Dell Goes Private w/Assistance From Microsoft, What Does The Future Hold For Alienware?

Curiously, I had almost the same experience. (Think I write about it before somewhere )over the rainbow...) in this forum... )

 

At the risk of sounding negative - I suspect that Alienware is going to get spun off though the news is not immediately. If the whole purpose of going private is to shore up the Dell name brand and focus on doing the basics right - then Dell will likely move to once again make the XPS lineup their star to help bolster the line up. It just doesn't do to have a product line that is supposed to scream "Dell" then have another on-the-surface brand i.e. Alienware next to it be better then have people think "oh yeah, that IS a Dell too" which reduces the cachet of the primary brand identity. Hope I am wrong about the final outcome though, I like AW with Dell's support. I do believe Dell will continue to support whatever support contracts are in place, although AW support might find itself outsourced but parts would probably be not an issue for some time to come.

 

Micheal just posted an open letter on Dell's site. The legal jargon statement at the bottom was 4 times as long as the letter itself lol. Didnt seem very personal. And it seems Dell is mainly caring about their corporate consumers now.

 

Seeing as Compal currently designs and produces all the Alienware laptops for Dell as long as they continue to use the same OEM there shouldn't be any difference even if Dell does spin them off.

We can hope that everything ends up for the best. It would be a shame for me, I just found out I like Alienware kit.

 

Wait what? I had no idea Compal designed our laptops, that's nuts. I thought Alienware was still responsible for designing and producing the hardware while benefitting from Dell's supply chain. Never would have guessed Compal was behind it.

 

Well than. Now we know who to burn for the horrible quality control.

 

I think the larger concern would be the loss of the warranty support afforded by belonging to a company like Dell. I don't for a minute think that a spin off is going to provide the same level of service as the deep pockets of Dell allow for.

 

Agreed. This is what I am worried about as well.

If they stop developing the M18x all together because the profit margin isn't large enough, what will happen to all of us who purchased three or four years of advanced support? Will there be resources dedicated to handling and replacing parts for us four years down the road? I'm skeptical to believe there will. Once a product/service stops production, like Windows 7 or Windows Messenger, they slowly but surely close the gap on all funding for anything affiliated with said product, usually within 6 to 12 months - it's never the same as it used to be. New policy is introduced, support is diminished, and product replacement essentially becomes non-existent - no more free M18x's with MAX specs because your two year old system pooped out.

Even if they don't get rid of it, I doubt the support will ever be the same.

 

Aside from the onsite tech support (which can sometimes go horribly, horribly wrong), most small resellers have better support than dell. If you send a laptop in to Xotic for instance, you can be confident your machine will comeback better than when you sent it in. If you send your laptop in to the dell depot... it may come back worse and you basically have to cross your fingers...

 

lol there are no guarantees with Sager either. I'd much rather have a tech come out to my house the next day than wait two or three weeks to get my laptop back. Even if the tech screws something up, it's still more likely to be fixed quicker than Sager could manage.

 

Honestly, I have never seen a person with a sager laptop get a several month warranty runaround like some of the AW owners on this forum have.

 

Most sager's are sold through resellers who have it in their best interest to be quick....

 

That's true, but the resellers aren't the ones providing the warranty and repairs, Sager is. I don't doubt there have been horror stories about Dell's service, but they're also the largest performance laptop company in the world. For every bad experience I've read about, there are many positive experiences as well: replacing two year old laptops with brand new models, next-day mobo replacement after a botched BIOS flash, providing a full refund to an unhappy customer over a year after they purchased the laptop, etc. There isn't a company in existence with a perfect track record, but Dell offers many perks that smaller manufacturers can't match. I feel better knowing I'll probably never have to send my laptop in for repairs if something does happen to go wrong.

 

I can't speak for other resellers but we handle a lot of repairs in house.

 

Possibly, I've never owned a Sager or Clevo nor purchased from a reseller, but AW/Dell is the only company I know of that will replace a 17in with 2 generation old video and processor tech with an 18in with top of the line video and processor tech.

