So will thin profit margins on hardware sales, increasingly complex home networks, and a move toward user-to-user tech help spell the end of free support? Opinions vary. "Free support may be dying," says Healey. Your future $299 notebook may have an optional warranty covering tech support that costs an extra $50 to $100, he predicts.

Vendors, however, say that's unlikely. "We believe that customer support is a critical part of our long-term business success," declares Jim Kahler, HP's director of consumer warranties. In the past, when PC makers cut warranty lengths to 90 days or cut back policies, "it has had a pretty significant impact on their ability to compete in the marketplace," he says.

Ultimately, the reaction of consumers will decide the matter. As Kahler notes, "If customers don't value free support, they'll speak with their dollars."

What the Different Measures Mean

We asked PCWorld.com visitors to rate vendors in six product categories: laptops, desktops, printers, digital cameras, routers, and MP3 players. (For similar reliability and service ratings for HDTV vendors, see ".") In each category, we rated each vendor in nine specific areas of customer service or product reliability.