Dude, I love my Dell!
Written: Mar 23 '02 (Updated Mar 23 '02)
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Pros: Very fast, customizable options, and sleek, modern look (black). Quiet (see below).
Cons: Expensive, at least for me.
The Bottom Line: This is the best computer I have ever owned, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a fully customizable, up-to-date computer with customer support as well.
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| huggle_bear's Full Review: Dell Dimension 4300 Series |
The last two computers I've owned have both been IBM's, which come as-is and typically combine most of the cards (sound, video, etc.) into the motherboard, which makes them difficult, if not impossible, to upgrade. I wanted a computer that I could choose what was inside, both the software and hardware, so I had to decide between Gateway or Dell. However, I have always wanted a Dell, so it was an effortless decision.
I preferred Dell not only because of their customizable systems; they (are supposed to) offer the best technical support of any computer manufacturer around. Thankfully, I have had no problems so far (after four months), so I am not sure how their support rates.
Ordering is simple; you can order online from your home if you want a fully customizable system, or you can buy through dealers (like Best Buy or others) one that is already built. If you decide to fully customize on their website (which is what I did), you can choose the processor, amount of RAM, sound/video/NIC cards, a CD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW/CD-RW & DVD, monitor, speakers, software, and sometimes operating system. If you are not sure what I just said, then it is probably best to buy one pre-made or ask someone you know what all that technical jargon means.
Once you have picked all of the options, you then have to fill out all of your personal information and payment method. After confirming your order, they e-mail you two numbers in the next few hours (a customer number and the order number). You can use these to track the status of your machine, from initial processing to when it is shipped. They basically have five levels:
1. Processing
2. Pre-production
3. In production
4. Shipping prep
5. Shipped
Each level has a date when it finished and there is also an estimate of the day your system will ship.
As you can see, ordering is simple. I did have a problem when I initially ordered, though. I applied for their payment plan, because we did not want to charge the whole balance on a credit card. They advised that it would take longer, but maybe a week maximum. Three weeks later, I received an e-mail from Dell saying that my order was canceled, and they were sorry for any inconvenience, but I would have to reorder. I had not canceled the order or done anything that they would think I wanted it canceled. This upset me because I was supposed to receive it as a gift and it was going to be late if we reordered. I was almost upset enough to go with my next choice, Gateway, after not receiving a response to their cancellation e-mail for a couple of weeks. However, I decided to reorder once more and used a credit card. It was approved instantly, and they began building it the next day! It came to my house a week or so later, in perfect shape. The total: $1058. And Dell sometimes has great offers like free shipping (which was the case at the time) so I saved $100 on that and decided to get more RAM with the extra money. I was so happy my system that I decided to order a flat panel monitor last January, since I didn't buy one with my initial order.
Now, I know you've been waiting for it techies, the specs!
Memory: 256MB SDRAM
Keyboard: Dell Enhanced Quiet Key Keyboard
Monitor: Video Ready w/o Monitor
Video Card: 64MB NVIDIA GeForce2 MX Graphics Card with TV-Out
Hard Drive: 40GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive
Floppy Drive: 3.5 in Floppy Drive
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Mouse: Dell 2 Button Mouse (which I replaced with an optical)
Network Card: 10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
Modem: 56K Telephony Modem for Windows XP
DVD ROM or CD-ROM Drive: 16x/10x/40x CD-RW Drive with Roxio's Easy CD Creator
Sound Card: Integrated Audio with Soundblaster Pro 16 Compatibility
Speakers: Harmon Kardon HK395 Speakers with Subwoofer
Bundled Software: Microsoft Works Suite 2001 with Money 2001 Standard
Norton Antivirus at no additional charge: Norton Antivirus 2002, 90-day introductory offer
Digital Music: Dell Jukebox powered by MusicMatch 6.0
for XP
Digital Imaging Software: Image Expert 2000 for XP,Dell Edition
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options: 2Yr Ltd. Warranty- 2Yrs At-Home Service + 2Yrs Phone Support
Internet Access Options: 6 Month Dellnet by MSN Internet Access for XP
Sub-Total for Item: $1,048.00
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Your total order amount is: $1,058.80
This includes the following:
Subtotal: $1,048.00
Shipping/Handling: _ (free)
Sales Tax: $10.80
Even though I had a little problem ordering, it was well worth it to buy this system. It is fast, quiet, and has a great sound system (with my subwoofer). I mentioned that it was quiet, but I leave it on all the time and when I first set it up, it kept getting louder and louder and locking up. I figured out it did that because I have a desk with a compartment for the PC tower with a door, and I had been closing the door. It got too hot in there for the tower, and the fan kept going faster and faster, making it loud. Sometimes it locked up, too. When I kept the door open, though, it remained quiet but sometimes still locked up. The other problem was the OpenGL screensaver that comes with Windows. OpenGL takes a lot of memory and resources to run (it's those 3D screensavers) so when I turned that off, everything worked fine, and I haven't had a problem since.
If you buy a Dell, take care of it and make sure it will not get too hot in its surroundings. Locking up like that can shorten the life of the CPU, but when proper care is taken it will be safe. All of my software works fine with XP, which is different than Windows 98 and 2000, but it is still easy to use. If you want, you can make XP look exactly like Windows 98 with its display settings! I definitely recommend buying one; I love mine and will take it to college next year. I also use it for high-end 3D graphics programs that my other PC couldn't handle.
Dude, I love my Dell!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1058
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 31-40
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Epinions.com ID:
huggle_bear
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Member: Christine F.
Location: Kansas
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
A sweety who has a creative right brain and a smart left brain.
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