Dude, Dell's stupid!

[gunsage]

Dude, you're gettin' a cell mate!

[Abstruse]

Anyone got a copy of Consumer Reports around? The latest computer issue? I seem to recall Dell being on the bottom half of the list for tech support.

I haven't really paid attention since I worked there in 2001. I build my own computers and do the support for my family. I also try my best not to even think about that hellhole unless I get to do Lewis Black-style humorous angry rants against them.

[Gurndigarn]

Still, they have the best support of any name-brand computer manufacturer...which says more about HP and Gateway than it does about Dell.

Anyone got a copy of Consumer Reports around? The latest computer issue? I seem to recall Dell being on the bottom half of the list for tech support.

[technical.angel]

I've had fun with the on-site tech. One tech we had come in had applied for my job. Spent a half hour grousing on how he didn't even get a call back.

[Abstruse]

I used to work for Dell doing support (yes, I am an American citizen). I can tell you with complete and total honesty with an expired NDA:

Dell Technicians are Morons.

Every single one of them.

Anyone with more than three brain cells get drummed out of the company (like I and my friends there all were) by basically screwing them over as much as possible and only barely breaking the law doing so.

Dell outsourced call centers are paid by the call, not by problem resolved. Therefore, they're more concerned with getting you off the phone than fixing your problem. The most common solution to any software problem more complex than checking a single box? "It's probably a virus. Format - reinstall." I personally saved that company thousands of dollars in replacement parts (even taking into account how cheap refurb crap is for them) by fixing stuff with software solutions rather than immediately replacing a part.

And the on-site help? They show up, replace whatever they were hired to replace, maybe test it to make sure it works if they're in the mood, then leave. That means all troubleshooting must be done with the end user...which means a good part of my job (for which I was constantly yelled at) was walking 90 year old arthritic grandmothers though stripping their computer to the motherboard and replacing parts one-by-one to determine which of them caused the POST problems. Oh, and if you're on a call longer than 10 minutes, a supervisor comes by to yell at you.

The training course for Dell employees is three weeks long and only spends 2 days on troubleshooting. The rest is learning Dell's completely screwed up call logging software. Oh, and there's zero customer service training.

Still, they have the best support of any name-brand computer manufacturer...which says more about HP and Gateway than it does about Dell.

[Lord Ludicrous]

I would suggest staying away from Alienware. I hear their support sucks elephants.

That and they are grossly overpriced.

[Flood]

I would suggest staying away from Alienware. I hear their support sucks elephants.

That's because Alienware was bought out by Dell. The original Alienware crew (plus or minus standard turnover rates) still builds the machines, but the customer support now goes thru Dell.

I cried the day I found out. I went from having awesome, patient tech support that could walk me thru my most idiotic problems, to... well, Dell.

[technical.angel]

I would suggest staying away from Alienware. I hear their support sucks elephants.

[Lord Ludicrous]

When I get a new computer in the spring I'm staying with Dell. My sister wants me to buy Apple, but I'm a gamer, and I don't want to wait for months before the games I play finally come out on Apple.

Why don't you build your own? Or alternatively go for one of those companies that builds them for gamers. You know exactly what goes into it and it works out much cheaper.

My current PC (Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Geforce 8800gts etc) cost me (inc delivery for various parts) £560 ($1139 USD). The closest match Dell has costs £999 ($2032 USD). Oh sure, its got a quad core processor, and a bigger hard drive than mine. However, when it comes to games, my 8800GTS flattens the 8600 that machine has. Bear in mind of course, Im just talking the actual tower itself, no monitor or peripherals.

[Acolyte]

I'd get the intel Mac and toss Windows on it. That way, you'll have the Apple support via your sister, but still have your compatibility.

It goes both ways now. The Inspiron 6400 I'm typing on right now is getting dual-booted with OSX when I get a free weekend.

Hooray for the OSX86 Project!

[technical.angel]

I should have an article saved somewhere... http://tinyurl.com/2yxnw7

[JustADude]

I'd get the intel Mac and toss Windows on it. That way, you'll have the Apple support via your sister, but still have your compatibility.

Oh YEAH, they do those now, don't they?

I keep forgetting that.

[technical.angel]

I'd get the intel Mac and toss Windows on it. That way, you'll have the Apple support via your sister, but still have your compatibility.

[deafcat24]

I had to call Dell last year when my Dimension 4600's video card died.

My sister talked to them, we had already knew the problem because we already did the tests they normally make us do, it helps she's a computer technican on maternity leave from her job at a call-centre for Apple.

We talked to three different people. None of which were Dell's fault.

The first time our cordless phone battery died.
Second Time: They gave us a program to try, didn't work. However they gave us a reference number so we wouldn't have to explain it all over again.
Third time we clearly got somebody not in North America. My sister said she could barely understand him because of the accent. Saids if I talked to him there would be no way I would hear him. Within ten minutes they had an order for an even better video card then the one I was having replaced.

My sister understands after that why I refuse to call them myself, because of hearing problems, I can barely hear someone on the phone on the otherside of the house let alone somebody across the world.

I had purchased a extra year on my warrenty the week before. My computer would have been out of warrenty if my video card died the next day. I only added a year to cover my payments.

When I get a new computer in the spring I'm staying with Dell. My sister wants me to buy Apple, but I'm a gamer, and I don't want to wait for months before the games I play finally come out on Apple.

[technical.angel]

Since I became the one to call tech support for EVERYTHING non server related, I've fallen in love with Gold tech support.