Making sure my r3 is NEW?

Just got the r3, have two questions

1: Isn't it supposed to be covered in plastic or something on the screen or logo or something? It was in its cloth cover when I got it but I opened it up and it has no protective covering, the screen also has a few smudges (but no fingerprints) on it. From the unboxing videos I've seen of r2 they seem to have a plastic peel cover on the screen?

2: I know some of you were missing some rubber feet or something on the screen; where exactly are they? The only rubber divider I see are two VERY thin strips on each side of the screen from top to bottom. Do I have these rubber dividers people were claiming their laptops didn't come with?

EDIT: Your package should contain

-Computer wrapped in their cloth (which actually isn't as cheap quality as I thought)
-Sealed pack of various manuals / warnings
-Windows disk
-Resource Disk
-AW Hat
-AW Mousepad
-Power cable, powerbrick
-3.5mm to TOSLINK Adapter
-Alienhead Sticker (Batboy )​

 

Answer to #1. From the unboxing videos ive watched, I can tell it's new! LOL. Here, Watch a unboxing vid of the r3. width='640' height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LQufARlO1X8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LQufARlO1X8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width='640' height="390"></embed></object>

 

I did not have any plastic protecting the screen either. My PC seemed new but I have some doubts also because there also were smudges on the back and one on the screen. I also did not get the windows CD and I did not get any manual.

The charger was not in a plastic bag which seems odd to me. I am thinking these are the first batch that they got back, they switched the chipset and upgraded the video card and shipped it out...

 

Weird, I got Windows disk and recovery disk as well as a bundle of manuals and the like all sealed up.

The charger DID come in a bag but it was sealed.

As long as it works I don't really care.. Going to run a bunch of stability tests and CPU-Z my chipset revision or whatever before I totally accept it as mine

 

Did you make sure all your hardware match what you paid for?

 

Weird. I got everything and my charger came in plastic. Nothing on the screen though. I'm sure it's new.

 

Perhaps we should keep this thread going. Looking around at various threads there are more than a few people wondering and asking whether they got a new or refurbished unit.

In some cases it is extremely unlikely that they received a new unit.

 

I did not have any plastic protecting the screen either or the keyboard layout sheet you see in some vids. but everything was sealed as well. I am thinking new here. and no finger prints of any kind found.

 

It was one of the first things i checked and all is what i ordered.

 

I fell the same way you do here X3NIA
I think they are sending out refurbished as "new" and mine have the same smudges, a little scratch on the red cover .
I will do same benchmarks now to see what i am going to do really.
Probably send it back and request a BRAND NEW one.

 

I was just thinking, this machine had to be touched one way or another to be assembled. If it has fingerprints then that's probably from the builder, not a previous buyer. I can understand your thinking of it being a refurbished unit if the laptop had been out for months...but this laptop has been barely released.

 

Sandybridge recalls.

I just tore into it to tighten the keyboard frame screws as they were loose and the frame wouldn't stay flush with the rest of the computer... I can't see ANY visible dust on the inside so unless it was very lightly used then returned or they full on replaced all fans and airflow areas (its near impossible to blow the very thin coat off after you get most of the dust) I'd say its safe to assume my computer is new.

 

I hear where you are coming from but companies, in this case in the consumer IT area (be it mobile phones, laptops, gps's etc), are notorious for refurbishing products and selling them as "new." Let's face it what else are they going to do with all the returns they get particulary in wake of the Sandy Bridge fiasco - Throw them in the bin?

Even without Sandy Bridge I'm sure there will be plenty of returns for them to get rid of.

 

I just hope that if you spend $2500 and up for a laptop, that it should be brand new and work flawlessly.I am expecting mine 4/1. I hope there are no problems.

 

^^This. And especially if you're paying for something that'd touted as "premium."

I'm a very paranoid shopper, and I inspect very closely for these kinds of things. So you'll be hearing from me soon...Hopefully very soon

 

Listen guys, right now Dell is most likely mixing brand new ones with refurbished ones..I also think they are sending lots of the refurbished models to countries like India.

Dell will send you a refurbished or recycled. They do not consider it as used parts in their lingo. I have had a very big conversation with them relating to my case. Even some of their own escalation team members are frustrated with this way of work. Dell doesnt stockpile parts. They do try to refit very new, and reusable parts when they are manufacturing. Do you think Dell is gonna burn all those laptops which are being returned.

