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Re: crappy products
I do IT for a moderate size enterprise, 37 year in the industry now.
I've bought literally thousands of computers, many brands but predominantly Dell the last 20+ years. Optiplex desktops are solid, most last us 6+ years but get re-installed during that time. XPS is probably a better deal for consumers (and what I have at home, current one is at least 6 years old).
Desktop longevity has a lot to do with the software load and how functional it remains over time. A lot of useable hardware gets replaced when the OS & installed software becomes problematic and the effort plus uncertainty of a re-install exceeds the effort of buying new.
Laptop longevity has the same software issues plus a lot of wear and tear, do this long enough and you can predict how long a laptop will last based on who you give it to. A cheap laptop that works for your elderly relative to read email may not serve as well for someone that drags a laptop from place to place every day and relies on it all day. Of those power users some will trash a laptop in 2 years yet the same model lasts another user 4 years.
If you want to get a feel for the quality of a laptop you are considering, look at the relative cost of the 3 year extended warranty offered by the manufacturer: 10% of purchase price indicates they expect the hardware to be reliable. 25% of purchase price indicates they expect more trouble.
The low end consumer stuff is all junk, does not matter the brand. It can be useful junk and economical, but set your expectations lower. The $250 laptop 'deal' loss leader by the big box store might only last you a year and still be a good deal financially (but not for the environment).
HP? yuck but we all have our unreasonable prejudices. A Chevy vs Ford thing.
Apple? Its fine but they only sell mid-high end stuff and price accordingly.
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