3C Technology

[MrLudwig]

We purchased 36 'Zero-footprint' PCs from 3C Technology last year having had a demonstration model for a few days previously. The PCs are great and the service offered from 3C is fantastic.

We had to return one of these not to long ago due to a faulty power board. Phoned up and arranged it within minutes, they didn't question our diagnosis in any way, or make us sit through a 'script' of questions.

A few days later the PC was returned fixed and has worked fine since.

This is how it should be done.


Mr. Ludwig
ICT Technician

[StewartKnight]

We've got Dells all round. If they break, the next day we have a technician come and replace the faulty part. They were £309 each (inc monitor) with next day on site for 3years! And because they know me, I don't have to jump through hoops, they accept my diagnosis.

[mark]

That very cheap Stewart! I'd guess they're very low spec - is that true?

[Dos_Box]

Dell are bending over backwards for schools at the moment as they want a toe hold in the market and they are doing this by undercutting everyone. The Ones they A-listed in the latest PC pro (Optiplex G650) were sold to us for just over £500 with 1GB RAM, DVD burners and the zero footprint 17" TFT which you mount the PC behind. With the very nice next day on-site support. Phone Dell, and get your regional reps name and speak to them directly or else you won't get the discount.

[mark]

Blimey! Always rejected those optiplexes 'coz of the proprietary parts - is that better with these now?

[Dos_Box]

They're fantastic.

[tarquel]

...the zero footprint 17" TFT which you mount the PC behind...

hmmmm.....

a) 17" TFT's - glass screen then?

b) PC cables and connections locked so kids cant fiddle with them?

Not investigated Dell machines due to them having you over a barrel after the warranty is up (i.e. non-standard fitting parts etc - in the past - so I'm led to believe) but it sounds good.

I'm happy with HP tho (if it aint broke...)

Cheers
Nath

[GrumbleDook]

We are a big Dell user too ... and have previously used Stone Computers (but Dell win on price easily).

We have very few support issues ... and when we do it is resolved quickly (apart from one, based around whether a batch of laptops is user damage or due to faulty parts ...but that is drawing to a close now too.)

I have previously had dealings with 3C as consultants at my last place ... and wasn't happy ... but I know they have done good work for others ... perhaps we had them on a bad week, but hopefully things have improved, but I personally won't use them again ...

Tony

[russdev]

as undertstand it dell are lot better on parts now...

But don;t expect dell pricing to stay as eu are looking into them...

[Dos_Box]

We are a big Dell user too ... and have previously used Stone Computers (but Dell win on price easily).

We have very few support issues ... and when we do it is resolved quickly (apart from one, based around whether a batch of laptops is user damage or due to faulty parts ...but that is drawing to a close now too.)

I have previously had dealings with 3C as consultants at my last place ... and wasn't happy ... but I know they have done good work for others ... perhaps we had them on a bad week, but hopefully things have improved, but I personally won't use them again ...

Tony

Stone are the most boring and expensive computers ever built by man.

[GrumbleDook]

We are a big Dell user too ... and have previously used Stone Computers (but Dell win on price easily).

<snip>
Tony

Stone are the most boring and expensive computers ever built by man.

Up until this year they could match Dell price for price on most machines we wanted.

Dell have cut prices even further this year so hardly anyone can match them. The down side of Dell is that getting them to ship a machine with a prepared image takes bleedin' ages. It is quicker just to let them come off the factory floor and do it ourselves ... at least Stone would ship the test machine and even 1 day later pick up the ready hard drive and you could have the first boxes 2 days after that ...

It did save us about 4 days of work during a very busy summer ... this year we are doing it all ourselves though.

[secman]

We are 100% Dell but buy through a couple of suppliers who do the price negotiation. Very few problems with the hardware, no more than you would expect from a school environment.

Support is usually OK, just make sure you take to one of the techies in Ireland and not India!!!

We got Dell GX280s with DVD Rom and 512Kb and 15" TFT Monitor for less that £600 last summer. Dell were falling over themselves to get the business.

Just gone over to Dell Laptops as well instead of the nasty Hi-Grades supplied by the Laptops for Teachers Scheme. Much better, more robust equipment and cheaper too!

I have been using Dells since they started in the UK in 1987 with the 286/12, so you could say I'm a bit of a fan.

[GrumbleDook]

I have issues with some of the Dell laptops ... I cannot fault their desktops or servers, but we have had major problems with the laptops.

We are not sure whether it was a design flaw or not but the Latitude D505 had a power socket that meant about 3 mm of the power lead didn't go in ... so if there was a sufficiently hard push the power lead would force the power board out of place.

This is not covered under the warranty and regarded as user damage ... which I suppose it is, but strange how the is a much smaller gap on the D510 and the other newer machines ...

We also have issues with the build quality of the cheaper machines.

Yes, we know they build to a price and make very little margin, but having screws dropping out on 3/4 of a batch (of nearly 100 machines) which leads to loose motherboards, which lead to more support calls ... this is not a good thing.

With the change in reps too ... that added to the confusion about things ... and we are now having to seriously consider whether we use Dell for laptops again.