Dell Absorbs Alienware. Systems to be made in Dell Factories now

Dell has finally absorbed Alienware, and they are no more.

Both of the Dedicated Alienware factories in Florida and Ireland are being closed. The systems will now be made directly by Dell, and In Dell Factories, and merely have the "Alienware" logo slapped on them. Tech support will now be Provided by Dell CS.

I dont know about you, but Dells are known for low Quality, and I really dont want a Dell.

The systems will say "Alienware", but thats all that will be Alienware. A rebranded Dell is not an Alienware system to me.


Its like HP and Compaq. You buy a "Compaq" computer, but you really know Its an HP with the Compaq name slapped on it. Buy an Alienware now, and you will really be getting a Dell system. (or like Gateway and eMachine)

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Alienware Laying Off Employees


By Luke Plunkett on March 25, 2009 at 7:30 PM

Times, they are tough. And Dell, owners of PC gaming enthusiast brand Alienware, are no exception, with tech site ExtremeTech reporting that an undisclosed number of Alienware employees are facing the sack.

Citing an internal memo they obtained from an Alienware employee, it’s said that the group will be closing both of its dedicated manufacturing plants (in Miami and Ireland), with production to be shifted to parent company Dell’s factories. These closures will be accompanied by layoffs, though Alienware - while confirming the closures - refuse to put a number on how many will be affected.

Since it’s two entire facilities being closed down, it’s probably “a lot”.

Strangely, the move comes at the exact same time the company plans to expand its operations, with Alienware gaming computers expected to be released in 29 new markets across 17 new languages in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America over the next 12 months.

Source: http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/03/alienware_laying_off_employees-2/

 

Explains why they havnt started building my system yet. They going to ship everything across the US and then start building already ordered systems?

 

im kinda mad right now

i agree that a rebranded Dell is not an Alienware. its almost like putting a Ferrari sticker on a Honda.

So where are they going to be made now? communist china? or some sweat shop in india?

 

If the systems are made in dell factories, with rebranded dell parts by dell workers, and then use dell CS (even if operating under the Alienware CS guise), how is this still Alienware?
Its just a dell with an "Alienware" name (logo) on it. Dells are known for low quality, and poor CS.

Its like buying a Compaq now adays- its the same as a HP system, or emachine which is the same as a Gateway. slapping a ripley or skullcap on the Dell lid doesnt make it an Alienware system... Its still a Dell.

Alienware as we all know it, and even the reputation is gone. They are no more. Alienware only exists as a marketing brandname gimmick now.


RIP

 

When it comes to support, the only positive thing I find about Dell is their on-site support and their American based support is also good.

When it comes to quality, Dell is better (I'm talking about the high end line). The XPS m1530/m1730 comparing to m15x/m17x are more solid (yes, I've had them all ) I am not saying Alienware's quality is bad, but Dell Machines are more solidly build.

Oh well, looks like Alienware is now nothing but a name now.

 

Think that's going a little extreme...AW will remain a somewhat independant division within DELL, of course with now more then ever increased oversight by DELL managers over the Alienware department. The CS I expect to get worse especially with the shutdown of Roswell. DELL still manages to produce what seems to me a quality high end gaming line in the XPS systems and I expect that they will be under pressure to continue putting out solid systems. Perhaps there will be more merging between the XPS and Alienware design divisions who knows at this point...Way too early to say RIP though.

 

How so?
How are they an independent division if made in a dell factory? They were an independent division when they had their own factories, and support and offices. That is gone. It is much cheaper for dell to merge the production/assembly.

They will make the systems on the same assembly lines as the dell systems, use the same distributors, only the parts will be rebranded. Thats not an independent division. That is a Dell system under a different name only.

When the Alienware factories were shutdown, Alienware employees at those locations layed off, they effectively became RIP, and ceased to be an Independent division with their own autonomy.



Your argument is akin to saying Sybari Software Inc. when purchased by Microsoft (Onecare), is still an Independent antivirus Division.
The new Alienware systems will be such in name only now. Dell will milk and charge excessively for a Dell marked as "Alienware", but no matter how you spin it, Alienware ceased to exist the moment its factories and offices were closed.

 

They could just stick an Alienware badge on a current Dell model with the same options and hardware but I don't think they would get very much mileage out of that.

