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I'm a happy owner of a Dell Precision 5520 that is already 5 years old. It shipped with a Ubuntu LTS by default and I took a 3-year next day repair warranty tha

I'm a happy owner of a Dell Precision 5520 that is already 5 years old. It shipped with a Ubuntu LTS by default and I took a 3-year next day repair warranty that I used once for a swollen battery. I cannot express how happy I was to have my laptop repaired in less than an hour in my kitchen by a Dell certified technician. Given how dependent I am on my computer for work, if I had to send it I would have lost at least a week of productivity. Instead, it was just a minor inconvenience. Sh*t happens, but I would pay for this peace of mind every time. For my next laptop, I'm waiting for Framework to open shipping to Switzerland. It won't come this kind of warranty but its full repairability will make up for it.

Gatsky 4y ago
Not sure I want a new laptop where the battery swells up within 3 years.
- z9znz 4y ago
  This can happen to any device if there's a one-off manufacturing problem somewhere (esp in the battery). I don't see it very often, but I've seen it on a Surface Pro (the store display model!... I had to point it out to the staff and suggest they replace it before it caught fire and hurt a shopper), on my 2014 MBP after 4 years, and some other device I now forget about. Unless lots of people are reporting this for a given device, it's probably just a fluke. It can happen, but it usually doesn't.
  - tchaffee 4y ago
    Which is fine if they would replace it. But Dell no longer does so it's your cost if you get unlucky. Buyer beware. My keyboard also started sticking on my latest Dell. I won't even sell it to someone it's such a troublesome laptop.
    - tatersolid 4y ago
      Dell replaces swollen batteries on our whole fleet, even nearly 3 years into the “Pro support” warranty. Happens to about 1% of our machines over a 3-4 year lifetime. If you pay for the on-site “pro” warranty Dell just sends a tech, quickly and no questions asked. Even to small rural towns.
      - tchaffee 4y ago
        For the previous model the replacement was free whether or not you were under warranty. Because the battery was defective. They know this but tried to save money on the subsequent model. Which is fine. But I was a lifetime customer and will never buy Dell again. Which is also fine.
ur-whale 4y ago
> For my next laptop, I'm waiting for Framework Can the Framework laptop be powered via USB-C or are they still using power jacks like in the 20th century?
- adrian_b 4y ago
  Actually I strongly hate the laptops that can be powered only via USB-C, blocking thus a very useful I/O port, unless you also carry with you a docking station. Powering via USB-C would be OK only on laptops with at least 4 or 5 USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, but such laptops are non-existent. Laptops with only 2 USB-C ports, where 1 is blocked by the charger, are useless for me. When I have access to a power plug, I usually also want to use an external SSD and an external DisplayPort monitor, which need 2 USB-C ports.
  - z9znz 4y ago
    It's a tradeoff for reduced laptop size (portability). If you're at home and need to connect to many things, you usually have a dock or expansion dongle. On the road, you often only need 2 ports - one for charging and one for whatever momentary things you need to plug in briefly. My Macbook Air M1 with only two USB-C ports has been just fine. I have a small but effective Anker "hub" which adds SD, HDMI, USB, and USB-C. Usually I don't need it, so it stays in my primary bag while my nice and portable laptop goes everywhere.
    - ImPostingOnHN 4y ago
      > On the road, you often only need 2 ports - one for charging and one for whatever momentary things you need to plug in briefly. perhaps that's all you often need, it's a little presumptuous to say so about others
      - z9znz 4y ago
        With the hub, you have many more ports - when you need them. My little Anker has two USB-A, two USB-C (one may be thunderbolt I think), HDMI, and SD card slot. You're not going to find a laptop with more than those ports. So I stand by my comment that 2 ports (and the optional little hub in your bag) are all you need. If you somehow need more, then you probably aren't traveling with all that gear... or at least not using it while in transit.
adrian_b 4y ago
I am also the happy owner of a Dell Precision, but an even older model, 7510, so 6-years old. It has never had any HW problem, despite intensive use, including during many business trips. It was also bought with Ubuntu, but I have wiped that and I have installed Gentoo, as this is what I prefer. Support for Linux has been perfect, for all included peripherals, e.g. Thunderbolt, video camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, card reader, etc. This heavier model has a modest battery life, which is normal for a laptop containing the top Mobile Xeon CPU and the top NVIDIA Quadro GPU of that year. Unlike lighter laptops, it has excellent cooling, which allows the CPU to dissipate 60 W for an indefinite time (despite the official TDP of only 45 W) allowing the fast compilation of large software projects, without thermal throttling and without excessive noise. I develop software for embedded computers, so a I need a laptop like this Dell Precision 7000 series, with a large number of USB ports and with Ethernet, to be able to connect to various prototypes and development boards. In conclusion, I can recommend the Dell Precision 7000 series for software development, especially under Linux. Unfortunately, they are rather overpriced, which is also true about all the other laptops labelled as "mobile workstations".
- brightball 4y ago
  My Precision 7710 has been great and is about the same age. All of the ports on the left side just died. Display port, HDMI, USB-A, USB-C. I’m glad it lasted as long as it did, but they don’t even have parts for it anymore so I can’t get it repaired. It still hasn’t completely died so I’m still using it as a laptop but ended up getting a little System76 Meerkat for my desk and I love it. I just use the laptop as a 3rd screen with Barrier.
tchaffee 4y ago
Dells used to be excellent and I have bought many over the years. My last XPS had several problems including a swollen battery in less than a year and a sticky keyboard which only got worse. Support was no help in either case. Their build quality and support has gone downhill. Strong avoid. I'm currently experimenting with gaming laptops and am much happier with build quality and the great performance doesn't hurt either.
secondcoming 4y ago
I have a Precision 7750 that I stuck 128GB RAM into. It's a beast, but I use it as a desktop really, so I'm not sure what the battery life is like.

