Why is Dell Not Selling Well In Gaming?

F

freddiepm61

Gawd
Joined
Oct 19, 2004
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Guys,

Why is Dell selling badly in gaming, whereas others like Alienware do well (apart from only doing Intel)? If another company went into gaming, like HP for example what would you guys look for to push it out of the pack? Would you not even bother, because it was just a big company jumping into the gaming arena, without the knowledge of what gamers want, like alienware for example?

cheers

f
 
Hoping this doesn't turn into a Dell bashing thread because that gets so old.

But I think Dell's biggest and most obvious pitfall is the fact that they haven't integrated AMD processors in their line up.
That and the fact that they generally get a bad rep from all the leet cpu modders on alot of these boards that rate the company based on their bottom of the line cpus.

I think for the most part, a vast majority of these boards are populated with "leet modders" that would never associate them selves with the likes of anything Dell (besides their LCD).

So to clarify...
1) intel only
2) bad rep from the boards

What will companies like HP have to do?
1. Allow totally modularity with customizing a PC, offer the best namebrand parts like AMD, Antec, Corsair, Logitech, WD, etc.
2. And offer it at a price that would make a homeroller unable to justify the cost of "building your own".
 
Gamers tend to be tinkerers and advanced users. Tinkerer's and advanced users do not like proprietary parts in their computers.

It stunts upgrade paths.

-Larry

freddiepm61 said:
Guys,

Why is Dell selling badly in gaming, whereas others like Alienware do well (apart from only doing Intel)? If another company went into gaming, like HP for example what would you guys look for to push it out of the pack? Would you not even bother, because it was just a big company jumping into the gaming arena, without the knowledge of what gamers want, like alienware for example?

cheers

f
Click to expand...
 
Who says Dell XPS systems are selling badly? I see a number of people with them, and on these boards, the XPS laptops are especially popular.
 
I think its perhaps their gaming systems are way overpriced.. and its mostly Flashy looks you are getting for that extra dollar.

You typically can build a machine thats better for a 1/3rd less than what you will be paying for the dell. Now this is true for destktops/towers, as for laptops, there still isnt a ton of build it yourself options to get a real gaming machine, not something meant for business. So I can see why the laptops may sell well.

And yea.. the no AMD thing sucks too :)
 
Everytime I wander back to the Dell site to configure a resonably decent gaming system I'm always turned off by the price.
 
I recall seeing a very nice Compaq gaming machine in the local CompUSA a while back. It was in a Cooler-Master WaveMaster case (with window and red ccfls), had an ASUS Motherboard, a GeForce FX-5900 Ultra, an Audigy2, and 1gb of Kingston HyperX memory. I never saw another one like it outside of that store. It very definitely had "Compaq" silkscreened on the front.

Did they stop making them? Did nobody buy them? Or am I just blind and can not see them anymore?

It seemed like a good initiative to me.
 
1. No AMD.
2. Proprietary parts.
3. Price for a decently configured high-end system.
4. Bloatware (though I read recently they were offering 'opt-out' on AOL, etc.)
5. To a gamer/hardcore PC user "Dell" means "I dunno how to build a computer".
6. Dell is the 600 lb. gorilla, some like to vote for the underdog.
7. Spend an hour on a call with a tech issue and give your name, address, e-mail to about 5 people before you get to talk to someone who knows anything.

To me personally #2 above is, and always will be, a complete deal-breaker.

For more mainstream users Dell does have name/brand recognition and peace of mind for technically unaware, decently priced low and mid range machines, and 24/7 tech.
 
NulloModo said:
Who says Dell XPS systems are selling badly? I see a number of people with them, and on these boards, the XPS laptops are especially popular.
Click to expand...
I agree. Most people on this site would not buy a Dell for gaming (except maybe a Laptop). However most people in the general population would.

Heck if I wanted a brand new gaming system and I wanted to save money (assuming a bunch of those Dell stackable coupons came out). I would consider it.
 
Because of crapware that you can't remove...Eats away you processing power.
 
F.E.A.R. said:
Because of crapware that you can't remove...Eats away you processing power.
Click to expand...

yeah the shit load of stuff that no one needs when buying a new computer...
 
[LYL]Homer said:
1. No AMD.
2. Proprietary parts.
3. Price for a decently configured high-end system.
Click to expand...

