Disappointing Alienware Support/Social Media Team Experience

Does anyone have slight indents on their lid that start almost from the left and right sides of the lid and go in towards the narrow section of the lifted ridge that goes down the center of the lid? The ones on mine are subtle and you almost have to look in the right light to see them. They do look like something that could happen if too much pressure was put on the lid but I really hope that's not the case.

Please take a quick look at your lid and let me know, I need to know if this is something that I should be looking to get replaced as I am sure it will be classified as "cosmetic" and not covered under warranty if I don't contact Dell right away. Thanks!

Spoiler

 

nope that's normal. Every lid is like that.

 

Thanks for your response, I saw 38 views and no responses and was starting to wonder. So yours is the same way? Kind of disappointed that it is like that but also relieved if I don't have to fight with Dell about it, I am worn out already!

 

They all the same ... lol ... you should check a few unboxing videos

 

Believe me, I have seen my share of unboxing videos while waiting and waiting for my order to finally arrive. I did not see any mention of the indent that I showed in the picture. If you are talking about the actual raised up part on the lid, I was well aware of that.

 

Completely normal. Gives the laptop a nice look with them I think. Both my m17x r4 and my girlfriends m14x r2 both have them so you are fine

 

I approve this message!
Yes, that's the way it was designed.

 

I am not talking about the actual ridges that are obviously there on purpose. If you look at my picture, I am talking about a very subtle indent that is coming from the sides of the lid and meets up with the ridge, NOT the ridge itself.

 

OK, you're talking about what i circled in red, right?



If yes, then that's NORMAL.

They are more obvious here:

 

+REP!

Thank you so much for your great answer! I was so hoping that it was meant to be like that, it seemed too symmetrical to not be but I couldn't say for sure. I had actually seen that Dell pic you posted but had forgot about it. Sorry if I was sounding frustrated, it has been a long process to get this machine in my hands.

Cheers!

 

There is no problem, my friend, i understand
Glad we were able to answer this for you.

 

I've owned a m14x for 2 weeks and never noticed either. Thanks for diffusing a future OCD attack lol

 

I was already obsessive about these things before but after getting delayed repeatedly, I am ratcheted up to another level

I'm starting to slowly relax and enjoy this beast, still have to figure out how to control the GPU fan better though so it doesn't rev up so high when playing games.

 

lol I recently noticed it on mine but since they're on both sides of the laptop and way too symmetrical for it to not be on purpose.

 

Hi all,

Have had my unit for less than a month and received my green onion anti-glare film today. As I was cleaning the screen for installation, I noticed a small dot almost in the middle of the screen that wouldn't wipe off. It looks like a small little pit mark in the plastic itself. I don't know if it was always there and I didn't notice it or if the keyboard was responsible. Stupidly I thought that maybe it had always been there and wasn't that noticeable when the screen was on and/or would blend in with the screen protector. Amazingly the shield went on perfectly but when I turned on the unit, the dot mark is visible (mainly on white background like this one right now )

So I called Alienware support and they said that it was a cosmetic issue that didn't affect functionality but since I had the advanced warranty I could send it to the depot in Miami (I'm in Vancouver, Canada). I told them that I had not done anything that should have caused this issue and that it is a functionality issue as it is like looking at a dead pixel. I repeatedly requested an on site visit since I have also had the unit for less than 30 days but the agent would not budge.

So I looked around and have seen some horror stories about depot service and have also heard that some of the techs that Dell sends out can also be hit or miss. I really love my laptop and it is killing me that I put the shield on too late and that it even happened so easily in the first place. I think I might be able to zone out and forget about the dot but I also don't feel like I should have to live with it either.

Sorry for the LONG post but would love some input. Thanks!

 

If it's not a big bother I would try and live with it. It seems like a big hassle to have to ship it off for that. There are also the depot horror stories like you mentioned as well.
Alternatively you could try filling in the dent/pit with one of those LCD screen repair resin kits but only if the pit is very shallow and you're confident that it will turn out well. Maybe try it out on an old phone or a piece of plexiglass first.

 

You sure its not a dead pixel? If so, They should replace that under warranty.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 running Resurrection Remix

 

If your system is less than 30 days you could always send it back for a refund; while it's a big hassle, they might consider sending out a tech to replace it if they knew you were going to return it. If the mistake was on your end, I would consider buying a new screen if it is really bothersome; If on the other hand, if it came like that then I would send it back if they are not willing to replace it ...some of as our brains have a tendency to zero in on the blemishes once we know they are there.

