Mac Pro vs Dell XPS Experience (Mac Lovers Will Enjoy)

[Sun Baked]

Apple uses a modified Intel design for the motherboards to accommodate their I/O chips and now their CPU cards.

However, even when using an Intel reference design, Dell can have cheaper components substituted on the board when they knocked em out to include their logo and part numbers on the board.

We've seen this in the new sockets for some of the boards recently when the one socket could be overclocked and another manufacturers literally fried itself.

Can also happen with cases where cheaper plastics and power supplies can be used to reduce costs.

So even though two different PC companies are being sourced for parts from the same companies, quality can differ quite a bit. All depends on how much they are willing to spend on the parts. If you do something silly like cut a vendors/suppliers payment, they will make up the difference in quality somewhere.

 

[J&JPolangin]

I have the Dell Dimension 8100 in my sig still running strong from 12 years ago, its slow compared to todays architecture (P4 423 pin Mobo compared to C2D that are my other machines).

I also just sold a Toshiba 1905-s303 P4 laptop (for $300!) that ran fine.

I rebuilt a Sony TR3A Vaio laptop that a co-worker droppped (replaced Mobo) and it works fine...

I hope my HP a6650F, whitebook, iMac and new prev gen 2.53Ghz Mac mini last as long as my "old winXP" boxes did!

 

[nanofrog]

However, even when using an Intel reference design, Dell can have cheaper components substituted on the board when they knocked em out to include their logo and part numbers on the board.

Definitely, and this is true for electronics in any market segment, and by any vendor though. Production Budgets (primarily the BOM portion) play the biggest role here (i.e. components selected by cost, not performance; i.e. parts selection not tested under the actual conditions they'll be used prior to selection).

That's to say if a part is selected by cost alone, not tested under real world conditions (i.e. say a 470uF cap by maker x; that value is @ 25C if you look at the data sheet), will reduce in value as you heat it up. So if the board actually runs at say 45 - 55C, the capacitance is reduced, and it's performance will suffer (i.e. filter won't perform as it should). Same can happen for any other part, and its the accountants/business side that have the final say, not the engineers.

Post production part substitutions are a also part of it (i.e. actual manufacturer replaces a P/N with a substandard part, assuming there was a BOM issued by the vendor to begin with). This isn't the case with ODM's, but is with OEM scenarios (it does happen, and unfortunately, is becoming more common).

If you do something silly like cut a vendors/suppliers payment, they will make up the difference in quality somewhere.

Yes, but unfortunately, it's happening even if the payments haven't been decreased, late,... Part suppliers are cutting corners to increase their profits and/or meet production quotas (contract fulfillment).