IMAO, I think it's more likely that there will be sufficient differences in Dell made A.W.'s do differentiate them from other laptops in Dell's line-up.

Just as now, there isn't and exact Dell equivalent to any A.W. model.

They have more than enough resources to produce an entirely different chassis for upcoming A.W. laptops and I'm sure it makes good business sense to do so.

They bought Alienware to increase their market share of gaming laptops and make more money. Ya gotta believe they're smart enough to realize this won't happen if they just stick an alien head on a Dell.

The global expansion, built in infrastructure and the resources that Dell brings to the table, all but ensures a far greater customer base for the Alienware product line.

Dell already has more than one production line. They have many models and many lines. Now they will have a few more production lines. Go ahead and call them Dells if you want. They will still be kick a** gaming rigs. I don't have faith that the Dell bean counters will do everything right, but I do fully expect them to squeeze every penny they can out of the A.W. line and they know that's not gonna happen with some stickers and badges.

Alienware will continue to be synonymous with high end gaming prowess for many years to come.

EDIT: To rive0108, your example of Sybari Software Inc. doesn't apply here. It really is apples and oranges. Microsoft buys out software companies to either remove competion from the market or to integrate the software for their own use. The latter is the case for Sybari/Onecare. Microsoft wasn't relying on the reputation/following/brand recognition or the Sybari name to bring lverage to the table. For Dell, it's the opposite. It is in fact the Alienware name that interests them. They didn't buy a technology as has been pointed out many times. They bought a Name to increase market share in the laptop gaming market. The new A.W.'s will be made by Dell on a Dell production line but will still be different than the rest of the Dell line-up. Just as "XPS" is a product line of Dell, "Alienware" will be a different product Line.

 

I am not saying they will do that, I am sure they will have a "new" lineup, But who is really making it? Alienware or Dell?

My point is, Alienware is defunct-they have no factories, "they" will not now make anything. Dell will be making them in their factories, and simply label them as "Alienware".

Why not let Asus, or CyberPower, or Avertec make the "Alienware" systems then, and just sub it out...It would still be an Alienware, right?, just slap a skullcap or ripley on it and there you go! If Alienware corp no longer makes the system is it truly still an Alienware, or just an expensive imatation?

 

Sad, now there will be no difference between a XPS and an Alienware, besides name.

-CS with Dell is terrible, hardly can understand what they're saying, at least with AW, there used to be the Roswell division... -_-.

 

well...

It will have that neat skullcap design

 

Dell owns Alienware and they will make it whatever they think they can make the most money.

I believe the best Alienware laptops are yet to come, "Alienware line" of Dell.

 

Do you really believe they are so stupid to just add a badge to a dell model?

Cmon guys, they are in business to make money.

 

The best way to make money in this financial meltdown is to cut costs-

cheaper labor, cheaper materials, etc.

As you call it, the "Alienware line", now that it is no longer made by Alienware, is nothing more than a slick gimmick to rip people off, when they are really just buying a Dell

 

Hopefully Dell doesn't follow in the footsteps of HP? cough*Voodoo*cough

 

Most Alienwares weren't made by Alienware.

 

If only the chasis is different how will most know the difference?
All you really will be buying when you buy the "new" Alienware systems is a Dell XPS with a Alienware chasis.

 

They have propritary components, and chasis now.

 

Not really, just like the XPS line is different than the rest of the Dell line-up so to will the Alienware line-up be different.

 

This will only be true if Dell decides to keep the Alienware and Dell manufacturing seperate. With the merging of production into Dell factories, this means AW comps will have to be built so that factores building Dells can also build AW comps. This would almost make it like a Dell with AW branding.

 

Ok.

But again, who will be making that line-up? Dell or Alienware?

I suspect Alienware may have abit of a problem without their factories...

Therefore, It is nothing more than a rebranded Dell.

 

They will be built in a Dell plant. They have a different assembly line for each different model they sell and when Dell begins manufcturing the "Alienware" line, they will have a few more production lines.

 

So, in otherwords, It will be a Dell

 

Here is the difference. Instead of having a Flextronics/Arima chassis that many companies re-brand including Alienware, Dell will be manufacturing a chassis only for their Alienware line.