I had a screen that came with a tiny scratch and they sent me a replacement (although I called in the day it arrived). I've also seen dust behind a screen, and another with a dead pixel surfacing after 2 weeks; each time they sent a tech out and made it right. The key is to handle it before your 30days are up; while I have been unimpressed with their screen quality (and design ...they could/ should have made a little recess for the keyboard or something), the tech support on the other hand has been more than impressive to me. That being said, I'm surprised they said no to an onsite tech Hope you find some solution that your comfortable with in the end.

 

*Ahem* That definitely sounds like a few dead pixels, they should send out an in-home tech with a new screen to replace it.

I would not depot for that issue though, chances are it will come back worse. If it bothers you enough just say it looks like dead pixels to you and they should just send a tech to swap it. I think the difference is that physical damage goes under your advanced which basically always requires depot, where-as dead pixels is covered under normal and thus can get in-home.

 

So if I could get them to come out for a dead pixel repair, does the tech replace the whole top piece of the laptop as one unit? Otherwise if he is actually able to replace just the LCD and not the plastic bezel, I would most likely still have the same problem.

 

I think it may also be a piece of dust behind the bezel. Would this count as something warranting a tech visit?. Is it possible with these units to pop off the bezel and give the backside a wipe?

 

They will replace the whole top unit.

 

Thanks for the info. I think I will have to live with it for the moment as I am heading out of town on Monday. This should be something I can have fixed after 30 days though right if I can get a tech out when I get home?

 

Hi I was just called by a rep from the social media team who was responding to an email I sent about a problem with my screen. I thought it might have been a scratch but I can see that it is actually a piece of dust or dirt between the LCD and the plexiglass. It looks like there is a mark on both now and it shows up like a dead pixel on my screen.

Please help as I am heading out of town on Monday and would really like to have this resolved. Thanks.

I have posted on the Alienware facebook page with a photo as well.

 

Cool, that's awesome that they followed up with you. They are almost always really good about that.

Help how? If they are offering to take care of it, what are you needing assistance with from our community? I cannot tell from your post. (I also looked on facebook and cannot tell from your post there what kind of help you need.)

 

Sorry for any confusion. He called me but only told me to start a thread and post a picture so that they could follow up with me. I had trouble taking a good pic but did upload it to their facebook page. The file was too big to upload here. As far as I can tell he never started a case file or anything. I was just hoping for one of the reps to see this thread and follow up with me. Thanks for the quick response from you

EDIT: I need them to get a tech sent out to replace my screen

 

You can add a hyperlink in your opening post to the photo where it is hosted and then the size will not matter.

 

I would call and tell them you want to initiate a return because it is defective and they refuse to fix it. They would much rather send you a tech than give you your money back. They might also offer you a partial refund to keep it. They did that with a friend of mine after a botched field repair. He still sent it back and got an Asus.

 

Yeah I have a case being opened by Alienware tech support and an open case with Dell Canada Care. When I first talked to a tech from Alienware I thought it was a scratch but have now realized that the problem is inside the screen which I do NOT consider cosmetic at all (not that I really considered it ever that way).
I am in the middle of heading out of town for an extended period so I will see how it goes. I am curious if Dell would let me change the lid myself since it would save them paying a tech to do it and I would prefer it that way myself.

 

They let me replace my screen after I told them I know what I'm doing and everything. It also helps I live in Alaska and techs aren't the easiest to find up here

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 running Resurrection Remix

 

What was happening with your screen? Did they send you the whole lid and everything as one piece? I guess it would most likely be a refurb hey?

 

Mine got all scratched up and I talked the tech into sending me another replacement. The new screen looked looked brand new to me and they ship you the whole screen assembly (antenna's etc). All you gotta do is take off the media bar and keyboard, then unhook everything, then take the lid off, put the new screen on, reattach cables, put everything back together, and your set.

 

Sounds good to me, hope I can do the same thing. When I talked to Alienware support and thought it was a scratch he said the only choice I had was depot and that was it and he wouldn't budge at all. Now that I know the problem is inside the screen, I will definitely not accept sending it in.

 

Hi,

I appreciate anyone that reads through my story and I really hope one of the Dell reps on here can make this right.

Had my M17x R4 less than a month when I noticed a mark on the screen that I had not seen before. It is almost dead centre on the screen and is similar in size to a group of 3 dead pixels and has a similar detrimental effect on the screen.

When I first noticed the mark I thought that it was a scratch on the outside of the screen and did not know where it had come from as I had not noticed it before. I thought that it must have been from the keyboard as I had not done anything to cause a scratch.

