Party time, excellent! (my m15x arrived ;)

Crizzler,

Send me your account info, I will see if there is anything I can do about those case flaws while your system is in depot. I will be sure to include the pictures you have posted. [email protected]

 

I'm not getting the m15x... I'd be placing my order around 5 hours from now (waiting for Grandma's call from Philippines). I'll just get the m9750 and upgrade the CPU.


you'll wait for a long time, then you'll end up sending it back to them again. that's not acceptable. oh well, m9750 for me! lol



* hey steve, can you throw a free bag for me?

 

Thanks for your concerns, I have sent you an email with my account info!

 

oooh, nice to hear AW_Steve also helps out europeans!

in related news: waiting SUCKS!

 

fair play to him. steve replied to my post on tuesday when i was having all my problems but i was already onto tech support.

 

YEAH! It arrived!


... the smartbay batt I ordered last friday... 10.8V@3800mA if someones interested.

Unfortunately nothing new considering the ongoing repairs

Dear Steve,
have you received my email with infos? Haven't heard anything of you since your initial post here!

regards

 

a new guy at AW must have built your system, whenever my $1400 dollar Gateway has better build quality than an Alienware ( I really wish I had an AW ) something is wrong

 

So are you selling the smartbay, Crizzler? Too bad that I don't live in Germany.

 

hehe seems so

btw just received a tracking#, its on the way back home to daddy

 

hope its all working hunky dorey when you get it crizzler.
i think mine will be returning to base next week.

 

nice to see steve on the forums. Makes me want to buy AW soooooooooo much more.

Steve - your presence here is a great way to help sell laptops. keep it up.

 

So my repaired unit just arrived!
According to TS they exchanged the case and flashed the bios, but from what I can see only the LCD Casing was changed. The lit Alienware Logo does not have many cracks anymore like in those pics I made, I still can see two or three when I look close but I don't mind... Unfortunately the small hairline crack above the ethernet is still there but I don't think it will cause much trouble in the future because its really hard to spot...

The good thing, the defective display is gone, switching between integrated and dedicated works flawless now, no faulty screen, no black screen of death! Additionally the new display casing is way more rigid and has a much better feeling considering sqeaking and so!
Also the snapping sound I had at the left side of the chassis when I picked the system up seems to be gone, case integrity there its still not 100% perfect but now acceptable.

Funny thing, I received my system inside the packaging of someone else (Hello Carl W. G. if you read the forums ) but well thats nothing I'm really concerned about.

BUT

There are some things that really make me still unhappy, first when I run stealthed, the CPU fan runs constantly @ 4000 RPM and thats really not stealthy imo. Still have X30, does x32 change anything or is this "normal"?

AND I don't know what it is but there is definitely something wrong with that display! There is some kind of grainyness I think especially in the whites... Others that I showed my m15x confirmed that in comparison to my old laptop the display somehow looks strange... Are there confirmed occurrences of grainy displays with the m15x? Heard about some dells with that, maybe alienware got that disease from the new shipment that just arrived in EU?

 

Sounds like everything is pretty well. Good job to AW.
I suggest that you flash your BIOS if the fans are giving you trouble.

 

glad to hear you got it back at last.
fingers crossed everything will be ok now.

as you mentioned about running stealth. ive noticed the fans are running all the time.
sods law that since ive switched on today the fans are running all the time on both settings.

 

I'd Ditto.

 

The fans run at the same speed at the X32 bios too but they turn completely off after taking down the temperature.

 

Hm ok the fan behaviour is ok then... A bit odd that the cpu fan run so fast even in stealth... At least when I'm running on integrated, the GPU fan stays off!

So after my first checks the system seem to be fine besides some minor glitches (small flaws in the paintjob of the plastics) but that doesn't really bother me... Build quality is also much better this time, seems I got a big fat lemon the first time! :3

But there is one thing I'm still a bit unsure about, thats the screen! It's a 1440x900 from LG according to Vendor ID and I can't get the feeling away that there is something odd about it...

Do I have a grainy screen?
White areas seem somehow shaded even when I push gamma+brightness to max! Strange... Anyone some help? (Already the grainy faq in the dell section) Can this be?

 

So after a few days with my repaired system, I'd like to write down my toughts about it (consider this as another small review).

alienware-steve
First of all, I do not know if AW-Steve received my email or has helped me out in any way, I haven't heard anything from him since the initial post in this thread! Since most of the flaws I showed with my pics are still present, I don't think there was any action from him :/

The Display
The very first thing, that jumped into my eyes when I powered up the system the first time was a slight graininess in the white of the screen. Having heard about the grainy screen problem with dell laptops, I was afraid I might have got a screen with that problem, too. Further investigations lead me to the conclusion that the screen does not fully have the grainy screen syndrome and seems to be ok but not perfect. Compared to my old laptops display (a 1280x800 from LG/Toshiba) one can still make out some graininess and it looks like there is a grey veil on the display (a 1440x900 also from LG btw) even when I max out brightness/gamma in the display controls. So again, I think the screen is mostly ok but not perfect in my eyes! The first screen I got was cleary better but I think its within production variations? Still not shure whether I wan't to keep it...