 

You seem to be haveing great difficulty with this. Yes it will be a Dell from their Alienware line. Does it really matter that much. I'll be happy to get a Dell from their elite high end Alienware line. Maybe some people won't like that. There are a lot of companies to choose from in that case.

Sry to post back to back.

I'll have to change my sig to: Plays best on an Alienware Dell!

Cmon, don't stop now. I've only got 14 more posts to get to 500! lol

 

I doubt it.

They are closing the Alienware manufacturing plants to cut costs, and will most likely not be running seperate production lines to build both Alienware and Dell systems (hence, otherwise this is the same as running the Alienware factories, which they closed to merge production at the Dell plants.)

its all about money, i.e., the closures and the layoffs. The production lines will be merged, and Alienware will just have a different chasis and name.

 

Different chassis, name, options. Sounds good to me.

Right now, the only difference between the M17, OCZ, and Killer notebooks Nagamaki, to name a few, is the lid and the bios. Not much difference at all.

 

Hmm.. Getting my M17 in a few days - maybe it will be a collectible in a few years?

I can see it now on e-bay:
"Last Alienware Notebook Model to be produced when Alienware was still really Alienware...."

$100,000 or nearest offer....

Like a collectibale Ferrari or something... *gazes wistfully into the distance....*


Lol.

 

I thought that myself, the last Alienware system truly made by Alienware.

 

Does anyone remember the Unlockable T7600G released by Dell and Alienware?
http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/reviews/article.php/3666116

"...Nor did it [Alienware m5790] crash or hang during our tests, as the 3.16GHz Dell did a couple of times"

The instability and crashing of the XPS version, and on a further note, the recent poor build quality of the Alienware m15x?

Both of these directly attributable to Dell management. Alienware brandname is soon to be run into the ground, and the name will then be synonymous with bad quality, and poor customer service.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9939821-7.html

"Dell seems to get the brunt of the complaints, at least publicly. Formerly a leader in the field, Dell has dropped to the back of the pack of customer satisfaction among PC owners."

 

I agree to disagree. I believe the Alienware brand name is going to be stronger than it's ever been and will be a rig that's forced to be reckoned with for many yeas. Dell didn't spend many millions of dollars to throw it under a truck as some seem to think.

 

:laugh: Dell?? the same company that is bottom of the barrel in CS support, and farmed out support to India (where the CS support is only what can be read off the internet?), and where $35 is a week's wage? (because they are soo cheap DELL???)

Surely you jest. Dell is about as incompentent as they come. They have the highest customer dissatisfaction rate of all.:laugh:

FORTUNE 500 (April 2009)
"Dell (DELL) basically flunked with a “poor” 58% rating overall and a “very poor” 47% in enjoyability."
http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/04/18/apple-only-good-dell-poor-and-very-poor/

 

Obviously Dell is doing something right or Alienware would have been able to buy out Dell.

:laugh: Surely you jest. Aside from the short lived Roswell, the only tech support I got was somebody overseas. It's become standard operating practices. And the crummy support I got from A.W. was laughable. :laugh:

 

I suspect that CS fiasco is Dell's doing
Dell only bought them out of desperation to be taken seriously, and because they were/are doing so disasterously.

Even Alienware scored higher than Dell. I suspect dell will run Alienware so far into the ground through incompentence, and they will desperately try to sell the name off in a few years just to stave off bankruptcy.

 

Again, I direct your attention here:

FORTUNE 500 (April 2009)
"Dell (DELL) basically flunked with a “poor” 58% rating overall and a “very poor” 47% in enjoyability."
http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/04/18/apple-only-good-dell-poor-and-very-poor/

 

Wow, you're really going out on a limb there with your "speculation".

Wish I had your crystal ball. :SLEEP:

You can argue with someone else. Out.

 

If you call Fortune 500 ratings/reviews speculation....Perhaps we have a different perception of "crystal balls"

 

I agree with rob. Alienware is going to be bigger and stronger then ever. Talking about bad dell quality? Did you already forget the m15x and m17x? That wasn't produced in Dells factories but in Alienware's. I have NEVER seen any of the problems the m15x and m17x had in a Dell notebook, come to think of it in any notebook!