Gatsky 4y ago

Not sure I want a new laptop where the battery swells up within 3 years.

z9znz 4y ago
This can happen to any device if there's a one-off manufacturing problem somewhere (esp in the battery). I don't see it very often, but I've seen it on a Surface Pro (the store display model!... I had to point it out to the staff and suggest they replace it before it caught fire and hurt a shopper), on my 2014 MBP after 4 years, and some other device I now forget about. Unless lots of people are reporting this for a given device, it's probably just a fluke. It can happen, but it usually doesn't.
- tchaffee 4y ago
  Which is fine if they would replace it. But Dell no longer does so it's your cost if you get unlucky. Buyer beware. My keyboard also started sticking on my latest Dell. I won't even sell it to someone it's such a troublesome laptop.
  - tatersolid 4y ago
    Dell replaces swollen batteries on our whole fleet, even nearly 3 years into the “Pro support” warranty. Happens to about 1% of our machines over a 3-4 year lifetime. If you pay for the on-site “pro” warranty Dell just sends a tech, quickly and no questions asked. Even to small rural towns.
    - tchaffee 4y ago
      For the previous model the replacement was free whether or not you were under warranty. Because the battery was defective. They know this but tried to save money on the subsequent model. Which is fine. But I was a lifetime customer and will never buy Dell again. Which is also fine.

ur-whale 4y ago

> For my next laptop, I'm waiting for Framework Can the Framework laptop be powered via USB-C or are they still using power jacks like in the 20th century?

adrian_b 4y ago
Actually I strongly hate the laptops that can be powered only via USB-C, blocking thus a very useful I/O port, unless you also carry with you a docking station. Powering via USB-C would be OK only on laptops with at least 4 or 5 USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, but such laptops are non-existent. Laptops with only 2 USB-C ports, where 1 is blocked by the charger, are useless for me. When I have access to a power plug, I usually also want to use an external SSD and an external DisplayPort monitor, which need 2 USB-C ports.
- z9znz 4y ago
  It's a tradeoff for reduced laptop size (portability). If you're at home and need to connect to many things, you usually have a dock or expansion dongle. On the road, you often only need 2 ports - one for charging and one for whatever momentary things you need to plug in briefly. My Macbook Air M1 with only two USB-C ports has been just fine. I have a small but effective Anker "hub" which adds SD, HDMI, USB, and USB-C. Usually I don't need it, so it stays in my primary bag while my nice and portable laptop goes everywhere.
  - ImPostingOnHN 4y ago
    > On the road, you often only need 2 ports - one for charging and one for whatever momentary things you need to plug in briefly. perhaps that's all you often need, it's a little presumptuous to say so about others
    - z9znz 4y ago
      With the hub, you have many more ports - when you need them. My little Anker has two USB-A, two USB-C (one may be thunderbolt I think), HDMI, and SD card slot. You're not going to find a laptop with more than those ports. So I stand by my comment that 2 ports (and the optional little hub in your bag) are all you need. If you somehow need more, then you probably aren't traveling with all that gear... or at least not using it while in transit.

adrian_b 4y ago

I am also the happy owner of a Dell Precision, but an even older model, 7510, so 6-years old. It has never had any HW problem, despite intensive use, including during many business trips. It was also bought with Ubuntu, but I have wiped that and I have installed Gentoo, as this is what I prefer. Support for Linux has been perfect, for all included peripherals, e.g. Thunderbolt, video camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, card reader, etc. This heavier model has a modest battery life, which is normal for a laptop containing the top Mobile Xeon CPU and the top NVIDIA Quadro GPU of that year. Unlike lighter laptops, it has excellent cooling, which allows the CPU to dissipate 60 W for an indefinite time (despite the official TDP of only 45 W) allowing the fast compilation of large software projects, without thermal throttling and without excessive noise. I develop software for embedded computers, so a I need a laptop like this Dell Precision 7000 series, with a large number of USB ports and with Ethernet, to be able to connect to various prototypes and development boards. In conclusion, I can recommend the Dell Precision 7000 series for software development, especially under Linux. Unfortunately, they are rather overpriced, which is also true about all the other laptops labelled as "mobile workstations".

brightball 4y ago
My Precision 7710 has been great and is about the same age. All of the ports on the left side just died. Display port, HDMI, USB-A, USB-C. I’m glad it lasted as long as it did, but they don’t even have parts for it anymore so I can’t get it repaired. It still hasn’t completely died so I’m still using it as a laptop but ended up getting a little System76 Meerkat for my desk and I love it. I just use the laptop as a 3rd screen with Barrier.

tchaffee 4y ago

Dells used to be excellent and I have bought many over the years. My last XPS had several problems including a swollen battery in less than a year and a sticky keyboard which only got worse. Support was no help in either case. Their build quality and support has gone downhill. Strong avoid. I'm currently experimenting with gaming laptops and am much happier with build quality and the great performance doesn't hurt either.

secondcoming 4y ago

I have a Precision 7750 that I stuck 128GB RAM into. It's a beast, but I use it as a desktop really, so I'm not sure what the battery life is like.