Seriously considering buying a Dell XPS & would like to hear from Dell owners ( Vanity )

[sushiman]

For a variety of reasons I've given up on the switch to Apple and am now considering buying a Dell here in Japan . Never owned any Dell products . If one Google searches one can find a _______( fill in co. name of choice ) SUCKS blogs for every computer company in existence inc. Apple . : ) Need some good advice re: next purchase . I am not a techie nor am I a gamer . Use the computer for basic stuff . The XPS I'm thinking of getting would come with the Intel i5 2.66mhz 8MB ; 6 GB of RAM ; 500 HDD ; 21.5 monitor and NVIDIA GeForce GTS 240 1024MB . Would you advise getting Dell Care for 3 years ? Any advice appreciated .

[1rudeboy]

I’d love to buy a Dell, but I am unable to navigate its website. (All I want is a laptop with a 1GB graphics card, and the hardware to run it).

[McGruff]

I bought my son a Dell 2 years ago and he hasn't been able to kill it. I'd recommend Dell and the model you quoted sounds about right. Order online and have it shipped right to you. You can also customize the order. I'd get Windows 7 though if I were going to buy a new PC.

[Big Giant Head]

Dells are good machines, if it fits your budget.... Buy it.

Is this the Studio XPS desktop? I’m trying to read up.

[loungitude]

I have had about five Dells over the past five or so years. Quality and service were always very good.

[sushiman]

Whatever PC I get will come with Windows 7 ULTIMATE so that my Japanese wife can operate it in Japanese and I in English .

The XPS is a desktop . And yes I would order direct from Dell Japan .

[sushiman]

Yes , Studio XPS desktop .

[txnuke]

I recently purchased an Inspiron 545 (CPU is "Yorkfield 8200" which is a quad core 2.33 MHz Intel CPU) with 1 TB hard drive, 16x DVD+/-RW, 8 GB of DDR2 memory, and a ATI 3670 graphics card for $466 dollars (after a discount coupon, 8% tax and free shipping). It came with a keyboard and a mouse, but no monitor. I threw away the modem. It only has 2 USB ports in back and 2 in front. But it has one of those 19-in-1 media card readers and some audio ports in the front, too.

Pretty good deal.

Here is the catch. It was refurbished. I got it from www.outlet.dell.com and it came with only a 90-day warranty. If you want to spend $179 or something on a 3 year warranty, then this is a good way to get a nice computer for a cheap price and still have it covered in case something goes wrong.

Just my opinion. Might work for you.

[toddausauras]

Dell’s have worked fine for me.

[ottbmare]

Three Dells in the family in the past few years. All have died ugly deaths. Tech support is marvelous if you work for a big company that has a business relationship with Dell—then they roll out the red carpet for you with real American tech guys to help!—but if you’re a human, you get treated like scum. Dealing with their tech people was nightmarish. Will never, ever, ever have a Dell again. Three failures out of three is not a good track record.

[republicangel]

I would never buy another Dell. Bought two XPS’s. The first one died within 1 and 1/2 years. Bought another and got the top of the line warranty. The warranty was worthless. Brush up on your non-English speaking skills to talk with their warranty people. They replaced her second one, but not with an XPS. They replaced it with an even bigger piece of crap.
When it was time for me to buy a new one, Toshiba baby.

[GLDNGUN]

I've bought about 5 computers from Dell and have been very happy with every one of them. I really doubt you need an XPS for your basic needs. I do a LOT of computer work, and I usually buy one of their lower-end models, and, again, have never been disappointed. You might look in their "Outlet store" for even better deals.

I am in need of a cheap little "netbook", so I searched all over the 'net, figuring I didn't "have" to have a Dell for this one. I looked at all kinds of refurbs on as many sites as I could find. Where did I end up with the best deal? Dell. Just ordered a netbook for $215. Nobody else could beat that.

[doc1019]

If I might ask, why five in five years? I will have to assume that you are still using all of them.

I’m also in the market for a new ‘puter, my Gateway is on its last legs.

[sushiman]

www.outlet.dell.com

Have to check to see if there is one in Japan .

[mdittmar]

Typing this on a Dell Dimension 8100 bought in 2001,it’s an antique,but still running.

[Jeff Head]

I have an XPS M1730 notebook with 4GB RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 at 2.5 GHZ (dual), two nVidia GeForce 8700M GT in SLI, run a High Def 28" wide screen monitor, Bose Companion 5 sound system, and use bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse.

Have had it for 18 months or so. Love it.

No problems.

Desktop is an older XPS 600 and it has worked out equally well for me. Lots of high-end gaming, graphics and video manipulations, etc., on both and have been completely satisfied.

Will probably be getting a new XPS desktop next year.

Here a couple of pics:

[sushiman]

Toshiba $$$ even in Japan . And they don’t offer desktops .

[Vendome]

On a Studio 17 right now. Dropped my Sony VAIO and needed a quick computer.

Went to Best Buy to buy the latest VAIO, none in stock.

Asked for something equivalent and took home Dell Studio 17.

I prefer the screen of VAIO but other than that, great computer.

If someone didn’t have the loot for a Sony I would definitely recommend Dell Studio.

[txnuke]

OH, by the way. .... that Dell Outlet computer came with Windows Vista home premium but has a free upgrade to Win 7 home premium.

[Big Giant Head]

My only complaint is how much the peripherals cost. $280 for the monitor? Ouch.

But I prefer to build systems, or buy barebones and fix them up myself, so I don’t value “Dell” on my monitor. I bought myself an Acer 22” for $180 with good specs a year and a half ago. Works great.

If you are not techie enough to handle some occasional problems, I’d say yeah, get the extra plan. I personally wouldn’t, ever, myself.
It’s like when I bought my Honda vehicle and they wanted to sell me the extended warranty, I told them I was buying a Honda so I wouldn’t NEED an extended warranty. I would put Dell in this catagory as well.