I called Alienware tech support who said that it was a cosmetic issue and that I would have to send it in to the depot. I was very disappointed by this as I had the laptop less than a month and I have a three year advanced warranty. He did not care about anything I said and offered to send me the link to the warranty conditions page. This was around 9/12.

I was about to leave on a month long vacation and was frustrated that I was going to have to live with this problem the whole time. I decided to take another look at the mark and after doing so, realized that the mark was actually on the INSIDE of the screen. There was actually two marks, one on the inside of the plastic screen and one on the LCD itself. My guess is that there was a piece of dirt inside the screen that caused the mark either from getting pressure from the keyboard pushing against it or when I wiped the screen with a microfiber cloth.

In my opinion this is a manufacturer defect as there should not be any debris inside the screen and I have not done anything outside of normal use to cause this issue. I decided to try contacting the Alienware Social Media Team as I had heard good things about them on the forums and was not satisfied with the experience I had on the phone.

9/13
I emailed the social media team describing my issue. I gota call back the next day telling me to start a thread on NBR and/or the Alienware facebook page describing the problem and attaching pics if possible. I did this right away and waited for a response. Later that evening I got an email from an Alienware Case Controller telling me that my case had been assigned to a specialist. So far so good.

9/20
I had not heard from any specialist and emailed the case controller asking when I could expect to hear from one.

9/21
Missed a call from a specialist who left a voicemail saying he needed the address for where to ship the replacement screen.

9/24
Same specialist called back. I talked to him and explained that I was on vacation at my in-laws and if I could get the replacement screen sent there. I explained that I am a certified computer tech and would not need a tech sent out. He took down the address for my in-laws and told me to expect an email with the shipping info.

9/27
I emailed the case controller and asked about the status.

10/2
I emailed the social media team again asking about the status. Later that day I received an email from the same specialist who said:
"I had call you in regards of this case even moments after we spoke the other day, because the shipping address you provided couldn’t validate and for security reasons I was unable to ship the LCD assembly"
I did not have any missed calls on my phone and also had not received any email from him informing me of this. He then went on to say that Engineering now wanted me to send the laptop in to the depot for diagnosis.

I replied back to him that I would have appreciated an update without having to contact Alienware myself over a week later. I also told him that I did not want to send my laptop in to the depot because:

- this is NOT a cosmetic issue
- I use the laptop every day and the downtime is unacceptable to send to the depot especially when the laptop was less than a month old when the issue first appeared
- the laptop is in pristine condition besides the mark and I do not want to chance transit
- I have talked to other owners and have seen multiple threads where a replacement screen has been sent out for actual cosmetic issues
- I will not require a tech and will minimize man hours on their end and downtime on my end

The specialist replied that it was out of his hands and that it was up to Engineering now and that he would let me know if it was approved or declined.

10/5
I emailed the specialist asking for an update on the status.

No response and am still waiting.....

 

Keep pressing. DO NOT let them send it to the Depot. To many horror stories around to trust that.

D.E.P.O.T.

Damaged

Electronics

Probable

Every

Time

 

Holy glorious acronym batman!!

Anyway, sounds like you should push this up the chain. I would try [email protected], in my experience they are very good.

 

Still haven't heard back from the Engineering department. Where are all the Alienware reps on here? Please take my service tag number and turn this experience around

 

Honestly I'd start looking at the return policy and seeing if you can return the notebook. Considering the disconnect with CS you could probably argue for a return based on the fact you reported the problem during the return period and AW has not resolved the issue to your satisfaction. You can always go and buy another R4 after the return is processed. I wouldn't want to send a new notebook off for service or the depot either ... regardless of what brand computer it is.

 

Looks like there might be some light at the end of this tunnel....

After not hearing anything from any of the reps I decided to try messaging Alienware-Pablo_R directly. He answered my message within a half hour then called me a little while after that. As it stands now, he has told me that we are good to go to send a replacement screen to my home address when I get back from vacation. Unfortunately I am stuck with having a tech come to deliver it as well but he said it was OK if I did the work myself and let the tech take the old screen with him.

I will remain a little hesitant to celebrate until I actually have the screen installed and it is immaculate but hopefully I will be there soon.

 

Yeah I guess they could not send the assembly to the current address because Dell keeps track of the owner's information. Sending it to a different address seems like a fraud to them. So the only address they can send parts to is your home address where the R4 was shipped to. No surprise at all. Good luck with you then.

 

I already have Reechings service tag, we will take care of this with Reechings help

 

Tech just left the premises and the screen is looking great so far! Thanks Pablo for turning this experience around

 

Hey Reechings those are great news! So glad the screen is working like it's supposed to