[Hidden-tech] Thanx... next question...

[Christofer deHahn]

 > If you were going to buy an off the shelf computer with a 19" LCD 
> monitor, what manufacturer would you say gives the best product at the 
> lowest price?
> 
> I used to build my own computers and things have changed so much I'm 
> not sure who has good stuff, good tech support, etc. I've heard 
> eMachines are good. Have heard to stay away from Dell and HP. But 
> that's all old info.

It really depends what your requirements are and your tolerance for
problems. 

Are you willing to deal with technical problems yourself? Do you mind
waiting on the phone support line to Bangalore for 45 minutes, or do you
just want to have a tech come out and make the problem go away? If you are
running your business on this PC, you have to weigh how much your time is
worth, and how much downtime costs you.

If you are willing to pay for onsite support, IMO the two best major
manufacturers are Lenovo (IBM) and Dell, although Dell has slipped in the
past year. If onsite support is not needed, then you can go with just about
any commodity manufacturer. They all use the same best value
parts-of-the-moment and often are built on the same assembly line in
Tennessee. The big box stores all carry these, and there is little
differentiation between them. They are often sold below cost, so just pick
your best deal of the day and be done with it.

If you want a higher quality PC with onsite support, I'd suggest the Lenovo
ThinkCentre M series or the Dell Optiplex. Lenovo can be bought direct or
through larger e-resellers. Their onsite support is excellent, and the M
series come with a three year onsite warranty. You can get some sweet deals
on Dells through the Dell Outlet store, especially if you choose systems
that are cancelled orders, new in the box. Check the specifics carefully,
and move fast, as they sell within minutes.

Both the top line Lenovo and Dell machines are high quality PC's that should
last through a small upgrade or two before becoming obsolete. If you want
the highest quality PC, you have to build it yourself, or have someone built
it for you. There is nothing like hand picking components to meet your exact
needs.

Good luck.