Alienware Beware

actually the forumn you are from has a wealth of information -- good and bad. Some of the better posters also post on sites like HardOCP and Anandtech, Ars Technica, imo the true tech-savvy sites. Again, you get the good and the bad, but oftentimes ppl who bought from companies like Alienware and VoodooPC are rabid about any sort of attack on their expensive system.

I have no beef about Alienware's customer service, and I'm sure it's got decent hardware in it. I'm just trying to inform potential buyers the simple fact that Alienware is nothing more than a middle-guy who repaints an easily-obtainable laptop with a new coat of paint and sell it for way more than others do. Ditto VoodooPC. I don't think anybody is saying that they are low-performance -- but you can get the same exact laptop minus the coat, from an older and arguably more respectable company for quite a bit less.

People complain about Dell in the Dell forum all the time, heck I have a Dell and I lament the fact that it is bulky and ugly. But the simple fact is that if you ARE tech-savvy you would look at the components and realize that it is the best deal out there.

Similiarly, if you ARE tech-savvy you would look at Alienware/Voodoo and know they are not worth that they are charging. Granted that if you have a lot of money and *really* thinks the pair of slanted eyes are fantastic and are willing to pay for it -- more power to ya. People who buy Alienware either *really* like the design and is willing to pay a premium for it, or they simply doesn't realize that Alienware is just another OEM who managed to market their way to a higher premium... (kinda like what Apple does with their marketing...) Correct me if I'm mistaken about any of these.

cheers,

yass

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora

 

Wow after reading all this i am suprised! I always thought that alienware made a quality product and would stand behind it 120%.. Thanks to this thread, i know never to buy an alienware machine. (I would rather build it myself anyway). I wish you could build your own laptop computers the way you can build your own desktop PCs.

cheers

~HP Pavilion ZV6000 series~
-AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz
-512MB RAM
-128MB ATI Mobility radeon X200m
-80GB 5400RPM HDD
-15.4" Widescreen w/ Brightview
-DVD±RW W/DL support
-XP Pro
-2X 12-Cell Batteries

 

Of course you have inflated complaint numbers, most satisfied customers aren't going to google out all the forums that mention Alienware, register, and post.

Both the company I work for and myself personally have interfaced with Alienware and I'm very dissatisfied, enough so that I feel it is my obligation to warn others.

21-30 days? We waited longer than that to get our laptop fixed, and got it back without a power supply which we are still waiting for (90+ days). My AW desktop PC at home isn't anything special, I don't even bother to call tech support when parts burn out (MB and PS so far) since I know it is terrible, and guess what, 5 months and still no rebate check.

But that's just me, there are hundreds of AW horror stories easily found through google.

 

mtrivs, Alienware is a quality product and they do support the systems 100%. You would have a hard time finding a system for yourself if you based your decision solely on the complaints others. If you look at the big picture, its safe to say your gonna get a perfect machine.

Theres not much of a savings if you build your own notebook. Here is a link to a site that has parts and info if thats what you want to do.
http://coboc.com/diy/Config.asp?Section=10001

 

lol, just out of curiosity I configured 2 systems from 2 different vendors (Alienware Area 51-m 7700 from alienware, and Sager NP9880-S1 from discountlaptops).

Both share the same following specs:
3.4ghz P4 with HT
1gb dual-channel RAM
60GB 7200rpm HD
dual-layer DVD-RW (+/-)
256MB Go6800 with GDDR3
3yrs on-site warranty.

The difference between the 2 is that the Alienware has the WSXGA display (1680x1050), while the Sager features a higher res WUXGA display (1920x1200). The Alienware is based on the Cleveo 9860 chasis while the Sager is based on the newer 9880 chasis.

So how do they compare price-wise?

Alienware = $3747 (minus a $600 mail-in rebate, still $3147)
Sager = $2475 NO rebate.

So, assuming you eventually got the rebate, Alienware is almost $700 more expensive than a slightly *better* equiped Sager. Wow, them must be some *really* good paint Alienware is using...
Either that, or they are inhaling it...

cheers,

yass

 

Originally posted by: yassarian

Both share the same following specs:
3.4ghz P4 with HT
1gb dual-channel RAM
60GB 7200rpm HD
dual-layer DVD-RW (+/-)
256MB Go6800 with GDDR3
3yrs on-site warranty.

Alienware = $3747 (minus a $600 mail-in rebate, still $3147)
Sager = $2475 NO rebate.
-----------------------

Let me at least fix the errors in your last post then I won't bother anyone for a while. This is obviously the Alienware Beware forum and I wouldnt want to stop anyone from warning the world of the gigantic evils.

