How important is brand name when it comes to buying computer hardware?

How important is brand name when it comes to buying computer hardware?

Ali Nasri (Computer Specialist, Mac 911 Inc.) gives expert video advice on: How important is brand name when it comes to buying computer hardware?; Do computers come with monitors?; What factors do I need to consider when buying a notebook computer? and more...

Brand name can typically be pretty important. Some people don't think so. There are a lot of clones out there. Not with Apple, because Apple does make the hardware and the software, so it's a unified system and you have less problems with compatibility, whereas with clones you have parts that have been made by different manufacturers, and when you have an issue, one manufacturer says, "Oh, it's not my problem, it's the other person's device that's causing the problem." And also the reputation comes into play, like Hewlett-Packard, Sony, Apple, Dell--those are all tier 1 large manufacturers. They give you good warranties, they have good customer service. Buying a generic system; if something goes wrong with it, sometimes the hassles that go along with that outweigh any type of financial savings that you may have made.