Consumer Reports, in their most recent edition, compared desktop computers (and the companies that make them) in the areas of technical support and repair history. Guess which computer company came out on top? Here’s the details.

Technical Support. Subscribers to consumerreports.org were surveyed on their most recent experiences with each manufacturer’s technical support from January 2002 to mid-2003. Based on more than 4100 desktop computers purchased between January 1999 and June 2003, Apple topped the list with a score of 74 (out of a perfect score of 100). Second place found Dell “eeking out” Gateway 62 to 61. HP was fourth with 54, with Compaq the “cellar-dweller” at 51. Apple received the highest score possible (5 out of 5) in web support, waiting on phone, and support staff, with a score of 4 in the solved problem category. The highest score received in any of the categories by any of the other manufacturers was a 4 for Gateway in web support. Dell scored 3s in all categories.

Repair History. Again, based on computers purchased from 1999 to 2003, Apple led the way with fewest “inoperable failures” (around 6%) and fewest “broken, but still operable” complaints (around 20%). Dell came in second, with 9% and 25%, respectively. Third place went to IBM (11% and 28%). HP, Compaq, and eMachines were tightly grouped at 13% and 30%, with Gateway and Micron rounding out the field at 15% and 35%.

They also compared eight sub-$1000 desktops (Dell Dimension 2400, HP Pavilion a400y, Compaq Presario S6010V, Gateway 310S, Sony Vaio PCDV-RS400, IBM ThinkCenter A30-8199, eMachines 2542, and Apple’s eMac Combo Drive model) in the areas of convenience, speed, multimedia, expandsion, energy saving, standard warranty, and display quality. All but the eMachines offering scored “very good” in convenience. The eMac and IBM ThinkCenter scored highest in speed, and the eMac received the only “very good” rating in multimedia. The eMac was also tops in energy saving, but scored below the others in expansion, as it is an “all-in-one” unit and not a desktop “tower”. The Sony was recognized for its display quality, and was the only computer besides the eMac to offer standard FireWire ports, essential for digital video capture from a DV camcorder.

Want to expand your Mac horizons? Tuesday, February 16th, is the next MMOOS (Maine Macintosh Owners and Operators Society) meeting. We meet at 7:00 PM in the multi-purpose room at Brunswick High School. Y’all come!

© 2004 Peter F. Zimowski