DELL after sales service is tops

I learn that HP is the largest selling Desktop computer in India and the world. My sister owns one and I know the pro's (less) and cons (more) of owning that PC. But here I take the opportunity to once again tell you how wonderful DELL's after sales service is. I have made one post previously on a Dimension XPS T450 I owned for a decade without any problems before donating it. You may read it here if you wish to. Although I always dream of building my next computer myself I cannot help mentioning DELL's superior service.

Way back in 2000 when the warranty period for my first DELL, the XPS T450 was just two days from expiring there was a big thunder shower in Athens, Georgia where I used to live. I was surfing the internet using a dial-up connection. The incessant rain was accompanied by constant thunder and lightning. All of a sudden there was a big flash of lightning and soon after by a big noise of thunder. The flash was so bright that I ran to my balcony to see if it had damaged anything outdoors. Power snapped instantly and it was restored to our area only after a day, a rare thing in all my yrs of stay in the U.S.A. When I switched my computer on I realized that the modem was dead. I call DELL, give them details of what happened and a technician appears the very same day, one day before expiry of the desktop's warranty and replaces the modem. Amazing! I used the PC for a decade.

I own a Vostro now and while purchasing it I was offered a 6GB memory card or a 2 yrs extended warranty option. I chose the latter. Just two months shy of expiring the warranty helped me replace the keyboard, the front bezel and the component that performs the power-on switching. Earlier I didn't wait to get the mouse replaced and purchased one myself. I was told by the DELL technician that DELL would have happily replaced the mouse. DELL even agreed to replace my motherboard when the display was giving problems. However, like I did with my earlier DELL I purchased video cards and fixed the problem myself.

Also note that without the warranty, umbrella DELL's services and spare parts can be pretty expensive.

Now this, IS Quality

In the image above Chaithanya is sitting beside the Dell XPS T450 Dimension PC that I bought in 1999, while in the U.S.A. The reason I put them together in the picture is because they are almost of the same age. The day the Dell PC arrived home was also the day I took Jaya to the hospital where she was admitted and later delivered our son. Chaithanya turned 9 this September and the Dell has provided yeoman service in all these years now in its 10'th year. For one entire year it was also stored away in a Storage in Riverside, California. These days I don't use it much. In 2006 I wanted to donate it but I am glad I didn't.

In 1999 Windows 98 SE was both stable and popular. The labels on the PC still reads, made for Windows 98 SE. In 2002 I installed Windows 2000 SP4 and subsequently no other updates or OS's. It also has had no BIOS updates since I purchased it in 1999. It is a heavy PC for the 196 MB Ram, Original Intel Motherboard, Original Intel P3 450 Mhz processor, 13 GB hard disk, 1.4 inch floppy drive and a 16MB 3dfx graphics card. The system has run literally problem free. After 2002 I added a CD burner, a 40 GB hard disk and recently a networking card. I have removed the networking card after it gave me some problems. Maybe the card was a faulty one.

In the meantime (after 2002) for want of a more faster system I had two systems assembled and both of them crashed. During these days the trusted Dell continued to support my work. In August 2007 I purchased a new Dell Vostro and I am sure it is going to serve me well if not like my former Dell XPS T450. Now that I own a Dell Vostro I am going to donate the Dimension XPS T450. The Dimension cost me $1300 in 1999 but for one third or a little more than that of the 1999 price you could buy one of the latest Dell Vostro's.

It is also wonderful to know that Dell support and now manufacturing is being done from India. Very friendly customer service makes Dell one of the most trusted brands in the world. I must take the opportunity to mention Bharath V at the sales and customer sevice centre at Bangalore for his fine service. Also Lavina Phoebe for her help in resolving my graphics problem which I eventually corrected by getting an Nvidia Gforce Graphics Card.

By the way if you are looking for a graphics card for your Dell Vostro n slim series of desktops go for the slim cards. They also go by other names such as half-size cards, half cards etc. Only one company makes these cards that are reliable for the DELL and they are ATI Radeon. I realised that only after buying the Nvidia card. But I liked the Nvidia card so much that I stuck it into the PCI Express slot and let the side door open. In fact that way you provide for more heat to escape. However I would recommend you go for the ATI Radeon cards.

If you are considering buying a desktop I will highly recommend DELL. These guys know computers best.