The Alienware has a higher cost in your example because it is configured with better components. I am not exactly sure why someone would want to post non truthful info in a forum for others to believe as fact.

Alienware Area 51m 7700
Intel 3.8 w/HT
nVidia 6800 go ULTRA 256mb
2 GB Memory (2 x 1024mb)
3 year warranty
Windows XP Professional
Alien Autopsy Program
Alien Respawn Program
Free Alienware Shirt
Free Alienware Mousepad (func.com)
Free Shipping

$ 3,131.00 (w/600 rebate)

Thats about 650 more But this configuration blows away the Sager configuration that you posted.

If the 7700 is configured to resemble the Sager, the 7700 prices at $ 2,731.00. Thats about 250 more than the Sager that you posted.

I didnt even check the validity of the Sager price that you posted so I am sure that if anyone was comparing these two systems to base a decision on they should go and check the price themselves and not rely on the Sager number posted here.

Have a nice Day. [ ]

 

I posted the wrong website addy for the mousepad that Alienware uses. Each system comes with a competition mouse pad. Its an Alienware branded Func mouse pad.

www.func.net

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora
The Alienware has a higher cost in your example because it is configured with better components. I am not exactly sure why someone would want to post non truthful info in a forum for others to believe as fact.

Alienware Area 51m 7700
Intel 3.8 w/HT
nVidia 6800 go ULTRA 256mb
2 GB Memory (2 x 1024mb)
3 year warranty
Windows XP Professional
Alien Autopsy Program
Alien Respawn Program
Free Alienware Shirt
Free Alienware Mousepad (func.com)
Free Shipping

$ 3,131.00 (w/600 rebate)

Thats about 650 more But this configuration blows away the Sager configuration that you posted.

If the 7700 is configured to resemble the Sager, the 7700 prices at $ 2,731.00. Thats about 250 more than the Sager that you posted.

I didnt even check the validity of the Sager price that you posted so I am sure that if anyone was comparing these two systems to base a decision on they should go and check the price themselves and not rely on the Sager number posted here.

Have a nice Day. []
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

LOL?
Which website did you use to configure your Alienware? Must be some special fanboy one that they secretly give to their marketing ppl eh?

I configured the exact settings on the Alienware configurator:
http://www.alienware.com/Configurator_Pages/area-51m_7700.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-AREA51-M-7700&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT
, and it came out to be $4017.00 AFTER $600 mail-in rebate.

Tell me again how u did it? heh

This is the final configuration cut'n pasted straight from their summary page:
---------
[1] Area-51m 7700

Warranty: 3-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support with Onsite Service
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional with Service Pack 2
Case: Area-51m 7700 Case with 17" WideSXGA+ 1680 x 1050 LCD Display with Built-in Camera - Xeno Grey
Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 570J Desktop Processor w/ HT Technology 3.8GHz 800MHz FSB 1MB Cache
Motherboard: Intel® 915P Chipset Supporting PCI-Express
Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 533MHz - 2 x 1024MB
Video Card: Area-51m 7700 NVIDIA GeForce™ 6800 Go Ultra with 256MB of DDR3 memory
Sound Card: Intel® High-Definition Audio (24-bit, 192Khz) with 7.1 surround sound
Hard Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 60GB 7200 RPM ATA100 - Hitachi
Optical Drive One: 8X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW / 24X CD-RW Combo w/Software
Floppy Drive: USB Floppy Drive
Ethernet NIC: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet NIC
Wireless Network: Internal Wireless 802.11b/g miniPCI Card
Modem: 56K Modem with V.92 Technology
Optional Display: No Monitor
Free Alienware T-Shirt: Free Alienware® T-Shirt - Black
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager
Free Alienware Mousepad: Free Alienware® Mousepad
Automated Support: AlienAutopsy: Automated Technical Support Request System

Price: $4617.00 (before $600 mail-in rebate)
------------------------------------------------

In comparison, Here's the similiar Sager:

