Computer Price Quotes
As of Fall 2009, in an effort to simplify administrative support and to ensure the best bulk pricing, CLAS has standardized on OptiPlex computers from the Dell Corporation. Our standard desktop configuration includes a full system with a four-year warranty.
To view the computer quote, please visit the UF Purchasing Portal to the Dell Premier site. You will need to create a Premier account to access this page. Search for the CLAS Standard Desktop. The system should cost between $750-1000, depending on the current contract pricing. Should the price vary significantly from this, please contact us before ordering, as there may be a problem with the site.
As UF has a Microsoft site license for Windows, we order the least expensive license from Dell (Vista Home) and upgrade it when we re-image the computer. Should you want to build a differnent configuration, please keep the cost of the alterative operating system choices in mind.
Other Vendors
UF also has purchasing contracts with other computer vendors. However, due to the bundling nature of our contracts, CLASnet cannot work with the vendors to test/create specific supported computer quotes. Your unit should only purchase such systems if you have local IT support staff to test, configure, and support such systems.
Why do we recommend certain computers over others?
Our goal is to provide quotes for machines that are reliable, easy to maintain, and are known to work on the CLASnet/UF network. Thus, we test, then recommend, tested business-class configurations rather than "consumer" (home user) models. Business-class computers are designed from the outset to be more consistent (can usually order the same model for 6-18 months), have identical parts available when components need replacing, and have multi-year warranties. This means if a part breaks two years after purchasing the computer, you should be able to get exactly the same component from the company. This is generally not guaranteed on machines designed for home use.