This is why sometimes some of us face more problems than others even when the product is new. This is partly due to customers such the ones we find in this forum itself who abuse the system , tear it apart and then pack it and send it off to Dell as a returned product.

Its a vicious cycle..and we who use it and manipulate the product indiscriminately prior to returning the product help Dell in ripping more customers may not be as tech savvy as many of us are here. Infact many do not even know their rights , nor do they go through Dell's policy in detail.

There is a reason why Dell parts service seems so awesome compared to other brands.

 

They have been fitting the repaired motherboards into the returned R3s. This is why you find so many oddities such as keyboards screw missing etc.

You will not see smudges on a brand new one cause the manufacturing step process is as such.

 

Hope I get a BRAND new one, cuz this long wait warrants it...

So, for those of you who received yours (either your first or 2nd one), what are things to keep an eye out for, when opening our packages? What should/shouldnt be there; what should be wrapped in plastic; what should be in bags; what should be sealed/shrinkwrapped; etc?

Maybe OP can finalize the list and put it on the OP, or PM me the list, and I'll see to it that it gets stickied or added to the FAQ list.

TYIA!

 

I do agree. When I recieved my r3 end of jan there was a plastic with tape on the screen. not a mark on it. I tried to hold on as long as I could to not get a refurbished and am expecting in April but sure enough if there is anything with it that bothers me it will be going back.

to the op yes the 2 very very thin rubber strips on the left and right sides of the glass screen are the rubber things we are talking about. I dont believe anyone is missing them because most dont know theyre there.

 

I am expecting my R3 to arrive around the end of march.
If I find any finger prints on the screen or the package looks like it was opened it's going right back.
There is no excuse for this. I honestly don't care about the SB fiasco and I should not be the one paying for it.
If the company screwes up it's their responsibility. Maybe they should of tested this new chipsets better before releasing them to the public.
I payed 3400$ (canadian) for this laptop why should I get a refurbished one?
And IF they do decide to ship out previously owned laptop as new then at least have the decency to do a proper job at restocking the laptop so that it will look new.
Keep returning them until they either send new ones out or take the time to polish them and put them back in the box like new.
We are the ones that dish out the big $ for this new tech and we should be treated with respect.
The reason they get away with this is because most people don't do anything about it and just accept what ever they get.
I am sorry to say but if this is really going on at Dell this is not a good sign. Alienware are premium laptops they are like Ferrari, Lamborghini of the PC world and I expect noting but the best when paying top dollars for them.


If you are going to lie to me at least take the time to make it look believable.

 

Sorry for double posting but this is really pissing me off.
First off a 3000$ top of the line laptop should come with a screen protector for decency.
We all know how important packaging is to consumers nowadays hence all the unboxing videos. So any company with half a brain should make sure that something as simple as packaging is controlled.
Dell is a billion dollar company and there is no excuse for shipping out refurbished laptops for new.
If you bought a brand new car and then checked the VIN number and it showed it had a previous owner would you keep it? The dealer could even loose is license for selling a used car for new.
But when it comes to tech nowadays everything goes.
It is not my problem what the company does with the returned laptops, they can throw them at sea for all I care just don't give them to me and if they do sale them off then why should I pay for new?
And if they are really shipping most of them to India that is terrible I am not even going to comment on that.

I do agree with a previous poster who said that in part it is our fault for returning items left and right. You can clearly see this happening in major retail stores like future shop , best buy etc.......good luck finding an unopened box there.
Then they need to have better rules for when returning an item.
If the item is not working properly then you can return it if not then is just to bad and you should think before you buy.
At best buy you can buy pretty much anything use it for 30 days then return it for a full refund and the excuse will be "Sorry I didn't like the colour".

 

I work at Bestbuy, occasionally in customer service (returns) and this is so true.

Also with the whole used thing..

Its wrong and I hate it but as long as it works, has NO WEAR WHATSOEVER and is no different than a new product I can't really complain.

So far my laptop appears new but if it was used / returned I haven't noticed a problem.. Seems brand new enough (minus the smudges and lack of protector)

 

they had to open the labtops cause of recal, i ordered my labtop on jan 28 got mine a last tues. it had signs of it being tampered with, but everything worked fine. some people had screw missing when they recieved their r3. i had a indent on the bottom cover of mine , guess they forgot to remove the 2 screws b4 sliding it open.

 

*Get up on my soapbox*

I agree most of the points made here.

- Dell makes enough money so if they want to have a liberal customer grabbing returns policy they should either sell returns as reburished or do something else with them, not sell them as new.