 

I guess that's what you get with a $500 warranty.

 

That's my point HT, the deep pockets of a company as large as AW/Dell allow them to swap out a $4000 laptop for something 3 or 4 years old. If that isn't the case then it would seem that other companies would follow the same business model.

 

All personal choice. For me a tech at my house is a nuisance, like having a cable repair man, or appliance repair man. Take a day off work, yadda yadda. I had a couple Alienware's and they insisted someone come out to help instead of sending in the laptop despite me telling them I'd rather just send it in. Then without my consent a repairman just shows up as I'm ready to go out for some errands and is adamant he works on my laptop. I told him to bug off and he came back the next day unscheduled again. I filed a complaint and Dell didn't seem to care. Whatever. Then after I sent it in, it came back still broken... I dunno, I know, one case is a statistic, but it left a really bad taste in my mouth.

In any case I hope AW survives just fine, they make quality products, and serve a niche I'm sure to enjoy for years to come. I'm sure they could manage warranty support without issue considering the cost of the warranties, it's not like they're free or inexpensive.

 

I've had my share of lousy service from Dell as well, but in the end they have always made it right. When I bought my M17 in Feb of 2012 it was shipped to Afghanistan and arrived with a defective hard drive. I was leaving to go home on R&R Leave in a little over a month so sending a replacement wasn't an option within the authorized window. Dell shipped a new computer to my home in the U.S. and extended my window to return the defective system to allow me time to travel home and take care of things. I can't think of too many other companies in the laptop industry that would do such a thing and I firmly believe it's the backing of a large company like Dell that allows these things to take place.

 

Their also the only computer company I have ever seen screw a person over and lie to them for 6 months straight before fixing their situation because their thread blew up on an online forum (see dumbdumbs thread http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...lienware-my-issues-im-really-upset-point.html )

 

I've read that entire thread in the past and you can hardly lay 100% of the blame at Dell's feet for that fiasco. It was a comedy of errors on multiple levels that led to that. There are just as many threads and posts from people celebrating the fact that they dumped a cup of coffee on their keyboard or dropped their laptop on the floor and had it replaced by something far and away superior. Cherrypicking a single incident to support your point is ineffective.

If Sager provided the same level of customer support it would be crowed about as AW is, instead you mostly hear about locked bios and other issues (enduro anyone), and everyone knows about ASUS and their lack of customer support for those laptops, Toshiba is a joke and the list goes on and on.

Like it or not, Alienware provides the best level of support for what they sell out of all mainstream "gaming" laptop manufacturers, and they do so because the brand can dig deep into Mike Dell's pockets and pay for it.

 

You can also request the parts without the nuisance of a repair man, and make it a DIY project. This is the best route in my opinion. Alienware laptops are super easy to take apart and upgrade or repair.

 

I think Alienware would survive and thrive actually as its own company, as long as it's managed properly. While I do like Clevo boxes, I like that there's options and competition, and really it's between AW and Clevo. MSI and Asus are sometimes contenders but really don't have a lineup to compete completely. What I really don't like about Clevo notebooks are their limited BIOS options. Especially for higher end machines, they should provide options. The code exists in most machines too, just they didn't take the time to activate it in the BIOS menu. Look at everything Prema has done with the mid-grade laptops. It really didn't take that long to test and activate the features, and we did it on our spare time.

I still think AW needs to release a "stealth" edition though without all the lights. Tone down the styling and remove the lighting. I think this would attract more customers that don't want, need, or can't really have a laptop like an AW that attracts attention. That's the appeal users have with Clevo machines.

 

Definitely agree with your last statement. Competetion improves the breed and if Sager/Clevo began offering comparative performance and options then everyone in the game would be forced to step up.

