Info Please: Dell Computers and Monitors

[Mad Dave]

Hi Chaps,

Im looking to buy a new PC system and have been looking at Dell as they appear to offer quality and value. Are they actually any good? If not, who is better at a similar/lower price?

Secondly, i'd really like a flat panel display as space is at a premium. I will be using the system for graphic design and photography work. I won't go any smaller than 17", but have the choice of their 'value' monitor or an 'Ultrasharp' one. Im currently tossing around the choice of either getting a 19" Value one or 17" Ultrasharp.

Do flat panels offer the same clarity as CRTs?

Any info would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

[alcad]

Ive had 3 dell machines now and never had any problems with them but i know some people on here have.

[Plotloss]

Have always been a big supporter of what Dell were trying to do and their machines circa 2000 were good product.

Saw a low end one tonight though and its style over substance it seems.

The TFT was very poor quality (but then I am used to CRT) and the thing made such a damned noise, it would be unbearable after an hour or so.

Self build is the way forward if it not your first machine, Dells support package is very difficult to meet on paper but then I have never used it.

[petros]

For value for money I don't think you can beat Evesham Computers. Excellent service and a 2 year warranty on most of their products. Peter

[ehasler]

I've now got 3 of the Ultrasharp flat panels, and really rate them.

I got mine (2 for me, and 1 for my other half) when they were on special offer, and have the 2005FP 20" widescreen, and the 1905FP 19'' (which I paid around £225 for I think). Both are very good, and sharp too - better than my 22" CRT that I used to have.

The 20" is actually a Mac Cinema display in different packaging, and that's regarded as one of the best displays you can buy, so I'd definitely give Dell screens a big

[agent006]

We use dell kit at work. So long as you steer clear of the Inspiron laptops then you'll be fine. I'd go for the 17 TFT over the value 19.
The standard USB keyboards are crap, as are the mice, so worth the £20 or so for an upgrade.

[hut49]

We've got 50 PC/laptop equipped staff and a Dell-only policy. Rate product and service very highly. Have 4 home Dell PCs too and the only service-required fault was a noisy fan on one a video card.

Had a play on a PC with the Ultrasharp 24" LCD screen - amazed by the clarity, resolution and with the ability to have multiple applications open side by side the days of toggling between docs looks like they're over.

I wouldn't look at CRT again unless there is a budget crunch.

[pdV6]

Dell are very good at supporting businesses but not so hot when a home user gets a problem.

That said, they make good kit and it doesn't *often* go wrong IME.

Be aware that they do a lot of bespoke bits inside their boxes which can be a right PITA if you ever want to do some serious upgrading.

[ATG]

graphic design and photography work --- if you need top mcbollock professional colour reproduction then I think you still need to go down the route of a calibrated CRT, but for 99% of the time LCD is a more stable, sharper solution. Go for max resolution ... much more important than the dimensions of the screen.

All the Dell kit I've had has been fine ... far better value than the compaq/hp stuff that has been the only alternative I've been allowed to consider in a business context.

[Mad Dave]

Thanks chaps. Looks like a to Dell then! re Support - i've selected the cheapest lowest support package as i'm more than capable of building/fixing machines myself (and often do for others too) so any problems I get that aren't just a case of faulty hardware will be fixed by myself. I plan to fit a few of my own components the moment it arrives anyway, so that will probably totally munch the warranty anyway

Thanks for the confirmation about the Ultrasharp flat panel being better than the Value one, ill go for the decent one!

re Colour calibration - we have all that at work, my home machine will mainly be for processing .NEF files (I do a bit of photography, check out the website in my profile) so I can live without a fully calibrated monitor. The space saving will certainly make it worthwhile anyway.

Thanks again guys

Dave