Dell Vs. Hewlett Packard
If you are in the market for a new computer, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of manufacturers. And each manufacturer has a variety of netbooks, laptops and desktop computers. Hewlett Packard (HP) and Dell are two companies that produce the full range of products to meet particular budgets and needs.
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Netbooks
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Starting at the smallest and most frugal end of the sector, are netbooks. These are miniature laptops that trade performance in exchange for letting the user perform basic functions--word processing, email, Web surfing--for around half the cost of a traditional laptop. Dell and HP offer netbooks running Linux and Windows XP. None of them are beefy enough to run Windows Vista. Both companies even use Ubuntu Linux, but HP's is a highly customized version of Ubuntu called "Mi."
Laptops
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Next up are the laptops. These range from "ultra portables" that are hybrids of netbooks and laptops, to high-performance setups oriented toward computer gaming or media creation. On the high end, Dell has a stronger presence with its Alienware brand. These laptops can house multiple video cards and batteries. Dell and HP laptops can also ship with external speaker systems, printers, mice and keyboards. However, Dell does not offer a touch screen laptop.
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Desktops
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Both companies offer a wide range of desktop computers, from small form-factor boxes to high-performance tower-style PCs. Price ranges are competitive and options are similar. Like the laptops, Dell has an additional tier for computer gaming. HP offers some computers with AMD CPUs (Central Processing Units) instead of Intel. All tiers come with Windows Vista, and almost all come with the free option to upgrade to Windows 7. Both offer "all-in-one" desktops--with the computer integrated into the monitor. Dell has two tiers: The Studio One 19, which has a touch screen, and the higher-end XPS One.
Refurbished PCs
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Both companies have websites for their refurbished computers, but HP's is far more geared to its printers and accessories. Dell offers its full line of PCs in an online "outlet" store. Each type of computer has a dedicated page with customer reviews much like Amazon. Its warranty on refurbished PCs is identical to the one for brand-new PCs.
These refurbished computers have been re-tested, and cleaned and repaired if necessary, but may have some cosmetic damage.Since they are already built, they are available to ship immediately. Dell rates its refurbed PCs in three categories. A "Previously Ordered New" unit is guaranteed to never have been turned on and to have no cosmetic damage. You can use many search filters at the website to narrow down exactly what kind of PC you want.
Getting Discounts
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HP and Dell have periodic sale specials, such as discounts or just free shipping, and you can subscribe to a newsletter that will keep you informed. Sometimes these newsletters contain discount codes not available elsewhere.
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