Which DELL computer should I buy?

[valos]

Hello,

I'm planning to buy a DELL computer and I have two options:

1. Dimension E521

PROCESSOR AMD® Athlon™ 64 X2 Processor 5000+
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® XP Professional SP2
MEMORY 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 533MHz [4x512MB] Memory
HARD DRIVE 160GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst™ cache
OPTICAL DRIVE(S) 16 X DVD +/- RW Drive
GRAPHICS CARD 256MB nVidia GeForce 7300 Turbocache graphics card
MONITOR Dell™ 19" Value Flat Panel (E196FP)
SOUND CARDS Integrated 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio
KEYBOARD Dell™ Entry Quietkey USB Keyboard - UK/Ire (QWERTY)
MOUSE Dell 2 Button USB Scroll Optical Mouse - Black

2. Dimension E520

PROCESSOR Intel® Core® 2 Duo® E6300 Processor (1.86GHz, 1066MHz, 2MB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
MEMORY 2048MB Dual Channel DDR 533MHz [4x512MB] Memory
HARD DRIVE 320GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst™ cache
OPTICAL DRIVE(S) 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
GRAPHICS CARD 256MB nVidia GeForce 7300 Turbocache graphics card
MONITOR Dell™ 19" Value Flat Panel (E196FP)
SOUND CARDS Integrated Audio with Dolby Digital 7.1 capability
KEYBOARD Dell™ Black Entry Quietkey USB Keyboard - UK/Ire (QWERTY)
MOUSE Dell USB 2 Button Wheel Mouse - Black

The systems cost about 950 EUR each.

Which one do you think is best?

Thanks.

 

[spanishfleee]

some advice: dont buy dell. i'm sure others will agree with me

 

[weilin]

this for home or office?
for home id go with Core 2 (more hd space)
for office id go with AMD 64 (win xp pro)

everything else is pratically the same, though the a64 would be limited by ddr2 533 ram. (unless its extremely tightly timed at cas 2...)

 

[FITCamaro]

Neither. Build it yourself.

 

[spanishfleee]

Neither. Build it yourself.

I second that

 

[melarcky]

Neither. Build it yourself.

I second that
i third that.. for that money you can make your self a pretty nice pc

 

[Synthetickiller]

Have you priced the components? I'm sure you'll find that they are cheaper than buying from dell. For the same price as either model, you can probably get better components.

 

[Trippynet]

To follow on from what lots of others have said, don't buy a Dell if you can help it. They're cheap, tacky and plasticy. Plus their support can be pretty lousy too.

 

[valos]

I had 2 DELL computers so far and I am quite happy about them...why should I not buy a DELL computer?

 

[spanishfleee]

not to mention expensive if you need compnents replaced

 

[melarcky]

because as great as your two Dell's were .. for the cash that you are about to blow on this dell you can make a system that is much better. for the same price... so what is holding you back?

 

[spanishfleee]

because they do all this Propiotery format stuff which makes it expensive to replace aprts as you can only buy them from dell therefore they can charge whatever they like

 

[quantumsheep]

Neither. Build it yourself.

I second that
i third that.. for that money you can make your self a pretty nice pc

Correction, you can make a VERY nice PC for that kinda money. Water cooling, Core 2, x1800xt etc etc. Will run rings around those dells.

 

[jitpublisher]

That's a touchy question to ask here, as this forum is really aimed at the enthusiast builder. Very, very few people here would ever recommend buying Dell, Gateway, or whatever. These systems are the scum of the PC world to the self builders.

But if you like Dell, don't want to mess with the do it yourself stuff, like being able to open the box, fill out the warranty papers, plug it in and go, it's your choice.

What do you mainly use your PC for?

 

[Messer]

I had 2 DELL computers so far and I am quite happy about them...why should I not buy a DELL computer?

Because as a former DELL customer with 3 (three) of their systems, I have learned just how much they have ripped me off.

5 years ago their customer service was second-to-none. Now, it's a never-ending string of transfers from one department to the next, with every one of those transfers requiring a minimum wait of 20 minutes. You speak to Indians with accents so thick that they require subtitles to understand. Even some of the sales staff is now Indian!

Price competitiveness: GONE. 5 years ago you could build an equivalent top-of-the-line system for less. Now, you pay far, far more. I did a couple of experiments with their price lists... I built a loaded E6300 for 500$ less than what Dell asked for. This lower price included only the best parts, whereas Dell uses a lot of generics of questionable quality (especially for their motherboards, which they build themselves). This price also included an installation fee, and yes, Windows XP home.

Dell is garbage. Buy from them at your own risk.

 

[Messer]

But if you like Dell, don't want to mess with the do it yourself stuff, like being able to open the box, fill out the warranty papers, plug it in and go, it's your choice.

This is where you are wrong. You can buy from a PC Hardware store which builds the system on site and gives a warranty ranging from 1 to 4 years. All of this, BETTER PARTS, BETTER SERVICE, BETTER PRICE than Dell and it's just as easy to install.

 

[gOJDO]

I had 2 DELL computers so far and I am quite happy about them...why should I not buy a DELL computer?

Becouse DELL is not what it used to be. The quality of its configuration parts is reduced, and they are not competetive in performance, price and future-compatibility like other parts that you can find on the market.

I share the same opinion like some members here about this question:
"Don't buy DELL"!