Minor stuff (case/build quality)
Please note: this is about things, that have come to my attention but which are highly subjective and might not be a problem for anyone since I'am really picky with my system atm!

The repaired/exchanged case does not suffer the snapping sound when I pick it up anymore but still feels not 100% solid at that point. Plus it has some more scratches (at the ethernet port) and flaws in the plastics on it. Additionally it looks like it was cleaned with a harsh cleaning agent because one can see strange stripes on top of the case and the display lid at certain angles. It looks like remains when cleaning it with a dirty wet cloth but I can't get it off!
Also the AlienFX lights suffer alot more from bleeding colors (especially white) and I feel a noticeable keyboard flex on the left side now.
So in conclusion, the overall finish and quality of the first case was a little better, makes me think they replaced it with a refurbished one someone else sent back...

Btw I can't feel an air flow from the cpu fan even when its blowing at full throttle, anyone else notice this?



Good stuff (sometimes I'm afraid I forget about these)

> Thanks to (now working) integrated and the sb batt it lasts really long!
> Power like hell (just ran 3DMark06 and resulted ~9800), playing TF2 with max settings at wonderfull framerates!
> Lit keyboard, a pleasure to look at!
> There is my name on a plate =)
> ...


The biggest problem I have right now is the display, because I must do work with it (photoshop/video editing...) which requires a flawless display! So I'm still not sure whether to keep the m15x and live with the display or send it back for a refund and get something else (only what?). Another repair is not an option since there is a fair chance that things are getting worse instead of better... *sigh*

Thanks for reading, hope I don't sound like a hypochondriac to you

 

microscratches on the clearcoat is normal, you cant escape it. Flex on the keyboard, many laptops have it. You can fix it yourself, i know a fix, but its not even worth the time. I would just keep it. You have a warranty so your good. LED bleeding is tuff to eliminate for AW because the led's are so close to each other, you cant help this either, many m15x review videos explained that. No cracks? No overheating? I think its just OCD, i have it, and im telling you, KEEP IT, goodluck and have fun

 

Microscratches, keyboard-flex, bleeding lights, all that was present when I first got my unit but became even worse after repairs, thats my point... But again, nothing that alone would make me return it!

Cracks? See my pics on page 5 or 6, I got a small crack above ethernet port the second day or so I had the system. Fortunately its really small and hasn't grown since then.

Overheating? Temps look normal but I saw some random downclocking while playing TF2, since I still have X30 and will update soon that doesn't bother me either.

Still not shure what to do with my display but since everyone here ignores my posts bout it I start to think I'm paranoid

 

is that a crack or a scratch above the ethernet port? I have a feeling that it will grow from time after time.
off topic, what kind of lens did you use crizzler? I am pretty sure you used DSLR, at least canon D30 or nikon D200 classes, but the micro lens is just amazing.

 

Nice wayne's world reference with title OP

+awesome points.

*best rocker voice impression*M15x! Excellent!

 

It really is a small crack but it didn't got worse since I once found it. I had another problem with the case there and I think that has caused this crack but since the problem has been solved during repairs, the crack won't be an issue, too.

The cam setup is a Nikon D40 with kit lens and a macro lens (+10) attached

thanks, finally someone noticed!

 

Ok guys, I have bad news but I think thats it for my m15x, I will return this system for a refund!

I was really poring on this for a long time but in fact I'm just not satisfied with this computer, especially considering the costs and expectations I had once ordering it...

Of course it has the fasted gaming graphics card inside but at what price? Many, that got a perfectly running system from day one, might not agree with me on this point, but for me it's just not worth spending 2000+ € on gaming power that comes in such a poor quality with so many issues... Maybe my expectations where too high but IMHO Alienware could not live up to its standards with this system. Maybe Alienware will come forward to their customers and acknowledge that the m15x is not 100% mature but my overall impression of the situation don't give rise to optimism... I think they wanted just too much and failed!

To sum it up, after the first WOW effect is gone and looking at it with rational eyes there isn't much left but dissapointment! And so there is no other option for me than a return



Here are some details, if someone is interested:
After the system returned from repairs there wasn't a single day I didn't discover a new issue on it:
(too bad but most of this wasn't present on the system I first received but had a defecitve screen, what was why I had to return it for repairs!)

• first was that I received a new display with a slight grainy screen syndrome
• noticeable keyboard-flex causing resonating sounds while typing, plus slight keyboard lag while gaming
• failures in the alienfx (white has strong light bleeding, some colors have spots of different colors, ie when choosing white the NumLock-light is pink!)
• about 2-3mm big gaps in the display cover near hinges
• the inverted-U-shaped cover below the display is loose on one side
• slackly cover around the webcam (exactly where one opens the display!)
• numerous small cracks, scratches, gaps and other peanuts
• a few MISSING SCREWS on the bottom
• annoying loud CPU fan even in stealth mode (this point is subjective but really bothers me!)
• and now CPU downclocking...

... that's the last straw!

(I must admit, some of these issues are really minor and sole wouldn't justify a return, but as a whole and thinking I payed over 2000 € for all of this just makes me sad...)



For me the system in its implementation and alienware altogether are a big dissapointment right now, and I must say, the great illusion of an uberexpensive untouchable alienware hardcore-gaming rig has dissapeared since I got one...

 

Sorry to hear that Criz, but if that's how you feel you should really try to go for a refund. Let us know how all the process goes.
Wait for a couple of months and you will have the new Clevo out (with the 8800GTX). Maybe that will make you an happy owner.

Good luck,
M.

 

sorry to hear that crizzler. im thinking the same my self at the moment.
i was given a rma number to return it on the first day but being me i said i would give them the benefit of the doubt. i was informed that my 14 day return policy would be extended to 30 days.
i spoke to support last night to get a new rma number as there was quite a few more things that had gone wrong. i mentioned that if it was not sorted i would be asking for a refund under the 30 day return. i was then told sorry but you only have a 14 day return option.
that done it. i ended the call and after thinking for a while i decided i dont think i can risk going through this for the next 3 years if it still causes problems so i will be ringing the cancelation department today to find out whats going on and whats happened to the 30 return policy i was given.

 

God, to think I have a laptop on order and I'm hearing all of this. Uggh....the only problem is that every laptop manufacturer has their own problems.

No matter where you buy a laptop, you're going to run into people with major issues. You only have to hope and pray you get a decent laptop in the mail.

 

crizzler wait for a month and get the clevo m860tu

 

Again thank you all for your kind words, sadly I have no other option but to wait right now because alienware is in possession of my money
But I don't think thats a big deal, either its the new clevo or one of the new dells (the new inspirons look great!) which hopefully makes me happy in a few weeks (months, years, ...)

And shure, no computer will ever be 100% perfect (and affordable), but whats really bothering me here is that with other manufacturers I get closer to perfection with a higher probability and cheaper! The gaming power the m15x offers simply doesn't justify the lack of build- and implementation-quality I had to face with it! But thats my opinion, many other may be just fine with it!

The only good thing I can say is, at least I tried and ordered and once in my life had an alienware computer! weeee =)

 

Wow, it seems like the m15x is just a flawed system. Maybe I should go with that Macbook Pro after all...

By the way crizzler, did you have to pay the restocking fee to return it (I am in the US, so the policy here is likely different, I was just curious)?

+rep for your review, pics, and tales of your m15x woes- sorry it wasn't a good system.

 

Thanks for your words and the rep, nope we here in germany (europe?) have a 14-day return period, where we do not have to pay any fees at all and get a full refund. Btw in germany (don't know bout other european countries), it is law that every online shop must give the customer the right to return his order without giving any reason within the first 14 days (and the shop even has to pay the shipping costs back!). Good for the customer, bad for the shop!

So a small update, my m15x has just been picked up by DHL and is on its way back!

 

sorry that it didnt work out for you crizzler.
mine has also just been picked up for a return but sadly for a repair and not a refund.
once i get it back i will then have another 14 days to return it for a refund but only if it is not working properly so i bet it will get a good going over by their top techs.
good luck mate and thanks for all the advice you have posted for everyone on here.

 

So party's finally over, got my money back today...

If someones interested, received the whole sum back I once transfered - no fees or other deductions. And alienware payed for shipping costs back to them also.

Not shure what I will buy now, maybe the m1530? Does anyone know something about new dell laptops with montevina coming soon?

 

I'd hold off for a Montevina notebook, it's going to debut in June and laptops supporting it should be available end of June/early July.

Maybe the Clevo M860TU? It will be interesting to see what Dell comes out with.

 

glad to hear you got the full refund back crizzler.
im next. like you i didnt really want to return for a refund but there are just too many problems that ive had so far and i dont want to risk that continuing especially for the amount of money we all paid for the rolls royce of computers.
i got my system back from repair on tuesday. new case/chassis and new motherboard. few things wrong.i found scratches along the front of the case. the nameplate was for someone else and the 3Dmark score was 7910 passed by AW. my original score was 9698 which then dropped to 3559.
oh well,enough is enough. got my rma number and it will be going back monday or tuesday.
good luck mate in whatever you decide to get.
i might even be tempted to re order in 6 months or so as long as things start getting better with the quality.