Alienware is bad! But why?

Hello,

I've met many people that tell me "Alienware is bad!" when I tell them I'm thinking of getting one and when I ask them for the reason they don't explain it well or I don't understand it well or some of the times they say "It looks nice but it's not worth it" and I'm getting sick of it.

Why is it "BAD"?! Or in other words, why is it called "BAD"?!

 

every one has there own opinion. i personally have not had any problemsand have always been helped in 2 days or less with emails. i have not had to send my laptop in for repairs but some have and had to wait for 20-40 days and some have only had to wait 5 days. Alienwares customer service sucks unless you talk to roswell there about 50 times better. and what they mean as not worth it is there priced a little higher but for that price you get the look and the matte finish that no one else gives.....and depending which laptop you want custom lighting so for the extra 150-250 you get

matte finish
nnice keyboard(with pretty lights)
skullcap yeaaaa
the pride of know you have one

 

This comes from the enthusiast side of computer building and gaming (Mainly desktop) because it would be much cheaper to build one yourself then pay a ridiculous price for the exact same parts and performance.

 

SOME people have experienced poor customer service, SOME people have gotten pc's that don't work properly...there is less tolerance for this kind of stuff for "Boutique" brands who charge a premium for their products...

My personal experience with AW has been good...I've purchased an m9750 (last year) and an m17 (just over a month ago) and both were shipped quickly, looked awesome, and worked great...I was a little pissed when AW assured me the m9750 would support the soon-to-be-released m8800 GTX only to eventually learn there would be no such support but I got over it...
I'm sure there are more people out there with a story like mine than there are people with a horror story...

 

Alienware is a boutique brand. Excluding the M17, all of their laptops are available with the same specs from other vendors (IE, Sager) for a much lower price - all that is lost is the look (no skullcap) and the name.

Many have also had issues with the cosmetic quality of Alienware. I have personally seen first hand many Alienwares that died before their time, not from abuse, but simply from poorly designed or poorly constructed systems.

An example of this is the infamous cracking hinge on the M15X. All brands will have issues - this is a fact. You would simply expect that for what you pay with Alienware, you're also getting some higher level of quality. This is sadly not the case though, and those other brands that offer the same level of power for a lower price also offer a higher level of quality (and better warranty, but that's another thing) than Alienware.

 

Can I build an Alienware by and for myself? With that cool Alien Face and Keyboard Illumination?

 

I think Fordx4 was making the assumption that an alien face was not worth 1000 dollars
Illuminated keyboards are available from many companies, not just AW.

 

Not sure if I agree with that...where would you be able to buy a rebranded version of the m15x or m17x...or even the m9750?...that, like the m17 is exclusive to Alienware as well...

 

What other companies make notebooks with Illuminated keyboards?

 

yes.

and people don't like alienware cause it's dell....

 

apple sony all i can think of

 

From your opinion, Alienware is worth it? Or there are better notebooks you would recommend that are for gaming just like Alienware?

 

What's wrong with Dell? I like the Dell XPS and that Light FX thing.

 

which works with the m15x and m17x too

 

It doesn't have to be a re-brand of the same laptop (even though Alienware is just rebranding laptops...)

Compare:
M15X with Sager NP8660
M17X with Dell M1730
m9750 with ...wait, why would you buy this? Dell M1730, I know toshiba has a similar laptop - but why, oh god why would you opt for SLI 8700M GTs in a 17" system?
M17 with OCZ Whitebook

Depends on your budget. As I said, the only AW I see being worth buying is the M17, period. It depends what you're looking for specifically though.

 

Oh didn't know that so it's like Dell is nothing in my eyes now?

 

huh? 3 laptops from AW have the illuminated keyboard

the m15x has issues with hinges (but if you get a good one its a good buy )
the m17x is old...and out dated
the m17 is where the party is at

m17 is the only white book selling right now

 

And you've got to be kidding me! From where will I get that Alien Face other than Alienware?

