SOCIAL: Gateway v Dell

[erin.milnes@comcast.net]

Ok, I know that Dell contributed $300K to the Republicans last year and Gateway contributed $125K to the Democrats. Gateway also appears to be a more socially responsible company in other ways (see buyblue.org), but are Gateway laptops up to snuff? I'd like to witness to my beliefs in every purchase, of course, but I don't want to get a dog of a machine since my livelihood depends on it. Also looks like Gateway is a bit pricier.

I've specifically been looking at the Gateway NX560XL (dual processor looks very cool) or the NX500X and the Dell Inspiron XPS M140 or possibly Latitude D510. I had a Dell Latitude C800 for four years with few complaints, but its motherboard just gave up the ghost.

I've read some nasty complaints online against both companies' customer service. I never had a problem with Dell's tech support--in fact they spent a lot of patient and courteous hours with me trying to figure out the current problem (in sharp contrast to a recent experience with Netgear--poo on them). 

Any thoughts?

Thanks much,
Erin