Are Dell laptops really any good or am I just unfortunate? Having bought a new laptop direct from Dell in August 2021 it's now on its second return to workshops to have something fixed!

The first time, about a month ago, it wouldn't power up and after several hours faffing about via WhatsApp (madding but I came to see the advantages) Tech Support decide a warranty Return to Base was needed. A new motherboard and a new palm rest later it returned. The palm rest I assume Tech must have broken because it left me in as new condition well packed in its original box and collected by their courier – UPS.

Low and behold not a month later after its return I get a Blue Screen of Death to which Tech Support (via WhatsApp again) tell me it's not their problem, it's a software issue not hardware therefore not under warranty! Several more hours with Tech Support trying to convince them that Dell Recovery software or Windows Setup can't find a Drive to install on to! I even send them WhatsApp photos of the laptop screen to prove the fact! After some time they then tell me they still think its software related but as a concession for one time only they will have it picked up for a Return to Base fix and under warranty.

The laptop should've been picked up yesterday but Eunice put pay to that. Can't really blame UPS for a no show, going by the local news the only people getting anywhere in Cornwall yesterday were tree surgeons!

I'm now back to using my very old (10yrs ?) Toshiba laptop, it's a bit slow and a little temperamental at times (Intel i5 Gen4) but it works!

Thanks for "listening" and apologies if this sounds too much like a rant, but it's just annoying.

I've had Acer PCs and HP Envy Laptops both give up their motherboards and I'm now a Dell convert, running 2 laptops and an XPS unit as a "server".
Sorry to hear of your bad experiences.

One laptop that never failed me was a Lenovo, so I'm not dissing cheaper brands at all.
I think it is a bit like model railway locomotives. Every so often someone gets a friday afternoon job.

Those that work in the business will probably have more technical reasons to favour certain brands, but I think it could be more likely to be the parts in certain models that fail rather than entire brands.

One brand I would never go back to, though, is HP Envy laptops. The Envy I had was almost unserviceable. And it failed 2 months outside the warranty!

Bob

I worked with Dell equipment for years and grew to hate it.

Sorry to say it but there was a penny-pinching/profit maximizing feel about their specifications. Never enough or older-type connections even on newer models. Cut-down motherboards that limited future expansion options and therefore longevity. When you did have slots or options to upgrade, things like RAM normally had to be propriety format which cost more.
Oh and the tech support, infuriating.

Maybe the company I worked for always bought the cheaper models and perhaps things have improved on the hardware side, I think they own Alienware now don't they? Plus I no longer work in that field so don't really know about current stuff but that was my experience.

Anyway, good luck, you have my sympathies.

BTW, did they tell you what they found after the first return to base?
If you've had a new motherboard that should rule out lots of potential problems but if there was something wrong with the motherboard it could have slowly been damaging the drive which has now failed.

Seeing what ache failures are and dealing with tech support is I'd be tempted to use a different power supply too to rule out a dodgy power supply causing problems and perhaps a surge protector. Even more so if they are not giving you any feedback on what's causing the problems.

Hi @Jack

Sorry to hear of your problems with Dell. They used to be a really good manufacturer but in recent years the quality has dropped and they are built to a price (unless you go for their high end kit).

In terms of general laptops (up to £1K), I would recommend HP Or ThinkPads. Both of these are still well made although again, Lenovo seem to be messing about with the latest ThinkPads (cost cutting).

If I was buying a new laptop myself today, then I would go for HP with an AMD processor. This is a big statement for me as I have always been Team Blue (Intel) as an ex-employee of theirs. AMD are just offering better value for money.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

Paddy

I'd also recommend Thinkpads - built to service! None of the Clamshell cases beloved of Dell , HP and others ( you crack half of the connectors getting them open! )

I refurbish old laptops / PCs and give them away or scrap,the, , and I have more Dell PSUs in my bits box than any other make!

Older Toshiba and Dell laptops   are easier to work on and are more reliable - a nice SSD drive and max memory will give you a more reliable machine for the average user.

