Avoid ABS
Written: Jun 04 '00
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Pros: Price
Cons: Poor performance. Crash prone. Unstable. Abysmal tech support.
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| LaBruja's Full Review: ABS Supreme DVD System 1 |
From the very beginning this computer has been a HUGE hassle. I purchased it to play games, watch movies, scan, edit and print photos and use the internet.
It works poorly (very crash prone, lots of error messages, fatal exceptions). Due to this I rarely use it for anything but e-mail or the internet. I didn't need to spend $2100.00 for that but that's all this system handles even adequately.
The technical support has been abysmal. Out of the box there was no picture on the monitor. The tech suggested I return it, missing the obvious (the video card was not seated properly). After that was done I discovered the sound card also wasn't seated properly. From a bad start it's only gotten much worse.
Looong phone waits are standard. Several times I've been promised a call back that never came. I purchased a computer with DVD and upgraded to a video card with TV out but it rarely works on movies without monumental amounts of trouble shooting. Since last June we've actually watched DVD movies on it 6 times total because it usually isn't working and the un-installing / re-installing is too time consuming. I own 3 DVD movies that we've never yet watched!
Friday (June 02) I contacted tech support regarding this again. I waited all day for the 'morning call back'. The ABS tech was unable to get it working and requested I return the computer for repairs. I requested that I get an appointment with the on site service for which I paid $165.00 but was told that was only for the installation of new hardware! I asked many questions regarding this service prior to purchasing it and was assured any problems with the purchased product were covered if phone support couldn't solve the problem.
Twice ABS tech support told me to uninstall Windows and re-install it. Both times the installation stalled at 63% and would not proceed further.
The first time ABS had the on-site support install a new RAM module. Despite being promised it wouldn't happen the new RAM was billed to my credit card (an unauthorized use of my card! They used the number from my initial purchase although I told them they DID NOT have my permission to use it again).
Removing the RAM module was a nightmare. The tech told me to pull harder on the clip and impatiently INSISTED it could not break when I told him I was afraid to exert more pressure. WHEN it broke he snidely insisted that was impossible and that it hadn't broken. I explained I was holding 2 irregularly shaped pieces and still he did not believe me!
The 2nd time Win98 wouldn't completely install they once again said nothing could be done unless I returned the computer to them. My brother was on the phone (long distance) hours helping me to get it running. ATT@Home cable was on the phone with me most of the next night getting the system fully reconfigured and my cable service functional again. At which point I still needed to re-install all my peripherals and software! I realized then that the ABS tech support is sometimes helpful, too often not and can be a real menace!
I use the computers of friends, family or work as much as possible. Theirs are more modest systems but they work far better. I've talked with management multiple time regarding this. I get polite apologies but no real resolution. They don't GET that it shouldn't take hours of fixing just to watch a movie OR that putting in hours on a photo edit ONLY to lose it because once again the system crashed is not acceptable.
I'm almost happy that computers become obsolete so quickly. I will go with Dell the next time. I would have spent $200.00 more, gotten a slightly smaller hard drive and saved hundreds of hours of grief and frustration. I'd also have a system suited to DVD watching and photo editing!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 2122.00
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 401-500
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
LaBruja
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Member: Jacinta
Reviews written: 43
Trusted by: 18 members
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