As for CS, I dont know who you have been talking to but every time I try to call alienware CS I get someone with a thick accent and bad grammar that cant even understand the question im asking. "Hi! I was wondering how much it would cost to upgrade the graphics card to a 9800M GT on the m15x if I one day wanted to do so." "Hello sir, the m15x is a notebook not a desktop" "??? umm ok I was wondering how much it would cost to upgrade the graphics card to a 9800M GT". "Im sorry we dont offer that card" "umm I see it on alienware.com though" "Im sorry we dont offer this card" "but Im looking at it right now on the website!" "Let me ask please hold for moment" "um o [hold sound] ok...." "hello sir Im sorry but we dont offer this card" "....ok thanks anyway".

Just 1 of my many adventures with alienware CS. I HIGHLY doubt Dell's could be this bad, I cant even imagine how.

 

You're getting way ahead of yourself there pal. Manufacture and Depot for EMEA are for example not closing and moving for another several months. Most of these jobs appear to be safe until at least September. Tech Support and Billing are so far the only ones deeply affected since they are the departments that were eliminated and replaced with new teams.

Oh and the new manufacture plant will be in Poland which is where Dell manufacture operates for that part of the world.

I think you get to the heart of the issue with that statement. When it comes to product releases, it may say Alienware on the box, but Dell has been pulling the strings all along. After speaking with management several times, we were all aware that certain models lacked stability in some areas, but the decision still came from above to go ahead with their launch (M17 and X58 rigs come to mind).

There had been a culture of complacency at Alienware recently because the rumors of mergers / job absorptions were swirling around so badly (especially since the New Year). Motivation and morale were around their lowest that I've ever seen since being here.

What Dell does with the brand remains to be seen, but when you look at their track record and the way I've seen them implement their transition so far, I'm less than enthused. (I should have some echos a little later today as to how the new first day went).

 

These mergers/buy-outs are never easy. Look at the fiasco when HP bought Compaq. Maybe this is not as big but there will be a year or two of struggles as they straighten everything out.

 

You are basing you facts on a survey? Its a SURVEY which if anyone knows Fortune Magazine can be skewed anyway they want. I don't trust anything Fortune Magazine says or reports. And thats MY survey of them!

 

I think there are a lot of assumptions happening here.

Unfortunately we can't ever tell what's going to happen. Mergers can turn out many ways..

Compaq was absorbed by HP and I didn't care much because I was never a huge fan of either company.

Northwest Airlines is being absorbed by Delta, and it looks like the service on both carriers may slide downhill.

When Nvidia absorbed 3DFX, Nvidia seemed to benefit.

Japan's Military merged (in a manner of speaking) with the US Military and Japan is now hooked like heroin, and they are only now slowly being weened off.

As many other mergers resulted in one or both companies decreasing quality. Some say Jaguar went downhill with Ford just as Jeep went downhill with Chrysler.

The assertion that "with this economy the only way is cost cutting and cheaper materials etc" is a generalization. While Dell would best be served by consolidating production of AW, I find it unlikely that they will "cheapen" the AW brand.

If I were to make a guess, I'd place AW at eye level with XPS. While the XPS is a high end system which could serve both a business/casual/gaming/etc user, the AW system which could be of the same quality could be focused solely at the hardcore gamer market.

 

I consider myself quite lucky to have received what can only be described as an excellent gaming machine from the "origianl" AW.

I have had dells and they are not that bad, but i am wll versed in the internals of computers so i have never bothered with extended warrenties or customer support i fix it myself.

But i have to say i brought AW for 2 reasons, 1) blistering performance and 2) the name and rep

although dell might be able to keep no.1 they will not be able to keep no.2 for the same reason that Saab lost thier rep and skoda improoved thier, a suboordinate company assumes the rep of the parent.

So all in all, i think AW will loose rep in this deal.

I for one would think more carefully before spending £2000 on a new machine.

Pete

 

You guys have to remember that you are a very small percentage of all computer users, and you're considered an advanced user by even joining and posting in this forum. The outright majority of Dell's customers are satisfied and the same goes for Alienware. Understand that most people won't look past the brand name and investigate every detail like you guys.

That said, Alienware notebooks will not be merely rebadged Dells . . . that would make no sense. It will be interesting to see what an integration into Dell can bring to the table for Alienware.

