O.T.: Dell computers

[WndrBr3d]

Depends.

Windows XP x64 has been released for a while now, but honestly, I feel 64-bit only has a home with servers or enterprise applications. Tomshardware and Anandtech has shown that 64-bit has little or no performance gain for gaming.

Until you see > 4GB RAM in desktop computers, I don't think you'll see 64-bit being a NECESSITY in the home.

Even now, Dell sells "Pentium 4 with EMT64" Desktops. Do they even offer Windows XP x64 with these systems? No.

So I don't feel, personally, that at home there'll be no NEED for 64-bit for at least a few more years.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

I am trying to find out whether the system I ordered, the Dimension 5100 has this EMT 64. I think it does. Does this mean it will work with the 64 bit OS and/or it is upgradable to do so? Some guy today at a store was trying to tell me to buy the Athlone AMD 64 bit as it is "the future"....thoughts?

BTW, who makes Dell's parts? Especially the burner and DVD rom? I have always had Plextor burners and have loved them. Will this one work OK? And what software do you guys use to burn DVD's? I hear DVD Shrink is the best. I have always used Nero for CD burning.

Thanks again...you guys are the best!!

JC

 

[nav]

I am trying to find out whether the system I ordered, the Dimension 5100 has this EMT 64. I think it does. Does this mean it will work with the 64 bit OS and/or it is upgradable to do so? Some guy today at a store was trying to tell me to buy the Athlone AMD 64 bit as it is "the future"....thoughts?

Dell won't sell you an AMD chip, they have a pact with Intel. The 64 bit Althon families were the original x86-64 chips that Intel is now "recreating". For home users, for the foreseeable near future, 64 bit capabilities are not necessary. The x86-64 chips and Intel's version of them work just fine in 32 bit mode, however, so no worries about their usefulness; they're just more expensive than what you could have got by with (the "top of the line" always is). The CPU is really the least of most desktop owners' worries now-a-days; splurge a bit on the RAM, video card, sound card, and so on instead.

BTW, who makes Dell's parts? Especially the burner and DVD rom? I have always had Plextor burners and have loved them. Will this one work OK? And what software do you guys use to burn DVD's? I hear DVD Shrink is the best. I have always used Nero for CD burning.

In their laptops I've seen NEC DVD burners and Sony CD burners. On their desktops I've seen LG burners. Plextor is hard to beat, but most burners work "well enough" anymore.

 

[Tsunamii]

Johnny, Dell uses allot of different vendors for hardware so its anyone's guess.
As far as what software it depends on what you are doing. DVDShrink is made to clone DVD movies and you will need something like Nero with that anyway because DVDShrink does not have a burning engine. Nero will burn both DVD's and CD's and works very well. Your PC will come with Roxios new software called Sonic, I am not a fan of Roxio products and like Nero but its all prefrence.

 

[furrycute]

Dell notebooks are pretty expensive. I know Dell hands out those coupons frequently, but it is really a hassle to try to follow what coupons are available when and what are the best combination of coupons to use.

I recently made the switch from Dell to Compaq, and I have been very satisfied. My old Dell laptop is a Latitude (their business line), and I just don't like all the plastic on this Latitude. The Compaq I got feels much sturdier. Plus, the Compaq is a lot cheaper than Dell. You can still fiddle with Compaq, HP coupons, but those coupons are a lot more straightforward than Dell coupons.

And Dell now charges you for an OS backup disc (you don't get a separate OS CD along with your notebook). This really sucks. How low can Dell sink.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

They waved the $10 charge for my Windows XP CD. But I thought it was kind of weak that they would charge for that at all.

Although a pretty, sturdy case is somewhat important, it's the insides and performance I really care about..

Thanks

JC

 

[furrycute]

If you get a chance, try to configure 2 notebooks with similar configuations on the Dell and the Compaq site, without using coupons.

I just did it yesterday, upped all the configurations to the max. Dell was almost $500 more expensive compared to a similarly configured Compaq/HP.

For $500 less, I would rather go with a Compaq/HP.

 

[Spiffyfast]

I'm telling you guys www.techbargains.com is an awesome site, they find all the discount codes and everything for all kinds of different sites, you can even search for the cheapest price on a particular product. A friend of my lead me to it since I'm looking for a new graphics card for my PC and a new monitor to replace the flat panel I broke moving out of my apt. They have some awesome dell coupons as well as the best deals on all the other brands too.

 

[furrycute]

I really think Dell puts out all those coupon codes as a form of advertising/psychological manipulation.

I once tracked those coupon codes on a Dell 9300 over a period of almost a month. And the difference in price with the coupon codes varied over $400 to less than $100. And you never know when you are getting the best deal. So you compulsively wait on and search on for the "best deal."

That kind psychological manipulation just turned me away from Dell completely (even though I'm typing on my old Dell laptop right now, probably the last Dell I'll buy in a long while).

 

[Spiffyfast]

I really think Dell puts out all those coupon codes as a form of advertising/psychological manipulation.

I once tracked those coupon codes on a Dell 9300 over a period of almost a month. And the difference in price with the coupon codes varied over $400 to less than $100. And you never know when you are getting the best deal. So you compulsively wait on and search on for the "best deal."

That kind psychological manipulation just turned me away from Dell completely (even though I'm typing on my old Dell laptop right now, probably the last Dell I'll buy in a long while).

I think dell puts out coupons like that for the people that are willing to do the research. If I was running a business and I knew I had people that really knew there stuff with computers and researched buys alot b/f making a purchase I'd make sure my company looked apealing to them, and posting coupons like that on certain websites works well. If I also knew I had ppl that new nothing about computers and just buy something and dont care about the price b/c they dont know any better then why would I want to post the best prices everywhere, that cuts into the profits. In all actuality how many people out of your total customers do a good amount of research on something b/f they buy it? I'm betting not alot so this way that can capture both markets.

 

[furrycute]

Tracking every conceivable Dell coupons on the web is not doing research, it is called a complete and utter waste of time.

In spending countless hours tracking those coupons, have you counted the opportunity cost of your time? Say you make $50/hr. Over the course of a month waiting for your Dell "deal" you are probably going to spend at least 1 week surfing the web, going to various forums, finding the right coupon codes. $50 x 100 hours = $5,000. With your wasted opportunity cost, you could have purchased 2 laptops.


After having played the Dell game for a while, I just became really sick of it.




Then again, surfing the audioholics website is also a complete and utter waste of time. But I enjoy it. So I count the time I spend here as psychological relaxation time. In my book, "relaxation" time here cancels out my opportunity cost.

P.S. Your mind really plays some twisted games on you.

 

[MDS]

I think dell puts out coupons like that for the people that are willing to do the research. If I was running a business and I knew I had people that really knew there stuff with computers and researched buys alot b/f making a purchase I'd make sure my company looked apealing to them, and posting coupons like that on certain websites works well. If I also knew I had ppl that new nothing about computers and just buy something and dont care about the price b/c they dont know any better then why would I want to post the best prices everywhere, that cuts into the profits. In all actuality how many people out of your total customers do a good amount of research on something b/f they buy it? I'm betting not alot so this way that can capture both markets.

That is a good point and I agree with your logic. I also think that is the exact rationale for rebates. The return rate for rebates is around 50% and then also many of the rebates that are submitted can easily be denied if the consumer doesn't follow the million instructions exactly; for example if you don't fill in your phone number on the rebate form or circle the price or any number of things, the rebate offer is void [read the fine print carefully].

So the business has two choices:
1. Offer a low price that undercuts the competition
2. Keep the price the same, but offer a rebate that, if processed, would make the price competitive. Given that very few consumers actually return the rebate form on time or the rebate is denied for not following the instructions exactly, the company gets to sell the majority of the items at full price.

Like Spiffy says, which option would you choose if you wanted to make the most money?

I'm sick of all the rebate offers. There was news some time ago that Best Buy and Circuit City were going to abandon the whole rebate game, but I don't remember the timeframe for when they would start doing that.

 

[korgoth]

if youre in an area where craigslist can be used, find someone that can build you a custom made computer. Custom built computers are usually a lot cheaper and have better components. Its actually not that difficult to do yourself either.. if you wanted to try on your own.

but if i was to get a brand name computer, dell would be it.

 

[Nick250]

And Dell now charges you for an OS backup disc (you don't get a separate OS CD along with your notebook). This really sucks. How low can Dell sink.

I agree, but it's only $8.00 (I know it's the principle of the matter and I do agree with you on that). At any given time we have 25 Dell desktops runing 24/7. We keep them about 5 years and then replace them. We did have on hard drive go a few months ago, but we back up regularly and Dell was out the next day and installed a new one. That's about it no other real troubles.