Dell Computers Review

I've come back to Dell
I bought a Dell notebook about 5 years ago, and had a lot of problems with it:  lots of parts had to be replaced (battery, keyboard, etc) and service was sent overseas to well-intentioned tech assistants in India.   Communications were just difficult enough that I got frustrated during my (many necessary) service calls.   (And am I the only one who found the cloyingly treacly sweetness of these assistants irritating?  Never understood if the constant barrage of apologies and verbal niceties were the result of a Dell customer service policy or a cultural thing, but it drove me nuts . . . and I appreicate good service!).    

That was Then, This is Now
When my Dell finally croaked, I switched to a Sony Vaio.  Now that's croaked as well (thank God for external hard drives; I'm a heavy user).  I consulted an IT friend who keeps systems running for a big insurance company with mobile agents, and he said "GO DELL."  I realize this is purely anecdotal, but hey, he's the one who has to FIX things when they break (or talk to corporate service techs) and he explained that Dell has brought their customer service back to the states after lots of complaints.   So I called Dell to start the shopping process, and every person I talked to was friendly, competent, efficient, a good communicator, and some even had a sense of humor.  Hallelujah !   They couldn't have been easier to deal with, at a very stressful time.  

I HAD to have Windows XP !!
I'm too busy and have way too much going on to handle the learning curve of Windows Vista right now.   Trouble is, no retail store carries systems with XP anymore, and if they switch out the operating system (some will, like Best Buy and Staples) they charge you $100 to install the system but not the drivers for all the things like video card, which you still have to track down !   ARGH    Only two companies that I found - Toshiba and Dell - were offering to install plug-and-play Windows XP, plus give me the Vista disc as an upgrade option for later.   HP doesn't offer this.  Sony, nada.    

Big Savings from Dell
I had picked out a "personal" system - the Inspiron - which was fully loaded and priced out at $974.   When I called back to order what I had on "hold," the salesman said the exact same system was less in the "business" division, and just called a Vostrio.   What do I care what they call it?   I bought a Vostrio, fully loaded, and am having it built and shipped, with Windows XP, and a one-year warranty, for $851.  You can't beat that with a stick.

Buy Cheap, Replace Often
There you have it:  my personal philosophy on computers, coz I"m a heavy user.   It's working well for me.   I'll let you know how I like my Vostrio in another review.  It takes 2 weeks to get it if you order custom.  But in the meantime, Dell has impressed me with their customer service and their pricing.  So for now.....

The Bottom Line:  Libby Likes It!