Quote:
Originally Posted by
Xian Zhu Xuande 
I spent six years working as a computer technician and I've repaired thousands of Dell computers, old and new, 'high-end' and introductory. They're crap. The XPS machines are certainly better, but they're still built with parts from the highest bidder, and they still have a depressing failure rate. And Dell's customer support is still inbred. At least the XPS towers are somewhat well designed and easy to take apart, though nothing like a Mac Pro. But they're every bit as huge.
There's a good reason why Dell has a terrible reputation among the people who actually build and repair computers. It isn't just a trend with them.
thats fantastic... I spent more than your 6 years working as a tech doing repairs including warranty work on many brands, including Dell and Apple. I've worked on some large contracts with MANY Dell machines, it took a few full time techs to do nothing but repair broken Dells all day every day onsite, but there were many many thousands of machines, and it was to be expected. I've worked on more than I ever cared to work on, and probably still will... I have met many who really don't like their job much, but they do it, so they somehow relate their negative feelings onto something else, such as the computer brand. Dell makes some awesome computers, but yes I admitted a lot of their "cheap" stuff is made poorly, but that's not all of their systems. Many of their higher end desktops, workstations, and servers are awesome machines all over, and Apple hasn't gotten even close to competing with single solutions...
I just like how your post assumes, the way you wrote it, that I just was saying things and had no experience in the matter... And you site the mac Pro as easy to take apart? holy crap... easy to remove a side panel maybe... but I can strip out and replace every single part in the case in most every Dell twice as fast as a Mac Pro... they are made to be much easier to work on. If you go back to some of their older designs (and a few current ones) its even faster... that's not even getting into laptops... one of our best mac techs (who is faster than me) changed out a motherboard in a single Macbook Pro in the same time I got 3 switched out in Dell laptops...
As for customer support, sadly for the all over, Apple is no better. People rate them higher, because they are happier overall, not because their support is actually better. You have to take into account everything, not just if the tech on the phone couldn't help you. How about Apple not being able to help, so they make you mail your computer off for 2 weeks, or drive 300 miles one way to get to an Apple Store, whereas Dell sends out a person to your house/business the next day or two...