Customer service should be a factor in buying a computer. An important factor for those especially not computer savvy. So if a brand name like HP gives horrible customer service, then I say avoid them.
Most Customer Services I've dealt with are top notch if you've got their full warranties and have paid for their tech support. The catch is most folks are defaulting to the manufacters. Which is simply parts and labor, nothing more.
As for the technology, manufacturers don't necessarily get their parts from the same places. All I can attest to is the computer experiences I've had over the many years I've been using them.
HP, Gateway, Packard Bell, Compaq, E-Machines. Horrible systems. I've dealt with problems and issues with all of them. From that list, HP is probably the best.
Acer, Toshiba, Sony I've not had issues with. But I've not used them very much either.
As noted Acer owns three of the companies you've cited as crap. And the key factor here is that if you're buying line level of ANY company, the parts are always crap.
The Toshiba Satellite series from 2007-2008 were drek whereas their Qosmio series had some solid parts. Same goes for nearly every brand. The higher end HP's have some decent mobo's for example.
Dell, have only had one problem. After around 3 or 4 years of use, a couple of capacitors in my power supply blew out. Swapped in a new PS, everything is fine. And my older Dell still runs just fine.
Dell's are hit or miss depending how much you paid and what model you got. The one thing dell has always been terrible on is the proprietary hardware they choose to use.
You can find a replacement mobo for most HP towers. That ain't happening for any Dell. Who remembers RDRAM?
Home built systems, only had one problem with heat when I overclocked the processor. Stopped overclocking, no more issues.
If you're a non tech saavy person relying on someone to build your computer, tech support will be a coin toss. Most small stores will only put so much energy and effort into helping their clientelle before they decide they want peace of mind.
Apple, some of the pain on my older MacBook Pro has peeled off with use. Occasionally key presses won't get recognized. This all would have been covered by Apple's warranty had my sister not dented the case and invalidated it. (So, not Apples fault the customer service couldn't do anything.)
When it comes to Apple care. When you're covered under warranty, they take care of you. The reason being is that most Apple products are highly priced compared to that $300 Acer or Compaq you can pick up. There is a higher margin value and Apple prides itself on high end products, thus there is more a profit line to go towards their tech support.
Not being tech saavy is an excuse this day in age. We live in a world where you can literally google 95% of tech problems away. The average consumer is lazy and wants to be stupid. The average consumer wants to spend as little as possible for the best they can get. Problem is, when you create a market based off of cheap goods, the support you get in return is the same quality.
Acer, Gateway, Toshiba, Sony, Packard Bell, IBM, Lenovo, Compaq, E-Machines, Velocity, Dell's, and dozens more. I see every brand possible on a daily basis. No one brand has a monopoly on poorly made goods.
The truth of the matter is these days, if you're going to buy a computer, you need a small level of education and common sense. Do research, ask your friends, shop around, browse.
If you know you're ******ed with tech, research on ways to compensate. I've worked in retail for years and not a single ****ing person has ever asked me: "Do you have any paperwork entailing what a MFG warranty covers?"
Of the people I've dealt with only a small number are there to actual research.
End punch line: Your friend's scenario, a corrupt OS has nothing to do with the parts you use.
HP is a company. They'll help you when they've ****ed up or if you've paid for their service. Why should they help you for free? We're still a capitalistic society right?
) as to what recommend. We use it mostly for internet and photoshop and that's all we really do. I may want to get more into PC Gaming, but I'm probably not going to be a hardcore gamer or anything so just the basic necessities would do in that department. I was looking at some HP's but I've gotten a lot of mixed reviews on those.