 

You won't ever pay $500 for one of their warranties. Even if you upgrade after the point of sale (when it's more expensive) 4 extra years of service would only cost $400 or so. I didn't pay a dime for my warranty upgrade (3 years with accidental coverage) either, I just asked the rep if he could work it in to the deal for me. That experience you had with the tech sounds annoying, but I don't think that's the norm. Like j.dre mentioned they will send you the parts so you can fix it diy if you don't want to deal with a tech.

I agree that a toned down model would be cool. I'd also like to see a model to compete with the Razer Blade (sleek, attractive styling, all aluminum chassis, 15-17", gtx 675mx or better, good cooling, etc.)

 

For those that don't like the lighting, it's simple enough to turn it off. Takes 1 or 2 seconds to "go dark" with all of the lighting.

I am so accustomed to the AlienFX that I hate having any of the lighting turned off except for the ring around the perimeter of the touchpad. The striking appearance is part of what contributes to the excitement of Alienware ownership for many. Regardless of which model, an Alienware laptop is easily identified based on its appearance. That's one of the things that I really like about all of the models.

But, I can understand that some might prefer something that looks ordinary. Some people would not want to drive a Kawaski Ninja, Yamaha R1, or Saleen Mustang to work because "people would talk" LOL. Those things do make a loud statement about the operator, just as a bold and beautiful Alienware machine does.

 

I for one find the appearance of the alienwares part of why I buy them (next to the specs).

I like all the lighting, and for me it's really one of the selling points together with the specific appearance of the machine and the specs you can load it out with.
I don't want it to look moderate or resemble other machines ^^

 

I love the aesthetics too. It's not cheap, tacky, or overwrought imo. The materials and build quality are miles ahead of my old Sagers as well.

 

Any company can thrive with good management. That's a very broad statement.

 

Not true. A company needs top leadership to succeed, but they also need a quality product, supply chain, marketing, etc. It's like saying good coaching can win a championship with less talented players.

And people need to not get so offended by comments about the AW styling. I get it, it works for some, but not for all. But many do like the build quality and support they can offer. So why not expand on it a bit? It's the same reason GM doesn't just make the Corvette or Ford the Mustang or Chrysler the Viper... you get what I'm saying, I hope. And it's not just about turning off the lighting, it's the styling. Not everyone wants their machine to scream "I cost $3000" or "look at me, I'm a gamer". Business environments, as sucky as it is, tend to frown on such things. And personally I'd rather have a machine that can perform great, and nobody have a clue as it just looks like a plain Jane laptop, to reduce risk of theft. Someone would pan over a basic lid laptop where they know they're getting high performance high cost hardware with an Alienware.

 

How can you say that a company won't thrive with good management? Good management leads to what the quality will be, how the product will be supplied and advertised. I don't agree with your statement on how that isn't true. And whatever it is you're trying to say here, not sure I agree with that as well. If your employees aren't good enough, you replace them with people who are. The same goes for sports. If players suck and do not improve over months of training, support, etc. - they're replaced. It's a tough world we live in, but those are the facts. It would be bad management to keep staff on your payroll if they're not doing a good job. I don't understand what you're trying to say. "Not true. A company needs leadership to succeed..." - These statements seem contradictory to me.

I don't really see what the style of the laptop has to do with my statement, but I personally don't care much for that. Alienware products do look unique. But it's a unique brand, I wouldn't expect anything less.

 

I don't think anyone was offended by your comments (if they were, I missed it) but AW owners are obviously going to disagree; we love our laptops lol. Clevo owners would respond the same way if someone said their laptops looked cheap and generic.

I think it would be awesome for Alienware to branch out and offer a few more notebooks, but I don't think they should ever make something that isn't (a.) high performance, built for gaming, and (b.) distinct styling with high quality materials. Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler have a wide range of products, but their bread and butter is affordable family cars, not high performance sports cars/grand tourers. Alienware is Dell's line of performance machines, it would ruin the brand if it were to start releasing cheap or generic products, just like HP ruined VoodooPC by slapping Envy on everything from cheap notebooks to printers. I do think Alienware could do something that's slightly more subdued than the M**x line, but it would need to fit the brand's styling dynamics to a degree. Like I said earlier, something to compete with the Blade would be great: thinner chassis, tons of power, sleek aluminum chassis, and slightly more efficiency than their more gaming-centric models... that would be pretty nice. But making a gaming laptop with a basic flat black plastic chassis, rounded edges, and no extra lighting would be a huge mistake imo.

