Apple got an “average” rating in all categories in PC Magazine’s annual rating of computer vendors by its readers. All vendors were rated on “satisfaction with reliability,” “units needing repair in the past 12 months,” “satisfaction with repair,” “satisfaction with technical support,” and “would buy again from this maker.”
Of course, PC Magazine isn’t exactly the first choice in computer publications by Mac users. Also, of interest in the report is that Macs had the longest average age (3.9 years) of any computer vendor reported by readers. Other systems and their average ages were IBM (3 years), Gateway (2.7 years), Micron (2.7 years), Compaq (2.4 years), Hewlett Packard (2.2 years), Dell (2.0 years) and eMachines (1.9 years).
For the tenth time in 11 years, Dell grabbed the top grade in overall desktop service and reliability. It also aced the two subcategories for office and home machines. Joining Dell with A grades in the overall category are Micron and locally built systems, which PC Magazine reports as a brand, even though they’re really from thousands of independent shops and do-it-yourselfers. Hewlett-Packard and IBM rated average in most areas, while Compaq and eMachines were below average in most areas.