M11x Hinge/Screen touching Keyboard Discussion (R1 & R2)

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NBR MODERATOR note:

FYI to all viewing this thread for the first time - just as a general warning, you will come across several 'do it yourself' fixes to this reported hinge 'issue'.
First, there are many owners who have no problems with the hinge on their system. This does not mean that an issue does not exist. This is simply to point out that not all have experienced this. With that being said, I want to be sure this is clear so there is no confusion:

Like any other issue which may come up while you are under warranty - if you develop a problem with your system, contact support. I cannot stress this enough. Your system is covered, do not take matters into your own hands only to make it worse.

If you are out of warranty, then yes, you can certainly choose to perform one of these 'repairs'. If you are in the warranty period - as I understand it, doing this will VOID your warranty. If in fact your hinge breaks, let Dell deal with it. Why risk voiding your warranty?

-BB

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The M11x seems to have a chronic problem with misaligned hinges which has so far resulted in damages to screens and hinges

Please do this quick test to determine if your hinges are properly aligned.

1. Cut a 4" wide strip out of a sheet of paper
2. Lay it on your M11x keyboard with one end sticking out on the left or right side
3. Close the screen and try to pull/push the sheet out/in of the closed lid.

If the paper cannot be slided in/out freely then your screen is touching your keyboard which indicate the hinges are improperly aligned and overtime this could lead to a damaged screen or hinges falling apart.

NEW

This thread was originally started to assess the percentage of M11x with the screen touching the keyboard and possibly determine if this was a defect. It has since morphed into an all hinge related thread. The information below is a summary of what has been going on...

The quote below is from the resident Dell Rep telling us it's normal for the screen to touch the keyboard. This was his last contribution to this thread and as far as I know to any hinge related thread... Please feel free to provide link to any subsequent posting from erawneila regarding hinges.

The questions below remain unanswered

This previous post from me about the hinges...

Got us this response from the Dell Rep stating the cracking/popping issue had been corrected...

And so far my all time favourite is the other Dell Rep who posted on the Dell Forums that a fix had been put in place in the last week of June and later removed his post. Check it out in this post from slickie88

What people have reported so far...

• Uneven gap on the left or right side hinge
• The lid sits uneven protruding out the base when it is closed
• Keyboard smudging screen when lid is closed
• Keyboard scratching screen when lid is closed
• Hinge dislocating
• Hinge cracking/snapping/becoming damaged

Here's a link to the first post of the Fixing the M11x weak hinge creaking/cracking problem. Screen opened! thread which has very good pictures of a defective hinge/screen. Great thank you to jonjonk for the pictures!

And finally what could be the fix the Dell Reps have posted about... Cherude posted picture here of what seems to be 2 different set of nuts used to fasten the hinges inside the lid.

We have little information from Dell on the hinge issue and this is troubling. One would think a corporation would go out of their way to resolve what seems so far like a defect that will potentially affect all M11x shipped prior to the alleged fixe being put in place. Alienware is after all supposed to be a top notch quality/performance brand which customer pay a substantial premium to own.

My recommendation is that potential customers should be cautious in purchasing this system. We know there's an issue with the hinge and we do not know if it was fixed.

UPDATE:

Be Aware of the latest comment posted 08/25 on this board by Dell Rep which seems to indicate the hinge issue has not yet been resolved.

 

Is it possible to adjust the hinge alignment?

 

I dont even need to perform the test with mine! I can visibly see marks and grease on my screen where it has sat against the keys
So far no damage though.

 

There are a few tiny but permanent nicks right where the grid of oils appear that, no doubt, came from contact with keys.

My hinge ALSO started squeaking and the left side sometimes scrapes when opening:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-closed-before-completely-entering-sleep.html
(video included)

 

No Idea, it seem they are positioned slightly too low which is causing the contact between the keyboard and screen while the front of the lid has a gap btween the base.

 

I've 2 units now with 2 screen replacements. The way the hinge sits in the base - there is no "room" for alignment or adjustment - there's 2 specific slots where the hinge assembly fits directly in - with screws to place it/connect it to the base. I should note that your paper trick - is somewhat vague - if I pull lightly on the piece of paper - it doesn't budge. However, if I pull a little harder - the paper does come out.. I voted that it's touching the screen - based on the fact that I have to exert some force in order to get the paper to pull out...

My latest screen - (a replacement) "clicks" - however - the click is actually in the screen hinge itself - not on the base. The click had gone away for awhile - thought it had worked itself out - but now it's back - but much quieter / less noticeable.

If it continues to pose a problem - I'll ask for another screen and/or replacement system. As for the hinge and how the screen sits on the unit - I'm fairly certain that's the design. I've purchased a kabuto mouse pad and am using that as a screen protector to place between the keyboard and screen when I have it closed, etc.

 

I've been using the insert that shipped with the laptop in order to protect things. Won't probably last very long so I'll have to find something comparable to use after that.

 

I can pull the piece of paper, it doesn't slide but does move with a little force.. I've never had problems with the keyboard marking/scratching the screen so I assume my hinges are properly aligned.

 

Then your hinges are not aligned properly. There should be not contact whatsoever so the paper should slide in and out freely.

