[Paul Atreides]

Oh man. Am I ever glad I did spent all that money on those Computer Shopper magazines. When I was shopping for my first computer, in 1995, I looked at Packard Bell's line (not knowing their reputation). Needless to say, I didn't get one. I knew someone who did though. They had to send their monitor back three times and I believe they had other problems with it.

[Willie Green]

They had to send their monitor back three times and I believe they had other problems with it.

I've tinkered on several -- trying to help out "friends in need".

In all honesty, there was nothing "wrong" with Packard Bell -- as originally packaged.
They were simply a pain in the @$$ if you wanted to crack open the box for any kind of simple little upgrade. No room, insufficient slots, non-standard chips... heck, I think they even saved a few pennies manufacturing costs by soldering the CMOS battery in place rather than use a socket. Made battery replacement a pain.

Didn't have to be that way.
But it was obvious that their penny-pinching design made them agonizing to tinker with compared to any other "clone".