Dell’s approach to letting customers configure their PCs can be a little daunting, so I applaud them for providing helpful advice. Except in this instance where an image implied that choosing a cheaper graphics card would mean a blurry desktop.
The image in question was spotted by a Reddit user after clicking a “Help me choose” link while configuring a compact OptiPlex PC. While both monitors in the image appear to be the exact same model, the one on the left, powered by a cheaper “standard graphics card” is having a hard time keeping the desktop in focus, compared to the more expensive option on the right. There are certainly differences between what a low-end and high-end graphics card can do, but that’s not properly illustrated in this graphic which can unfortunately lead to inexperienced users choosing the more expensive option, when they probably don’t need it.
In a response sent to PC Pro, Dell apologised for the misleading image and said it would be removing it from their site so as not to cause any further confusion:
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Dell endeavours to help customers to make the best decisions regarding their purchases. It was never our intention to mislead customers, and we apologise for any confusion caused. We have now removed the image from our Global sites. Dell remains committed to delivering the best possible experience to all our customers.”
I’ll be the first to admit that explaining to a novice PC user why they don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a new system isn’t easy, but misleading them into spending more money than they need to, whether intentionally or not, is a little shady. [Reddit via PC Pro]