Avoid Alienware! (semi OT)

[Reef808]

AVOID ALIENWARE

I've been an Alienware laptop owner for a little over 3 months now and I have dreaded nearly every day of it. I want to keep you from experiencing the frustration and loss of productivity that I have experienced.

One day after about 3 weeks of use, my laptop just refused to turn on. I spent 4 hours on the phone with a technical agent only for him to tell me that I needed to send it in to the manufacturer. I received it back about a MONTH later- my video card and several other things were faulty. This wouldn't be so incredibly horrible except for the fact that I work from home on the internet for the majority of my income.

Just last week my Alienware broke. AGAIN. The backlight does not come on meaning I have a Very dark monitor that is only barely visible at a very sharp angle. I have placed in the order right when it broke but I doubt it will get here before I leave my University for Christmas break.

There are many other downsides to this machine. I only wish I could get a refund. First of all is the portability of the machine. It weighs over 20 lbs and has a battery life of ~45 minutes (on a good day). Also, it gets scorching hot on the part where your wrists lay.

In summary, Alienware should be avoided at all costs because it has proven to be a sub-standard peice of junk.

Reef

[tayspen]

AVOID ALIENWARE

I've been an Alienware laptop owner for a little over 3 months now and I have dreaded nearly every day of it. I want to keep you from experiencing the frustration and loss of productivity that I have experienced.

One day after about 3 weeks of use, my laptop just refused to turn on. I spent 4 hours on the phone with a technical agent only for him to tell me that I needed to send it in to the manufacturer. I received it back about a MONTH later- my video card and several other things were faulty. This wouldn't be so incredibly horrible except for the fact that I work from home on the internet for the majority of my income.

Just last week my Alienware broke. AGAIN. The backlight does not come on meaning I have a Very dark monitor that is only barely visible at a very sharp angle. I have placed in the order right when it broke but I doubt it will get here before I leave my University for Christmas break.

There are many other downsides to this machine. I only wish I could get a refund. First of all is the portability of the machine. It weighs over 20 lbs and has a battery life of ~45 minutes (on a good day). Also, it gets scorching hot on the part where your wrists lay.

In summary, Alienware should be avoided at all costs because it has proven to be a sub-standard peice of junk.

Reef

Hi,

Do you really think that its all machines? I mean dont you think if it were they wouldnt have such a good name. After all Alienware is known as a good computer manufacturer and i have heard many great things. Maybe you just have a faulty machine ;)

BTW, nice double post :-|

[alc6379]

I agree. Having worked in the computer manufacturing field for a good while now, I can only say that I can empathize with your situation. If they're not fixing stuff, PESTER THEM. Write letters, ask to speak with managers, do whatever you have to do.

If you're not getting the service and support out of them that you think you deserve, be proactive. Believe it or not, companies really don't want P-O-ed customers, and most will do what they must in order to resolve your issue.

[Reef808]

I know it's not all machines, but c'mon.. 2 breaks in 2 months? To make matters worse, I work from home.

I double posted to get my point across to more people

I keep emailing alienware, but nothing has been done. They absolutely offer no compensation.

Reef

[jwenting]

all multiposting does is piss off your readers, it makes YOU look bad.

Alienware are a quality company building quality products. Seems they did their job in helping you, so where's the complaint?

I once had a Toshiba laptop that broke down. That took Toshiba 2 months to fix. Turned out they needed to wait for a new component to be designed, manufactured, and shipped in from Japan because the problem was caused by a design flaw in the motherboard.

If I'd taken out the extended warranty plan with equipment replacement options I'd have had another machine to use while they were waiting for my new mobo to arrive.
As I had been cheap (like you, not ensuring you had a backup to continue working if and when your main machine failed) I was without a laptop for 2 months.

2 failures in short order may be more than average (and in fact most machines will never break) but it can happen.
It's called random chance and can't be predicted. With each component sitting on a bell curve indicating its chance of failure at any point in time, you just hit the jackpot with 2 of them failing nearly simultaneously.
Someone else hit the lucky spot and will have his components work to well beyond their designed life, that's statistics for you.

Now if you'd purchased several hundred machines from the same type and brand and they all had the same problem at roughly the same time you might have a point.

[Reef808]

There was no 'equipment replacement options' in the warranty. I got the full coverage available. While it was in the shop, I had to go out of my way to a University lab whenever I wanted internet access. This was Very inconvenient. I did not think it was worth the cost or effort to have a relative ship my other machine and then me ship it back since Alienware told me it would be about 12 days.

Yes, I understand statistics. But this is pushing in the 3-4 sigma range - a definite bad beat if you ask me.

[Reef808]

bump. Still having problems with this POS machine. AVOID ALIENWARE!

- when I press the startup, nothing happens. I now have to reseat my harddrive

-cd drive isn't responding at all to disks or opening.

[Reef808]

In April, computer was constantly freezing so sent it in to Alienware. 2 weeks later I got it back with a repair sheet that said motherboard was the problem.

3 days later system wouldn't even power up. Had to send it in again. 2 weeks later got the system back.

So I've had it for about a little over a week now. LCD monitor won't adjust to as bright a level as it used to be able to. Spent an hour on the phone installing BIOS and trying other stuff. I'm going to have to do an LCD plug reseat on my own (standard for alienware = you doing technical repairs on the computer) ... then if that doesn't work, have to send it in again for a new inverter board. sending it in 3x in 2 months.. so.ridiculous.

[Reef808]

update: I've sent the alienware back 3 consecutive times in April 08 to July 08. They still did not fix the motherboard issue and there is a problem with windows loading. Support is basically unresponsive. I bought a new laptop last month fwiw.

Unfortunately my 4 year warranty just expired this month but I was unable to access the computer (and send it back for a 4th time) because I was out of state on vacation. Horrible company, horrible product- avoid alienware.