🚀 go-pugleaf

A month or so I ago I posted the same sort of questions. Here is a summary of
responses, plus info on the system I ended up buying.

I bought my computer; from Computer Outlet in Columbia. 486-33, 256K cache,
4 Mb memory, 211 Mb hard disk, 2 floppies, NEC 15" 4FG monitor, ATI
VGA Wonder (SVGA) card, in a full tower case for just under $3000 (including
tax). I only actually looked at one other place - Computer Express in Baltimore.
The Dr. that I am doing some consulting work for has several of their systems
and recommends them. They are nice machines. However, I was not pleased with
the way they treated me when I visited their store. Computer Outlet seemed 
knowledgeable, they do repairs in house (2 year warranty), and their parent
company is a motherboard manufacturer. One downside, the store was always busy,
with at least 4 or 5 customers, but there was only one salesman on the floor!
That made for some lengthy waits. If you go there, make sure you have lots of
time, or go during off-hours (NOT lunch). By the way, so far I'm VERY happy
with it (after three weeks of use).

Here's what other people had to say:

ACCEL (Alexandria)
	Good prices. Bad power supply. Often doesn't boot immediately (must 
reset several times). Several with disk problems. Not highly recommended.

Lincoln Computer Center (Gaithersburg)
	Better prices, better service than ACCEL (same person responded about
both). Bad power supply, but LCC was willing to buy it back.

ICS (Anandale)
	One person, two computers. One has gone back several times, the other's
been perfect. Always "cheerful and helpful" about problems. 
	Second person. "Incredible machine, very fast, seems high quality".
Was recommended to this person by others at Mitre.

PC Warehouse (Rockville)
	Respondent did not like this machine, said prices weren't too good.

PC Warehouse (Herndon)
	Respondent disagreed with above; loves his computer, thought price
was competitive with mail order.

And one summary of someone else's summary:
"Computer stores recommended were:

        Computer Express Services (Baltimore MD)
        Computer Express (Edgewood MD, presumably different than the above)
        MBS (Gaithersburg, Maryland)
        CompUSA (Rockville MD, Laurel MD, Vienna VA, and elsewhere)
        Beltron (Beltsville MD)
        Price Club Warehouse (no location given)
        The Computer Place (Gaithersburg MD)

VF Associates in Bethesda MD was recommended by one person but another
person thought their service had deteriorated.  I also got
recommendations to avoid buying from Sears and Southwest Computer
Warehouse."

Hope this helps.

randy
-- 
Randy Schrickel randy@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
Laurel, MD 20723
"Life goes on, long after the thrill of living has gone." - John Mellencamp