Dell/Alienware exchange timeline?

I searched all over for a recent exchange timeline but all i could find is a few from 2009.

I got a call from Dell support on 3/29 saying my m17r1 is not repairable and they are going to do a one time exchange. He said he will DM me (on twitter) any updates on the exchange. I have a few questions.

1. How long before the exchange order number is generated? Is the number generated after 15 days or is that when the system will be ready to ship?

2. Will they send me the specs and I need to accept them before they ship the system? I read a few forums where a few people just received they replacement system before even accepting the specs.

3. Why are they sending me my old one back from the depot for me to mail it out again? Seems like a waste of money on shipping.

4. Is the new refurbished system going to be a m18 so i can have sli? My toasted one did.

5. Are the refurbished laptops already assembled or put together for the order?

I asked these questions on twitter and irritated a few Dell people. They kept saying it will take 15 days and we will DM you the exchange number when it is generated. When i asked about SLI. They said it is an old technology and optimus is newer. After i explained that they are two different technologies he said m17's dont have sli anymore and cant comment on anything until a exchange number is generated. The only reason i got the laptop is that I work alot with nvidia physics rendering which requires dual nvidia gpu's, but i think im talking to deaf ears or they just dont understand what im saying. I dont even care about the other specs as long as it has SLI. So if anyone who recently done a exchange or maybe a Alienware/Dell rep could answer i would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

They will probably give you a dell outlet item, most likely a m17x r4 with similar specs to the time you purchased it, so if it was a hot rod they will give you another hot rod. And honestly you can pull off working with physics with a single card 580m or higher. I did a exchange a year ago for my old xps i had and they bumped me up to a new xps with the same range of value when i bought the rig, literally doubled my power with the trade, so if they offer you a trade to get rid of your m17x r1, take anything you can get, if you don't like it sell it or trade it on here. alot of people do it. So don't worry if its not what you are looking for just look at it as they are giving you something to sell with good value.

 

For me the process went, tech asked his supervisor when I complained that I had too many problems and wanted a replacement. Supervisor agreed and told me to wait for a call from the peron responsible for the replacement. The next day I got a call saying that there was no equivelent one available and a new one would be built - wait for another call. Later that day I got a call from Dell reading out the spec that he had put together based on my original order. There were a couple of parts that had been upgraded, CPU, Killer Card, and second HD went from 750Gb to 1Tb.

The rule as I was told was that a replacement will be 'as good or better' than the original so my R3 was replaced with a new R4 . Took about two weeks from start to delivery. Dell do say in all their warranty small print that refurbished parts may be used and I know the guy checked the outlet store before offering a new one.

I have seen an R1/R2 owner getting an M18x arguing that SLi is why they purchased the machine and an M17x R3/R4 is simply not good enough. Dell will of course argue that you are getting a more powerful machine even with only a single GPU. Luck of the draw I think?

 

Do you guys remember how long it took to get a exchange order number? I want to track everything instead of asking dell people for updates every day.

 

Mine was next day after I confirmed the config. Got a zero balance order sent to me , but that was a new build. If they are shipping an outlet machine I have no idea of the process

 

1- The exchange order number is generated when the replacement is approved.

2- Yes, you should be aware of the specs of the replacement you will get.

3- I agree, makes no sense to me but I'm sure they have their reasons.

4- As Codenamefa says, you'll most likely get an equivalent of what you purchased at the time, meaning a top notch m17x r1 would be replaced with either a matching configuration or an upgraded model such as an M17x R4. Whatever sli configuration a M17x R1 was sold with will not be better than a single 680m, which means the laptop doesn't need sli to be considered an upgrade.

5- As far as I know they're usually ready but I could be wrong.


I hope this answers most of your questions, if you'd like me to check on the status of your exchange send me a PM with your service tag and I'll look into it.