------------------------------------------------
Sager NP9880-V1
17" WUXGA (1920 x 1200) Active Matrix Wide Screen Display
3.8 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 HT (570J) Processor w/ 1MB L2 cache
256MB GDDR3 nVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 6800 ULTRA Graphics Card / 16x PCI-Express
60 GB Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
2048 MB DDR2 SDRAM (533 MHz, PC4200, Dual Channel) (2 x 1 GB)
External USB Floppy Drive
Internal 8X DVD±R/RW (Dual-Layer) / CD-RW Combo Drive w/ Software
HDD RAID Settings - Off
Built in 56k V.90 Modem
Built in 10/100/1000 Fast Ethernet / LAN Network Card
Wireless (Wi-Fi) Lan Card 802.11g (54 Mbps)
Smart Lithium Ion Battery (12 Cells)
Integrated Video Camera / 7-in-1 Card Reader / Internal Subwoofer Module
Auto-switching AC Adapter (220W; 100-250V)
Free Carry Case
*FREE* Notebook Essentials Software
Microsoft Windows XP-Professional Installed, recovery CD included
Factory 1-yr parts & labor warranty w/ lifetime technical support
On-site Extended Warranty & Help Desk Options Options (Begins after factory warranty ends)
2-year on-site extended warranty & help desk

TOTAL: $3129
-------------------------------------------------

You specifically mentioned a "performance" mouse pad -- wow, those things are like $12 off Newegg, and wooopie a few t-shirt! LOL

<blockquote id='quote'>quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>I didnt even check the validity of the Sager price that you posted so I am sure that if anyone was comparing these two systems to base a decision on they should go and check the price themselves and not rely on the Sager number posted here.<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Maybe you should check the validity of your Alienware price first... [] And you're right, it's typical for the 16yr old Alienware fanboy to NOT comparison shop -- cuz they don't really know any better. That's how Alienware keeps itself in business. Of course you don't care to look at Sagers -- your closed mindedness has already blinded you to Alienware.

And no, it's not some Gigantic Evil -- Alienware does pitifully little business as-is. I'm merely pointing out some options. Anybody can go to alienware's website and configure the system I posted, and get the same price that I got, and anyone can go to www.discountlaptops.com and get that price too. I don't need to lie about anything -- it's all rather black and white.

cheers,

yass

 

I wasn't planning on posting again but I wasnt expecting such an idiotic reply to my last post. The "fanboy" name calling was a nice touch and it shows the mentality of the general atmosphere in this forum.

Its obvious that no one would be able to rely on this "Boutique Gaming Rigs" forum for useful information. Thats a pretty dumb move considering that there are more satisfied owners than actual complaints.

yass, your last post was a little weird.
I wish you luck on that thing called Growing Up.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora

 

[/quote]Again, how is my post idiotic? Because it clearly refuted your "claim" that alienware is reasonably priced? What exactly did I post that wasn't useful? The fact that Alienware sells the same exact laptop for close to $1000 more than the competitor? Please, enlighten me if you will.

Did the fanboy remark infuriate you? Do you get that a lot? heh I'm sorry but calling my post untruthful wasn't so polite either, as ANYONE can come up with my figures and NOBODY can come up with yours. Sorry fanboy, I'm simply being rational. If there is an error with my configurations or price, feel free to correct me, else stfu.

cheers,

yass
[/quote]

[ ][ ]

yass, I am a Voodoo and Mac owner, both of which must make you cringe.
I have no interest in arguing the merits of either, nor for the good or bad points of AW. I just liked your response to my favorite Mod of all time. [ ]

 

whatever yass. you can think of yourself as being rational but in reality all your doing is looking for whatever excuse you can to tell others not to get an Alienware system. and you even think that a word like fanboy means anything. I'm just pointing out to people that find this forum that there are people like you that will post anything to turn them away from an Alienware. your numbers are wrong and your the one that needs to stfu. [ ]

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by bmwrob
yass, I am a Voodoo and Mac owner, both of which must make you cringe.
I have no interest in arguing the merits of either, nor for the good or bad points of AW. I just liked your response to my favorite Mod of all time. []<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Actually, I like Mac -- they are stylish, and does certain things extremely well -- much better than what x86 platform can do. I've used Macs on many occasions, and FinalCut Pro is still the best video editing software this side of SGI, period. Of course from a pure performance perspective, VoodooPC makes no sense for the price. You are paying for its looks, and hey if you are good for it, more power to ya. I was merely pointing out some pricing differences -- which ANYBODY can easily verify from the sources I mentioned. I suppose that's "untruthful" -- I'm still curious as to where Aurora gets his figures, certainly it wasn't from the Alienware site...

