Dell laptop owners, what to expect?

[Brolan]

I'm getting a new Dell laptop and I was wondering what to expect. I assume it will have a lot of bloatware on it I need to delete?

Do they usually come with current drivers, or do I have to start looking for updated ones?

Finally, do you get a real Windows disc or just the restore discs?

Any tips or hints dealing with Dell?

 

[Amaris]

I'm getting a new Dell laptop and I was wondering what to expect. I assume it will have a lot of bloatware on it I need to delete?

Do they usually come with current drivers, or do I have to start looking for updated ones?

Finally, do you get a real Windows disc or just the restore discs?

Any tips or hints dealing with Dell?

If you already bought the Dell laptop, then what you'll find is a small amount of bloatware. Most OEMs no longer cram apps into the OS. For example, Dell's Vista Ultimate OEM doesn't really have much added. Pretty much just the Dell logo and Dell support links in the browsers and other places, a few Dell structured control panel options, maybe a game or two, and that's pretty much it. There would really be no point to purchasing the "pure" software.

As for your drivers, they will be up to date so far as the manufacturing date and installation of the OS. The only area where you may have a touch of trouble is your printer hardware. Vista's still a little catchy with certain ones. I know that HP, Canon and Epson's newer printers seem to do just fine.

Tips & Hints dealing with Dell: If you refer to Customer Service and the company in general, well it really depends on what you need to know. If you're referring to software, then there's nothing you really need to deal with in that regard, since the software is not really altered to any appreciable degree. It's merely Dell badged, like most of their other software and hardware.

J.

 

[philbob]

I'm getting a new Dell laptop and I was wondering what to expect. I assume it will have a lot of bloatware on it I need to delete?

Do they usually come with current drivers, or do I have to start looking for updated ones?

Finally, do you get a real Windows disc or just the restore discs?

Any tips or hints dealing with Dell?

over all a good platform i had the problem of my CD drive dieing but they replaced it free i got mine in 2004 and it was still in good shape till the end of 2007 not bad for a platform that had been to iraq. what did you get?

 

[trekkerguy]

My Dell has been complete and utter crap. I'll be getting a Toshiba next.

 

[Amaris]

Acer's better than Dell, too. So is HP.


J.

 

[trekkerguy]

Acer's better than Dell, too. So is HP.


J.

Yeah at this point I'll take anything. But a few friends of mine have Toshibas and they love them, in my limitied use of theirs they've been cool.

 

[philbob]

Acer's better than Dell, too. So is HP.


J.

my current laptop is an HP and i would have to adviese against it. Ive had to send it in to get fixed twice now becuase the motherboard keeps frying.... i suggest acer or vaio ive never heard anyone complain about them

 

[Amaris]

Acer's better than Dell, too. So is HP.


J.

my current laptop is an HP and i would have to adviese against it. Ive had to send it in to get fixed twice now becuase the motherboard keeps frying.... i suggest acer or vaio ive never heard anyone complain about them

Understandable. However, I used to work for Dell, and followed the averages for our warranty section. My facility is (well, was) the largest laptop and desktop warranty division in the United States, and I worked as a data download technician for hard drives, RAM and OS imaging. The number of bad drives we had for most of our laptops was staggering. 80% of our warranty work was for laptops alone, and that measured in the thousands per day, just for the U.S., and just in my division.

HP has had their share of troubles, but just from talking to technician friends, it's nowhere near the level that Dell achieved at one point. As you mentioned, Acer is really good, and I'm hoping they surpass Dell soon. They should, as their marketshare grows. Sony Vaio's okay, but it also has it's major issues. You're safer with Acer and HP, all things considered.

J.