 

Ah, unfortunate. The poll will not be accurate because i voted against having a poorly aligned hinge. Seems like 2/3 M11x's have this problem making it the prevalent niggle of this unit.

 

Mine does that too! I opened it up to check the hinge and it appears that the metal rod passing through both the hinges has detached itself from the plastic part of the hinge and my right hinge is fine. Is rather annoying and worrying hearing a loud scrape of plastic when I open it sometimes ><

 

my screen touches. I know cuz of the oil markings haha. So is this something I could call up dell and ask for a replacement screen or what?

 

I feel good , I just do the test and I can slide the paper without problems, that means my screen is not touching my keyboard. Well atm...

 

This is the primary reason that I'm getting tech service. I really don't need to do the test, there are marks on the screen from the keyboard, and some of those marks are permanent scratches. Personally I think the screen should have been a piece of glass (preferably Gorilla Glass), as opposed to a piece of flimsy plastic that easily gets scratched.

So I don't think it's the hinges that are the problem, its the easy-to-scratch plastic screen that is to blame.

 

^ so what kind of service are you getting tears? A screen replacement? I wonder if I can do something similar for my hinge problem. It's just squeaky and creaky at the moment. No real scratches yet from the keyboard, but oily marks.

 

Lucky you!

Your screen should not be touching your keyboard so it is the hinges...

Unlikely they will do anything till your screen is scratched. Then they will most likely be difficult in providing a solution.

GUYS!!! There are more than 35 people with an M11x on this forum, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES! The more the better so we can have a better understanding of how many systems are affected. This may also be of use in getting Dell to officially acknowledge the issue. I know I`m delusional

 

GUYS!!! There are more than 35 people with an M11x on this forum, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES! The more the better so we can have a better understanding of how many systems are affected. This may also be of use in getting Dell to officially acknowledge the issue. I know I`m delusional [/QUOTE]

Yea, i support you

 

Thanks!
Come people!

I find it quite surprising so many people are not taking a minute to confirm their notebook is affected by this and report it.

 

The R1 I sent back had the issue where the screen had marks on it by the keyboard. I never noticed any issues with the hinge though. I had a keyboard replacement done but it still made contact. I have *two* R2's on the way so I'm hoping this is no longer an issue. I guess the ghetto / interim solution is to use the included plastic slip for protection or use thicker / larger screen bumpers (probably what I'll do).

 

The screen is getting replaced. I guess I might as well get the hinges replaced while I'm at it.

 

My first m11x didn't have the problem so much, just the gap between the hinges. The replacement screen I got though is even worse and I can barely pull the paper out.

 

Do you think the anti-glare screen for m11x would protect the screen from this issue?

The hinge squeaking would be really annoying, but the screen getting scratches is seriously bad, and could make it unusable

 

Just out of interest, are there any tech savvy guys (of course!) whom may have taken a look into repairing their own hinges? possible adjustments or alterations? So far it looks like its a design issue, possibly down to poor assembly (hence question) or more seriously a production flaw i.e. parts are warping/bending, making it a hit and miss affair. Like a cheap airplane model kit!

If its an assembly flaw then I would repair it myself, if its the manufacture process then it may be time to get the dremel out! I will find out myself when mine arrives tomorrow but if anyone can answer these questions that would be grand.

 

We don't know if it was a structural problem with the casing of an adjustment issue with the hinges. The 2 units I received with warped hinges sure looked like it was caused by the casing though.

All we know is that Brian from Alienware as stated the issue has been resolved yet we have R2s with screens touching the keyboard.

 

I tried. They are hard as hell to get to, and I wasn't about to try to disassemble the LCD panel to get to them.

 

So, a lot of people have misaligned hinges.. how many of you (after months of use) have experienced deterioration in hinge integrity? After 2.5 months mine still appear to be in perfect condition.

 

To be honest I must have closed my lid 5 times since I received mine. In it's current state of screen in contact with the keyboard with a gap over the wristpad I would say I would not feel comfortable having it in a bag where there could be even more strain on the screen and hinges.

 

Kind of defeats the point of it being portable

What if you just bought a cloth to go between the screen & keyboard?

 

The problem I have is the gap between the lid and the wristpad. When the M11x is in a bag the lid is pushed to to close the gap which adds more pressure on the screen where the keyboard touves it and more strain on the hinges. Adding a cloth would protect the screen but most likely increase the strain on the hinges.

 

Arrived today, paper test=fail. Will see how it goes over next few weeks, keyboard is in contact with screen when lid closed. Voted.

 

If the problem really is with the hinge/case design, then replacing the screen will also result in a screen that touches the keyboard more often than not.

Perhaps we are going about trying to prevent this problem the wrong way (assuming it is bad design that consistently results in the keyboard touching the screen). Isn't another solution that to prevent the screen from touching the keyboard ourselves?

My laptop that is supplied by my work is a Latitude D830. Not a powerhouse machine by any stretch. It came with 6 small rubber feet or rubber spacers (3/8" diameter) glued in a rectangle around the outside of the LCD screen. They are thin enough that the hinges still close, but they keep the screen face away from the keyboard. I have had it for 2½ years and carry it in a backpack every day without any key marks.

