Frustrated...

I built my Vostro 1500 to specs (within budget) to replace my older desktop. 2.0 cpu, 2gb ram, 15.4 wxga, 160gb hd, 512mb video, and all other free options minus the extended bloat-ware, plus winxp!. It felt great building from scratch. Was able to get my system for $850.00 pre-tax... and with free shipping, a great deal. I ordered on 13Feb, shipped 16Feb, and received 18Feb. I was pleased with the incredibly fast shipping.

Right away, though, I noticed a problem with the LCD screen (samsung). The colors seem brighter and fuller towards the top of screen than the bottom. Its as if I'm getting a gradient color effect from top to bottom. When you set the background to a solid color it is noticeable. The start bar is faint compared to the top portion of screen. Tilting the screen or adjusting my big head didn't compensate for this effect. I connected my monitor to the vga port and everything was fine. This is my first laptop so I wasn't sure if I was nit-picking.

After posting my concern on one of the forums of this great site and getting advice that the screen is probably defective, I contacted Dell's support for help. The help was obviously coming from half-way across the world, but let me say that I have never had a more polite and responsive effort to help me fix the problem. I have provided tech support myself for Creative and the brass their cared more about keeping call times low than actually fixing customers problems over the phone. They preferred that we direct them to articles on the Help website. Kudo's to Dell for their excellent tech service!!!

But I'm wondering if things are turning sour. I refrained from putting much on the laptop for fear that Dell would say something I installed had caused a problem, plus I've had the flu the past few days, so I haven't really been able to put this machine through it's paces (although the one game I did install Madden 2003 was choppy). And little did I know, until I received the re-packing slip, that I could remove the hard drive before sending the laptop back. I would've that that would void a warranty?.

On top of this, DHL (Dell's preferred carrier service) delivered the return box on Thurs. and said he would be back the next day to pick it up back up. Never showed up! Now I have to wait over the weekend 'til Mon. to send it out. Its all packed and taped, ready to go. I feel like cutting it open, but I won't.

And I just logged onto Dell's website, checked my Account, and see a charge of $17.51 for the Return Box Shipment. WTF! I've checked my Ccard online but haven't seen this charge posted... YET?

Will I get the crappy AUO screen as a replacement? Are there other things awry with my Vostro I haven't had the time to find? Is Dell really going to charge me to send their defective equipment back?

Apart from their tech support, I am becoming more and more dissatisfied with this Dell purchase. But surely, brighter days are ahead!!! Yeah, sure.

(A strange sense of calm has come over me as I finish writing this)

 

Definitely call Dell on the carpet if you're not happy with the screen, etc.