My numbers are wrong? Sure, I gave specific links, and specific summaries cut n'pasted straight from the respective websites. He apparently has no clue what he's talking about. Typical I suppose, paint a pair of ugly eyelids on an ODM laptop, throw in an overpriced $12 mousepad, and you got ignorant fanboys willing to pay $1000 more for it. Were my posts rips on Alienware? of course they are, backed by numbers ANYBODY can easily obtain. I don't need to pull numbers out of my aS$ to prey on unsuspecting, unexperienced consumers.

cheers,

yass

 

I love hearing Yass tell you off aurora. because unlike Yass You failed to give any links to where someone could configure the AW specs for the price you mentioned. I did however go to the link Yass posted and for what he has listed I come up with the same price.

but hey look at it this way if you got the money and dont mind spending it on a over priced notebook with specs you could get alot cheaper and sh!ty CS than by all means do so.

I guess there are Idiots born everyday.

 

I have been reading this forum for a bit..I had given aurora the benefit of the doubt since this did seem to be a just bash Alienware thread. However, Aurora why did you just blow yourself out of the water by claiming that you could get the system you posted for that amount of $?

And if you can get it for that price.. where? (link please)

which moderator on the other forums are you, since I read those also and would like to see some posts if you don't mind.

This whole thread here seems kinda suspect..[?]

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by elias2005

 

this can go on and on... it still comes down to this being an anti-boutique forum. at least I will be honest if i made an error. I must have mixed up the numbers from the differnt windows I had open. but my intetion was good. of course it was going to be checked so it wasnt meant to post false info like yasser did in his first post. It looks like I posted a different lesser configuration cost. either way, I can still say that yasser is being decieving by manipulating the configurations of these two systems. It really comes down to the fact that if a person wants one of these type of systems then they shouldnt have to wade through the posts people make against getting one. If fred here would never want one for whatever reasons then thats fine. People need to know that there are people like this in forums and they personally dont want one and dont think anyone should have one.

Given the fact that all these costs fluctuate and the sites change when the costs change... the Alienware came out as 3,966 after rebate and the Sager was 3,244 after rebate. Differece of 722. The alienware includes a 3 year warranty that is not available with the Sager. and the Alienware warranty includes free shipping for repair that is not included with the Sager. The alienware also includes lifetime online support from alienware techs.

well it was nice visiting again. but its not a place to stay and hang out. no one really needs an anit boutique forum. People buy nice things. some people don't understand that. elias2005, Im not going to post a link on someone elses forum but I might have one in my profile if you click on my name. as you can see by some of these posts, I have an anti-fan club.

 

...and bmwrob,

The Voodoo/Kimble thread had nothing to do with the quality of Voodoo Systems. It was about Voodoo publically bashing a Voodoo Customer and posting personal information about a customer on the Voodoo Forums. also Voodoo took out ADS on Google to publically bash a customer.

and your point is what bmwrob?

 

Aurora, thx for clearing up the mistake. I've been on the Alienware config thing before and never came close to the your 1st price. But when I said suspect, that was meant to go both ways as the other gentleman sounded like your typical "Alienware stinks, yada yada yada.." But check this out." I know some about Alienware, or should I say I've heard of them more. I have heard of Sager but know nothing about them. Is an Alienware Area 51M 7700 machine the same machine as a Sager 9860 or 9880?

 

LOL this guy is still acusing me of not having the right numbers? Both systems I configured in my first post were EXACTLY the same, EVEN down to the 3yr on-site warranty. The only difference being the Alienware has the 1680x1050 display while the Sager features the 1920x1200 display. Normally that higher resolution display is about a $90 upgrade at most places that offers them, so in fact, if anything I *underestimated* the pricing disparity! As I said, anyone can go to www.alienware.com, and www.discountlaptops.com and compare. It's a simple matter really, did you even bother reading my posts Aurora?

Elias, almost all those "high-end" botique shops uses the same ODM chasis: the Clevo 900 series -- here's the link to the manufactuer

http://www.clevo.com.tw/products/D900T.asp

Alienware, VoodooPC, Hypersonics, Sager, etc are all the same exact computer, just rebadged with their own brands. With the exception of Sager, everyone else put a fresh new coat of paint on theirs and charge a few hundred bucks more for it. This really isn't a big secret, as if you compare the notebooks from the abovementioned shops you will see with the exception of a few cosmetic changes, they are exactly the same!

cheers,

yass

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora

 

// Hahahahaha I love reading this I cant help but check it every couple hrs. to see what aurora is going to spew out next.

Must suck being on someone elses forum and not getting the last word in.

 

Well..so much for that.. I'm really a newbie and was trying to get some info on alien vs sager vs dell..I had no idea about the alienware/voodoo/sager thing. Now that alienware and Sager are pretty much the same thing, what separates them except for price?.. I asumme since they are the same machines the reliabilty is the same? I would think Alienware would have a better resale value because of its name? Why would someone buy a Alienware over a Sager and vice versa?

