M17x Replacement Poll

Just curious about this. Would like to see some numbers. And IF you want, list the before and after specs.

And also, we all know going from R1 to R2 with 'equal' specs would still be an upgrade. What I mean by R2 with upgrades-ex.-Q9000 to 820, 840, 920, 940 instead of 720-which is the R2 equal of the Q9000. Got it??

My original was:
Refurbished M17x R1
Q9000
Dual 260Ms
500Gb HDD
4Gb 1066 RAM
DVD RAM
1440X900

Others are in my signature.

 

You forgot to add... Refund.
I never had the option to get mine replaced because of the age of the laptop and all their red tape. At least it was under warranty. I would have taken the poll but didn't have an option.

 

Original(Multiple repairs):
T9600, 4gb 1066, single GTX260m, 500gb HDD, DVD-RW,1440x900

First Replacement(Non-functional and beat up):
Q9000, 8gb 1333, single GTX260m, 500gb HDD, DVD-RW, 1440x900

Second Replacement(sold):
i7-820qm, 8gb 1333, single 5870, dual 500gb HDD's, DVD-RW, 1440x900

Time without a working laptop: 2.5months

 

I originally got an alienware m17x-r1 as a replacement for my XPS m1730 (which was also a replacement for a replacement, long story)

had an intel core 2 quad Q9000, 4GB RAM, 500GB @7.2k, and 1 nVidia 260M,
then as a replacement for that i got the one in my sig.

 

Mine replacement was so that alienware had one they knew could reproduce the power supply/battery not charging issue every time. I must say that they do try very hard and even with the problems I have had (started with a xps1730) I still like Dell/Alienware for their support (even though you have to jump through many hoops) as they stand by the product.

 

First replacement, R1 to R2 back in April.

Second replacement, R2 to R2 couple of months ago.

 

Thx for adding the option for refund.
Original:
Area 51 m17X R1- Core 2 Duo 2.6 GHz - 4GB RAM - Dual SSD 128GB - Dual Nvidia 9800GT SLI - 2X Blue Ray Reader
^That one died completely at 9months of age, died in beginning of Feb 2010 and was finally issued a refund towards end of July 2010.
Time without a laptop - 6 months not including time that it was crashing on a daily before it completely died.
Refund bought me the two new ones in the sig for the same price as the original.

 

Lol that explains the M11x+M17x=Area51M17x. Always wondered what you meant.

 

hey i just sent in my R1 to get fixed. i think they just might give me a replacement based on how screwed up it was.

so if i had a top of the line R1 (except only 1 640GB HDD) what options on the R2 would they replace it with? I spent like $4,500 on my R1. do you think they would give me a R2 of equal value or less because R2 is better? i might just ask for a refund... idk yet. have to see what their tech guys says about it, and if they can fix it.

 

They are supposed to give you equivalent or greater parts to your original. Sometimes this can come out to be less than what you originally paid.

 

Yeh you will have to see how the repair goes 1st chiefs. No point jumping the gun just yet but it would be cool indeed. They would most likely give you an R2 if a replacement is issued. Usually you'll have to jump through a few more repair hoops before this is authorised. See how you go 1st chiefs.

Also when and if replacements are issued they don't go by the amount you spent. Say $4500; they go by the original parts and specs that you bought with the machine. So they will normally be matched 1st. If they can't be matched they will normally give you an upgrade. Either way you end up winning most of the time with whatever they give you since the R1 is no longer available for new order. So yeh the value of the new machine might be like only 2k however it is much better in terms of specs and performance. So win win!

Also you can try asking for a refund if you want however they are rarely given. Only in extreme cases and even then you would have to fight real hard for it. Go through quite an extended hell phase with dell in other words lol. However some have gotten lucky of course as well and been issued the option straight away.

Good Luck chiefs.

Cheers.

 

There is a GREAT thread HERE on replacement and warranty issues. Let's save that space for those discussions. That said, they should and usually do give like for like or better.

 

I actually didn't do it so a mod must have. But I'm glad too. I just didn't think of it. Sorry:-(

 

Original in sig-

Q9000/ 4 GB RAM/ 1200p Screen/ 280 SLI/ 250 GB

Bought in late August 2009, started failing January 2010, problems sent to Dell that month, told 'it would be fixed'.....