 

Well they do look cheap and generic mainly because the materials they're built from are cheap and generic. That's why they cost less.

If the clevo owners can't take the truth than I'm sorry. I'm not one to sugar coat stuff. I am jealous of all their screen options though.

 

They do look rather generic (obviously a lot of owners prefer that,) but I don't think their more expensive models look cheap. My NP9150 had good fit and finish and the soft touch plastic was good quality, similar to the M17x's chassis. I had an NP6110 before that though, and it was cheap and ugly lol. The back cover was this thick glossy clear plastic that attracted insane finger prints and scratches, and there was rough plastic all over the place. It just felt ghetto for a $1k laptop, but the hardware was decent.

You're right though, they do have great screen options. I used to think I'd never buy an AW due to the huge sheet of reflective glass across the screen lol. Their other attributes make up for it though

 

Yeah I do like that little p150. That's one of the better ones. I was considering one but it was too small for my taste. But than there's their most expensive model with the desktop cpu. That thing is a cheap,thick,ugly plastic box and comes with some of the worst screens unless you get an upgrade. The other sli notebook of theirs has garbage cooling so they really aren't an alternative to an m18x.

"I used to think I'd never buy an AW due to the huge sheet of reflective glass across the screen lol. Their other attributes make up for it though."
I whole hearthedly agree with you on that one. Non reflective glass has been invented though.
AW should give us the option for that. Mr. Fox posted a link. It's somewhere in the m18x r3 wishlist thread.

 

While I agree with a lot of the comments here, let's stay on topic.

Being a straight shooter and speaking your mind is fine, but nobody wants to be told their baby is ugly. It can be said in a tactful manner. I think it is enough to say one is built better than the other and it would be difficult to argue otherwise. If pressed for explanation, examples can be given about build quality. All of us here know the build quality is phenomenal, and most of us have owned something else at one point in time so we have something to compare to. Not everyone has that frame of reference to draw from.

Anyhow, back on topic... having phenomenal leadership, engaged employees with a customer-centered approach, excellent products, service and support are all things that Dell was built on. If they can maintain and improve on that without any pressure to do what is best for stockholders, it will be a good deal for everyone... Dell/Alienware, their employees and customers.

 

I just hope they keep making Alienwares.

 

I have good reason to believe they will.

 

Well I hope that's a hint at some inside info you have my friend.

 

More than anything else it means there is no reason for anyone to believe there will not be a future for Alienware. I don't care to speculate one way or the other. Nobody knows what direction things will be headed at this point.

 

I think Dell will spin off Alienware to some other company and ditch their consumer line as well. They'll likely keep their high end business laptops and servers but that's about it. Consider the fact that the amount of cash they will have on hand will be less as a private company and they have outstanding debt. It makes zero sense for them to continue consumer notebooks with slim margins and AW falls into that category. Don't be too shocked to see AW either discontinued or spun off.

Finally take a look at Michael Dell's open letter to his customers, he was quelling the fears of his enterprise customers and did nothing to reassure the PC division consumers, that should throw up enough red flags to know where Dell is headed.

So my bet: 2013 and MAYBE (that's a HUGE MAYBE) 2014 is the end of Alienware from Dell.

 

Alienware started as a boutique laptop manufacturer, and with any sense, will go back to being a boutique manufacturer. They may have to revert back to a Compal or Clevo chassis, but if they can retain a lot of the current talent, they will likely end out ok. I dunno. I don't see a brand like Alienware going away. It may be a niche, but it's a very adamant niche of users that aren't afraid to pony up some extra coin to get what they want.