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by elias2005

 

OMG this forum is great. Everyone flames everyone else for their ''inferior'' systems and ''inferior'' companies. Its a matter of personal preference for crying out loud. Dell = good company. AW = Good company. Voodoo = Good company. Why can't you guys just accept this and stfu already?

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Nucleo

 

have you seen their latest comparison chart showing that the XPS2 dont come with the ULTRA.

If thats not false advertising just to make a buck off a dumbass i dont know what is.

 

I've just read through this entire thread and I think aurora personifies the exact problem with Alienware today. They are too busy with an image and presentation than building a quality product and supporting it across the board to _all_ customers. Any negative claims against their company they immediately debunk as lies or attempts to damage their business. Any other communities not of their own are automatically branded unrepsectable and full of lies because they're not there to cover up the truth that's getting out. Out of all the forums I've visited for notebook information, this one is by far the best and to disclaim so quickly is unprofessional on the part of AW.

Now, like the poster above me noted, take a look at this:

http://www.alienware.com/product_detail_pages/Area-51m_7700/area-51m_7700_compare.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-AREA51-M-7700&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT

That is a comparison of the 7700 vs. the Dell XPS2. Let's debunk the Alienware lies to get to the truth, and no one better than an XPS2 owner who almost bought a Clevo D900 (the 7700) from Sager as the 9860:

--I can say quite clearly that my Pentium-M Centrino Sonoma system does have a _better_ overall and especially gaming processor than the 7700's P4 HT (source:http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20050525/pentium4-01.html).
--There is also quite clearly a PCIe x 16 6800ultra sitting in the rear center of my machine right above where I'm typing now. It's rather impossible for it to not be there when I've already seen it after taking a panel off.
--I'm also quite aware of the "high-performance, low-noise" cooling systems on this XPS2 instead of the "hair-dryer" sound from the 7700.
--I've already ued the SPDIF digital output.
--And I've got a whole slew of exclusives such as: 2.5 hours of battery life on one battery at maximum performance; 16 color LED lights on all sides of the system that can be set on a light show; Exclusive XPS logo and shiney reflective lid; Exclusive under 100 watts low power consumption compared to the competing Clevo D900 model AW uses; Intel Centrino Sonoma platform; and the list can continue

You get the point after reading my comparison as a person who owns an XPS2 and has used a friend's 7700 for a day. By trying to cover up, deny, and lie about what your systems can do while disgracing your customers by calling them AW bashing liars, in my eyes AW is digging itself into a hole and soon won't be able to get out. The price differences between Alienware and others like Sager are very real and a big problem.

But back to support let's be honest, I've gotten the run around with Dell too. Their service sucks, but it sucks because it takes forever to do something. Eventually they fix the problem after being on the phone for an hour or two. What I read more often than not about AW is that the system doesn't get fixed or they get a different answer each call or get charged absurd amounts for things under warranty. I had a Dell technician with a new LCD screen at my house with the exact ordered replacement model LCD I needed 5 days after my call.

And I've owned a Sony system before too. Unlike the Dell XPS2 I have, the Sony had an immediate show stopping problem 2 weeks into use. It could not use its own battery and the motherboard was failing and failing to recognize USB ports. So I called Sony, was on hold for a little bit, got someone, and the next day I had a box to overnight my system to CA for repair. Sony sent it back 5 days later again overnighted and all at my house pickup and delivery through Airborne Express. And when I received the system back it worked perfect again, except they had broken off a foot to the system that lifted the rear of the GRZ630 up to improve air circulation. This little piece of plastic was also overnighted to me 2 days later and the actual call to request it was met with _zero_ wait time. The system automatically recognized my customer number and automatically put me through without asking questions. What I read about AW most of the time is that you're always waiting 20 minutes to talk to someone who may or may not be helpful and normally the issue goes unresolved. Sony (best) > Dell > AW (worst).

Granted, not everyone has problems with their laptops. But because of the attitude of Alienware, the horror stories about their support, the lack of quality control, absurd prices, the way their employees regard customers as AW bashing liars, and turtle-like speed of getting things done, I would never buy an AW machine. For that matter, I wouldn't buy a Voodoo either for the exact same reasons. It would be a Sager or Falcon because when I read a complaint about them it does often get resolved, Sager in case very quickly with the assistance of a reseller.

And aurora, tell your friends at AW that according to www.notebookforums.com members the best XPS 2 is still benching and performing _better_ than the best 7700 (9880). Even the lower spec XPS 2's like my own is performing better than the average 7700 when it has a 6800 ultra. It's time to get out of the marketing and comparisons department and start concentrating on taking care of your customers and not attacking them. Image is only skin deep. What's inside is much worse for this company. And don't forget Customer Service 101: Customer goodwill is more valuable than the transaction with a customer itself.