And finally approved for replacement September 28th, 2010, with the following-

Core i7 840/ 4 GB RAM/ 1200 RGBLED/ 285 SLI/ 250 GB

 

i started with an m1730 with 9800gt sli, 4gb ram, 250gb, 1200p screen and dell replaced it for an m17x r2(specs are in my sig)

 

I started with a Studio 1530 which got replaced by a SXPS 1640 which was refunded and now I have my Sig.

 

Man!!! Talk about coming a long way! Nice upgrade(s).

 

From :
M17x R2 - i7 920xm - xfire 5870 - 2x500Gb HDD - 8Gb RAM - 1200p RGB

To :
M17x R2 - i7 940xm - xfire 5870 - 2x500Gb HDD - 8Gb RAM - 1200p RGB

No extra charge!!!

I like it when they screw up

 

I 2nd what Reborn said about the refund. It is only offered after a lot of effort on replacement and repairs.
Yes I got one, but that was because of a whole lot of red tape leftover from the original AW company and Dell. And I was told at one time by Dell, sorry your laptop is irrepairable but that's AW's problem not ours, your system was pre-service tag. AW pretty much said it was Dell's problem not theirs because they had no authority to give refund or replacements. So.. in limbo and absolutely going batty, I finally got someone to take responsibility for a laptop that died under warranty. I survived 6 months of Dell-hell. I got the refund. Would I want to go through it again just to get my money back? Hello no.

 

R2 for a R1 in May after filing a BBB complaint. Have not had a single prolem with this R2.

 

Is that all??? Seemed like there were more people that have had replacements. Think I should link this in the Warranty issues thread?

 

I have a m17x R1 since last year. Should I try to get a replacement (R2) ?
If so what kind of arguments do you guys think I can use?

I tried to complain once about the DPC latency issue but they didn't seem to understand / care. After 4 hours of phone call and speaking with various people they told me to format windows and try again --"

Thanks

 

Look Here!

And don't expect to get an R2 just because you want one. You may have some problems that can be fixed. There are plenty of happy R1 owners out there that have great systems. I just got lucky, as did a few other members. That said, if you have legitimate issues, document and call AW about it. If you still have the warranty, they'll fix it somehow. I can attest, as can others, they are good about that. Check out that thread.

 

Went from a M17x R2: i5-520M - 4GB 800mhz (yuck) RAM - RGBLED 1920x1200 - 5870 Single - Intel 6300 Wifi - 250GB 7200rpm hD - Black

to a M17x R2: i7-920XM - 4GB 1333mhz RAM - RGBLED 1920-1200 - 4870 Dual CF - Dell 1520 Wifi - (2) 320 GB 7200 rpm HD - Black

Guess they had an overabundance of 920xm's lying around...

 

Original:

Core i5-520
4GB 1066 DDR3
250GB HDD
Single 5870
WUXGA RGBLED
Intel 6300

Replaced with:

Core i7-920XM
8GB 1333 DDR3 RAM
256GB Solid State Drive
Crossfire ATI 4870
WUXGA RGBLED
DVDRW with Blu ray ROM
Intel 6300 Wifi

Now, that's an upgrade to be happy with!

 

This thread is becoming a bragging contest, imo. It's going to attract a lot of scammers.

 

"Becoming a bragging contest"? Since I doubt anyone gets a lesser system as a replacement, the pure nature of the poll is going to be people that either got exactly the same system they had, or a better system. Getting the exact same system is going to be rare, therefore, I think most people get some sort of upgrade.

I, for one, am ecstatic with my replacement. I didn't ask for it. I didn't scam anyone. About a 5 minute conversation on the phone with Dell and an exchange was approved. I originally just wanted to return mine. IMO, it was an extraordinary replacement, therefore in my excitement to share, I posted my experience.

FWIW, practically every user has a signature at the bottom of their posts, and most post their machines specs. IMHO, that's just as much bragging as this post!

