Apple and IBM/Lenovo lead a list of the most reliable computer brands, according to fresh US research. Adjusted by market share, Rescue.com's latest findings are based on the number of calls the troubleshooting company receives for each make of computer. Results were based on 20,000 calls.

"When people purchase computers they want to know about reliability," said David Milman, founder and CEO of Rescue.com. "We're constantly asked our opinion about the best computers to buy. The Computer Reliability Report helps address this question and can be used as a helpful tool for those in the market for a new computer."

The report shows that computers from IBM/Lenovo are the most reliable, scoring an index rating of 243 points. Apple is close behind, with a score of 201 points. Next runners up include: HP/Compaq, 12 points; Dell, 4 points; Gateway with minus 12 points and "others" with minus 16 points. Large numbers are better.

"Whether it's due to hardware quality or vendor customer support, clearly IBM/Lenovo and Apple are well ahead of their rivals when it comes to reliability," Milman says. "We're pleased to be able to offer this insight to help computer users make informed choices when deciding which computer they should buy," he added.

News source: Macworld UK


There are 25 additional comments
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(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by bluewind_89 on 17 Oct 2006 - 16:31
wow. why the huge difference between number 2 and number 3?
Quote this comment #1.1 Posted by lbmouse on 17 Oct 2006 - 19:26
From the company:
The Report calculated the following "Reliability Scores" for each computer vendor based on the percentage difference between their overall U.S. market share and the percentage of calls into the RESCUECOM call center about the particular computer vendor. The higher the score, the less likely it was that calls about the specific computer vendor to the RESCUECOM call center were received (scores are in parentheses).

So these numbers are totally bogus. If anything, they might only tell us how good support is for certain companies. I have a feeling that not many people call this silly "Rescuecom" if they own an Apple or IBM because both of these companies are big on self-supporting their products after the sale. Now while this IS a good thing, these numbers don't give an accurate depiction of vendor reliability, only one little company's measurement of calls/market share.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by markjensen on 17 Oct 2006 - 16:33
Wow! What a huge apparent disparity! 243, 201, 12 ?!?!?

EDIT: Found a bit of their numbers and methodology here: http://www.rescuecom.com/news_page.wcs?id=190
(4 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by figgy on 17 Oct 2006 - 16:40
I brought a Lenovo T60p sometime back. Lots of features & fantastic value for the price.
I rate Toshiba computers as the most well designed computers. I have had Sony, HP , Dell, Apple laptops none match up to Toshiba quality in my opinion.
Quote this comment #3.1 Posted by eilegz on 17 Oct 2006 - 17:10
Quote - figgy said @ #3
I brought a Lenovo T60p sometime back. Lots of features & fantastic value for the price.
I rate Toshiba computers as the most well designed computers. I have had Sony, HP , Dell, Apple laptops none match up to Toshiba quality in my opinion.


i cant agree with you i have a toshiba and the hinge broke, the keyboard quality its so bad that the thing its erasing, anyways i lost my faith in toshiba in contrast my lenovo thinkpad z60m its very good kinda bulky but a very good laptop the only cons that i see its that to add ram instead to open below like many modern laptops i have to open the front and thats kinda a problem, other than that its okay
Quote this comment #3.2 Posted by Axon on 17 Oct 2006 - 17:15
I'm with 3.1, my Toshiba Sattelite A40 was the worst laptop I ever purchased. The hinges on the monitor broke, the power adaptor had to be replaced 3 times in the first year, and the trackpad is/was way too small. In contrast, my Apple MacBooK Pro is the best laptop I've ever owned.
Quote this comment #3.3 Posted by advancedboy on 18 Oct 2006 - 01:57
My Toshiba M70 SR200 was a total piece of crap as well. Fan died after 4 months, and burned the battery, and some other stuff. Took 5 weeks to repair (not the laptops fault, but still Toshiba's), and then when I got it back I found out the vid card was dead. Now I got an A100, and it's (so far- but I've only had it for 2 days) running alright.
Quote this comment #3.4 Posted by DarkSim905 on 18 Oct 2006 - 03:02
I'd have to agree. This month I've seen about three computers I've had to fix in the lab where I work. Over-heating problems galore.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by ziper on 17 Oct 2006 - 16:44
Maybe they just switched the numbers Their business is broken down computers, why would they tip everyone on how to get computers that doesn't brake?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by shirike on 17 Oct 2006 - 17:04
Google.com is free.
(6 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by Neobond on 17 Oct 2006 - 17:11
I don't agree with the article. You get what you pay for and IBM are known for being both expensive and high quality parts as a result. I own a IBM Thinkpad and I can honestly say it's very reliable, unlike the Compaq I purchased in 2003 and then returned within its 30 day money-back guarantee.

Needless to say, the Compaq laptop was about 2.5x cheaper than the Thinkpad.

I beg to differ also about Apple products, users who have malfunctions and design flaws (like the Nano screens for example -yes thats screen reliability and only one example) generally are not swayed in opinion of the company while very real issues with Apple hardware exist.

Factors that come to mind is poor firmware support, OS (I have seen quite a few OS X kernel panicks in my time, but hardly ever a BSOD on XP and Vista, any XP BSOD was due to bad memory, which is a feature, not a bug).

Help desk, Dell are outsourced to India these days? I know from experience by calling Compaq when I had my laptop, the guy was flipping through the same manual I had for the laptop and then not knowing what to say when he couldn't find the answer. Outsourcing are not experts, they are simply people that can read back what you already know/have in your manual. Its a poor excuse for 'support'. -again you get what you pay for.
Quote this comment #6.1 Posted by David3k on 17 Oct 2006 - 18:44
I used to work at a call center in the for Dell portables, and I tell you that call center agents don't know jack-**** about anything. But our partners @ India were the absolute worst! They don't even follow filing protocol!
Here's how it works:

Step 1: You call in with a problem, they get your info to check if there's a record of any problems beforehand and create a log of the call and get info on what system you're using.

Step 2: They ask what the general problem is and then they try to reassure you that they will help you.

Step 3: They ask more detailed questions and search a database of scripts to read out to the customer. (The scripts may include troubleshooting steps)

Step 4: They check if the problem has been has been fixed buy running tests. If not fixed, return to step 3.

Step 5: They close the call with time-wasting scrips and surveys. Takes about another 5 mins on the phone most of the time.

I recommend to EVERYONE to hang up as soon as all your problems have been solved (Skip step 5), as they will just waste your time with that last step. Even if the agent seemed nice, do NOT be nice! With tech support, it does not help. Get to the point and skip small-talk, as it distracts the agents and they take longer to do something.

Be blunt.
Quote this comment #6.2 Posted by sunbiz_3000 on 17 Oct 2006 - 19:40
When u do that u r called rude... be a little polite to the person who is tryin to help resolve ur issue. Its not that u r talking to GOD when u call tech support... They surely dont know everything under the sun about computers... So just try to co-operate and Im sure problems will be resolved faster than being blunt...
Quote this comment #6.3 Posted by knight03 on 17 Oct 2006 - 20:16
I am so with 6 and 6.1. When my Toshiba had problems, whenever I called the tech support group in India all they kept saying was "Why don't you format your hard drive?" This happened quite a few times until I lost my patience and had to put my foot down and say "I have important things on my computer... I cannot just format my hard drive. Does this make ANY sense to you whatsoever?". Why can't these people learn something before providing the easiest solution possible. No they do not know everything under the sun, but maybe they should look for other jobs if they are not learning... There should be someone around there who has done this for years and years. I would ask a co-worker or something... just show some zeal rather than "why don't you format your hard drive?"
Quote this comment #6.4 Posted by Magallanes on 17 Oct 2006 - 20:18
Dell support in Spanish is even worst.... in fact many guys in dell don't known the basic in hardware, a AGP card is not a manufactured like Nvidia or ATI.


Quote this comment #6.5 Posted by David3k on 17 Oct 2006 - 20:33
Quote - sunbiz_3000 said @ #6.2
When u do that u r called rude... be a little polite to the person who is tryin to help resolve ur issue. Its not that u r talking to GOD when u call tech support... They surely dont know everything under the sun about computers... So just try to co-operate and Im sure problems will be resolved faster than being blunt...


No. I've compiled a report on it in the office and I found out that you, as the customer, does not have to be irate, just blunt and get to the point, and hanging up early once an issue has been resolved is good for the agents time and salary.

