Any issues with cheaper brand computers?

[hairyfucker]

Decide your price point and then purchase the brand you like or are comfortable with. All brands have had lemon model lines as there is a price point or loss leader line that each will offer. Your price point will determine if you get a good quality basic machine or a lower quality feature rich machine.

Everyone you ask will have a good and a bad story about each brand they have purchased.

I have owned over the years

2 TI laptops (now Acer)
2 Compaq desktops (now HP)
2 HP desktops
1 IBM laptop (now Lenovo)
3 HP laptops
1 Toshiba laptop
1 Macintosh
2 Sony laptops
1 Dell laptop

All had served me well. But I was not a fan of the IBM or the Dell. The worked fine I just did not like the feel / ergonomics. The Sony's were nice but were the least robust (kind of fragile).

My overall preference is HP. I have also always used an Intel based machine.

 

[tboy]

Gateway got bought out by Acer recently.
The 2007 ranking for PC manufacturers was:

1. HP
2. Dell
3. Acer

but i think Acer is Ranked #2 now?

Something no one has suggested:

Why not just build one exactly the way you want or have it built for you? I recently built a multi-media PC for games etc for use with my home theatre system and I built a pretty powerful machine for about $200.00 less than a brand name.....

 

[bishop]

Just like there are only a few companies that actually make plasma and lcd screens, everyone else just builds the boards and case they put them in.

I recently purchased a small CNC machine and I was down to two companies: 1 warrantied the machine for 3 yrs with unlimited phone support and free replacement parts, the other warrantied their machine for 3 months.

Which one do you think I chose?

Tboy you noob, I built my own CNC machine.

A PC is just a collection of parts, if you know your stuff you want to chose your own parts; CPU, mobo, video card, ram, PSU, HDD, then again you can not dig deeper and choose the individual components on each part.

Personally I like Dell, they seem to offer the best compromise between quality and price.

 

[The LoLRus]

Something no one has suggested:

Why not just build one exactly the way you want or have it built for you? I recently built a multi-media PC for games etc for use with my home theatre system and I built a pretty powerful machine for about $200.00 less than a brand name.....

Because:

a) People like me have no fucking clue how to build one (nor have the desire to)
b) How you gonna get "free" tech support that way??
c) Savings of 200 bucks, wow knock yourself out with that

 

[Cycleguy007]

I used to build PC's as a part time business when my kids were young (before school age) as a second income. That was awhile ago now and things have changed radically since then. I still dabble and all my own PC's are custom built with quality brand parts. My feeling is, doesn't really matter what name is on the outside of the box as long as there are quality parts inside.

Having said that, if I were to buy a pre-made PC, I would look no further than www.dell.ca

 

[Rockslinger]

HP and Compaq are the same company.

My Compaq is so old that it was actually manufactured by Compaq before the HP takeover.

 

[Rockslinger]

a) People like me have no fucking clue how to build one (nor have the desire to)
b) How you gonna get "free" tech support that way??
c) Savings of 200 bucks, wow knock yourself out with that

This is so true. Whenever I buy something, I always dread the words: "Some assembly required." (I still think my cables connecting my HD TV, VCR. DVD player and HD box are all screwed up.)

 

[tboy]

Because:

a) People like me have no fucking clue how to build one (nor have the desire to)
b) How you gonna get "free" tech support that way??
c) Savings of 200 bucks, wow knock yourself out with that

LOL
a) if you've ever upgraded a dvd HDD memory Vid or sound card, you can build a pc
b) don't need tech support cuz the machines I build don't fuck up
c) 200 bucks off a $500 machine is, um almost 50%, I will ALWAYS knock myself out for a 50% discount TYVM

 

[The LoLRus]

LOL
a) if you've ever upgraded a dvd HDD memory Vid or sound card, you can build a pc

I would take a guess 90% of people have no clue how (including myself)

LOL
b) don't need tech support cuz the machines I build don't fuck up

Oh I can make anything fuck up, just try me

 

[PowerDrill]

I would like to know what the experience some of you guys have had with non HP, Dell, Applle computers. Are the Acer and the e-machines as good?

Acers really suck hard. And in the world of computers,this is a bad thing. I'd stay away. The cheap often find themselves paying twice, and I think this is what happens with the Acers. Switched to Apple a few years ago. Will never go back. (Probably should never say never though--there are some disadvantages--less software. But the stability of the machine is unsurpased in all of my previous PC experience. Two+ years now and the Mac system software has never crashed, an application has crashed perhaps twice, but never had to reboot the machine when this happens).

 

[Stalker]

It really depends on what you are doing with it and how long you expect it to last. I have sold several laptops and desktops over the past 15 yrs. E-machines are crap. HP and Dell are probably my favorite. Always get one with a manufacturer's 3yr. next business day on-site warranty. Don't go with those Future Shop warranties. As someone said in an earlier post. You get what you pay for.

 

[jetwolf]

I'm using a 2006 e-machines desktop and I've never had any problems with it.

That said, I agree that it's the kind of components that are inside that makes the difference, not who assembled them.

 

[tigerxxx]

I just bought a new Acer laptop and it's running like a dream. Then again every pc should be running great in its first month. But years ago i had a Acer desktop as well and it worked fine for me.

 

[The Bandit]

Acers really suck hard.

Cheapest price...cheapest quality.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Gateway got bought out by Acer recently.
The 2007 ranking for PC manufacturers was:

1. HP
2. Dell
3. Acer

but i think Acer is Ranked #2 now?

Never owned an Acer but have to wonder, you don't end up being ranked #2 or #3 by making junk.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Now, I'm gonna build the PC myself from select components to meet my requirements. Currently verifying that all components will work together under Linux with no issues. Not an easy thing to do, let me tell ya.

Ubuntu and openSUSE forums are very helpful in answering these types of questions. They are overall as helpful as the Tech forum here on Terb.
Most components should work well on linux, unless you are making an Alienware type PC with the latest, fastest and greatest parts.

 

[wet_suit_one]

Depends on what you want the machine for. Simple stuff, like braying like an ass on TERB (which is what I do), any machine will do.

Hard core gaming, get a real fracking machine and spend the money to get it.

With cheapo machines, why would anyone who spends 200-300$ an hour for sex with women worry about the quality of the machine? If the thing fucks up, chuck it and get another one. It's like a $10.00 watch (practically speaking).

That said, back up your data (which is the only important stuff), get a good monitor (worth the money) and spend on things outside the box. The box is ever so replaceable (unless you have a gaming rig which costs real $$'s).

Thats my 2 cents.