 

Exactly. It's still the largest "boutique" manufacturer in the world, and their brand carries weight. They're too big and too popular to be dissolved like that.

 

I'm also hopeful that Alienware will live on without Dell. Whether that means being bought out by a company like Asus/MSI/Lenovo/Samsung or going at it on their own. Trouble is that Alienware no longer exists as a separate entity within Dell, they were all absorbed into the Texas HQ and Miami was left with a skeleton crew. I saw this firsthand when I visited the AW headquarters and was told this by their lead engineer at the time. So that's why I don't think AW could go at it on its own again, there's nobody from AW around anymore. The best we can hope for at this point is that Dell keeps it going as a premium brand (doubtful) or sells it to a company that will continue it.

If I had to pick a company that would be the best fit for Alienware, it would be Asus or Samsung. Both are open to making gaming notebooks and are original equipment manufacturers with global distribution capability. Samsung would do wonders for the brand since they could outfit Alienware laptops with their cutting edge displays, SSD and other technologies at a reasonable cost.

 

The already are using a Compal chassis, it's just a design owned by Dell. I agree... I doubt they will be going away. We will have to wait and see if Joker's predictions hold true, but as long as Alienware products are equal or better to what they are now with build quality and performance, and warranty, I won't really have a problem with what the future holds. There's a chance they might even more get powerful and more exotic, with relaxed specs on some things like skin temps. Time will tell, but I remain very optimistic.

 

Well if they went back to clevo chasis they'd be Origin 2 witch doesn't make much sense. Yesterday I read Compal is the OEM who designs and manufactures these current Alienwares so if that's true than I doubt there would be any big changes.
Them returning to a 17" flagship SLI model is likely though. It would be nice if they did. We could have 120hz screens.

What they need to improve is quality control. Would be nice if stuff like dust being under the glass wouldn't happen.

That really would be awesome. Samsung deffinitely has the money to keep a luxury brand like AW going. They could replace their existing gaming laptops witch aren't that big of a success.
Asus on the other hand would be a catastrophe. They'd kill performance and cheap down the brand.

 

I can tell you with no uncertainty of any kind, if AW was ever bought by ASUS the level of service would plummet, the quality of the product would plummet and I would NEVER consider another purchase.

People also like to look back at the "golden days" of Alienware, before Dell purchased the brand, as if they were full of free candy, kittens, puppies and computers that never had problems..............nothing could be further from the truth. The AW brand has improved drastically in both performance capability as well as reliability since Dell assumed ownership. Going back to the dark days is not something anyone should be willing to support.

 

Don't underestimate Asus, they have the capability to build world class hardware if they choose. They are more than capable of building stuff that exceeds anything Dell can do. If (and that's a big IF) they did get a hold of AW, I'm sure they'd continue on the improvements Dell made. As far as service, yeah that does raise a lot of questions and whether they'd step it up or not. But as far as hardware goes, I wouldn't be worried at all. And you're right, as a small company AW wasn't nearly as good as it is now but people have these distorted fond memories. Dell did a good job with boosting the brand's outreach, quality and design.

Samsung's Chronos series is catching on in popularity (I might sell my M18x and grab a Chronos with 8870M) and they could easily add AW to their Chronos line or make it a separate premium one like Dell did. I think it would be interesting to see Samsung with their extensive resources control AW.

 

Seeing as how Asus isn't at all interested in building a decent high end laptop I'd hate to see AW fal into their hands. The brand would be in good hands with Samsung.

 

ASUS may have the capability but most certainly don't have the vision or desire. Their desktop stuff is top notch and I'd never hesitate to purchase an ASUS branded motherboard or video card, but having owned a couple of ASUS "gaming" laptops before seeing the light and buying my first AW I just can't bring myself to believe they'd ever do justice to the marque.

I have no experience with Samsung aside from their cell phones so I can't comment on that either way.