$3000 Question:Micron, DirectWave, or Comtrade?

I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Quoted text (19 lines)

> >I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, > >Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY > >computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not > >really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those > >myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of > >reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall > >satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. > >Thanks > I bought a Micron P133 in April and have been very pleased. When I > ordered it I was told it would ship in 3 weeks. At about 2 1/2 weeks > they called and said that it would arrive in two days. It did and I > have not had any problems or trouble so far. > My understanding is that if something breaks within the warranty > period, you call them, they send the replacement part, and then you > send back the broken part in the same box. Sounds fair to me !! > Good luck whatever your choice

My friend has a Micron 133 and it kicks my NEC 133's ass. I think it is a quality machine from what I've seen. JEB in Vegas

Quoted text (8 lines)

>I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, >Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY >computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not >really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those >myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of >reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall >satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. >Thanks

I bought a Micron P133 in April and have been very pleased. When I ordered it I was told it would ship in 3 weeks. At about 2 1/2 weeks they called and said that it would arrive in two days. It did and I have not had any problems or trouble so far. My understanding is that if something breaks within the warranty period, you call them, they send the replacement part, and then you send back the broken part in the same box. Sounds fair to me !! Good luck whatever your choice

Quoted text (9 lines)

>> I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, >> Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY >> computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not >> really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those >> myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of >> reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall >> satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. >> Thanks

Do not get Comtrade. It has been nothing but trouble. Guanyao Cheng -- Guanyao Cheng WWW- http://www.uni.uiuc.edu/~gcheng/

Quoted text (9 lines)

> I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, > Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY > computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not > really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those > myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of > reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall > satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. > Thanks

We have around 15 Micron P90 and P100 machines here in my office and I am very happy with their reliability. I have also had to call their technical support on occasion, and have been very impressed with their responsiveness and technical knowledge. Graeme -- +----------------------------------------------------------+ | Graeme Weston-Lewis Symbios Logic | | snail mail: 2001 Danfield Court, Fort Collins, CO 80525 | | voice: (970) 226 9629 Fax: (970) 226 9686 | | "If its got more than 2 wheels - it ain't fast enough" | +----------------------------------------------------------+

Quoted text (9 lines)

> > I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, > > Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY > > computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not > > really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those > > myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of > > reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall > > satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks

In my experience, Gateway is the way to go. Prompt delivery and quick customer service if you need it (No hardware problems, just a Win95 question for me). The best part was that about 45 days after I purchased my system, my Gateway sales rep called me and informed me that the price of my system went down $300 and they were SENDING ME A CHECK FOR THE DIFFERENCE! You can't beat that. Shawn Kosloff Days Inn Racing Team Hawaii Handle: Koz

Quoted text (9 lines)

> I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, > Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY > computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not > really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those > myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of > reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall > satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. > Thanks

I own a Micron P120,and it's a quality piece of work. My company has 3 Comtrade P133 systems and each one broke down...I would'nt touch them with a barge pole! As for the others you mention,I have never heard of 'em. Since you are looking at Micron,you really should aslo be looking at Dell Computers...very good stuff. rgs John. -- * * * I love a Sunburnt Country.. * *

I'm the "friend" and I've had great service from my Micron, ordered in Oct. No problems whatsoever and great performance. Also, after I ordered it and had it 3 weeks I noticed the prices came down, so I called them and asked if there was a rebate. I was expecting about $200. They said they would check into it and let me know. Within a couple days I had a message on my answering machine, saying they credited my account $499!! Now that's what I call service!! No hassle, no arguments, just do it! Micron has my businsss from now on. Also, they use top notch components and the delivery was sooner than stated. MadMikey "Sin City Boyz"

Quoted text (8 lines)

>I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, >Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY >computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not >really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those >myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of >reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall >satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. >Thanks

\ I have a micron 133. As far as the computer goes I like it but dealing with Micron is another story. They were almost a month late sending my computer, I had problems with the modem which took them 2 months to decide that yes I had gotten a bad modem. they gave me$ 79.00 for a $250.00 modem. Plan on at least an hour wait when you call them with a problem . My experience with micron has not been good and I'll never buy another computer from them again.

i

Quoted text (11 lines)

> i > >I'm looking at some of the 200 MHz PPro configurations offered by Micron, > >Direct Wave, Comtrade and Quantex. I was wondering if anyone owned ANY > >computer from these companies and would like to offer some advice. I'm not > >really looking for performance specs and the like cuz I can get those > >myself. I'm more interested in a more subjective evaluation of > >reliability, support service, system delivery time and overall > >satisfaction with the product. Any help will be greatly appreciated. > >Thanks

Hmm.. Interesting reply. Short, and to the point! :)

Just ran across the following announcement in another newsgroup and thought any people out there who are desperate to get a new machine (thanks to Geoff/MicroProse/Gp2), will find it useful. System Optimization Information Web Page http://www.dfw.net/~sdw/index.html Author: Scott Wainner ----------------------------- For Release -- August 9, 1996 The System Optimization Information Web Page is an invaluable resource on PC hardware and related information. Authored by an Aerospace Engineering major at Texas A&M University, the page offers a wealth of unique information and is an invaluable resource for PC technology journalists, resellers, and savvy end-users of IBM compatible PC systems. The true value of the page lies in the specific indepth information on a variety of topics. -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Quoted text (11 lines)

> I disagree with your concerns over Gateway. I've owned 2 myself and we > have 5 at work. The programmable keyboard is easy to reset > CTRL-ALT-SUSPND MACRO! Also, I don't think GW sells programmable > keyboards with their systems anymore. I will admit that their BIOS > selections tend to be conservative, but for none hardware freaks this > can be a good thing. I also don't think that GW2k modifies the > motherboards, they are using Intel made boards now days. However, their > OEM soundcards, modems are a different story. Otherwise I think they > have quality components. > **************************** Michael E. Carver *************************

About 2 years ago Gateway changed the keyboard so you had to press a key combination(CTRL-Suspend Macro) to program the keyboard. This all but eliminates accidental programming. They have now made that keyboard an option all systems. Every Gateway Pentium I've seen has had an AMI bios with very few performance enhancing options. I would rather make my Nascar setups faster than make my P166 faster. They use basically the same Intel motherboards as Dell, Micron, and even IBM. There standard OEM sound card is a Soundblaster 16 PNP. They offer an Ensoniq Soundscape as an option which personally I would stay away from but I know it has great 8-bit sound in Nascar. Their v.34 modem is a USRobotics Sportster 33.6. It don't get much better than that. To top it off they use Western Digital hard drives and their current 8X CD-ROM seems pretty good. Also the current Vivitron17 monitor is not only a Trinitron, it is actually made by Sony. Did I mention most systems now come standard with an STB Lightspeed128(ET6000) with 2.25MB MDRAM and have a Matrox Millenium as an option. I don't mean to sound like a Gateway fanatic but I just don't see a real weakness. I know that there have been many horror stories about Gateway but I have heard them about every computer company. If you look under the cover before you buy you will find the best components and the best price at Gateway. By the way I am on my second Gateway and we have about 40 of them at work which I maintain. Dana Bailes Hawaii: DBailes