Expert: Bobbert - 12/12/2006

Question
Thanks for the answer to my previous question, it was very helpful, I appreciate it.  I was just wondering, with your experience & knowledge what would be a reliable computer brand?  I was thinking of buying a DELL because i can get them cheaper than other brands, but does the lower price mean less quality?  Some people seem to really like DELL but others have had problems.  I guess with every brand there will be a problem at some point. I don't need a computer to do anything special, but i want to get the best value for money. What's your opinion on which brand is best overall?

Thankyou very much.

Answer
Personally I'm partial to building my own computers, as it gives total control over which parts are used, allowing for a balance of price and quality. Currently to build a complete system with a monitor and everything, it costs around $1100 to $1200, however it will offer much more performance than the $399 special that most companies offer.

If you just need a system for basic tasks like internet surfing, typing papers, spreadsheets, and watching videos, I'd say get a Dell, just look for a good deal (sometimes they have packages which include free LCD's, or printers, etc) and go with something that suits what you need in terms of hard drive space, removable media drives, and available system memory. If you're getting a new system and want it to be "future proof" for Windows Vista, I'd suggest getting at least 2GB of RAM, and at least 200GB of hard-drive space, you'll also want a dual core processor (if you want the best, look at the Core 2 Duo or the Athlon64 x2, if you want to save some cash but still want dual core, look at the Pentium D 800 and 900 series).

If you are interested in custom building a system for basic tasks, it can still be done, and shouldn't cost $1200, as you can settle for integrated graphics and skip the $150 casing, however it will still probably cost $600.

To make some sense of what I've said, companies like Dell only offer a value to consumers who don't want a system for gaming or other demanding tasks (high level DCC such as audio mixing, video editing, etc) wherein their low prices are welcomed, however when you want to get into higher demand stuff, custom building will usually offer a higher level of performance for less money.


If you have any more questions I'd be glad to answer them.
-bob