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Why NEVER to buy an Alienware Laptop


Redeemer

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SO here's my story, and I'll keep you guys up to date:

Hey guys, some of you may/may not recall about exactly 2 years ago, I sent my M7700 in to alienware for the 3rd time within 1 year for repair. It had multiple issues since day 1 and fortunately, they lemoned it and replaced it for me with an AWESOME M9700. I had spent $4500 on the M7700 so the replacement was $4500 as well.

I finally thought I had found the right bang for my buck...until 9-10months later....

I used the laptop for everything it was made to do, hardcore gaming. I cleaned the fans/vents/heatsinks out every 4-5months because of dust build up, to keep the temps low and the system operating at max capacity. At 8-9 months, my battery as you may all know, got to 5mins from the original 1.5hrs....so I called in and asked them to diagnose the problem. They said it was a faulty battery and so, sent me a new one. Cool I thought, minor problem I shouldn't have to worry about this. I got the battery in January of this year (2008) and ran the computer fine for a few months, although the video cards had been acting funny. I would randomly get blue screens while playing games and the computer would often hault and make LOUD BEEPS, but this was maybe once or twice a month, nothing I couldn't live with...so I didn't think much of it.The battery however, reverted back to 5 minutes within a few months probably 4-5 months and it would show up as 4-5 hrs on the battery meter, but last really 4-5minutes! I called in Alienware telling them that I was disgusted that a system that costs $4500 would have a battery drain as quick as this. They said "sorry we can't help you"

WHAT?!?!

So I said fine, no more is this a laptop, but a mere desktop replacement. I then learned that my video cards were faulty for which I had ordered replacements, got them, working fine, but still had the occasional haults and freezes occurring more so than before. The video cards did fix the random artifacts in games, though. It was really embarrassing when you're in class typing notes and you open up the browser and all of sudden you get this LOUD unexpected beep, the entire class turns around...and you're left looking like the moron disrupting class....

Whatever, I let that pass. I soon began having random vertical lines appear on the LCD. I really DID NOT want to send the system in, and plus it was nearing finals time, so I just called it in. They wanted me to send it in. I thought I would just wait until the finals are over. A few weeks had passed and my laptop started feeling extremely sluggish and I noticed excess heat coming off of it. I had no idea what it was, I looked into it, and there was no dust or anything of that sort. It over heated and shut down a few times. No clue what was going on.

1 week into my finals, my hard drives were acting funny. I backed up all my information JUST incase, and what do you know...they crashed! something had become corrupt on the hard drives! Had I not saved any of the information, i.e. did not have a backup source, I would have failed this semester, all because I bought a $4500 laptop instead of buying a $7-800 laptop. (just referencing my friend's dell inspiron laptop, she bought it when I did, no problem besides the exploding battery recall)

I was fed up and it was the last straw, and finally said, FINE, I'll ship it. I thought it would be shipped to the facility here in houston, but they shipped it to Tennessee. Oh well, I just want it back before my college starts up again.

End rant, vent w/e you want to called it.

All I want is to have a working, reliable, laptop that actually functions as a laptop. I don't want a laptop that malfunctions and has the battery life of a remote control car....actually, I think those have a longer battery life than my laptop.

So they've had my laptop for about a month since the 17th and I've been calling in consistently to check the status, but every week there is a new part on back order and NOW they are going to replace the LCD, even though that was the problem I had sent it in for the first place, in addition to the hard drives crashing, who knows what else can/will go wrong?!

I'm furious at this point as my college has already started and am without a computer. At home as well because this was used as a laptop/desktop for me. I can't even take notes in class anymore and have to stick with the old paper pencil...which is illegible for me most of the times...hence the laptop.

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME! I just want a working laptop that I paid $4500 that is all!

1 week later - no updates, what should I do?!?! I'm thinking of going to legal consulting because this is just ridiculous.

Here were some of their responses online:

Let me apologize on the delay on your system repairs, wassa786. We expect to get these parts by the end of week so that your system is ready by next week.

Even though we've already make a request in time for the parts, it depends on the parts manufacturer and the parts availability.

Rest assured that once we receive the parts, your system will be fixed promptly to avoid any more delays.

Again, we apologize for the setback.

the system was tested, and yes the motherboard is one of the parts they are waiting for, wassa786.
I'll check again, wassa786.
I will send an email requesting an update today, wassa786. As soon as I get an answer, I'll let you know.

Still no responses as to what is up w/ my laptop. I shipped it out on Dec 17th they received it a few days later. (confirmed by phone)

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yeah I've contacted their supervisor and he says 100% he should have the parts by the end of the week :)

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Well I can't say I've had that experience. I sent my laptop into HP once because my hard drive scratched itself (no, I didn't bang it or drop it or anything) then another time because my LCD bulb burnt out (In < 2 year of ownership!?!?!?!!). The last time I sent it in was because my motherboard's PCI slot to my WLAN card died, so they replaced my mobo with one from a 6400A, which actually gave me a gfx card upgrade, so that pleased me, somewhat. Sadly, all these malfunctions occurred during school...

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Redemeer, any news about youre laptop?

Edited by SCARFACE69
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Redemeer, any news about youre laptop?

Yeah dude, I was just going to tell you guys, after complaining and spamming the hell out of their boards, I finally got a guy to tell me the parts for the M9700 are hard to get and they will be offering me a new system. I told them I didn't want to deal w/ them and would rather have cash, but he said it wasn't an option, so I configured a system and sent it to them. Lets see if they bite....most likely they will so wish me all the best! :) I'll keep you guys updated.

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Alright guys, finally, they have ordered my replacement system!

Specs:

[1] Area-51® m17x

Video/Graphics Card: Single 512MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800M GT

Display: 17" WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD (1200p) with Clearview Technology ? Black

Includes AlienFX® Illuminated Keyboard ? Exclusive Design!

System Lighting: Alienware® AlienFX® System Lighting - Blue

Processor: Intel® Core? 2 Duo T8100 2.1GHz (3MB Cache 800MHz FSB)

Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz ? 2 x 1024MB

Operating System (Office software not included): Windows Vista® Home Premium (64-bit Edition) with Service Pack 1

Notebook Tuners and Remotes: Internal Digital/Analog (ATSC) MiniCard TV Tuner

System Drive: Extreme Performance (RAID 0) - 500GB (250GB x 2) 7,200RPM (8MB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection

Optical Drives : 8x Dual Layer Burner (DVD±RW, CD-RW) w/ LightScribe Technology - View Demo

Wireless: Internal Intel® Wireless 4965 a/b/g/Draft-N Mini-Card

Sound Card : Internal High-Definition Audio with surround sound

Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Onsite Service and 24/7 Toll-Free Phone Support

Power: Additional Battery - Alienware® m17x 12-cell Lithium-Ion Additional Battery

Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mesh Cap

Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mobile Binder

Alienware Extras: Alienware® Personalized Nameplate

Alienware Extras: Owner Identification Card

Alienware Extras: Area-51® m17x Protective Cloth Sleeve

Alienware Extras: Area-51® m17x Keyboard Diagram Overlay

Order Total: $2,990.04

It will be for sale as soon as I get it, full price is $3,000 I'm asking $2500

Brand new man, I just can't stay with this company, even though it is a brand new laptop, I need to just go back to desktops.

Edited by Redeemer
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  • 6 months later...

wow. thought alienware is best..^^

how wrong i was again^^

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  • 3 weeks later...

at this point it is costing them more to repair than to send you a new one.

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