 

[Brolan]

I'm getting the cheap model, the Inspirion 1525. But I did jazz it up a little:

1 224-2717 Inspiron 1525, Intel Core 2 Duo T5800, 2.0GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache $741.63
1 313-5776 Ruby Red Color with Microsatin Finish $0.00
1 317-0170 4GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 2 DIMM for Inspiron 15 $0.00
1 320-6053 15.4 inch Wide Screen WXGA+ LCD TrueLife for Inspiron 1525 $0.00
1 320-6059 Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 $0.00
1 341-5618 250G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive $0.00
1 420-5769 Internet Search and Portal $0.00
1 420-6436 Vista, PC-Restore, Dim/Insp $0.00
1 420-9108 Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 Home Premium Edition, English $0.00
1 420-7580 DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP INSP 1525 $0.00
1 420-7622 DELL SUPPORT CENTER 2.0 $0.00
1 420-7905 Media Direct 3.5 $0.00
1 463-2282 Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access $0.00
1 420-9100 Dell Dock Consumer $0.00
1 420-9128 Best Of Web Consumer $0.00
1 420-9106 eBay Web Access Icon $0.00
1 430-2651 Integrated 10/100 Network Card $0.00
1 313-5793 Integrated 56K Modem $0.00
1 410-1883 ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE $0.00
1 313-5791 8X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive $0.00
1 420-8183 Roxio Creator DE 10 $0.00
1 313-4783 Integrated High Definition Audio 2.0 $0.00
1 430-2337 Intel 4965AGN Wireless-N Mini Card $0.00
1 313-5785 Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam $0.00
1 420-7778 Software for Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam $0.00
1 410-1160 McAfee Security 9.0, 30-day Subscription, for Dell Inspiron / Dimension $0.00
1 312-0617 6-cell Primary Battery, for Inspiron 1525 $0.00
1 412-0148 No ISP requested $0.00
1 412-1397 No Productivity Software requested $0.00
1 950-3337 1 Year Limited Warranty $0.00
1 984-1930 Type 3- Third Party At HomeService, 24x7 TechnicalSupport, Initial Year $0.00
1 950-9797 No Warranty, Year 2 and 3 $0.00
1 412-0360 Soft Contracts - Banctec $0.00
1 960-2780 Warranty Support,Initial Year $0.00
1 989-3867 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Initial Year $0.00
1 988-0099 To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online $.00
1 988-7707 2GB DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 FOR SDO/DIM/INS/XPS $.00
1 420-9518 DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 2GB FOR DIM/INS/XPS $0.00
1 330-0171 S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Notebooks $0.00
1 430-2348 Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Mod $13.06
1 310-5408 Free Recycling Kit $.00
1 466-1830 Thanks for supporting reforestation to offset carbondioxide emissions generated topower your system! $1.31
1 420-9352 Dell, Software, Wild Tangent Inc Games $.00
1 310-9348 Intel Centrino Core Duo Processor $.00
1 310-8628 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System $.00
1 467-7316 Dell Remote Access Basic Email $.00

I'm surprised to hear about Dell problems with laptops. I've worked for a number of companies who buy Dell laptops for their employees and never heard of many problems. That was the reason I switched from HP to Dell.

 

[Alaedhros]

HP has had their share of troubles, but just from talking to technician friends, it's nowhere near the level that Dell achieved at one point. As you mentioned, Acer is really good, and I'm hoping they surpass Dell soon. They should, as their marketshare grows. Sony Vaio's okay, but it also has it's major issues. You're safer with Acer and HP, all things considered.

J.

Wow, I had no idea Acer was so well-regarded. My only experience with Acer is my roommate's laptop, which is complete and utter crap. I realise that that is just one data point, and that you're undoubtedly right about Acers being more reliable, but it's still a little hard for me to believe.

As long as we're on the subject, I would wholeheartedly recommend Thinkpads. No one seems to pay them much attention, but they are really nice laptops. I got a used T41 earlier this year and have been very impressed with the quality.

 

[Santaman]

As with most laptops, budget models are crap, I've owned Compaq, Sony, Asus and Dell laptops all the less low budget models and none of them gave me any problems, I'm using a Dell Latitude D830 at the moment and its fast and reliable, I've opted to throw Vista (eww) away and use XP Pro instead, which came pre-installed, no XP CD was delivered with it but a full set of Vista CD's and driver/software CD's.