- If you pay for "new" you should get "new" not "refurbished." If I went down the pub and sold my used or refurbished "x" to someone as a new "x" I would be charged by the coppers with Obtaining Property (money) by Deception.

 

I don't understand why Dell would even bother to have an "Outlet" segment if they practice what they are being accused of in this thread. I'm not trying to be a Dell fanboy. I see more evidence of poor quality control than any signs of deliberate wrong doing. Perhaps their is more compelling information in other threads, but most of the speculation in this thread is from people who haven't even received their R3 yet. Mine will be here on Tuesday and I'm hoping I don't have to come back here and apologize

 

Why would you even think Dell would take the chance of a class action law suite for selling used or returned as new? Thats really silly when they have a used returned store called the Dell Out Let. I do not believe any returned notebooks are being shipped out as new. Now maybe the new ones on the line were stopped and put aside for the new chips and those might be coming out. But I think they are just hurrying to fast to get these out and mistakes happen. Anyway enjoy you new R3's and if you really believe yours is used have them take it back and reorder.

 

My case had fingerprint smudges, as well as no screen protector, keyboard cover, and no extra media discs (Roxio, Webcam stuff).

 

I am 90 percent certain the motherboard fitting was done in some local assembly line rather than returned to China or whichever foreign factory your laptops came from. Its may be done by service engineers.

If it was coming back from the factory, its highly doubtful that you will missing screws or are not tight etc and they would have to pass through QC. How many of you tracked the manufacture? Put in your service tags and try to check the warranty dates etc. It might give you a rough idea.

I really really doubt that Dell would have gone through the trouble of sorting through export import procedures to resend these products to the factory.

* Do you think Dell doesnt know how to squeeze its way out by some vague explanation. All Dell has to say is, " Sorry" for the poor QC. Who is going to investigated the exact birth time of the machine. How many of you have received a R3 machine made in USA. None I presume. Nothing is impossible in this world of cutting corners. The recall was unprecedented and its not from one country. Its from all over the world. Think of the impact if Dell was to zone all these machines to the Dell Outlet. I dont think Dell is so naive, do You?

Even if they wanted to fix the motherboards, how the hell do u miss putting in screws, how to you put dents ...and WHY DO U NEED TO REMOVE THE SCREEN PROTECTOR.tHE SCREEN PROTECTOR IS ON THE SCREEN FROM THE TIME IT ARRIVES INTO THE FACTORY UNTIL IT REACHES YOU. So why in the world would they remove it. 99% customers would have removed their screen proctectors!



The reason most of the r3 customers returned was because of the possibility of motherboard replacement...but lets admit the bigger reason was everyone wanted the AMD 6970m and also hoping a higher Nvidia card would be out.

Well I dont think most of us out there would be a good samaritan and wait for a motherboard to be replaced. Who wants untrained techs to do the job. I am pretty sure we are going to hear lots of other complains in the coming weeks at least until April. If I were any of you. I would have cancelled the order and made a fresh order. and tracked the manufacturing process.

ALL LCD PANELS MUST COME WITH PROTECTIVE COVERING. THIS IS NOT A CHOICE. IF YOURS DIDNT. SEND IT BACK. ITS NOT NEW ANYWAY. SERIOUSLY LOOK AT THE MONEY YOU GUYS ARE PAYING.

About India, oh well the seem to selling just one type of preconfigured version of R3. You cant configure anything. Check out the website and you will realise what they are dishing out.

It just shows they are dumping it on the market. Prior to the pull out due to sandy bridge people were about configure like any other. But now you can buy their choice of configuration or not. Thats it. haha!

 

I don't see a screen protector or keyboard cover in the unboxing video in the second post of this thread either. As far as missing media, sounds like quality control issue. Did you notice any defects on the system, scratches or such? Wouldn't they send you the missing media discs if you asked?

 

People forget a lot of unboxing videos are not the actual first unboxing. People open up the boxes get familiar with the stuff and then record it so they know what to expect and say.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/561575-strange-issues-m17x-r3.html

Case smudges really don't sound so bad now...

 

There is no media for Roxio and webcam. You have to download these off dell.com.

The only discs you should have are Microsoft Windows 7 and a Drivers disc. The one disc they are costantly forgetting to include is the PowerDVD. They forgot this in my original R3 as well as my recent R3. However I don't care since I use TotalMedia Theater 5 anyway.

And, there is no screen protecter in my original R3 as well as my new R3. There should be 2 small pieces of sticky plastic protector - one covering the alienware logo on back of your your lcd cover and the one other covering the power button (I think).

