Aptivas are solid but...
Mar 10 '00
A few years back, I had the task of bringing up machines from a number of vendors over a 6 month period. This included hardware as well as software configuration changes. Since that exercise, I've purchased 3 desktop machines for my personal use. All 3 have been Aptivas.
Each of these machines is solidly built. The internal configuration allows easy access to drive bays and memory upgrades. Cable runs were clear with spare cables already in place. One little thing I found missing from many vendors that I like about IBM is that they finish the edges of the metal frames. I can't count how many cuts I've had from installing hardware in machines from other vendors.
Another nice feature of the Aptiva line is that they usually come with Lotus SmartSuite, an excellent alternative to having to pay for MicroSoft Office with other vendors.
So what's the but...
Besides steering clear of MicroSoft as much as possible with software, IBM also tends to use less common components for hardware. I've had problems bring up applications and even Linux due to inability to find drivers compatible with various sound and video cards. Don't get me wrong, the components IBM has chosen are of high quality and functionality (in fact, it is often these very components that keep bringing me back to IBM in the first place), it is just that they are often not 'standard'. This is also not true of every Aptiva model but it is something you should look carefully into before purchase.
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Epinions.com ID:
cbird
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Location: Upper Black Eddy, PA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 3 members
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