Have a nice day [8D]

________________________________________________________________________
UT2004 SoulKeeper - Modeler | Unreal Engine Game Content Developer: Maps, Models, Animations, Characters, Textures

 

"Rubberized grips: Alienware YES Dell XPS2 NO"
[:0] OMG Rubberized GRIPS YES YES YES! There you have it Alienware *is* better!

It's funny how they also have a "yes" for P4 Mobile -- as if that REALLY *is* a benefit in a *LAPTOP*. haha But wait... RUBBERIZED GRIPS! [:0]

cheers,

yass

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Gargoyle

 

LoL I would say the responses I have gotten from "Aurora" has been *extremely* childish. I'm merely poking fun at Alienware's marketing prowlness (or the lack of). To think that rubberized grips has to be mentioned in order to sell a $4k computer is amusing at best, and at worst, RETARDED.

I was being sarcastical, if you have any relevent info regarding my *OTHER* posts, feel free to correct me.

yeesh, not a whimper of a response during the heated facts-ridden exchange, and finally I got called "childish" for making a joke. sad, sad...

cheers,

yass

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Nucleo

 

Just guessing, but I think yass was referring to Aurora's sudden silence.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Nucleo

 

Im glad you have nothing to say[xx(] you sound like a typical AW owner -If I spent more $ for it it must be better-

Im so glad you think at 19 being able to waste your money on a over priced laptop is smart thinking.
Oh and were we supposed to be impressed with you listing the items you have bought with your own money.
I mean if you think being able to buy thoes things at 19 means you have buttloads of money I must be rich as hell.

Oh by the way, I helped build the steering column in your car. well that is if it was made between 94-now.
hope you like your ride im getting ready to trade my 98 in on one of the new convertible. or I might hold off till 2007 when they bring out the Shelby GT 500 convertible. [ ]

 

You know, I bought the Alienware Area51 m, and when I got it, The first day there were problems with it. A major problem was before login the screen went black, so I have the same problem as you do bradtatum, and yes, they told me to use a paper clip on the switch. After a while, the windows loading screen freezes and restarts, and does that repeatedly until I hold the off switch and wait about 20 minutes, and if I'm lucky it will start. So I sent it back and it was gone for 11 days. The tech support told me it would be gone for 2 months but I *****ed them out so they decided 11 days. Got it back, and the screen still goes blank before login and the keyboard was not on all the way. I was abled to pull the keyboard almost all the way off. Crappy service if you ask me. By the way, they refuse get get me store credit or money back because its been a year of nothing but problems. I didnt call by 30 days. They tell me that I need to keep talkin to tech support to fix the problem. Im out $4000 [V]

 

I am BRAND NEW to the forum. I am in 12th grade with graduation soon approaching. As a grad gift, I get mom's money to buy a brand new laptop for college (up to $3000), though we all know we do not simply use are laptops for simple word documents. I have an expensive taste and want the biggest badest thing I can get regardless of factors such as weight and battery life which some take into regard.

I have been to Alienware's website many times but just recently have I been building and re-configuring the Area-51m just to get it under that $3,000 price ceiling. Well, such components include the 550 P4 at 3.4 ghz, 2gb of Ram, 256mb on the graphics card, the 60gb hardrive at 6200rpm, and all the neccessities such as a microsoft office bundel etc.

Since I do have this price restriction, and I like the high-end parts, I'm compromising a lot of other services, SUCH AS THE WARRANTY AND THEIR RESPAWN! Hearing all these problems (mind you not a single problem that is common among the users) is certainly detering me from getting this product especially since I will lack on coverage. Finances going into college are bad enough, a $3,000 dollar paper-weight isn't appealing.

Once I leave this site, I will still take the opportunity to see Alienware's forum since I am somewhat of an optomist and try to view both sides. But this has me contimplating if I would be better off simply drop kicking the machine right when it arrives on my doorstep then have to deal with this customer service and problems throughout the summer (if it even arrives during those short 2 1/2 months).

On a more positive note, I am pleased I found this site. It might not only save me a lot of money, but a lot of time. I'm also looking at a Compaq X6000 with most of the same rated hardware. Hell, it even has the 650 P4 rather than the 550 which simply gives me another MB of cache. Yet is far more affordable. I'll look into this Sager too that you guys speak of.