Addition: In my experience, there are only certain circumstances where an exchange is even an option. Typically, when you are within your 21 day return right period, Dell will offer an exchange in lieu of a refund. On day 22, you're screwed. That was glaringly apparent this time around for me, when the 3rd rep basically said I had to have it repaired (little did we know that the 1st rep who offered the exchange somehow managed to hide any trace of it until it actually shipped). Also, if you've got a lemon, then you probably have a good chance of getting a replacement. Otherwise, it's "repair city" for everyone. To me, it just doesn't seem easy to scam Dell into giving you an (undeserved) replacement.

 

Yes, you got lucky with yours, but there are those with malicious intentions. What I can't stand is there are those guys who scam Dell into giving them free upgrades and such while there are guys like me who pay the FULL retail price with hard earned money.
I seriously doubt you'd pay the full price to buy an AW from now on as you are "used" to receiving such treatments.

 

I never pay list price/full price for anything, anyways! I always buy from the Outlet and only after using coupons and finding great deals.

I do understand where you are coming from...having paid FULL price you're feeling like you got sour grapes, as they say. Some people enter free drawings and win a brand new car...I had to pay for mine.

 

No sour grapes. I refuse to take crooked path is all. Nothing wrong with buying off the outlet. My third m17x is from the outlet and it is currently being rma'd for some issues, but I didn't ask for anything.

 

I honestly DID NOT ask for a single thing!!!! The first replacement I was pretty much told I needed by a rep in CR. No emails, and only one phone call bc my GPU died. The second was about the same. I did, on the second send an e-mail to you know who(documented in the Warranty issue thread I KNOW you are familiar with), but even then, I DID NOT ask for anything. They never even sent the first tech out-EVER. Some guy from corporate told me I was getting an R2 bc they didn't have any R1s that met ny specs or any refurbished R2s. So, they gave me an R2-and lucky for me, it was spec'd.

I really didn't ask for anything. If you feel it will be a bragging contest, then I will remove the request for specs in the first post. but, the same thing happens in the warranty thread!? Right?

 

Oles its all good chiefs.

I think it was more about the fact that there are some peeps out there who jump on the threads from time to time asking about "how they should go about getting an R2" replacement machine because they want one and that kinda thing. Its not like you just ring up dell and say this and that and they will give you a free replacement. (So thats where I think Anodize was coming from). Nice to read about all the different stories though. Very interesting to see where and what machines people have had and what they had to go through.

In the end all we really want and need is a fully functioning proper working system. If that is met then we all should be happy. I reckon Dell does a pretty good job (in the end).

Cheers.

 

Umm.. You did actually. IIRC, you did mention you complained to get vga upgrades after initially receiving your replacement. Imagine if they sent you a more basic system compared to what you have now. You probably would have fought over it. You also said you took out the 4gb mem stick from your previous machine and stuck it in your new machine to make 8gb. Not sure if that is allowed.

My point is would anyone buy a brand new system and pay the full price after reading this thread? I highly doubt that.

 

I mentioned I asked why I got 4870s instead of 5870s for my nVidia 280GPUs I had! Hello!? And when I was explained that the 280s are GDDR3, the 4870s are GDDR3, and the 5870s are GDDR5, thus making them an upgrade, I was fine with that. I didn't 'ask' for them. I asked why I didn't get them. FACTS here. Just facts. And yes I realize my orig had 260s. But AW saw fit to upgrade the first as some sort of' compensation' as the phone support told me. I don't believe I had the right to 5870s, but I was asking the question. I am perfectly happy with what I got.

 

This is out of the scope of this poll, but I would have liked to see an option for "No replacement Required". As in my M17X is working and I haven't had to request a replacement. It would have added an extra stat to show how many people are satisified with their M17X. Of course, now that I say this, my M17X is going to crash and I will be begging for a replacement.

 

Great idea!!! Maybe a mod can do it. May be a little too late though.

 

i first bought mine with qx9300, 280m sli, 1200, blueray, 1tb raid 0. pretty much maxed out system last nov.

until two months ago, i started having some issues with battery, motherboard and both hard drives.

my replaced will arrive this monday, see sig below for specs. im just glad i will be getting a working laptop again...i spent almost $5k for my previous system including monitor and dell has lived up to its warranty. i will alway be a loyal dell customer, ive bought 4 desktops and 4 laptops from dell to date and this was the first warranty issue ive had to deal with. so overall im a happy customer.