 

Uhh. Let's wait for the opinions of the first one's who got their r3 way back January. Did they really get a screen protector before?

 

No. There was no screen protector before in my original R3 that shipped on 1/25.

 

I'm sorry but I still don't see how these issues lead you to assume they are shipping refurbished systems as new. As far as the chipset reading as a B2 stepping, take at look at post #6 of this thread Link

 

Thats what I thought. Been watching a few unboxing videos and never seen that on the r3. Then why are they assuming that the r3 comes with the screen protector/plastic something?

 

I wonder if the fingerprint smudges could have been caused by customs inspection? Was the tape in your outer shipping box retaped?

 

Haven't received mine yet. What customs?

 

These laptops are being brought to US from China, I believe... Might be an inspector checking to make sure they are laptops ??? Main point is if the outer box was resealed.

 

Are you sure they are coming from china the turn around is about one week from order to recieve and according to dell they build to order. that seems a little to fast to coming from overseas

 

All Aliens are coming from China

 

When mine comes, I'm gonna do a REAL unboxing, then. It's gonna be the most half-a$s, improvised video you've ever seen!!

You serious? Then my order date of 3/7 should yield EDD of 3/15, if to account for 7-business days...so I should expect it on Tuesday, you say?

 

LOL! Would be waiting for that!

 

I was going to say no as it shipped from NJ but I'm not sure.

I don't *think* they came straight from China to me as it would've had an odd route..?

Order > Build in China > Shipped to northern east coast > shipped a few states south to me???

Doesn't seem logical but it might've been customs, who knows.

Been working fine so far outside of the lack of having SSD being painfully slow. Once I got my keyboard fixed (screw issue, just needed to disassemble / reassemble) its been working fine.

 

i didnt have any plastic coverin on my logo on the back or the power button, as for how it came, it came in the black cover. when i first took up the battery i noticed someone tried to pry it open withouth removing the 2 screws. if it wasnt a pry it was manufactured that way which i doubt i can post pics.. as for returning it for another.. i waited long enough... for this r3... why should i return it and go back to the end of the line....

 

My R1 and R2 both came from Texas and had a keyboard protector and screen protector and a plastic around the lid so I don't know why they would change now something sounds fishy to me

 

so i tried to check the service tag, it started the day i recieved and turned it on *the warranty), but the fact remains it shows signs of it being tampered with because of the recall IFthey had done a clean replacement without removing the plastic covering i wouldnt mind cause honestly my like my things lookin clean. also i leave most of the plastic on for as long as i can to preserve what i can, so if there were plastic on the logo's i personally would of left it.

 

YES! My old roommates used to tease me for doing that lolz. I kept it on for almost 1.5years, and then it finally peeled off on its own one day during class lolz.

Anywhoo, yes, if there's smudges I wouldnt mind. If there's nicks or scratches, then yes I would mind. Then again, I have 3year accidental, so it can go back any time, right?

Back to the post I made yesterday. Can someone organize an itemized list of what's supposed to be in the shipping and retail boxes? Also, provide a list of where any sticky labels/protective plastic is supposed to be?

Thanks!

 

Unlikely since there are no dell factories here in the USA. As others have mentioned, all systems are assembled overseas (factory) and shipped here for distribution to the customer.

---------------------------------

Also mentioned by others, dell is not going to try and pull a fast one by shipping out pre-intel fix boards with current/new orders. They were recalled and Intel has absorbed the cost of the recall - for all manufacturers. Do you really think Dell (or any other big name manufacturer) would open themselves up to a PR nightmare by doing this?

As for the screen protector - I can see where it is entirely possible the protector was simply left out when packing/assembling. Look at the 2nd Hard Drive cage with the 17xR2. In the early days, it was shipped with 1 instead of 4 screws. Very easy for folks to believe that was also 'used' although this was not the case.

Bottom line is this - if you feel there is something wrong with your system or you are not entirely satisfied, get on the phone! I have no idea why someone would drop $$$ and not be on the phone with support having this resolved. You have 21 days (in some areas, 30 days) from the date of invoice to return it. Those reps are very easy to work with as long as the caller doesn't freak out screaming or asking for the unreasonable. I say this simply based on experience. I've had to call them before for issues on other systems and have never had an issue with resistance in resolving the problem to my satisfaction.

There is a solution here. If you aren't satisfied, call - immediately.

 

Finally, a voice of reason.