 

Get a Sager 9880 from www.pctorque.com or another Sager reseller. [ ] There's a big rebate going on, and you can get a 600 series Intel CPU. Otherwise, check out that Gateway M680.

________________________________________________________________________
UT2004 SoulKeeper - Modeler | Unreal Engine Game Content Developer: Maps, Models, Animations, Characters, Textures

 

Well Yannick, what you need to ask is what's the primary purpose of your laptop?

Do you plan to play games on it? Or is it just gonna be to type up word documents?

I mean, if you are essentially only gonna be using it to surf the net and type up a few papers, there are MUCH better alternatives.

IBM Thinkpads are arguably the best-built laptops in the world, and I'm sure whatever institution you are going to, will have substantial student discount prices with their product. For a more stylish take that does NOT compromise on build quality, check out Asus's line of notebooks. One popular site seems to be www.proportable.com, there are other slightly cheaper sites that also sells them.

Now, if you REALLY want to play games -- look no further than the Dell xps2. Currently it's gaming performance FAR surpasses any other laptop that's shipping *right now*, REGARDLESS of the price. Yes Alienware, Sager all claim to have the Go6800U part for their laptop, but if you actually try to configure one with that gpu, you gonna get a "will delay shipping" message, and frankly, Dell essentially has that market cornered. lol

Either which way, there are a lot of alternatives out there, I'm sure something will strike your fancy. $3k is quite a bit of money on a laptop, I'm sure you'll get a nice one.

cheers,

yass

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by yassarian

Either which way, there are a lot of alternatives out there, I'm sure something will strike your fancy. $3k is quite a bit of money on a laptop, I'm sure you'll get a nice one.


yass
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Yeah 3k is a lot for a new notebook. I would also recommend the xps2 if that is what you have to spend. Alienware doesn't put better components into their computers, they put the exact same parts into them that every other company does.

The XPS2 uses a Pentium M which uses a lower clock to get the same performance of a Pentium 4. Sure the P4 numbers look impressive because they are higher MHz.. but what you are actually getting is higher heat and lower battery life. Performance is the same in games since games are all limited by the Video card today. The Pentium M is a MUCH better choice for a notebook.

In fact, even if the XPS2 with a Pentium M was more expensive than the Alienware with a Pentium 4 I would still see the XPS2 as being more attractive. The Pentium M is just a better CPU in a notebook.

I have no personal experience with Alienware, and that is because I would never be dumb enough to buy something with such an inflated price when I can get something exactly the same (well better if you factor in the Pentium M) for hundreds less.

Just my opinion.

Tim


Dell Inspiron 9300, Pentium M 1.86GHz, 1GB 533MHz DDR2, 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 6800, 17" LG WUXGA+, 60GB HDD (7200rpm), DVD+-RW

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by yassarian


Either which way, there are a lot of alternatives out there, I'm sure something will strike your fancy. $3k is quite a bit of money on a laptop, I'm sure you'll get a nice one.

cheers,

yass
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Yeah 3k is a lot for a new notebook. I would also recommend the xps2 if that is what you have to spend. Alienware doesn't put better components into their computers, they put the exact same parts into them that every other company does. So I pose the question that a lot of people ask.. Why so much more expensive? The customer service obviously isn’t any better than anywhere else… I think the answer is that they can charge so much because they falsely lead people to believe that they are superior, and people that don’t know better believe that they are. I mean jeeze it costs $1000+ more than the competitors it MUST be better!!! Right? Heh yeah right.

The XPS2 uses a Pentium M which uses a lower clock to get the same performance of a Pentium 4. Sure the P4 numbers look impressive because they are higher MHz.. but what you are actually getting is higher heat and lower battery life. Performance is the same in games since games are all limited by the Video card today. The Pentium M is a MUCH better choice for a notebook.

In fact, even if the XPS2 with a Pentium M was more expensive than the Alienware with a Pentium 4 I would still see the XPS2 as being more attractive. The Pentium M is just a better CPU in a notebook.

I have no personal experience with Alienware, and that is because I would never be dumb enough to buy something with such an inflated price when I can get something exactly the same (well better if you factor in the Pentium M) for hundreds less.

Just my opinion.

Tim

 

I agree if you got $3k get the XPS2 its the best out right now period nothing else can touch it performance wise or price wise.


Sagers are great to and about $1000 less than AW for the same unit

 

I own a small design company and I have been looking into all these high end gaming machines as I need to invest in some additional portable notebooks with ultra-high end performance.

