Dell Laptop Reliability?

I'm considering purchasing a Dell laptop. I was just wondering if anyone has experience and can comment on the hardware reliability. That is, assuming I don't drop it or spill on it, what are my chances of keeping it running for at least 3-4 years? I'm only considering Dell, because I can get a price break, so please don't suggest alternative brands. Thanks for giving me the benefit of your experience.

Dell laptops are great. There is another brand out there that is also great (FOR LAPTOPS ONLY) - Compaq - there desktops are some of the most error prone and worthless out there, but there business laptops are great - really great...

My Dell laptop went through a rather nasty motorcycle accident and, after a screen replacement, it's still kickin' just fine!

Make sure you check that price break with their current deals. The price break program I saw recently had a limited selection and wasn't much of a deal in the end.

Yeah, I'm checking about the break with deals. I'd heard good things about Dell, but wanted to check with some people who use computers a lot. I just have the nagging fear if I get a laptop instead of a desktop that some part will break and leave me w/o the whole thing, rather than just replacing that part. As far as thats concerned I guess, has anyone had experience w/ Dell's support/repair side?

I also like their products, and in my experience their support is excellent. I've used it a few times when they've picked up laptops, fixed them and returned them within days. The same goes for ordering replacement parts, upgrades etc.
The only thing that they suck at is logistics IMHO.

//NoXcuz

Well, I don't need logistics, so that's ok.
How much $$ are we talking for those fixes? The computers weren't defective or anything were they?

Agreed - using a Compaq Evo N800v (custom config) @ the office, it smokes, doesn't crash, no hardware weirdness. Just plain wholesome laptop goodness.

Ya - thats wierd but true. Compaq makes some really crappy desktops for the home user - but there laptops are excellent. My sister has one and I had one with my old job and never had a problem with the thing, and I put it through hell. Waiting for a new one to come in now ...

Really? I used a Compaq desktop for several years w/o a single problem. Ah well, guess I was lucky.

I actually had a bad experience w/ a Dell laptop. With fairly normal use, after a year or so, keys began coming loose, the LCD's backlight was getting touchy, and the hook on the closing mechanism broke

I bought mine off eBay; it was a refurbished corporate laptop that still had the extended warranty. When I got the screen replaced, Dell sent a technician to my home the next business day to fix it, absolutely free of charge. I think it's a rather expensive extended warranty, but if you're concerned about downtime in the event of an accident, it may be worth it to you.

We have a small business and I have a mix of brands, models, and by the far I recommend Dell Systems...whether it be a laptop or a desktop. I currently am supporting 4 dell laptops (2 different models) and they work flawlessly. The have been dropped and misplaced a few times but they stand up to the beatings. Thing to remember with a laptop is to make sure that you get a good display. I don't like the cheap displays because they are not clear...spend a little extra and get a better display you will appreciate it.

I've had a few issues with Dell's products, such as crashed mainboard, dead cpu fan, broken display, crashed harddrive. All of them were covered by (extended) warranty, so they didn't cost more than the downtime and maybe a reinstall. And as their supports has worked well for me, I'd say that the extended warranty is worth every $.
And put in the right perspective, the amount of faulty machines that I've run into is insignificant. Even though it might not sound that way when reading the above...

As for replacement parts, they're as cheap/expensive as any other brand.

//NoXcuz

Thanks a lot for the input, guys. (girls?)