 

And it's better than the Dell XPS m1730?

 

Dell owns Alienware, but they operate separately. Dell charges more reasonably, but sadly [I say sadly - I've always loved Dell's laptops] their quality has dropped off in the past year. The M1730 is good competition to the M17X, but it's old technology. I personally wouldn't buy a gaming laptop without Montevina support right now.

Yes.

PS- MR.Moo, the M17 is not a whitebook.

 

the m17 poops on the xps 1730 ...unless you want to spend over 3 k

the m17 you can get for 2100 after tax and play the newest games out.

it is montevina platform so you get quad cores and ddr3 ram and confirmed support for the 4870's with ddr5. and yes a illuminated keyboard and a skullcap lid.

 

If money is not really an issue as was with me then an Alienware is at the top of the list for unique looks + high power brands. If your budget concious then yes, think about another brand, however the M17 is decently priced. Contrary to the some of the posts above, AW's M17x and the M17/OCZ Whitebook have scored good reviews for design, specs and general reliability.

 

Alienware is sold worldwide? I don't care about the price as long as I can pay monthly as I've seen on the site!

 

ROFL! Thanks for the laugh! I almost got myself into some big dell trouble then!

 

lol Souz..you sound sold already. Take your time on this and remember you need to contact AW to see if you qualify for the payment program.

 

This is what is wrong with the world today buying things they cant afford. When you have to finance something like a laptop you dont need it.

 

I guess Alienware is only sold in America.. Cause on the site when I try to order one it only shows me states of America and I can't change the country..

Would be a real problem cause there is nothing else that I feel like getting other than the Toshiba Qosmio x305 and it's filled with problems..

And Dell XPS m1730 is worthless now.

 

What do you mean? Why don't I need it when I have to finance it?

 

When you cant pay cash for something as cheap as a laptop you don't actually need it that bad.

 

they are sold around the world there are differnt sites for differnt countrys

yes it is....if it wasnt then when i open the bottem it wouldnt say flextronics d840 mxm cable.....its a white book with a paint job and a lid

 

I can afford paying for it monthly instead of directly cause I really want it that bad..

 

And back to my original statement.

 

can you give me the site for the middle-eastern one or asian one(japanese specifically)?

Thanks!

 

I can't understand mate! You're funny though.

 

Oh my god... it was a whitebook before the paint job and lid. By adding those things, by adding a brand name, it's no longer a whitebook. All laptops are technically whitebooks, by your definition.

 

Do some research on the housing market right now and you'll understand.

 

the Arima W840 is a whitebook. the laptop made by OCZ is called Whitebook. the laptop sold by Alienware is called M17.

 

zing!


{ten characters}

 

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_box_(computer_hardware) .

 

Pff.. I've always been very bad in Business and Economics that I still can't understand anything I read with Business or Economical information.

I guess you're trying to tell me that choosing to pay monthly would cause me problems, is that it? Then what are the problems?

 

then yes every thing is a white book. but what computer does every one call the whitebook? the flextronis 840.... its a unstated rule...but fine ill just end it

 

whitebook =/= Whitebook

 

he means idiots that buy stuff they cannot afford then declare bankruptcy and every one loses

 

By the way, what is a WhiteBook?

 

The problem is you cant afford it. Your just paying more for the same product by financing. Alienware has the first year free interest but if your having to finance in the first place your not going to be able to afford to pay it off by then anyways thats even if alienware allows for early payments.

 

Oh now I get it and I am very disappointed.

 

a Whitebook used to be OCZ laptop that was a DIY laptop that you could build and several people sold it but it was discountiued so not only AW has the laptop. basically dont worry about it

 

no, Mr. Moo, that's the Whitebook. a whitebook is "a notebook computer assembled from off-the-shelf parts." (from wiki).

 

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh whizzo your impossible

 

it's the only way to hold the two apart