How's Alienware doing with their build/shipping these days?

I just ordered my second Alienware laptop... though last time, it was still owned by Alienware and everything was built and shipped out of Florida. Dell may have purchased/merged with AW at the time, but it wasn't setup like it is now - that's for sure. It was February of 2008. I ordered the m15x (dual core 2.5mg, 4g ram, 512mb Nvida fx card 5k series). I didn't get the machine until mid April. Shortly after, I had the hinge break and bla bla bla... you've read all the horror stories of the plastic casings - I'm sure. Once everything was worked out - it was a great laptop for everything up until it was smashed a couple months ago. I've been borrowing my wife's emachine in the meantime to "get me by" for email and such, but gameing has been out of the question and so has any sort of sound/video editing that I do on the side.

So, I got fed up and just placed the order for a new m17x with the following...

Space Black - Anodized Aluminum
Intel Core i7 740QM Quad Core, 1.73GHz (2.93GHz Turbo Mode, 6M Cache)
8GB Dual Channel Memory (2x 4GB DDR3)
17-inch WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 (900p)
CrossfireX 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon Mobility HD 5870
640GB Raid 0 (2x 320GB 7,200RPM HDDs)
Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate, 64bit, English
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)
Intel Ultimate N WiFi Link 6300 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO Technology
Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR

I also ordered a wireless mouse, headset, small surge protector and the messenger bag. I placed the order on Oct 26th and I got my surge protector the next day. Today (Oct 28th) I got the messenger bag and the mouse. Status update at dell says I'll get the headset on Monday.

Just curios how thier doing these days with build/ship time. Are they more ore less accurate with the estimated delivery date? (11/15/10) Or is that kind of just a good room of cushion they give themselves? When we ordered our XPS Desktop from Dell back in 06 or 07... we got it in three days.

Should I worry about the long wait from Alienware again? Or could I maybe allow myself to get my hopes up for a delivery next week or so? I did a search for similar threads, but didn't really find much on this topic very recent.

So long story short... how is AW's build/ship time these days? Is everything still shipped from Florida or will I get my build from the nearest Dell hub maybe a bit sooner? If it's from the nearest build center... which I think is Indiana(?) then chances are - I'll get it next day via UPS because we're in the same grid. Similare to the XPS.

So... discuss... and whatcha think of the build?

 

If you live in the USA, the ship/build time will definitely be on time or up to a week early. I got my M15x a week early. The build quality is great, but some users report creaking, in that case, you should call dell to send you a replacement part. No hinge issues this time around and I'm sure these all-powerful M15x/M17x will last a long time.

 

Sweet that's what I was hoping to hear! The original creaked BADLY.... can't imagine this one being any worse, lol! I can deal with it as long as it performs and I don't have any "cracking case" or "busted hinge" problems.

Thanks for the response!

 

I ordered 3 days ago and my date is 11/12 so we'll see I guess. I've heard many people get thiers earily so I'm crossing my fingers hoping. Mine has been in production a couple days already.

 

Sweet sweet!

I saw you posted in my other thread, hopefully it won't delay things too long. And if you ordered 3 days ago - then we ordered the same day, but I ordered later in the evening.

 

1-2 weeks. Possibly sooner. Heard they got a new batch of 5870's so should be fairly quick.

 

Can't speak on the shipping times for the US, but I can say that the build quality of the M17x is excellent.

 

My M15x was ordered on the 10/21/10 - It arrives today by 4:30 Pm. Little over a week for me. I'm in North Carolina, and I have next day shipping. It ships out from TN.

So hopefully they will get yours done fairly quickly!

Special parts such as a SDD, can push you order back by a week or more in some cases, depends on what they have in stock or if they have to wait.

But good luck! I hope you get it early! Awesome specs btw!

 

I am very curious about european shipping times if anyone has any input on that

 

My order was placed on the 22nd, and it shipped today with NBD shipping (so monday), although mine was a replacement, but I assume that it takes the same amount of time to build a computer no matter what. haha

 

Thanks for the info guys... I'm in the middle of canceling my order and getting a better deal. The day after I placed my order, they started offering 15% off... so basically, I could get the RGB monitor and spend less than I did. So my shipping date will probably bounce around.... nothing is ever easy for me. But you can't blame me for trying to get a better deal. I'm going to shoot for overnight shipping as well. I'll keep you informed once the new order is placed and it is shipped.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

 

Are you ordering online or over the phone? If you order over the phone try to get dell to spring for next day shipping. You can always make deals with them, there's a buying guide floating around here somewhere.

 

Yeah, I was already pushing my luck at the time... already got a huge discount, but then the AW website offered the same discount the next day... so I called today to cancel the order and re-order the system. I can get more for less this way and for the hassle - you betcha, I'm going to expect next day shipping.

 

Good luck man. i'm so excited for mine to come on monday, not sure why since it's my 3rd one in 3 months but it's still exciting. haha.

