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Classic Dell: Reliable, Not Chic

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Classic Dell: Reliable, Not Chic

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Dell was synonymous with boring-looking devices that were reliable and affordable, like the enterprise laptop seen here. The company's strategy worked wonderfully. As Dell drove down costs and made computers into commodities, rivals struggled to keep up. But a few years ago, Dell ran into trouble. Customers started looking for more stylish laptops and they increasingly shopped for PCs in retail stores, where Dell had no presence.