"Sorry, that configuration is restricted by the website" Pffffft YEA RIGHT!

Ok so I've been in the market for a beast gaming laptop and Alienware for the first time ever has really caught my eye with their Alienware 18. So I tried customizing one for myself using the $2099 configuration to build my system. I picked the 16gb of ram, then the dual 780m's, but eh? What is this?! No real SSD options? Only SSD Cache? What the heck. So I checked the more expensive configurations and lo and behold the option for a 256gb SSD was there, but not without the added price of a 4800mq cpu, which I didn't want. So I thought "Hmm well it's just an ssd, surely it's possible to put a decent sized ssd in this thing since there's an option for two 750gb hdd's in raid 0." So I chatted with a representative to see if there was just any possible way to get a 256gb ssd in the $2099 Alienware 18 configuration, logically I thought it wouldn't be a problem and also from previous experience with other computer companies that this kind of request was perfectly fine. But nope, "The website restricts that configuration" the representative said. So bummed as I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to purchase an Alienware 18 because of the way higher price because of the unchangeable customization options for the higher priced configurations, I began looking for any way to lower the price down to what I can afford.

Eventually I ran into the haggle guide on this here forum and saw that Boeing workers got 16% off their computers. Now, I don't work for Boeing and I don't know anyone who does, but I decided to have some fun figuring out how much money I would save if I did. So I loaded up the Alienware 18 configuration for Boeing employees....................... http://premierconfigure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=RC1339508&oc=rcRC1339508-3666988

WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT, EVERY SINGLE CONFIGURATION OPTION AVAILABLE! EVEN DOWN TO THE NIC! "The website restricts that configuration" my patootie! This is ridiculous. Not only do boeing employees get 16% off, they also get to choose whatever they want and aren't hindered by any silly configuration restrictions.

 

You are better off calling in, if you can get a hold of someone on that thread that would be the best option if they get back to you in a resoanlable amount of time. If not just call 1-800-ALIENWARE.

They will be able to configure anything you want, if they try to claim they can't request to go up the chain.

ALSO, you should not be buying ram or hard drives from Dell. They overprice that stuff, it is a lot cheaper to go threw Newegg or Amazon. You will find out that a lot of people here (including myself) upgrade the ram and HDD after we receive the computer.

Only reason you would technically want to purchase all that from Dell would be for warrantee reasons.

FYI, I have 4 HHD in my R2. Two SSD's in raid 0 and two HHD for storage. I am also looking to get a msata for more storage.

Good Luck with you purchase.

 

It actually is for warrantee reasons XD But I'll try what you suggested, thanks.

 

You really dont have to buy the ram / hdd / ssd from Dell. Most of the alienware costumers really buy them separate ( me included ). If you are worried about the warranty, just keep your original parts somewhere safe. This way if something gets broken you can replace everything in original state and call them

Good luck with your purchase and believe me, its worth it

 

Yea I've also been thinking of just buying one with 750gb HDD and buying a Samsung 840 pro 256gb and sticking it in. But the website won't even let me do that lol. It says there is a compatibility issue when I try to get dual 780m's in the $2099 configuration lol. I guess I still need to call.

 

Better to call as you get better pricing as well.

 

These 'tier' configurations dell provides are simply so they can make even more money, by forcing you to buy a whole load of other things that you don't want just to get the one thing that you do want.
For example on the 18, you only get a BluRay drive on the highest and second highest tier (in the UK). How ludicrous is that!

I tried ordering with the configuration that I wanted but the Dell rep said it wasn't possible.. So good luck.

 

Well at least you guys have options, in Australia dell will not let me get 4930xm or 780 sli. These are available in aw17 because they officially ran out of m17xr4, but they are still selling m18xr2 so aw18 has no option for 4930xm or 780sli. Only 4900m and 770 sli

 

Try looking into your local resellers if you need a specific configuration as they are not limited to these tiers.