to have a lot of compatibility problems. HP uses clone motherboards, but tweaks the BIOS, which seems to be the source of many of the issues. I have used them a lot in the past and they were all nothing but a colossal pain in the a**. The fact that HP is too cheap to include the CDs with their computers is an extreme annoyance if you ever need to reinstall the OS and apps.

The two eMachines systems I used were definitely low-end, low-cost PC's, but worked reasonably well. A little sparse on features, and very un-upgradable, but at a dirt cheap price.

A clone system from the local computer dealer is also an option. IMO, these give the most bang for the buck. If space is at a premium, such as in a dorm, the Shuttle XPC's are kinda handy. Note that while some clone dealers are great, others are dishonest weasels. It might be good to check www.resellerratings.com to separate the wheat from the chaff. The level of technical support can vary greatly from dealer to dealer, so it would be wise to inquire about their support policies as well.


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## CyBerAliEn (Nov 25, 2001)

Never bought a Dell before, but I have used them a bit. Didn't really care for it myself, lol...

I personally like Compaq. But I would say they sort of went crappy and crappier since being bought by HP.

I personally have bought and used 2 desktop Compaqs, as well as a Compaq laptop. I have had no issues with compatability, installing hardware, upgrading, or anything with any of my computers. But since Compaq isn't that great anymore in my opinion, I'd recommend looking into something else.

I also wouldn't recommend E-Machines. Everyone I know who has one has had several problems with it in concern to its hardware.

I would recommend checking around for some reviews on any specific computer model before making a decision.

I'd also recommend perhaps checking a local store. As noted by someone else already, you can find some good deals there. However, as also noted, be careful. There are a lot of "weasels" who will lie to you, cheat you, over charge you, etc.


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## CyBerAliEn (Nov 25, 2001)

I also feel like adding from my own experience:

Do not get a laptop if you plan on playing games. Any laptop easily becomes overheated when playing most any "modern" game (IE, BF1942, CS, The Sims, etc) within several minutes of playing. All the compenants in a laptop are so crammed that the speed of your processor and the graphics card really heat up, and the laptop will shut down automatically to prevent permanent damage from occuring.


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