i.shui.tech

Remember the old days when (for most) the only way to get a new computer was to get it from your local computer shop? Then came a big player shipping out of barns in Iowa. Gateway helped revolutionize mass market computing when their Holstein boxes. And they made some great machines. That was the late 80’s and something happened to Gateway on the road to the 21st century. They cut the wrong corners and quickly became usurped by Michael Dell. In the late 90’s I would tell folks to steer clear of Gateway and buy a Dell. Now, I’m going back. But not because of hardware.

I’m beginning to see what happens when the computer world is flattened. There is less competition between system component manufacturers and most all (that have survived the dot com crash) are producing high quality and reliable parts. Little is manufactured outside of Asia. I find that at a certain price point, different manufacturer’s systems will be constructed with similar components. When it comes to hardware, you simply get what you pay for, regardless of who puts the sticker on the case. (Some stickers are still more expensive than others.)

Both Dell and Gateway price very competitively. You are paying for rock-bottom prices on computer systems. What about the components? The parts just aren’t any different. For the most part, what’s left to decide has to do with 1) price, 2) aesthetics, and 3) service and support.

Obviously, aesthetics are a personal call. Let’s talk price. What I’ve seen, Gateway beats Dell, although, it’s a close call. Here’s the clincher: service and support.

Like many companies starting out, Dell used to have great service and support for the small buyer. But when it comes to meeting the bottom line, service and support can be a sinkhole. If you’re lucky, you might break even. But more likely, that department won’t pay dividends into the company’s coffer unless they are working with big business. Dell’s respond to the dot com crash was to scale back support in order to keep the bottom line up and systems cheap. And I haven’t seen them roll back. Why should they? This makes for a far better profit margin.

Let’s talk Gateway. My experience with them over the past year has been wonderful. I’ve had a chance evaluate a couple of laptops (a review on the 460 is coming soon) and have been very pleased with both. What has really caught my eye is the renewed commitment to service and support. They are making a concerted effort to market consumer needs and education. Gateway has patiently worked with me as I overcame my decade-old prejudices against the company. The persistence, patience, and willingness to work hard for small schools has convinced me they are an excellent choice.

And what about the other major players? As I said, what tends to be inside doesn’t change much. Lenovo (IBM) make great machines, but I’m not convinced the higher price is worth it. IBM has traditionally provided very good support and as they continue to support the Lenovo line, the Thinkpads may still be a good option. I’m a little concerned about their greater focus on big business. Historically, I haven’t been very happy with HP/Compaqs machines and I know little about their service.

~ by Quyen on November 8, 2005.