Again, I know we all paid top dollar for the M11x and we want it to be perfect, but assuming that it is a problem in all of them (that all will eventually experience this problem), I think the spacer idea would work without making it look ugly. I am still waiting for my M11x to arrive though, I have not tried it.

On my netbook, I just kept the foam sheet it shipped with and keep it between the the keyboard and the keys.

Stain

 

So as of now we have overall 72% of the M11z which have this problem. That's quite serious and it seems to be affecting the R2 as well.

 

Update, m11xr2 arrived this morning, had a play and test drive in work when I got chance. Put it all away and brought it home using my portfolio m11x bag. Opened it up tonight and low and behold there are scratches on my screen from the keyboard. Looks like the scratches are from the W and E keys on my keyboard. Tried wiping the screen and it is slightly better but still scratched none the less. Gutted, really gutted.

I think I may send it back as faulty and ask for a full refund. I have been an Alienware customer before, but this has put a bad taint on this otherwise lovely little machine. Poor design I'm afraid to say, needed better QC.

Truly gutted.

 

Wow. Sorry to hear that. Does anything obvious look amiss with the hinge or the keyboard that would explain how this could have happened so easily?

 

unfortunately and surprisingly, no. All looks ok, it just simply doesnt have any space between the screen and keyboard when closed, all looks fairly even otherwise.

 

@Spoonface

Do you know if it happened during shipping to you or when you transported it home? I mean when you unboxed it the first time, was there something between the keys and the screen? You could say to Dell that it was like that when it arrived.

I feel for you, man

 

It doesn't really matter if the damage happened in transit or when he transported home. The root cause is the screen resting against the keyboard which is a faulty design that will cost Dell in support calls, parts and home calls...

 

I know it does not matter. Still, I am curious whether it ships from Dell with something between the keys and the screen or not. I can put something between them to protect the screen when closed, but if it shows up from the factory already scratched, I don't have a chance!

 

They ship with a thin protective cloth-like sheet between the screen and keyboard. I've been continuing to use it until I can find something a little more durable.

 

Ok further update, I basically spent quite some time trying to "ease" the scratches off my screen. I have had success to a degree. However what is more important for you to know is that I re-used the white sheet that comes shipped with the laptop to protect the screen. Packed my m11x into my laptop bag this morning, walked kids to school, put it in the boot of my car, drove to work, walked to the office with it up stairs (lots!) just opened it up and no new visible marks at all. Keep you posted if scratches appear using this method over the course of the next few days.

BTW dont get a portfolio m11x case if you want to carry anything at all! cant even put my mouse in it! barely holds the power supply lol!

 

I use a plastic acetate sheet cut to size to protect my screen, not a single mark/scratch in almost 3 months of heavy use. It's also thin as to not cause any additional strain on the hinges.

 

This is bad!! is there any sort of screen protection that could be used you think?

 

there is an anti-glare screen protector A2G Anti-Glare Screen Protector for Alienware if mine has the keyboard touching the screen i won't hesitate to order one. i will probably also call dell and ask if they can send someone to fix it

 

The problem I find with stick-on screen protectors is that they also get scratched. So, yes, they protect the real screen from getting scratched, but you still end up looking at a scratched screen protector all the time. It looks remarkably like a scratched screen, you just know in the back of your mind that the screen is actually safe underneath.

You should see my kid's Nintendo DS. I protected the touch screen, and I am glad I did, but it looks pretty scratched up from the stylus. I really do feel better knowing the screen is actually in good condition under the protector but no one ever gets to see it. It reminds me of old people that cover their furniture in plastic all the time. LOL

All kidding aside though, I will probably purchase a screen protector just to protect my investment for the odd time I forget to put something between the keyboard and the screen. It sounds like all it takes is one 'oops' to get a scratch.

Stain

 

I had my screen replaced, and then I put the Anti-Glare Screen Protector on.

The screen protector is pretty solid. It doesn't scratch easy.

I don't know if anyone else is had this issue, but in addition to the keyboard my LCD was getting marked by the strip of shiny plastic above the keyboard. There was a line of scratch.

 

Wondering how long it will take Dell to acknowledge the problem and fix it? We have 75% of the respondents with this defect.

It's not because Dell says it was designed that way that it is... 25% of the units don't have this issue.

 

Yup, same thing here. Now I'm looking for a screen protector that doesn't scratch easily, and isn't a complete PITA to cut down to size. I personally like ZAGG,, but they dont make anything yet for the M11x LCD. Any suggestions?


I'm about to order this screen:
Amazon.com: 3M Gold Privacy Filter-3M Widescreen Notebook Privacy Screen: Electronics

But I'm worried about getting it scratched again.

 

I highly recommend the A2G Anti-Glare. It goes on easy, fits like a glove, and now I can see my screen in sunlight.

 

does anyone have the razer kabuto? it's an ultrathin mouspad that doubles as a screen protector...perfect fit the m11x if I remember correctly.

 

Hope my R2 won't show this problem... I'm from Argentina and
warranty/refunds ain't that easy... Reading this before the arrival (7-21 estimated) is soooo painful