Best Desktop Manufacturer.

[grober]

Post enquiry is as per title. With DESKTOPS going out of fashion like there's no tomorrow in favour of laptops I'm wondering which manufacturer now produces the most reliable product. Apart from the ubiquitous Dell and HP who seem to come with a chequered history any other suggestions. Heard some good things about ASUS and LENOVO but no experience of either. I guess it may also depend on which of their "product lines " you go for? Home/business/high end etc . I hear also that the shortly to be released WINDOWS 8 is going to be a product with a radically new front end -- no more familiar desktop format etc----- just when you thought you had got half way up the learning curve too

 

[MercFanUk]

I think out of the top brands it'll be varied depending on who you ask. Myself, I've had good experiences with HP's, but some others don't like them.

As for Windows 8, things aren't as radical as you think - there is the new front end, but that's designed to be used on touch devices. When you close that part down it's just like a regular windows 7 underneath - which I suspect for most normal PC users is what they'll use and experience.

 

[Dryce]

Traditionally we used to be 100% Dell for low to mid range desktops for business. But we switched to Acer a few years ago. We've been happy with both.

My main complaint with Acer is that they're difficult to buy. Sounds mad but it takes a bit of hunting to find the models we need. Dell OTOH are easy to order.

 

[markjay]

We provide and support HP kit, the higher-end business desktops (current model Elite 8200) are bulletproof. The odd power supply or hard drive can (rarely) go, but that's about it.

We support some sites with Dell desktops, they are OKeesh but not brilliant.

However, Dell make good laptops.

Lenovo are hell-bent on achieving pole position in this market. Their ThinkPads were always good, and the MacBookAir-rival X1 is well thought out. I don't have much experience with Lenovo desktops though.

When it comes to servers... Dell are good for entry-level servers, but from the midrange up, HP rules.

HTH

 

[artyman]

Bought my last machine from Novatech, been rock solid for three years.

 

[John]

I've bought nothing but Dell since 2003 for the companies I've been at and they've been very reliable. Some hard drives and fans and the even the odd motherboard (one or two over a large number of units).

When I used to build my own computers, I used ASUS motherboards. Also running a very good ASUS sound card now - if I built another PC, I would use ASUS motherboards again.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Have you thought about a custom built one, tailored to your specific needs by a reputable local company?

Sent from my 3 year old HP Notebook

 

[duncanh]

There's really only 3 choices - HP, HP or HP (guess who I work for?).

 

[jaymanek]

Dell for me... Ive always had them and I used to work for JP Morgan who had thousands of them... never really went wrong AFAIK.

 

[RichAJ]

ive supported pretty much everything in my many years as an IT Pro and in personal life (bit geeky like that lol). Like grumpy says for desktops custom always wins. I live in the NW and Scan build great machines if you cant do it yourself (of course you dont have to live here to order lol) from pro experience ive supported dell, HP, Toshiba, Fujitsu and countless others, the best laptops by a country mile are Lenovo (IBM) theyre solid and ooze pure quality and the desktops never fault. We run all IBM servers too which are fantastic bits of kit but i agree that HP servers are decent but after working with IBM/Lenovo for the last 4 years I have been opened to just how good they are. But back to desktops for home use id use a reputable custom company personally... if i didnt build them myself of course ;-)

As MercFan says, Windows 8 is WIndows 7 underneath its just got the Metro style (although this will be renamed due to some name copy ******** somewhere!) tiled layout to come in side with WM7 and WM8 phone platforms. Microsoft will also be building their own PC's like apple do and shipping with Win8 etc. Theres nothing stopping you putting win7 on desktop though instead of win8... if trend is anything to go off.. XP=great OS, Vista=fail, Win7=great OS so Win8? might have to wait till Win9 lol. Time will tell mind.

If you do want any IT advice at any point feel free to message.

 

[Satch]

The ones I build from quality components. All the parts come with their own warranty, and so easy it is laughable.

Start off with a decent, well ventilated case and a quality power supply and all you ever have to do is swap out parts to upgrade.


PC Hardware Buyer's Guide August 2012 | bit-tech.net

 

[pipmk]

Have you thought about a custom built one, tailored to your specific needs by a reputable local company?

Sent from my 3 year old HP Notebook

By far the best idea, most branded models use the same components anyway and none is outstandingly better in my opinion. Get what you want with a individual build and it will also usually be easier to upgrade.

 

[This is Pete]

Another vote for novatech here. Decent spec and no unnecessary fluff software.

 

[markjay]

It also depends if it's for home use or business use. For home use, a custom-built machine, or one from the likes of AlienWare, is fine. For work I would recommend a high-end but bog standard box from a main-stream manufacturer with strong onsite warranty.

 

[Crespo]

Bought my PC from chillblast

I couldn't find anything close to it pound for pound.

Check out there website. I guarantee it will be the last time you step in PC world or any of the other high street computer shops.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using MBClub UK

 

[shanksy]

For business use you can't really look past the Lenovo's.
I have always like Fujitsu's desktops and laptops as well, very well built.

 

[grober]

With all this talk of custom builds anyone any experience of
SCAN---OVERCLOCKERS-- or CHILLBLAST? [Appart from Crespo of course]

 

[MercFanUk]

I've used Overclockers a lot in the past. Generally pretty good service, on a couple of occasions we had a missing item, and on another occasion we actually got an extra monitor that we never asked for. Overall a good service though.

 

[RichAJ]

as far as using custom companies to get your builds from if youre not doing it yourself then SCAN, Overclockers and Chillblast are among the very best out there and constantly take all the rewards and rightly so, there are others too like PC Specialist etc but those 3 always win the awards. Alienware are too expensive for what they are and arent as elite now owned by Dell.

 

[MercFanUk]

There's also Novatech, they often have better price's than overclockers on some of the more expensive items and provide a good service too.