 

[jitpublisher]

But if you like Dell, don't want to mess with the do it yourself stuff, like being able to open the box, fill out the warranty papers, plug it in and go, it's your choice.

This is where you are wrong. You can buy from a PC Hardware store which builds the system on site and gives a warranty ranging from 1 to 4 years. All of this, BETTER PARTS, BETTER SERVICE, BETTER PRICE than Dell and it's just as easy to install.

Did I say that buying from Dell is better than a local shop? Please, I beg you to explain oh-wise-one exactly what I am wrong about?

 

[tirefire]

Yeah, the other guys have a definite point.

You can usually get the best priceerformance for a new system by just building it yourself. It's a good option if you have the time to be your own tech support and are competent enough to assemble and configure it properly. Though all of the individual parts will have warranties, it can be a hassle to have to identify problematic parts and RMA them, etc. if something goes wrong.

Dell, on the other hand, has a downright awful priceerformance compared to a self-build. I've heard from some that their customer support is okay, though some say it's awful (see above posts). They do ship you a fully-assembled box with Windows installed, but you're paying dearly for it if you buy from them.

A good compromise option would be to order from a system builder. Since they are in the business of making money, you won't get as good a deal as building yourself since you'll pay for the hardware and a little extra for their trouble, but the hardware will be much better than the generic garbage dell uses and the support very good if you buy from a reputable one.

 

[dasickninja]

A good compromise option would be to order from a system builder. Since they are in the business of making money, you won't get as good a deal as building yourself since you'll pay for the hardware and a little extra for their trouble, but the hardware will be much better than the generic garbage dell uses and the support very good if you buy from a reputable one.

I totally agree on this point. Yes this is a enthusiast forum but this thread isn't aimed at build it your self. Theres actually a section designed just for that. Don't believe me? Look right here
If you don't know your way around computers (to the OP I'm not stating that you don't just stating generalities) Dell or any of the other prebuilt companies is the best option cause face it, you ain't gonna be mucking around inside the case.
The majority of us forget that not everyone know what the CMOS is, or knows how to fashion a watercooling setup, or knows the ins and outs of overclocking.
But there are companies that prebuild better than Dell, the only difference will be price. As the old saying goes though, you get what you pay for...
For more help on prebuilt computers look in the Consumer Electronics section over here. This section deals exclusively with Dell but there are sections in CE that deal with other companies.
Peace to all my peoples,
Dasick

+1 Suckas

 

[angry_ducky]

Unlike the others, I'm not going to suggest that you forget Dell and build a system, as I've gone through (and still am going through) the frustration of troubleshooting/fixing a custom-built PC. If you get a Dell, and it breaks during the warranty period, they fix it for you for free.

Anyways, the second system (the one with the Core 2 Duo) is better, as it has a faster processor, and a bigger hard drive.

 

[quantumsheep]

Anyways, the second system (the one with the Core 2 Duo) is better, as it has a faster processor, and a bigger hard drive.

I was pretty sure that the x2 5000+ was faster than the E6300, i'll have to find some benchies but don't have the time at the moment. I'll post some later and find out whether i'm right or wrong.

I'd get the Intel system, just cos I have a preference for Intel (fanboyism?).

 

[sirheck]

if you are not gaming, then either should do just fine
you can always upgrade the videocard later if needed
i have a couple of old dells and they are rock solid reliable.
not up to par nowadays. but they still work

 

[dasickninja]

Not fanboyism just logic speaking out. We've seen Intel do better with its Core 2 system than most of what AMD offers. So its the thinkking part of your brain that says so.
But the X2 5000+ higher than the E6400 (couldn't find the E6300) so I'd hazard a guess and say go with it instead.

 

[BaronMatrix]

Hello,

I'm planning to buy a DELL computer and I have two options:

1. Dimension E521

PROCESSOR AMD® Athlon™ 64 X2 Processor 5000+
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® XP Professional SP2
MEMORY 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 533MHz [4x512MB] Memory
HARD DRIVE 160GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst™ cache
OPTICAL DRIVE(S) 16 X DVD +/- RW Drive
GRAPHICS CARD 256MB nVidia GeForce 7300 Turbocache graphics card
MONITOR Dell™ 19" Value Flat Panel (E196FP)
SOUND CARDS Integrated 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio
KEYBOARD Dell™ Entry Quietkey USB Keyboard - UK/Ire (QWERTY)
MOUSE Dell 2 Button USB Scroll Optical Mouse - Black

2. Dimension E520

PROCESSOR Intel® Core® 2 Duo® E6300 Processor (1.86GHz, 1066MHz, 2MB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
MEMORY 2048MB Dual Channel DDR 533MHz [4x512MB] Memory
HARD DRIVE 320GB (7200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst™ cache
OPTICAL DRIVE(S) 16X DVD+/-RW Drive
GRAPHICS CARD 256MB nVidia GeForce 7300 Turbocache graphics card
MONITOR Dell™ 19" Value Flat Panel (E196FP)
SOUND CARDS Integrated Audio with Dolby Digital 7.1 capability
KEYBOARD Dell™ Black Entry Quietkey USB Keyboard - UK/Ire (QWERTY)
MOUSE Dell USB 2 Button Wheel Mouse - Black

The systems cost about 950 EUR each.

Which one do you think is best?

Thanks.

5000+ will be faster than E6300 generally. Neither one will have great OC abilities being from Dell, so the best bang is 5000+.