Has anyone noticed the recent decline in quality for mainstream computers?

You’re forgetting that when you buy single parts to build one computer, you pay more than if you were buying and building in bulk. Also, technology has improved over time, making decent computing performance much more affordable than it was even 5 years ago.

I honestly have not been disappointed with the quality of computing power or dependability. I don’t go through PCs like toilet paper, though. I have bought four laptops and one desktop in my lifetime. My first laptop lasted five years, although it didn’t cool very well and I went through two or three hard drives before the motherboard kicked the bucket. The second laptop got stolen, and was replaced with laptop #3 about two years ago and it is in like-new condition. It does not have a cooling issue, has slightly better specs than my 1st, and I paid less than half the price of the first (and that was before my Vista refund, which knocked the price down to less than #4). The fourth was an Eee for travel.

My only gripes with computers are (1) widescreen, a pathetic scheme to get people to accept less screen area for the price and (2) glossy screens which are extremely reflective and hard to keep clean.

I wouldn’t pay too much for any computer. Every year someone discovers a new must have product. When I got my first computer back in 98, it was hardy but slow. I couldn’t wait for it to die so I could get a new one. I paid a lot back then for it. You can still find quality for cheaper. You just have to research a little harder before finding it. Most people shop as a result of a sale or because they wait till they desperately need a new one.
I now keep all my stuff on my externals, so when my computer crashes, I still have all my info and I don’t feel its urgent to jump at the first thing.

It seems whenever there is an increase in power there is an increase in advertising and other crap to slow it down… I bet If you run an older program on a newer computer things will go better…That’s why I play older games on newer computers….I keep my computers in sleep mode so I don’t have to wait for the Windows™ logo to take its sweet pissed time getting on…I’ve had older computers turn on when you turn them on…like good old Atari…why can’t we have instant on anymore?

Since 1981, the computer you want, as opposed to the computer you already have, costs $4,000. However that money buys you a computer that is thousands of times more powerful than the one it did 30 years ago. So far, the trend continues.

“I know there are two ways to increase profit, either raise prices or cut costs.”
– One could also sell more units.

“It’s impossible to build a pc cheaper than mainstream vendors. I know because I’ve recently built my own and priced out machines for others.”
– Depends on what you want. Usually mainstream vendors don’t make exactly what I want.

“Who else has been disappointed in the quality of mainstream computing?”
– Well I’m not impressed. Not sure disappointed is exactly what I’d say, since I don’t expect very high quality from mainstream manufacturers.

“Would you pay up for dependability, or has society accepted expendable electronics?”
– I am not society. There will always be different preferences for different features. I would pay for a dependable quiet computer with the specs I want. Though the price of that seems to be massively more than going with a cheap computer company.

I’m Mac fan so I’m quite happy with the quality.

While it may be more expensive to build your own computer when you buy all the parts outright and put it together it does make upgrading easier and less expensive over time. The “big” companies generally make things proprietary and difficult to upgrade when they can (odd shaped motherboards, specific memory, lack of slots,etc.).

When you want to upgrade them it usually means buying a new computer. If you build your own you can upgrade your memory with less expensive parts, upgrade your video card when you want to, change the motherboard if you have to, and still keep everything else that adds up (case, hard drives, etc.).

I don’t know if Apple is different these days, but in the old days they were totally closed systems and you were stuck with what you had until you decided to buy a whole new setup. So, same as the other companies.

Same in that respect, but the question focused on declining quality.

Even Consumer Reports and Tech Review sites acknowledge Apple at the top of the list for consistent quality and excellence of service and support. That’s a reputation which cannot be bought. It is what it is.

Ever since Jobs return, quality has not declined. Big difference from the beige box era of Gil Amelio and others.

Jobs brought things back to the original vision because Apple computers are not Pepsi.

I can understand the appeal of upgradability for those technically skilled enough to DIY. No argument there.

But I and the majority of computer users are not in that category. I don’t have to know how to take my car apart and put it back together in order to benefit from the convenience it brings into my life. Same thing for my computer.

@Buttonstc I wasn’t specifically directing that towards you, I just saw that mentioned Apple and tagged that on because, historically, they’ve been a closed a system. What I should have added is that companies like Dell don’t even make their own computers any more. Or, at least, they don’t make their own parts. They’re outsourced to different companies now, like Asus.

One of the reasons why I never got an iPod was because you had to go back to Apple to get the battery switched out – the battery! That is supremely lame.