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HP vs. Dell vs. IBM?

raquorraquor
edited September 2007 in Technology
Just curious what you guys would go with based on the following "builds". All three machines are basically the same build for approximately the same price. All have slight differences.
The end goal is to purchase 2 machines, 1 for myself and 1 for the wife. Wife's will play WoW and do school work, mine will be linux and used for basic work like tasks (word processing, web browsing, programming, etc..).
HP
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Dell
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IBM
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Everyone has differing opinions and I'm curious what they might be. I"m leaning towards the IBM because I've used one before and I know they can take a beating like no other and they still run magnificently. Dell and HP are both somewhat unknown entities to me, I've heard good and not so good stories about both brands.

As far as the vote is concerned...Which machine is the better purchase in your opinion, if you were choosing from them for yourself?

Comments

  • SailSail
    edited September 2007
    Get the Lenovo for you, and pick one of the others for your wife. They're virtually the same, and you don't need a 120-160GB hard drive if you're just gonna do menial tasks.

    So, I have no idea what I'm supposed to be voting on.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • cosmicenemacosmicenema
    I've used both the Dell Inspiron and the IBM Thinkpad for work and much prefer the Dell. I haven't played any games on either of these, however. I also don't typically have a high opinion of HP. My $0.02.
  • raquorraquor
    What is it that you prefer about the Dell?
  • cosmicenemacosmicenema
    edited September 2007
    I like the monitor a lot better and the features on the video card are much more user friendly. They run dual monitors when I'm at work just fine, and the monitor is easier to read when I have to use it. Everything seems to fun faster too, just in general. Once again, I don't play games, just regular work.
    Post edited by cosmicenema on
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    I just purchased two PCs for a lot less than these two with AMD chips (Two New PCs). Take a look at what I got for my money before making your purchase.
  • JasonJason
    If you go with the Dell, get the absolute best battery you can, or you'll end up plugged in 3/4ths of the time.
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    If you go with the Dell, get the absolute best battery you can, or you'll end up plugged in 3/4ths of the time.
    I agree. Spend extra on the battery if it is an option.
  • raquorraquor
    Thanks for the input everyone.
    I just purchased two PCs for a lot less than these two with AMD chips (Two New PCs). Take a look at what I got for my money before making your purchase.
    I took a look at your link/blog there steve...sounds like you got a decent machine but I have to agree with you that you got what you paid for, not that the Dell is probably all that much better but I'm guessing the compaq is a bit heavier than what I'm going for. Trying to keep it near 5 lbs and I'm guessing your's is above 6 lbs. I know...what's another pound to save a couple hundred but really I'd prefer 4 lbs so I'm already accepting an additional pound to save $3-400. From 5-6 pounds isn't quite as much savings and the difference is worth it to me.

    Anyway I also just discovered the Dell Vostro 1400 which I can get configured slightly better than the Inspiron for $757 right now via the small business site.
    Build a Vostro 1400
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    I don't worry about the weight factor because my laptop is portable "in the house". I use it for different projects and I only rarely take it out of the house. It is portable in the sense that I take it in the kitchen and then in the living room.

    One thing to watch out for is the touch pad on HP machines. They seem very sensitive and sometimes they like to send my mouse to the corners of the screen. I have not yet found the setting to turn this "feature" off.
  • PagePage
    I haven't used a IBM in recent years, so I'm only really going between the dell and HP, and I've found the Dells to be a lot better, so long as you get your install CDs.
  • Kururu-kunKururu-kun
    I'm sorry but I'm just a Dell kind of guy...
  • williammathis2williammathis2
    edited January 2008
    For years and years and years I was a DELL guy, through problem after problem after problem, through hours and hours on the phone with people who spoke poor English, just to get replacement parts sent to me. Recently, I was given an HP laptop from a friend. .... I will never go back to Dell again.....never .....never...never....
    Post edited by Rym on
  • williammathis2williammathis2
    edited January 2008
    ....

    Mr. Period - Do not post meaningless comments.
    Post edited by Rym on
  • WallyBmanWallyBman
    edited January 2008
    Okay, am I the only one seeing that the HP is the only one with a real video card in it? Not real as in "can be changed," but real as in "won't make games into slide-shows." I, personally, would go for the HP for the wife, seeing as It has a real video card and she will be playing WoW on it. If she ever gets to the Outlands, she will want the extra GPU muscle. Integrated graphics, specifically of the Intel sort, tend to suck badly.

    Or go with the Vostro, just make sure to upgrade the video selection to the 8400 option, and upgrade the processor to the t5470 2.0 Core 2 Duo.

    Of course, I'm the sort of person that would rather spend a little extra to make sure I have too much power than not have enough power, and feel like I just wasted almost enough money to buy what I really wanted.
    Post edited by WallyBman on
  • NecroNecro
    I'd choose the Lenovo but why didn't you add a bit more ram?
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    A fitting name, Necro. I think by now the computers have been purchased a long time.
  • CHOIS CHOIS CHOISCHOIS CHOIS CHOIS
    Just go sraight up to the Mac. At that price it would be the best choice and would last longer than the rest.
  • Seventh HeraldSeventh Herald
    I have an issue with HP, so I'd go with either of the other two.

    That issue is that EVERY SINGLE piece of HP hardware that has entered my house (2 laptops and a desktop) has ended up breaking royally. When they break, there's almost no easy way to get them back up. HP's support is pretty lame. My Dell desktop has basically died several times (usually my fault, I like tinkering around and don't know exactly what I'm doing most of the time) but it's always been easy to fix because Dell sent me everything that they had put on it on CDs. I've also never had a hardware problem with it, just software (usually windows). I also have an IBM desktop sitting in my closet that we've had since 1996 that I know still works perfectly.
  • williammathis2williammathis2
    For years and years and years I was a DELL guy, through problem after problem after problem, through hours and hours on the phone with people who spoke poor English,just to get replacement parts sent to me. Recently,I was given anHPlaptop from a friend.....I will never go back to Dell again.....never .....never...never....
    Months after this my hp broke and I got another dell. DOH!
  • VichusSmithVichusSmith
    Dude, get a Dell
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    Dude, get a Dell
    I would have to agree with that overused pop culture reference.
  • NukerjsrNukerjsr
    edited November 2009
    From personal experience of being in a Dell family, Dell makes great desktops, but not laptops.
    Post edited by Nukerjsr on
  • beefturkeybeefturkey
    From personal experience of being in a Dell family, Dell makes great desktops, but not laptops.
    I've got a Dell XPS M1530, had it for almost two years now, it is what I would consider to be great.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    From personal experience of being in a Dell family, Dell makes great desktops, but not laptops.
    I dunno. I have a Studio 14Z here. It has 4 hours of battery life for basic tasks, 2 different graphics processors (one discrete, one not) for managing battery life, and tons of RAM and proc power. It fell a few feet (I tripped over an ethernet cable) and the chassis opened up, but everything snapped back together and there's not a scratch on the case or damage to a component. It runs L4D2 at medium spec and is overall a great little machine. HDMI ports for TV hookup and everything, too. The only thing it lacks is an optical drive, but Dell offers an external Blu-Ray unit.
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