what did dell do about your R3 falling apart by bad design?

so, I got my R3, and like many have noted, the keyboard surround with the control panel on it is already loose for the last 3 inches of the panel. after 20 minutes of hold time, and no kidding, 10 minutes trying to get the guy on the phone to understand what was going on, I found out he can't help me, because he's not allowed to create a support profile for me.

my question is, what did dell do (if anything) that successfully repaired your computers? or did you just let them go? the soft touch is also damaged by dell during install by the left edge of the keyboard, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

I bought an alienware hoping it would hold up, and overall it's as sturdy as my toshiba satellite, if not a tad more in certain ways, but if it's going to end up having the finish come off in big chunks like it, I'm not going to be happy with the price I paid. also, the toshiba may be all worn out LOOKING, but it's still 100% in tact, all trim is properly fastened after being apart a couple times, and having taken the keyboard out a lot of times.

 

Welcome to Alienware hottops, but all kidding aside, you may have to return a few r3's to get a good one.

All laptops manufacturers have issues of some sort, so don't fret, Alienware is pretty good. I have owned 15 or so other types of laptops over the many years, and all had some kind of problem with hardware or drivers.

Good luck.

 

thanks, I may try to reseat the media bar tomorrow before calling dell. nothing seems to work on this computer software-wise, either. switchable graphics, audio control panel, even which graphics card to call on seems to confuse windows at times. I try to run the Nvidia car design demo, and it tells me I don't have enough graphics RAM when I have 1.5GB, and the demo's made for this series card. switchable graphics flips me the bird when I hit fn+f7, no stealth mode, ect...it seems to be switching it on it's own, but I want to be able to control it as it should be. I have updated all drivers, though I'm not on A04 bios, yet, it came with A03.

 

I had to get a replacement for my various flaws. The 2nd one cosmetically is worse, but the screen is brighter/whiter than the 1st. The media bar on the 2nd one is exactly as anyone else has indicated: it's raised!

 

Like people have said, every laptop manufacture has some issues. I have not bought the r3 because it does not fit my needs in a laptop.

However I have owned 5 diffrent HP laptops, 3 Dells and now do have a m17x r2 and my wife owns a m11x r2. I did have some issue with my r2 after about 8 months of owning it.

I ended up having to have the entire system replaced. Dell too quick care of this issue and got me a new on that was upgraded from my old one. Now I know that they do not usually upgrade system for customers unless they no longer make the system any more, or sell the same part any more. I totally love my r2. It is by far the best laptop I have ever owned, by pure build design. It is the most powerful yet the coolest running laptop I have ever had.

My wife absolutely loves her m11x r2, she says it is the best computer she has ever owned and conviced me that I should get one for when we travel. I have just bought a m11x r3 and am awaiting its arival.

Not to mention I love the in home service plan for these computers. Hp's send it in and send it back I have hated it some time leaving me with out a computer for weeks. With Dell i still have my PC and at most i have been with out for 2 days.

The point of it is if you work with them they will work with you and make it right and make you satisfied with your purchase.

 

Reseating will do nothing I have tried with a few time with two different media bars. Although while you got the bar off, you may want to put some thin and strong double side tape in the gap between the metal and the plastic. This will stop the metal lifting away from the plastic, but won't stop the media bar buttons making contact with the glass display (is rasied enough), and if the buttons are touching the glass, the lazer cut like edges in the button will be making contact with the glass.

I had my media bar replaced two times already in less than 3 weeks, since I have owned this system, therefore the current bar is part number #3 when compared to the original.
Original when shipped = media bar #1
Service 1 = media bar #2
Service 2 = media bar #3

On the first service, the replacement part was visually faulty (metal lifting away) before it was fitted, but not as bad as the original.

On the second service (yesterday), the replacement part was totally fine before it was fitted, I got the tech to show me it before it went on the laptop.
Once on the laptop, within 2-3 hours the metal strip on the media bar started to lift up and away.

In my opinion there is no doubt this manufacturing defect, or more than likely a design flaw, must be prominent in every R3 around the media bar to varying degrees.
Unless it happens that a few of us get a chassis that puts pressure on the underside of the bar causing it to rise and lift the metal in the right hand corner of the media bar (or corrected name Media Control Cover).

Really, my only real complaint about the R3 is the media bar. I am hoping that if Dell replaces the entire R3 with a new one, I might get one without this issue, but I don't remain optimistic for my experience and from other peoples observations here.

 

I've seen pictures of the media bar problem, and checked mine out carefully (received 4/13). Mine does not seem to have the flaw. There are also no marks/scratches/scuffs anywhere on the unit and no dust behind the screen glass.

I am getting the impression that both the manufacturing/engineering tolerances and the skill of the assembly staff at Alienware are a little inconsistent. I must have got lucky for one time in my life.

 

Ditto on the excellent machine I received. Absolutely zero issues, cosmetically or operationally.

 

Dell sent someone out to replace all the parts I found to be deficient. The things that were wrong with my machine didn't impact its performance, just its looks and Dell fixed them, so I'm happy.

If you reach someone who "cannot help you" or is simply unwilling to help you, thank them, let them go and call back in. I usually do that until I get a US rep. It saves me the stress of having to explain the situation to someone who has no idea what I'm talking about only for them to get things wrong. If you're not in the US, you may find your situation to be different in which case, YMMV.

 

Everyone has this problem and I don't really think it's acceptable. Dell has to honor your warranty. Call them, speak to another rep. Explain what happened and what you want done. If they do not agree, ask to speak with a level 2 tech. If they say no, ask for their name and employee number, then become forceful until they say yes. If they hang up on you, call back and say what happened and ask to speak with a level 2 rep.

Audio control panel: Reinstall

fn+f7: Your computer uses Optimus, which automatically switches between integrated and discreet GPUs. The product page specifically says your system has optimus, you should probably know how it (is supposed to) work before complaining about it.

car design demo:
One of many problems with nvidia's optimus solution. Try right clicking on the program and selecting run with gpu -> nvidia. If that doesn't work, which I doubt it will, open nvidia control panel (right click on desktop anywhere) and set your default GPU to nvidia and hit apply. This probably also will not fix the problem, so head over to nvidia's support forum and post a bug report.

 

If that is the case with yours, I think that a few of us may be getting the solid chassis part of the notebook under the media bar in a misaligned state, causing upwards pressure.
What I am trying to say, even if the media bar is a good part, once mounted the build of the particalur affected laptops is make the part go bad
As you can read in posts above, I have had mine replaced twice, and the last time the replacement part was perfect before it was replaced, but became bad only a few hours after installation.
I am trying to get Dell to replace the entire laptop, I would want a techie contracted from a local computer firm stripping my 22 day old laptop to replace the chassis. Even then I cannot be sure it will fix the issue.
The service I am getting the AP region is ultra crap. Here in the AP regoin Dell only allows a 15 day return (which is gone for me), and even then they will sting anyone here a 15% restock fee, then make you pay for the original shipping and shipping back to Dell, insurance must be paid on all shipping.

 

now I went to put a second hard drive in, and the part of the chassis snapped off!! this keeps getting worse. I wonder if they will replace just the chassis, wrist rest, and media bar.

 

So many problems with dell dammit. I just don't have the time to deal with them, and they close so freekin early on workdays, what the hell is wrong with them? They work overnight in India (daytime for us in the States)...

Gonna add a link to my "Replacement is here" thread, which details various problems I've discovered with this 2nd computer...