My full circle experience with Dell and my XPS M1530

Today I recieved my replacement XPS M1530. My original 1 was ordered back in December and I recieved it Friday before Xmas. At first, I thought everything was perfect with it, till I really started playing around with it after Xmas. Then I noticed the dreaded screen! Mine was shipped with a WXGA Chinese brand of some sort LCD. The colors were not bad, but back light issues and very annoying viewing angles made me contact Dell 2nd week of January. I couldn't take it anymore for sure, and for the price on these systems now, I wasn't "living with" a less than perfect screen. I read on here about other's with similar problems, and what they had done to try and get Dell motivated (yeah right) to fix the problem. With an ill gut feeling, I reached for the phone to contact the less than stellar XPS tech line. I explained to the tech that my screen had bad back lighting issues (which I found pretty funny he didn't even know what that meant!), and very annoying viewing angle issues. I explained to him about this forum, asked him to log on and view the issues at hand since "he nor anyone else in XPS tech had been contacted about screen issues with the 1530," and then to request an LCD replacement, basically begging for an LG panel. All I kept getting told was that the WXGA LG part # I was asking for was not available, and all they could replace the bad part with was the same that my system shipped with. Knowing this BS, I knew I would end up with an even worse Samsung panel. 2 days went by, and had the Dell repair dork on my phone saying that my new panel was in and he wanted to schedule the install appointment. I asked him if he could open the kit and tell me the panel type, and sure as can be, Samsung! I explained to him that it wasn't acceptable, told him about my complaint against the LCD, and back on the phone I went to XPS Tech. Of course, this time I got a different guy, and was able to get a bit further with him, only to be told at the end of the order process that the LG panel was not an available US part replacement. The system kept kicking it back out, even just oridering the LCD by itself. He told me he would make a note of it to the warehouse, order me a new kit and have it to me the next day. Right on the bill of laiden, it stated in BOLD CAPS - DO NOT SEND ANY PANEL BUT LG PART #xxxxx. Again, a Samsung kit was here. Now the tech was here to rip apart my brand new laptop, and my stomach was feeling pretty sick watching and hearing things pop and snap. When he handed me back the system, I noticed how the front bezel would not go back into place, the on/off button did not feel the same anymore, the media direct buttons did not feel the same, and the numerous scratches on the Crimson Red casing. As soon as I turned the system on, I knew right away that it was a waste of time. He even thought that using Windows extra large fonts and icons would fix my graininess and dull washed out colors. What a dork! Like 1280x1024 isn't big enough on a 15.4" screen? Anyhow, I was immediately back on the phone with XPS tech support, now with a 3rd knuckle head, who was insisting that it was a motherboard problem. I was like, "no fricken way you are this dumb!" Anyhow, they again would not budge on the screen replacement, so I opted for a complete system refund. I did not want them to send me a system in return, as I have heard that they will send the same exact specs and at times a refurbed system as well.

So I opted to completely order another system, even though with the price differences from December-January, I paid a few dollars. Anyhow, my basic changes were I went for the Midnight Blue vs. the Crimson Red with this build, and changed the display from WXGA to WXGA+. I hadn't heard any real complaints on the WXGA+ screens, so I was like, lets give it a try. I can fully say that after receiving my system today a week and a half earlier than expected (wasn't suppose to ship till the 5th of Feb), the LG WXGA+ panel is by far much more superior than the AUO, C**, Samsung, etc. screens that I have had in the past with Dell computers! The colors are amazing, there is no back light bleed, no weird viewing angles, and the screen is actually a bit to brite on the max setting! Freakin' awesome! Its a bummer that I had to go through what I did, but I am glad I did. I would have never been happy with my previous system after being laptop ****d by the repair idiot!

Anyhow, if in doubt about screens with the 1530, I would say that a safe bet for getting a good screen would be to go for WXGA+.

My system specs are:
XPS M1530 - Midnight Blue, C2D T7500 2.2, WXGA+ (LG), 8600M GT, 3GB DDR2 667, 200GB 7200 Seagate HD, Slot Load DVD+/- RW, Intel Next-Gen Wireless N, Sprint 5720 mobile broadband, Dell 355 Bluetooth+EDR, 85 WH 9-cell battery, ExpressCard Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Sound Card, Auto/Air AC Adapter, Intel 1GB Turbo Memory

The sad thing is this is the 1st purchase from Dell that I have made in 5 years that I had to go through this fiasco. This is my 3rd XPS purchase (previous XPS M1210, XPS M1710, XPS M1530 (M1210 is still going strong today), and my 7th overall Dell laptop purchase. All of my other systems are still going strong today, though a few are in other peoples hands now. I hope Dell will learn from this experience once the Depot is full of refurbed 1530's. If you are going to use sub-standard displays in your line, than put them in the cheapest PC you sell, not your top of the line systems. My story is just 1 of a hundred that are still being dealt with, if not more. And I still find it funny that as each one shares with us there experience with Dell XPS tech support, how funny it is when they all say how they have never heard of any problems with the 1530's screens. Dell must be employing the stepford techs!

 

Hi...thanks for your great story. I've been configuring the XPS1530 for the last few days and still not sure if I should get one. I bought the XPS1330 in the begining of the month and returned the next day. It was my first 13" laptop. The battery was cracked when i got it (i believe there is a weak point in the battery/feet design) and i felt like i was straining my eyes with the 13" screen.

Do you have the 1440x900 LG screen?

 

Just a brief comment:

I could not agree with you more about the techs. I understand that they work on computers all day every day. However, it is BS that they handle $3000 computers with no concern for them. I posted my own experience, where a tech came over and ripped apart my XPS with a screwdriver. He even banged at the bezels and muttered, "stupid part, it's stuck too tight" and then pried it off with the screwdriver. Thanks, buddy.

And even more irritating is that if you show any emotion, like "uh, should you be doing that," these techs act like you're a moron. They start giving you attitude like "oh, another one of those computer illiterate guys, huh?" Have a little class. Sorry if this is a low blow, but most of these guys only use their company computers and treat those like junk. But these are computers that we purchased with our hard-earned money.

In summary, I am in the process of returning my own computer. They wanted to send another tech to bang on it some more, but I decided enough was enough. Sure, maybe they're doing the same thing at the factory, but at least I don't have to watch them doing it with their plumber crack showing.

P.S. I went from Tuxedo Black to Midnight Blue. Hope this thing looks good!

 

I turned down a job with them last year. Then Qualserv was paying $32 a system flat rate that included travel time and milage.

 

You did the right thing. and I agree that WXGA+ is more likely than others to be LG. I replaced 6 diffrent screens and laptops only the WXGA+ was LG... the others were WSXGA or WXGA All Samsung.

 

How can you tell if it is WXGA+? I am looking at the "best model" with the 1440+900 screen.

 

You have chosen the best car in the car history. I think; you will use it for a long time.
..............
Nishantha
Wide Circles