QFT. You can get some nice lowend systems for unbeatable prices, but for anything high end... forget it. You can save an unbelievable amount of money building it yourself almost every time.
 
Agree with most of the reasons above.

Another would be brand recognition. A lot of people who aren't "computer savvy" tend to recognize Alienware as top gaming machines while thinking Dell = crap. I know quite a few of these people :)
 
There are several reasons why:

1.) They only use Intel CPUs and refuse to use any AMD CPUs. A64s are generally faster in gaming (at the moment), but that could change when the Intel Core 2 Duos (Conroe) come out.
2.) Too much pre-loaded Dell software crap.
3.) Dell's "high-end" gaming XPS rigs are well-overpriced.
4.) It's Dell.
 
Aristotle13 said:
Hoping this doesn't turn into a Dell bashing thread because that gets so old.

But I think Dell's biggest and most obvious pitfall is the fact that they haven't integrated AMD processors in their line up.
That and the fact that they generally get a bad rep from all the leet cpu modders on alot of these boards that rate the company based on their bottom of the line cpus.

I think for the most part, a vast majority of these boards are populated with "leet modders" that would never associate them selves with the likes of anything Dell (besides their LCD).

So to clarify...
1) intel only
2) bad rep from the boards

What will companies like HP have to do?
1. Allow totally modularity with customizing a PC, offer the best namebrand parts like AMD, Antec, Corsair, Logitech, WD, etc.
2. And offer it at a price that would make a homeroller unable to justify the cost of "building your own".
Click to expand...

Dell doesn't just get a bad reputation from the forums, a lot of people have bad experiences with them. Go look at their reseller rating, it's below 5 I believe.
 
The only things that people tend to respect about Dell are:

1. Their monitors, which are without a doubt some of the best monitors currently on the market.
2. Their laptops, which are also very good quality.
3. Their coupons, which could save you a good chunk of change.
 
IMO, their LCDs are the only decent things they make.

The whole XPS series is overpriced.

Their cases are fugly.

Everyone I know who has them has had multiple failures.

Everyone I know who has fixed the failures was unable to upgrade and ultimately trashed the system for fun.

My friend recieved one with no thermal paste or pad on the CPU hsf. It was running extremely hot, so he took off the heatsink, only to find dust bunnies hiding under it. Fire hazard anyone? With no thermal compound or pad used, he immediately returned it with no questions about it.

PSU failure almost as common as an EMachines

Another friend of mine's E-Machines outlasted his dad's top-of-the-line dell

Need I continue?
 
the other day i was working with a 7 years old HP and if u think about it dells dont last that long.
 
LOCO LAPTOP said:
the other day i was working with a 7 years old HP and if u think about it dells dont last that long.
Click to expand...
Dells and, Compaqs both. They seem to be built to last maybe 1 or, 2 years and, then take a dump. The whole problem with the majority of OEMs is cheap parts and, getting raped for good parts. That is why most of us are DIY. Dell and, Compaqs are your Grandmothers computer.
 
synaps3 said:
Everyone I know who has them has had multiple failures.
Click to expand...
That pretty much sums up my opinion. My boss, for example, has had his for barely more than a year, and has had to replace a power supply, two DVDRW drives and a hard drive. They don't give him any trouble on the warranty work, but still it seems like the thing is either down or circling the bowl more often than it's running.



 
Not that this has anything to do with the quality of Dell or Alienware's systems but..... Dell owns Alienware. Literally, Alienware belongs to Dell. I'm surprised no one has brought this up yet..... or I missed it :p
 
ATIIsBetter said:
Not that this has anything to do with the quality of Dell or Alienware's systems but..... Dell owns Alienware. Literally, Alienware belongs to Dell. I'm surprised no one has brought this up yet..... or I missed it :p
Click to expand...

Alienware is still doing their own thing though. Dell just pays the bills. The reasons for Dell's pitfalls have already been listed.
 
NulloModo said:
Who says Dell XPS systems are selling badly? I see a number of people with them, and on these boards, the XPS laptops are especially popular.
Click to expand...

Tomorrow I'm getting an xps gen 2 (m170)

2gb and 7800gtx go
 
Mostly because they don't actually sell gaming PCs. I doubt Alienware or the other gaming OEMs are doing real well either, but it's are just smaller and doesn't need huge amounts of sales. The vast majority of PC gamers build their own. Most casual gamers will just go with the 360.

