Dell Tries to Help Customers with Misleading GPU Info
Company says it never meant to mislead anyone.
If you're not one to keep up with the latest trends and technology developments, buying a computer can be pretty stressful. While you might be able to offer a friend in need some helpful advice on what kind of computer they need, not everyone has a friend they can turn to in times of tech turmoil, such as choosing a graphics solution. For these folk, Dell is doing its best to make the process easier, however, the company is apparently misleading customers instead of helping them.
Over the weekend, PC Pro pointed to a Reddit post that highlighted a pretty startling error on Dell's UK website. The page uses the following image in an attempt to demonstrate the difference between a 'standard graphics card' and a 'high-end graphics card.'
The monitor on the left, supposedly connected to a computer with a standard graphics cards, shows a desktop that is blurry and washed out. The monitor on the right, which is apparently displaying an image rendered by a high-end graphics card, shows the same image, but with sharper lines and brighter colours. PC Pro points out that Dell's apparent use of identical monitors in this illustration would suggest that the company is implying that your choice of graphics card will affect how even something as basic as your desktop is displayed.
Of course, though the difference between a 'standard' graphics card and a 'high-end' card is noticeable in many applications, an idle desktop is certainly not one of them. Dell presents this image alongside a choice of either the AMD Radeon HD 6350 or dual Radeon HD 6450 for customers purchasing the Dell Optiplex 790, but notes that the picture is for demonstrative purposes only. However, whether unintentional or not, the graphic is clearly misleading. If my sister, for example, were to look at this page, she would assume that everything, from desktop to web-browsing, would look awful if she were to choose the cheaper option. In reality, my sister, a person who uses her computer for mostly casual activities, would have no need for the pricier graphics solution.
Dell responded to PC Pro's article apologising for the confusion and insisting that it was never its intention to mislead customers. The company went on to say that the image had been removed from its global sites, however, the Verge reported that it was still available Monday morning and had been all weekend. At time of writing, we were unable to access the image, but Dell hasn't yet explained why it took three days for the image to be removed, even after it issued a statement to say it was already gone.

...I read both and couldn't believe it was from the same person :-P
And so this image was created.
Just throw the guy in jail for 3 months - I'm seriously sick and tired of these lying bastards.
And so this image was created.
For instance: the new HP Envy. It's brings elegant & honest design. Unlike those uncreative liars at Apple who copy HP Envy's design.
...I read both and couldn't believe it was from the same person :-P
I have an old 512KB Cirrus Logic ISA card at home. It wouldn't be able to even draw a Windows desktop today, but it still gives me as sharp image as with the most expensive videocard today... unless you got an analog screen and a bad videocable you won't see any blurry image with a modern videocard and DVI/HDMI/DP since it's a digital signal, the only thing that happens with a bad cable is signal loss.
A cheaper videocard won't give you a more washed out image, only a slower rendering rate at games and most intensive desktop applications.
These ads are in my experience written by idiots that couldn't tell the difference between a computer and a fridge, and they are put in a position to make an ad that guides the unknowning consumer to get the best product for their needs...
It's sad really.
except it isn't a lying bastard. It is a advertising person who knows nothing about computers. Not many companies get the engineers involved in anything other than engineering work. Lay off the nerd rage for a minute and think about it.
the irony is in thy name, dell 'Opti'plex.
so you know, crysis is the only game i know of that has such a huge difference between lowest setting and the highest, others add a bit of detail, but crysis is basically a different game.
What kind of business doesn't review their own advertisements? I get that they usually hire some 3rd party, but for you to not actually review what bullshit they tried pulling, is beyond unacceptable.
Dell should've assigned competent people to actually validate these claims - because any idiot could've caught Waldo on this one.
Seriously, this is how it should go: 1.) Hey, make some advisement's for us Mr. 3rd party. 2.) Awesome - now let Dave who is the run of the mill tech around here see how this sizes up to reality. 3.) What's that?! Dave said that you have no clue what you're talking about, and are purposely trying to deceive those without a brain.
It would've taken Dave, the run of the mill tech guy 5 seconds to spot this BS out. You're telling me they don't have the time, or money to pay someone who knows what they're talking about, to validate this sort of stuff?
thanks dell didn't know that
there are lots of games which vary greatly between the high and low settings