Reliable PC?

[Skippybox]

Who manufactures the most reliable PC in your opinion? I have been using the same Sony for the past 7 years. I think the quality is worth it, despite the price. But, times have changed. I know many people dump a PC after just 2 years. But, what brand would you recommend for the long haul now?

[j7n]

Are you talking laptops?

[Skippybox]

Primarily. But you can comment on desktops, tablets, etc.

[j7n]

I only trust self-assembled desktop computers. During the building process I will also learn a thing or two.

Besides questionable components like underpowered PSUs, brandname towers and desktops also have had very weird layout, which makes disassembly and repair unnecessary complicated. Often the parts have non-standard connections. Maybe the situation has improved now, but I really don't want to find out. Brandname computers don't exist for me.

I once had an old brandname tower where all the components were placed seemingly deliberately in their wrong places. The power supply was sitting on the very bottom of the case, harddisk was screwed in a cage near the back wall, I don't recall how the CD-ROM was secured, but it wasn't in its normal AT/ATX place near the top.

Haven't used laptops that much. If I had a lot of money, I'd buy an EeeePC, because that's about the value I'm comfortable carrying around. Moving mechanical parts and reliability also don't walk hand in hand in portable devices, so flash storage is the only way to go.

[Skippybox]

I only trust self-assembled desktop computers. During the building process I will also learn a thing or two.

A lot of people do. I don't really like the expense of individual components, though. Notebooks are very compact and portable for me, but obviously can't be self-built. At least I don't think. My notebook has had the durability of a desktop, except for the battery.

Haven't used laptops that much. If I had a lot of money, I'd buy an EeeePC, because that's about the value I'm comfortable carrying around. Moving mechanical parts and reliability also don't walk hand in hand in portable devices, so flash storage is the only way to go.

Not familiar with EeeePC. I don't leave my laptop around, as I couldn't handle the loss either. As for accidents, I haven't had any. I am quite careful. HDD are a problem. Luckily, Sony's slimmest line of notebooks has a Flash Drive as its main drive. No HDD! Very reliable. I would be interested in one, but very expensive. Also, it might be too small of a capacity for some, compared to the humongous storage of hard drives. The flash drive is around 48GB versus a potential 400GB hard drive in a good laptop.

[j7n]

I was going to build a computer with the cheaper CompactFlash media for storage, but then I discovered that the only way to get this type of part (the specific IDE controller) was to order it from the U.S. with a credit card. So I scrubbed the plan. Flash in the form of a HDD is still overpriced.

Capacity is actually plenty for most uses, you won't be making a media server out of a laptop. Authors of bloated software will try to convince you otherwise though.

[Sam_Zen]

I start with the idea that no PC is reliable, no matter what brand.
One has to create one's own reliability.

[Yuitsu]

I agree with j7n. I have been using self-assembled PCs for the last ~8..10 years. Except for the "Tech Support lives in the mirror" problem, I am more than happy!

[broiled]

Actually, the "tech support in the mirror" isn't so bad. There's bunches of free tech support available online.

[WellOiledPC]

My experience purchasing Desktops and Notebooks for my previous organization is that currently, hp makes the most rugged Notebooks. Time was when IBM ThinkPads were best, but when they got taken over by Lenovo, things rapidly slid down the depths!

As far as Desktops go, I vote in favor of assembled Desktops too - you get much more bang for your buck!

If you are mathematically inclined, I have created a simple Excel Spreadsheet that has the Brown-Gibson Decision Model. Do visit www.welloiledpc.com/buyingdecision.htm to download free, the Brown-Gibson Decision Model Spreadsheet!

[matera]

That would be interesting, but -- heh -- I already bought my next computer, a refurbished Gateway that fits my budget and should pretty well fit my needs

ETA: When I get it going again....

Vista committed suicide before I was one tenth through customizing my new environment. Most amazing bluescreen mess I ever saw. Gateway's wonderful recovery system failed utterly, all it did was finish destroying what was left. I am not happy. But I have bought a real Vista install disk, and sent for the latest version of Ubuntu, so I hope soon to have a nice dual-boot. Meanwhile, still using the old one.

Every computer that I ever got for free has been as reliable as I could make it. Some of them were given up for dead before I got them. None ever died on the job. Now I go and buy one, and BAMPF! No one had better try to tell me that Vista is more stable than previous versions of Windoze.