Think you know your stuff?

Be careful when buying computers from Dell - and maybe other computer manufacturers. Even if you think you "know your stuff" about computers, it might be best to let the manufacturer's sales team to guide you through your purchase.


A client of mine had always bought from Dell and had always been totally satisfied with their products for many years. And so have I. This time, he was preparing to replace his ageing desktop computer and, with advice from various sources, had decided on a laptop - chosen for the convenience and sociability of being able to take into the sitting room instead of being locked away in the "office."

Although he had chosen a laptop, he also wanted a conventional keyboard, a separate mouse instead of always having to use the touchpad, and a big screen, external to the laptop. This meant that for the tidiest and simplest installation, he needed a docking station, or E-port replicator.

The number, type, and specification of Dell laptops, plus the ability to customize your purchase, means you can buy virtually any specification you wish. Dell makes it entirely obvious on their website that some of the laptops are intended for "home use" and others are meant for "business use."

My client selected a laptop, screen, bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse, and the port replicator/docking station to join them all together. The reason for a docking station is that it makes changing from a "virtual desktop" environment to portable "pure laptop" working is a simple matter of un-docking the laptop from the docking station, with the press of a button. The alternative would be to separately unplug printer/s, screen, keyboard, and mouse. Not impossible but less convenient.

The docking station/port replicator (shown above) and other peripherals arrived one day, the laptop arrived several days later. Maybe that's part of the problem that was encountered, as the order seemed to be picked and packed as two separate orders, but it could be entirely irrelevant.

Once all the components of this exciting new set-up had arrived, I set about transferring the data from the old computer to the new laptop. At the same time, we changed from ADSL-modem to ADSL wireless router. Almost the last task was to plug the laptop into the docking station. But it wouldn't and couldn't be plugged it because the Inspiron laptop was not designed to be used with a docking station.

We will now develop a workaround, probably plugging the peripherals directly into the laptop, leaving the changeover from "virtual desktop" to "pure laptop" working to be a less convenient process than envisaged.

My opinion is that Dell should not allow a single order from a single customer to comprise such obviously incompatible components.


Dell's opinion is that if the customer had spoken to a Dell salesperson before ordering, the error would not have occurred. I think they are probably right.


Buying computers is a daunting, complex task. I think it would have been helpful if Dell's on-line buying process began with a "questionnaire" about the customer's requirements, from which (with the skills and knowledge of their own products) they could suggest a selection of equipment that would meet the customer's needs.

In the absence of such an on-line system, I would now very strongly recommend that anybody buying from the excellent range of Dell computers and associated equipment should do so via the telephone sales process, where they can discuss their needs with someone who is very knowledgeable about the whole range of Dell products. I suspect that such an error that my client experienced is unlikely to occur when purchasing through that route. It happens to be the way I bought my first-of-many Dell computers.

 And the Dell website does prompt the website visitor to do exactly that...