Read this if you're considering a Dell...
Written: Mar 12 '02 (Updated Mar 13 '02)
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Pros: Nice options, quiet.
Cons: Too many to put here, read the list inside.
The Bottom Line: Please explore all other avenues before you consider ANY Dell notebook. Their high-end systems look great for gaming and graphics, but beware when they send you a dysfunctional machine!
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| umrgregg's Full Review: Dell Inspiron 8100 Series |
Dell should be ashamed of itself! The Dell Inspiron 8100 I received was an utter piece of junk. I've heard from friends on campus that you're really taking a 50/50 shot at getting a quality notebook from Dell when order one, and if you get a good one hurray for you! Be happy because it will probably last a lot longer than the three year warranty :)
Here is the system I ordered:
Dell Inspiron 8100 1.2Ghz PIII-M
UXGA+ Monitor
512Mb RAM
30GB Drive
64MB Mobile Radeon
DVD/CDRW Combo Drive
Extra Battery.
Dell TrueMobile Wireless Ethernet
and some other stuff..
Before I tell you why you should stay away from Dell, I'll tell you what Dell did right:
1) They have quality options and name-brand components
2) The process of buying their products is very easy, although you should compare prices of their peripherals at their different stores as prices tend to vary from one Dell online store to the next. (e.g. They'll rip you off on peripherals you buy while you're building your machine.)
3) They have a good return policy.
That's about all Dell did for me on this one, and none of it had to do with the Inspiron they shipped me :P So here's a list of why I was completely dissatisfied with the 8100:
1) They didn't ship it overnight when I paid for overnight shipping (even though it was at a reduced cost.. but still). It took Dell two weeks to ship it out and their tracking on the product wasn’t the best (it was en route to their local carrier for five days). See number 10
2) The DVD/CDRW combo drive froze the system when I inserted a DVD.
3) It took 45 minutes to install software off of various commercial CD's, with multiple system freezes on each one.
4) My pointer stick caused my cursor to randomly wandered the screen for TEN SECONDS after I was done using it. ARG!
5) I could wobble and twist the monitor and keyboard.. It was about as sturdy as a stack of construction paper. Not good at all for very mobile people. You'll be using your allotted accidental repairs up in no time if you go all over with this bulky beast. I wasn't planning on it, but just in case you are. :)
6) When I typed, there were sections in the monitor that rippled. Not dead pixels, but really trippy crystal ripples confined to small circular areas. Almost made me want to keep the computer and throw up at the same time :)
7) It got waaay hot underneath. Put an electric thermometer underneath it and it read 132 farenheit. Ouch. This was running off the battery.
8) Speaking of the battery(s), with two in at once there was a 4.45 hour charge; theoretically. Usually got 2.4 hours with normal use (.doc writing surfing moderate use of the DVD drive). All of my hardcore gaming was done with a power supply.
9) The dell store ripped me off on peripherals. I paid $140 for a TrueMobile wireless Ethernet card as a bundled peripheral and the Dell store sells them individually for $70. UGH! Noticed that the day after my computer shipped. So make sure you check those component prices and call them if you find discrepancies.
10) They released the Inspiron 8200 BEFORE I even got my 8100. If the 8100 would not have been in the mail already I would have cancelled the order and upgraded. I guess they were too busy producing 8200's to finish my 8100 on time...
11) They then tried to bribe me to keep the pile of junk instead of having me return it within my 30 days. They offered me $200 off the system price and a free digital camera. Something you should check out even if you are happy with the system you have. However, the reduced cost still didn't cover their cut cost off the 8100 after they released the 8200. I mentioned this and the Customer Service rep was intrigued I had even done the math.
12) After explaining my major gripes, the CS rep had the gull to ask me again if these were problems I could look beyond, and if I was sure I wanted to send the system back. I thought she was going to send me a scarlet letter kit...
This is generally what I found wrong with the 8100. I might have let them repair it if I didn't have the experience of my friends to tell me it would just be a hassle to deal with later on down the road. I recommend you look at ALL other options before you choose a Dell notebook.
And be sure that if you get a bad system from Dell to just flat out return it and reorder a few weeks later. Their product support in the long run wont be able to back up an already faulty system. They are already at their worst given the huge increase in sales Dell has been experiencing, and their arrogance towards even desktop computer builders (experts) like myself baffles me.
In fact, my experience with this machine has put me on a crusade to educate folks who might consider buying from Dell.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 2800
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 21-30
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Epinions.com ID:
umrgregg
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Location: Central MO
Reviews written: 1
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