So, luckily I realized on my own that Falcoln NW is basically a generic computer with a 2000$ paint job on it by the time all is said and done, Voodoo appears to be a little cheaper, but still way over priced, and that lead me to Alienware which are the most affordable of the 3 companies with entirely the same components. And luckily, I found these posts regarding the negative responses to alienware over and over and over. I do not think that I will order the two premium Area 51's completely loaded after all.

You know about 18 months ago I purchased an HP Pavillion zd7000, completely loaded (at the time)... 3.06ghz/1gig ram/128mb video, etc. At the time it was their creme de la creme for the most part. They shipped it to me in half of the expected wait time, and the machine itself never had any issues until a year later when the motherboard died.

I am hard on these notebooks... I am doing hardcore animation rendering that really cooks these notebooks for 12-16 hours at a time (straight) usually. But I called HP, removed my harddrive, and shipped it to them overnight at their expense, and they had MY computer (not a refurb) back to me in 4.5 days... I kid you not! They replaced the motherboard, and did whatever upgrades they needed to and sent it right back overnight, and I didn't pay a dime for it.

My girlfriend just ordered the new zd8000 from them of which I am a little jealous ; ). It is remarkably nicer than mine, and it arrived in a fraction of the estimated time for delivery.

So there is my experience for you.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by echo-oche

I am hard on these notebooks... I am doing hardcore animation rendering that really cooks these notebooks for 12-16 hours at a time (straight) usually.
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If you are really cooking your notebooks and using them for extended hours then a mobile CPU is what you should be using. Using a desktop CPU in a notebook computer for that long is bound to end up frying something (like a MB). Get the highest clocked Pentium M, and it will do the same job as any P4 at a fraction of the temperature and voltage.

Any notebook that has a Pentium 4 in it is complete rubbish no matter what it costs.

Tim


Dell Inspiron 9300, Pentium M 1.86GHz, 1GB 533MHz DDR2, 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 6800, 17" LG WUXGA+, 60GB HDD (7200rpm), DVD+-RW

 

the Pentium M has the worst proe scores. If you dont know what your talking about then dont give advice. a P4 3.6 will be fine for the 3d rendering that this person is discussing. a PM is total junk for thisa type of work. Get an Alienware MJ12. it is designed specifically for Professional work. Dont listen to this Anti-Alienware forum. all they do is bash Alienware and tell everyone to get a Dell with a Pentium M.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by aurora

 

be that way yass. if i didnt stop by once in a while this would be a dead forum becaue it doesnt cater boutique owners. this is where people go to learn they are fools for even thinking about getting what they want. you are anti-boutique. go back to your common Dell forum.

start here:
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?p=960425#post960425

 

Hi sorry for the delay in getting back. I tend to use 3DSMax, Maya, and Poser. And no kidding, I am completely shocked my HP hasn't caught on fire yet. And honestly... its been pretty awesome for an HP. But I do need to step up a bit more to faster proc, better video, and more Ram.

I am pretty much opposed to the Alienware rig because of the posts here, however I do like that they are a bit different looking and unique.

But the question I have is this. It appears that the AW MJ series or Area 51M, has so many issues right out of the box. So that leads me to the Sager... for obvious reasons... its a grand cheaper with good cust/serv...

But the units are identical outside of the AW branding, so will I simply be setting myself up for failure either way?

 

Thanks for you input Tim.

I actually called Intel yesturday. The remarkable thing is that for a company that large I wasn't on hold more than 10 seconds either time.

Ok, so while I am still unsure of which processor to get in the P4 realm, they did confirm that the Mobile procs will be useless to me for 3d animation work. I would be curious to hear from anyone who is in my line of work to know if they get by with an M.

Overall I am really looking to improve render times, so I am looking at 3.4(variations) to 3.8(variations) but I am really confused with all the variations between them.

haha... and yes as I mentioned I did in fact fry one motherboard 8)

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>
If you are really cooking your notebooks and using them for extended hours then a mobile CPU is what you should be using. Using a desktop CPU in a notebook computer for that long is bound to end up frying something (like a MB). Get the highest clocked Pentium M, and it will do the same job as any P4 at a fraction of the temperature and voltage.

Any notebook that has a Pentium 4 in it is complete rubbish no matter what it costs.

Tim
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

 

Yass, I am so glad there are people like you in these forums. Thank you for the valuable information. Resources like this are wonderful.

I am wondering with regard to the P4 processors... for 3d gaming, and 3d animation rendering would it be better to have a 3.6ghz proc with 2mb L2, or a 3.8 with 1mb L2 cache?

These things are very confusing to me and I have yet to see any great comparitive benchmarks.

Thanks again,
Echo