 

[SeerSGB]

I own a dell Insperion and have zero issues with it, in terms of stability; battery life, whole 'nother issue, crap battery life after a charge. I use it mainly for writing, light Photoshop work, and watching videos.

 

[philbob]

it really depends what you use it for you seem like you have a nice platform.

 

[philbob]

I would of got a studio 15 instead though.

 

[RevDMV]

Acer's better than Dell, too. So is HP.


J.

my current laptop is an HP and i would have to adviese against it. Ive had to send it in to get fixed twice now becuase the motherboard keeps frying.... i suggest acer or vaio ive never heard anyone complain about them

Understandable. However, I used to work for Dell, and followed the averages for our warranty section. My facility is (well, was) the largest laptop and desktop warranty division in the United States, and I worked as a data download technician for hard drives, RAM and OS imaging. The number of bad drives we had for most of our laptops was staggering. 80% of our warranty work was for laptops alone, and that measured in the thousands per day, just for the U.S., and just in my division.

HP has had their share of troubles, but just from talking to technician friends, it's nowhere near the level that Dell achieved at one point. As you mentioned, Acer is really good, and I'm hoping they surpass Dell soon. They should, as their marketshare grows. Sony Vaio's okay, but it also has it's major issues. You're safer with Acer and HP, all things considered.

J.

Sounds like bad supplier management.

I've had reasonable luck with my Dell laptop. The only major issue was losing a screen and having my 24 hours support turn into 5 day support because the only tech in the area was backlogged.

Don't know anything about Acer. HP, have seen both bad and good, although the desktops are solid for the most part.

The problem with computers is sometimes you just get a lemon. In the big shops it's no big deal, toss it and get the next one in line. If it you home unit your stuck.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Acer's better than Dell, too. So is HP.

J.

my current laptop is an HP and i would have to adviese against it. Ive had to send it in to get fixed twice now becuase the motherboard keeps frying.... i suggest acer or vaio ive never heard anyone complain about them

Well, my Acer blew a chip on it's motherboard after two years, Mum's Dell keeps on ticking. Our Dell desktops (that Dad loves) are crap, my old Fujitsu desktop also keeps on ticking.

 

[Danoz]

I wouldn't particularly recommend a Dell laptop, but it's by no means a bad choice. Just avoid Vista. Get it with XP Installed. Dell laptops are GREAT for running Linux, so if you're an Ubuntu-head, you'll likely find you can run a partition without spending eight hours on drivers.

After a few years in a new media, my recommendation?

Get a mac.

 

[Brolan]

Well, I just got it. Ordered it Dec. 1st with an estimated ship date of Dec. 10th. Waited until the 10th for a shipping notice but instead got a new ship date of Dec. 16th!

I told them the night of the 10th to forget it and started looking at other laptops. At 4:00 AM the next morning they sent me a message saying it had shipped, but there was no tracking information provided on the notice. Also no shipping info was on my account the next two days, so I thought they were lying to me to keep the sale.

The estimated delivery date was Dec. 12 but it didn't get here until today.

First impression: Vista is dog slow and it's wireless networking sucks. It took me 30 minutes just to setup my wireless network. I kept assuming this new "awesome" operating system would walk me through the security settings, but it didn't. Not until I dug through the settings and found the manual settings did I have any luck. Lord help anyone who doesn't know networking with this one.

The second networking issue was Vista refused to hook up to my wireless network while the was SSID hidden, even when I checkmarked the setting to explicitly do this. Still a few bugs after more than two years. I may very well “upgrade” to XP.

I checked it out, but now it’s going under the tree until X-mas. Lets see if it is a diamond or a lump of coal

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Dell, a business that I've never understood. Why do they keep attacting custom? Their stuff is overpriced and (in my experience) pretty shoddy.

 

[SeerSGB]

Dell, a business that I've never understood. Why do they keep attacting custom? Their stuff is overpriced and (in my experience) pretty shoddy.

Well I can't speak for anyone else, but in our case it was the convince and price. My wife gets a company discount, and I needed a cheap laptop for light duty (word processing, occasional Photoshop, HTML work), so it was sort of "Meh, why the hell not".