Unless your talking laptops, the OEM gaming PC market isn't a nice niche to get your self into.
 
for on the go gaming, im running a dell xps m170, geforce 7800 gtx, 2gb ram and a 2.23 ghz processor, plays everything i need it to, fairly well. Desktop dells dont do well in gaming, because desktop dells, honestly, arent very good. Their high end notebooks though, do pretty well.
 
[LYL]Homer said:
1. No AMD.
2. Proprietary parts.
3. Price for a decently configured high-end system.
4. Bloatware (though I read recently they were offering 'opt-out' on AOL, etc.)
5. To a gamer/hardcore PC user "Dell" means "I dunno how to build a computer".
6. Dell is the 600 lb. gorilla, some like to vote for the underdog.
7. Spend an hour on a call with a tech issue and give your name, address, e-mail to about 5 people before you get to talk to someone who knows anything.

To me personally #2 above is, and always will be, a complete deal-breaker.

For more mainstream users Dell does have name/brand recognition and peace of mind for technically unaware, decently priced low and mid range machines, and 24/7 tech.
Click to expand...

hit the nail on the head, man!
 
freddiepm61 said:
Guys,

Why is Dell selling badly in gaming, whereas others like Alienware do well (apart from only doing Intel)? If another company went into gaming, like HP for example what would you guys look for to push it out of the pack? Would you not even bother, because it was just a big company jumping into the gaming arena, without the knowledge of what gamers want, like alienware for example?

cheers

f
Click to expand...

What data are you basing your thoughts on? Is Dell really "selling badly" in gaming?
 
Dell is fine. I believe the reason they have a low rating in resellersrating is because of the type of customer they cater to. I suspect alot of Dell customers are first time PC buyers and end up frustrated when various non-Dell related things don't work and blame Dell.

My mother runs a small business and uses Dell servers and workstations and has not one complaint. She has a problem, she calls and Dell gets it taken care of. The only problem she has had so far was a buzzing LCD monitor, and a new one was at her office very quick.

As far as gaming, if they are hurting, I would suspect it is for the fact that they don't carry AMD systems. The proprietary thing was regarding PSU's and that is a thing of the past as far as I know.
 
Met-AL said:
My mother runs a small business and uses Dell servers and workstations and has not one complaint. She has a problem, she calls and Dell gets it taken care of. The only problem she has had so far was a buzzing LCD monitor, and a new one was at her office very quick.
Click to expand...

I think that may be a defining difference. That your mother runs a small business and owns some of their server machines. Personally, it seems like Dell does well with anyone using their stuff for a business and really caters to them. I know someone else who uses their workstations and servers for his business, and they always get on the ball. But for my girlfriend's sister, who owns a Dell, even when it was under warranty, it seemed like it was impossible to even get a straight answer on how to even get walked through the system recovery, and we won't even go into the sheer disaster that happened just to get a failed hard drive replaced that was still under warranty. All I can say is there's probably at least 3 people at their tech support/customer service who probably dread her calling them now.

Put in that perspective I think it's unfair that you would cater to someone who obviously depends on your products to operate their own business, or to be able to keep spending those high dollars for server class systems or multiple workstations, but you won't even give a smidgeon of that same stellar service to someone who buys a regular desktop PC or even two. If you're not going to support them, or make it a pain in the ass to get that support, why even bother? You only hurt yourself, moreso if that person eventually DOES end up starting their own business, whether at home or elsewhere. People in general remember who and/or what screwed them over. They may not always remember what's good, but they definitely keep in mind at least, who to avoid.

I think it's wrong to do that, but then again I also don't own a multi million if not multi-billion dollar company with shareholders either.
 
Along with what everyone contributed, I think Dell has a tarnished reputation with those who are regular gamers, for the reasons mentioned above. I don't feel their hardware is of poor quality (Well, except the 40 Optiplexes I had to order boards for today due to blown capacitors, but that's not directly Dell's fault) but it's certainly more mainstream than dedicated gaming hardware. It'll take a lot to win the hearts of more serious gamers; but don't expect Dell to stop using their own hardware. They just won't, and as a company, I wouldn't expect them to either.

Just a matter of expanding the target consumer base.
 
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