 

Exactly.

Just to add, people keep saying "oh it's about cutting costs, etc, etc" but let's be reasonable. A company will typically not sabotage itself just to cut costs. They have better information about the market than everyone here. You guys are expert gamers, overclockers, and all, but they are expert company managers. I would say stop overreacting and relax.

How does that go again? "Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."

 

Sorry but I have to disagree with you there. If there had been an inkling of methodical planning about this transition, then I would concede that people in charge might know what they are doing. Unfortunately from what I have witnessed, that is not the case.

I don't want to believe in the somber sabotage conspiracy theory, but there is part of me that thinks... what if?

 

OK, so you imply that they didn't plan carefully, and that they don't know what they are doing... Perhaps you can send them an email with some suggestions.

You mean at the various board meetings you have been present?

 

ok.... this is very interesting... I am going to wrap things up for you guys....

Dell is making profit due to the following reasons.. and only....

a. their core market is business customers, not commercial which they decided they need to get in a few year back.
b. Dell's sales is mainly in the US, and average Americans are not knowledgeable with technology, remember i am talking about majority here. And the number one concern when buying a computer is price.
c. Dell is cheap, i must say that their low cost strategy has been working to their advantages, but definitely not to the customers.

Results : a low cost, bullshxt computer with ty CS to the major and average people. then dell makes good profit. To most business customers, low cost is king, and i guess the Indians and sweatshop production helps their bottom line, well as a businessman, i don't know about you, but that's all that matter.

So, no matter how BS their computer is, there will still be people buying them due to their price and ignorance of NBR. Live with it....we can't stop dell from producing BS, but we can stop buying it.

AW is doing good in the industry because of the following....
a. Well their looks...(hopefully no one will pick on that =/)
b. their branding strategy has attracted the right targeted customers (hardcore gamer with extra cash, care about looks and performance)
c. forget their regular CS...Rosewell is fairly good indeed.
d. it's a relatively niche market, yet a much higher profit margin is keep AW alive. It has been a growing market.
e. Yes, i mean to mention this last, their performance. (noted here that there are many other re-brand product can do the same if not better. So i don't consider this the major factor, a plus to their marketing department)

Result: well marketed high performance and good looking computer in a niche market with high profit margin, CS is ok (again ignoring regular CS here =/).

So.. the big question is here, do anyone thinks that their bottom line will cross? let's face it, no. The only reason that Dell buy out AW is because that they are seeing potential growth in that market and the higher margin comparing to the regular computer segment. Dell execs. did not make a good decision first place to buyout a company's bottom line is entirely opposite to their. It was smart for them to keep AW operating separately before. But now their are making a irrational decision again just solely base on cost reduction, which i believe is going to hurt their bottom line eventually.

My prediction for the AW brand? (+ = goes up and - = goes down)
1.cost -
2.CS -
3.quality -
4.profit margin +
5.market share - (with 2 and 3 goes down which are the major decision altering factor of the niche market)
6.AW brand profitability -
7.Price - (hope to regain market share, this is a Dell speciality)
8.Cut cost - (since they need to retain high margin and cut price)
9.quality - (with no. 8)
10. need to say more? dead loop here.

yup, AW quality is going way down, the brand will be ed by Dell. i don't know about you. but I am moving to something else. period.

 

No I meant that I contributed (indirectly) to the training of the new French team just by receiving calls from them on Thursday and Friday through the tech line. And their level of knowledge (or lack thereof) about the company processes used in EMEA was staggeringly frightening.

You have to realize that since only part of Alienware has been eliminated, the new Dell people have to adapt to our system and the way we do things.
Even the team leader I've spoken to has requested for more help in person, but none has been afforded to them.

It's that "learn as you go along" attitude that I have problems with because it reflects a lackadaisical behavior about such a seismic shift for so many workers. They had a whole month to put this thing in motion yet they didn't seem to care up until now since they are scrambling for help as we speak. (I don't need to be there to hear about things)

We could have collaborated with the new teams, shared calls in conference, walked them through the stages of a system's life, but none of that was done.

Why that is? Your guess is as good as mine, but if I've been taught one thing in life: it's to always follow the money.

 

i was taught

ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY