Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!iuvax!cica!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnewsh!mbb
From: mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Reliability of "inexpensive" 386 machines.
Message-ID: <1891@cbnewsh.ATT.COM>
Date: 4 Jul 89 12:56:28 GMT
References: <1271@unhd.unh.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 27

From article <1271@unhd.unh.UUCP>, by abc@unh.UUCP (Avinash B Chopde):
> A general 386 PC question.
> I will be purchasing a 386 machine, and I would be glad if any of the
> current users of inexpensive machines could e-mail me their experiences
> regarding the construction, reliability of various brands.

I don't think this is strictly a 386 question.  I bought an XTurbo
clone at the lowest possible price, and went to the factory to pick it
up, and later went back to the factory for "while-you-wait" service.

The machines are put together from imported (Far East) parts.  The
reject rate must be tremendous; I saw long lists of returned parts. 
Every machine they ship must be thoroughly bench tested.  Even so,
their machines must contain large numbers of marginal parts waiting for
a chance to fail.

I have also owned a brand name machine.  For both branded and generic
machines, I would say the most important factor is to be sure that
service is available conveniently close so you don't have to mail it
away if something fails.

M. B. Brilliant					Marty
AT&T-BL HO 3D-520	(201) 949-1858
Holmdel, NJ 07733	att!hounx!marty1 or marty1@hounx.ATT.COM

Disclaimer: Opinions stated herein are mine unless and until my employer
	    explicitly claims them; then I lose all rights to them.