 

I was going to order my M17x wednesday, but glad I waited for that 15% off (had EPP for 10%, but hey, 5% is 5%). They wouldn't budge on anything. Couldn't get them to throw a bag in, next day shipping, anything... Oh well, I think I got a great deal on it. Can't wait to get it! I'll be leaving just after their original "preliminary ship date", so hopefully they're running early....

 

Update for mine:

I woke up this morning and checked my order status and I had a Fedex tracking number! I couldn't beleive it and had to make sure I was looking at the right order (I ordered a spare power brick that already shipped).

They did not send an email saying that it shipped like they usually do. It was actually shipped either Thursday or Friday, and I ordered Monday night, which means they shipped it in 3-4 business days! That's not bad at all.

It's supposed to be here on Tuesday (I took the free shipping). If it makes it on time that will be 8 days total from order to receipt (6 business days). That is 10 days earlier than my original 11/12 delivery date.

I have a whole pile of parts and accessories waiting to be installed

That is a good deal. I just got the 10% off, and I couldn't get them to budge either even after a messed up outlet order that was cancelled. However, if my experience means anything you may get it very early!

 

What are some peoples recent experience with order to ship times? The dates are wayy back, but I know dell gives long ship dates and often ships right away....Any M15X customers lately can tell us?

 

1-2 weeks. Usually it's around that. Mine came in 2 weeks, which was a week off from the EDD.

 

Mine shipped 3-4 days after order, and I should have it on the 8th day after order. 10 days before the estimated date.

ordered 10/25 (night)
shipped 10/28 or 29
receive 11/2 hopefully
estimate was 11/12

This is for an m17x.

 

I'm going overnight shipping...so maybe even sooner.

 

Yup. I went with the free 3-5 day shipping.

One thing to note though I went with a low end system except for the xfire 5870's. I have my own 940xm CPU and memory and drives to install once it gets here. If you order something "special" it could take longer.

 

the WUXGA 1920/1200 RGB screen is essential, I'm sad that you skipped out on it.

 

Thanks for all the info guys... I am upset about the screen as well. If the salesman had had told me the difference (other than reolution), I would have sprung for it. I have tried - without sucess to change the order.

Very very upset with these guys. Was hoping things had changed when Dell got involved, but that's for a different thread... which is in the m17x section...

 

Glad they got all the shipping stuff sorted out...for those old timers who ordered the m17x-r2 when it was first released it was a MUCH different story...

 

LOL... yeah, you should have ordered a 1st Gen m15x... omg what a mess with over two months of waiting. So sure, yeah they've gotten much better... LOL!

 

I got my m17x today about 2:30pm via fedex from Chicago.

Dell sent it out yesterday morning, I got the email THIS morning with projected date from Dell to be the 9th... FEDEX tracking number told me it would be here today.

Anyways... so it looks like two weeks max depending on the day you order. Most are getting theirs in a week and mine was 10 days... but really only 8 work days.

Hope my searching helps someone down the road...

 

I ordered on the 8th october. Latest estimate is 26th november. It will be superceded before I get it. They took my money straight away though.

 

arent they built in china now ?
just curouse when my first one came it said on the name plate built in china
when my second one came the name play said build in Miami

 

My name plate does not have place of origin stamped on it... though my first gen m15x said it was built in Florida. That was when it was still just AW... before Dell bought them out.

Now they are built and ship from anywhere. My recently ordered m17x was shipped from Chicago.

 

Mine seems to have been pretty painless well up to now anyway, order taken 2nd November, estimate was by 17th Novmeber however I have a notification it was dispatached today interesting to see how long it takes to get to me

 

Bleh. Ordered my M17x on October 29th. It's still "In Production" with the original delivery date. Unfortunately I'll be leaving out of town for a week if it gets here on the day they state, which means it will get sent back to Dell and I'll have to wait for it yet again. Grumble... Sales rep told me on the phone they're running ahead on orders, and the date is a few days out from when I'll actually get it.

Figures.

 

waiting is the hardest part lol

The day it is on the FedEx truck seems to take forever to get to your house

 

Yeh! mine's due this Monday that is going to be the longest day at work ever I do however have my steam directory backed up and ready to move across

 

Quick question from Canada.....ordered m17x10 on 10/27/10 and shows delivery date of 11/18/10(still in production)
Alienware.ca offers free shipping but where it is cross border will I get nailed for duties?
Have already paid Canadian tax when order was charged to my visa.
Thanks in advance for any info

 

From online order to delivery.....28 days to Melbourne

M17X R2 i7 940XM Xfire 5870

 

I ordered mine online on the 26th of October, Expecting it on the 17th of November.

M17X R2 i7 940XM Xfire 5870 256GB SSD

 

I think mine took like two-three weeks back in May. I got it in time for my 30th birthday in June lol