Average handling time on "To the point, no chit-chat, and curt" calls are 8 mins compared to the "polite" crowd, which is 14 mins, and irate calls are an average of 17 mins.
Quote this comment #6.6 Posted by advancedboy on 18 Oct 2006 - 02:20
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/192820 Similar?

EDIT: from the description: "based on a true story.... sort of."
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by raskren on 17 Oct 2006 - 18:51
I beg to differ:

http://appledefects.com/
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by Wodin on 17 Oct 2006 - 20:23
HorseFeathers!!!! as Col Potter would say
At least as far as IBM goes. We don't buy Apples at all. I work in the public school system and they purchase some of all brands, and IBM is the worst of the worst. I'd rather have Emachines. Every model they come out with has some major defect, usually involving the motherboard. And they're still coming with 145watt PSU's too. Compaq/HP's stink, too. I have to use wire ties to keep the power switches from getting pushed in.

Dell has been by far the most reliable, and if it wasn't for some problems with some serial ATA hard drives in the last couple years, they would be almost perfect.

But someone is getting payed off to hype IBM, because I know first hand they are the worst piece of crap you can buy in a desktop. I don't have the same opinion of there servers or laptops BTW. But there's rumours that payoffs is the only way they sell anything anyway.

I will give IBM a thumbs up on there warranty. We get parts over nighted, and I haven't recieved a bad part in over a year now, although that used to be pretty common with them too.

But from experience, Dell is far and away the most reliable of all computers, and I recommend nothing else but Dell.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by rm20010 on 17 Oct 2006 - 21:25
Duuuuh. The companies that hold 4.02% (Apple) and 4.38% (IBM/Lenovo) of the marketshare are compared to the companies holding 17.9% (HP) and 30.7% (Dell) of the marketshare.

This is also calls specific to an INDEPENDENT COMPANY, not the actual manufacturer itself. You'd think most Apple customers call up this company Rescuecom instead of Apple tech support for troubleshooting?

This news article's title should read "Apple and IBM Make Most Reliable Computers: Rescuecom" to indicate this doesn't apply to the industry as a whole. I won't say that Apple and IBM's computers are unreliable or reliable, but I'll say that I'm not jumping to conclusions based on one company's data.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by ikyouCrow on 18 Oct 2006 - 01:01
this is sooo freaky!

i attended an IBM/Lenovo/AMD briefing today and they were talking about realiability and superior performance of the AMD solutions in the system x series servers.

my next pc build was going to be intel core 2 extreme, but i'm thinking of sticking with AMD and getting a FX or X2 or something.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by nihilistphx on 18 Oct 2006 - 02:02
Well, I can state from personal experience that I think Gateway sucks. I've had more problems with my Gateway Tablet PC than any computer I have ever used. Their tech support is also horrid, I just deal with the problems now... at least I don't have to talk to their idiot techs. The only reason I put up with that is because I rather like the tablet pc functionality, makes not taking more permanent (I have a knack for spilling crap on paper based notebooks). If I ever get some money together, I am totally getting an Apple laptop.
Quote this comment #11.1 Posted by DarkSim905 on 18 Oct 2006 - 03:07
I was going to say there was something wrong with you, then I noticed you're messing with a tablet PC. Me working with Gateway's newing PCs that feature BTX technology are well-built / easy to service and such; but that's irrelevant to tablets. Is their service that bad ? Do they even attempt to help you?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #12 Posted by Neomac v6 on 18 Oct 2006 - 09:53
Apple makes the most versatile computers. Only Macs can run all the operating systems and software currently on the market.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #13 Posted by APK on 09 Mar 2008 - 16:23
David Milman is a shyster and crook. Witness here where he blatantly feloniously and libellously violates the 1972 Privacy Act @ techrepublic.com:

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11189-0.h...ssageID=2200654

AND

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.ht...ssageID=2141035

That is a FELONY, isn't it, Mr. David Milkman of RESCUECOM? You post confidential information about former contractors or employees online without their consent. The NYS Board of Labor is aware of this now as well.

Also, in the URL below (from a local t.v. station who is investigating Mr. Milman and RESCUECOM) in the area his company is headquartered in:

http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/13511157.html

"STAY AWAY FROM RESCUECOM"
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