( I've done over 200 refurbs)

Sounds like a bad penny. We have had 5 dells over the last 20+ years, two last so long that I had to buy new batteries for them. We had those two for nearly 10 yrs. Currently we have two in use, one for daily use, the other as a standby. It runs on Windows7 and without spending some rel cash won't run W10, so I suspect W11 is also a no-no.
I've recently bought a Chromebook for my photography and so far, so good.

Quote from: GAD on February 20, 2022, 11:14:52 AM
Sounds like a bad penny. We have had 5 dells over the last 20+ years, two last so long that I had to buy new batteries for them. We had those two for nearly 10 yrs. Currently we have two in use, one for daily use, the other as a standby. It runs on Windows7 and without spending some rel cash won't run W10, so I suspect W11 is also a no-no.
I've recently bought a Chromebook for my photography and so far, so good.

If your Win7 laptop has SATA connections for the hard disk ( ie flat socket as opposed to multiple pins, then upgrade tonSSD ( s/h Samsung 120GB drives are £ 12 on eBay and are excellent );and memory upgrade to 4 GB is usually possible , then a win10 upgrade is easy.

Win 11 will only Run on 2020 onwards machines and is not worth the effort!

If you PM the model types to me, I could advise on possible upgrades

Alternatively, Google offer free Chromebook s/w to download & install on older machines, and turn them into Chromebooks?

https://www.alphr.com/download-install-chrome-os/

Best wishes

N

@GAD

Thanks for the offer, as  it stands I doubt we'll ever need it, and one of my sons designs computer control systems and he'd be doing the work. If I ever need it.

Yes windows 11 needs TPM so will not install on much before 2018. My desktop which I built in 2015 has a TPM socket for it on the motherboard so in theory I could upgrade by buying a module. Which I maybe forced to do when they drop support for W 10, ie allegedly the last operating system they were going to make.

We should have full support for W10 until 2025 at present. W11 not only needs TPM but also restricts the models of Intel and AMD processors it officially supports. W11 will (currently) run on unsupported processors but there is no guarantee this will remain the case in to the future. Ultimately, W11 is about selling more new PCs rather than anything else.

What saddens me, is that millions of perfectly capable PCs are likely to end up in landfill in the years ahead.

Kind regards

Paddy

Quote from: Paddy on February 21, 2022, 10:09:23 AM
What saddens me, is that millions of perfectly capable PCs are likely to end up in landfill in the years ahead.

Actually no as the laptops themselves are WEEE, so they have different treatment, recycle and reuse routes. They do not go direct to landfill.

The market for laptops/phones/similar tech is primarily driven by younger generations who need the latest tech at whatever cost. It is like a drug.

We on this forum probably have different drivers. Like the latest 9F with traction tyres, for example. So we must not complain about someone else's kick, as we have them too.

Bob 

Hi @Bob G

I am not complaining about anyone getting their kicks - good luck to them. My point (obviously poorly made) is that millions of perfectly usable PCs will be rendered obsolete by W11 for no real reason.

Yes, I know Microsoft will argue increased security and that this brings the PC market in line with other technologies such as phones, tablets, TVs etc. but it still angers me. For many people, a PC is not a "toy" or "hobby" but rather a tool to get things done.

Personally, I like new computer tech and have just updated my ThinkPad but I fully accept for others and business this is an unnecessary expense.

Kind regards

Paddy

Another interesting point you raise @Bob G is about how many markets are currently driven by the desires of the younger folk. Whilst this is true, it is worrying how world economies will continue to drive growth as we pass peak population and move towards having a much higher proportion of older people and in particular women.

Still, peak population and almost guaranteed decline is a topic beyond the scope of N Gauge model railways!



Kind regards

Paddy

FYI I don't like the way Microsoft runs their part of the world. Basically if you don't line up and do it their way, you don't get to play. (you could also include Amazon...)

They insist I cannot run Teams, for example, because they made it free during Covid lockdown, unless you were a business, but I happen to have both a business and personal email address linked to my Microsoft account. I can't resolve it at all.
I don't subscribe to 365 so I get treated as a second class citizen, as 365 gets Teams included.

I don't want Windows 11 either, which as many have said renders pre 2020 laptops obsolete.

The problem is I used to think I was computer literate, but I know I am not, and when someone says "oh you just do ..... it is like a foreign language to me. Like my wife and knitting..."

Grrrrr