Finally The hinge gave! And Customer Service...long and annoying:p

So I am having Hinge problems and also the laptop was pushing near 80 degrees for GPU and 70 degrees on CPU (even when youtubing for CPU).

So I called Alienware and told them the problem with the hinge. They said they dont usually cover physical or cosmetic damage. That pissed me off but I just stepped over that comment and told them that it is a massive problem on internet, which then the Tech rep said yes which is why we're replacing it because we know the problem is there...lol.

I then told her, that also I have the professional warranty plan (any damage at all, accidental etc I get a replacement) which then she stated again it doesn't cover cosmetic damage. And again i said well this is manufacturer/hardware. After she then said yes which is why they are replacing.

Lost yes so was I....mixed messages everywhere.

Also after she took me through an hour and half after telling her that I dont have time to do all this. I also asked if I can just drop it off and they can test it themselves.
She then told me that some1 will come in on monday to make the replacements. I asked if I should back everything up which she didn't even know how to answer that question.

I also asked her if the problem is fixed with the hinges, so that I dont have to worry about it in the future. She didn't give me an answer again, she just told me some1 will come to my house to take apart my laptop and put it back together.

Seriously what is the point of the professional plan if your going to give us any problems? I should've just threw my laptop against the ground and told them I dropped it.

It would've been a 5 mins conerstation.

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What do you think?

Am I overreacting, is the language barrier so huge, or just plain what the hell.

p.S

First laptop I've ever had that broke down on me and over heated I even have the cheaply and tacky Qosmio X300 by Toshiba which looks like cheap plastic and cheap hardware with cheap cooling that never had ANY cosmetic damage, hardware or failiure.

 

You are not overreacting at all. Your hinges should be fixed by them - it is their fault, and it is their responsibility.

What concerns me somewhat more is the overheating issue you are having. Mine never went over 55-57-ish under heaviest load, I would say that the cooling system of the m11x is remarkably effective (at least my R1 says so). So 80' under medium load seems to be quite above the intended value.

Probably it is worth mentioning it to them as well? Let them handle both issues - should be their job.

As to the language barrier - I had this telephone conversation with the Dell 'representative' once (though it was Sales, not Support) - and yes, he was unable neither to understand me, nor say anything apart from "No model the Dell. I not can know. No the Dell this." It is definitely worth trying to redial - and get a more lucky rep.

 

Telling them about the heat was the biggest mistake lol Thats what kept me 1 hour with them connected to my computer running stress tests to see how the temperature goes...I got impatient and just Ran MSI Kombuster cuz they were taking to long lol. Sped things up.

They are sending some1 on monday but I still dont know what time or what they are doing. I kept asking if I should get any cords ready or box incase they just decide to swap it. which she just kept sayings he's coming to your house.

BTW for the record swapping it would make 10xs more sense, since man hours + parts costs more than just swapping the unit with a manufactured refurb or even new. So I dont know why they will come to my house take it apart and then rebuilt lol...or maybe I mis understood cuz of the language barrier.

Anywho...lol

 

I'm guessing each support dept has its own KPI and budget to worry about. Otherwise its just easier for them to say "yes" to pretty much anything.

Where you located?

 

Toronto Ontario

 

the Max heat that i ever got is 55 or 57
but like i never saw mu GPU heat at 30 even when am not using it for gaming

 

Well they said they will replace the LCD and the heating unit. Now I'm afraid that some idiot will come and either do a lousy job, or just give me the same stupid hinge as before....either way, I have a bad feeling!

I hope they apply the thermal paste I give them...not using their cheap white powdered thermal paste.

 

Chances are that some idiot will. So it might be a good idea to inspect the replacement part he will bring prior to installation and also to watch him closely as he works.

 

Really? I got mine fixed and it took 5 minutes on the phone.

 

Luck you, they might be penny pinching now that they had like 1 million to replace the hinge on.

They seemed more determined to prove me wrong then to help me. I was pretty pissed off...but stupid me I still told supervisor that I was satisfied because I felt sorry for the Tech...wont be making that mistake again.

Thanks for the heads up cortomaltese, I imagined as much, I mean the ppl that come are dell authorized, not dell workers from my understanding.

God forbid he does a lousy job or I'm going to raise hell

P.S

I'm not a tough and annoying customer so dont take it like that I just want what I paid for...in this case a working laptop and a Tech team that isn't set to prove me wrong when i paid for the pro plan...I said it before and I'll say it again, if you have the pro package just toss it against the ground...you'll be done with tech much faster.

 

I am afraid that I was just considering purchasing one of these but decided against it after reading scores of reviews on the DELL site complaining about the hinges but being told by their "expert" that there is NO issue with them!

Liars.

I have already fallen into the trap of purchasing an Acer netbook with a well documented manufacturing fault denied by the company, and will certainly not do it again with an expensive Alienware from DELL!

I hope you managed to fix your laptop.

 

Gonna run out of brands to buy from soon! heh. But the whole mess does leave a bad taste.

 

The M11xR3 comes with the new hinge design anyways and Dell is replacing the hinge on R1s and R2s whether they're still under warranty or not, so IMO the hinge issue really isn't an issue anymore.

 

I remember the times when I replaced my LCD cover..

A number of both dumb and smart on-site technicians came by many times.
I had problems with newly designed LCD Covers that had ALIENWARE logo light problems and screen problems.

I finally managed to have a "perfect" newly designed LCD Cover in the end though but it took me a whole month.

 

Exactly. Just got my new LCD assembly and installed it today.

Damned if I didn't get my 3rd AUO105C panel. Really wanted to see the Samsung at last. This one is a lot brighter than the 2nd one I had and after calibration is back to looking halfway decent.

Dell ultimately made good on addressing the issue for anyone who owns any model of M11x. Provided the new design holds up that is.

Who's going to be the first to crack open their new LCD assembly so we can see what design changes Flextronix made?

 

Your request is my pleasure - here is a photo of the new hinge design from my 11x R1 - replaced hinge with WWLAN version

They have extended the skinny bar across the entire length of the metal sections on both L & RHS, also added an extra screw at the extreme side. see photo

 

I suppose that needs added to 1st post?

philby: what is your impression of it?

 

Yea, philby!! +1 I remember you tinkering about on your (first?) failed hinge.

Must compare with earlier photos of the old design. It's a little difficult to tell from your photo, but are the bosses that the bolts screw into still plastic? If nothing else I suppose the addition of a 4th boss on each side should help strengthen the whole...

Have you broken it down any further than what we see in that photo.

Thanks again!

 

Yes - I suspect the bosses are still plastic, main difference is the slim steel spreader now runs the entire length of the side with one extra screw at the extreme edge

Below is the old design, the number of screws is the same the difference is now it's spread over the entire length of the side, it also looks like the third screw is new used to secure the hinge while in the old design it did very little.

 

Oh hells yeah. Much more secure. Thanks again!