My first Alienware experience with my Alienware 17 R2

So much msi hate again but still havent replied to my post in the aw thread- again ill ask. Looking over the new releases from msi there are so few complaints or issues and yet alienware is ridden with customer support nightmares, hardware issues and performance issues.
So is it just blind fanaticism?(which is fine- except for the fact that you may convince some poor sap to spend his money on a gimped laptop with all sorts of issues)
Tell me direct examples of how aw is making a superior product. They perform worse, they have wayyyyyy more issues and it seems the extent of customer support is "return it in 30 days" or wait 3-4 weeks for your replacement.
Thats not where id spend my hard earned 2-3,000$ hell id be raging pissed if i received an overpriced poor performing product and then had my money tied up for over a month like that.

 

I would argue that they must have improved their designs over the last couple of years and they are worth a fair look and maybe some hands on time to give it a practical analysis.

 

I really really like mine

 

The GT70 is the model using a socket for a processor actually, it's the GT72 that uses a BGA CPU.

 

Sorry, I haven't bothered keeping up with MSI model numbers or configurations.

So, from a quick Google search it looks like the GT70 is single GPU. That being the case, no more interest in that model that a BGA-crippled SLI model. For those that want a single GPU, is it actually available with an Extreme CPU, robust BIOS overclocking options and cooling system that supports extreme CPU overclocking? Or, is it just another example of a cookie-cutter gamer machine that more or less needs to be used the way it ships?

 

What customer support does MSI have? Oh right, none really...Mail in support? Please. Doesn't compare to next day on-site support. AW will actually REPLACE your laptop if they can't fix it. They've sent me a 240w power supply, free of charge. I've had a Dell technician come to my place to fix my laptop. I call after placing an order, and negotiate an extra $100 credit on my order. How does that compare to the MSI "mail it in and you'll get it back...eventually" support and warranty?

If you've never actually held an AW machine in your hand, then I don't know why you're here, since you really have no idea of the build quality of an AW machine. The build quality and materials used tend to be far superior than any MSI machine I've ever used. The cooling is far superior. Noise levels are better.

True, the performance of the recent AW machines can be a bit inferior, mostly due to inadequate power supplies and some weird BIOS issues.

The reason there are so few complaints about MSI products (their new releases anyway - their prior offerings were pretty bad) can very likely be chalked up to several factors, but consider this - how many people actually buy an MSI laptop?

Now, compare that to how many people buy AW laptops. With more volume comes more issues. And it might also be that people who buy AW expect the best of the best, and are upset when it doesn't meet their expectations. People complain about AW because they're far more demanding (the type of person who buys an AW, that is). I've had three different AW models, two different ASUS ROG laptops, a few Clevo's, a Samsung...the list goes on. While I have complaints about the new AW, it is still far better built, and provides a much better warranty, than almost any other I've held. In fact, if the new AW line had been made by any other company, it would have received wide-spread acclaim. The only reason it is getting some negative feedback is because it is AW, and people expected more of them.

If a two-year old child tries to count to 10, but only reaches 8, people still clap and are amazed at how well the child did. Really, getting to 8 is an achievement in and of itself. If an adult tries to count to 10 but can't make it past 8, people think you're an idiot. See that analogy?

I know I might sound hostile, but that isn't the case. I know some of the new MSI models aren't bad at all. But in terms of warranty, cooling, noise and overall build quality, AW is still better. Performance-wise, MSI seems to have stepped up their game, true.

 

I agree with most of what you said in this post... awesome comments. The part I have not tucked into a spoiler is what I find EXTREMELY irksome. It's true. These new Alienware turds would have received all kind of stupid accolades from idiot reviewers even though they are garbage. The bubble-gum gamers would be gobbling them up like candy if it were not for the long-term Alienware enthusiasts that are giving them a proper bashing for going mainstream.

Everyone that hasn't always loved the Alienware brand loves to criticize Alienware. They actually deserve it right now... in fact, I think they deserve to go bankrupt over it. They must take decisive action to get a real monster machine out, with sockets, slots, unlockable BIOS and power supply that is more than adequate to handle extreme overclocking or they are going to lose all of their serious customers whose patronage makes the brand relevant among enthusiasts.

But, the inequity in the industry is asinine and it's one of the reasons we are in the HUGE mess with find ourselves in, with the vast majority of everything available for purchase being pure garbage. Alienware made a decision to jump on the garbage bandwagon, but their machines are no worse, and arguably still superior compared to the rest of the garbage. The problem they have now is there a very few (count them on one hand, with digits left over,) options from one or two vendors that stomp the crap out of Alienware's best where performance is concerned. Build quality requires no discussion. This is a no-brainer and the only people that don't know better don't know what they are talking about. As usual, Alienware wins and takes no prisoners on build quality. I've opted for performance over build quality by purchasing a Clevo. The decision wasn't difficult. Performance trumps everything.

At the end of the day, garbage is garbage. If you want trash the warranty matters. If you don't want it, it's all irrelevant.

 

@Mr. Fox

Want to know something funny? The new MSI GS60 Ghost Pro (with an i7 and a GTX 970M) comes with a 150W PSU.

And the CPU, GPU, RAM and MSATA are all located right under the keyboard, rather than on the opposite side of the motherboard underneath the laptop. So you need to do a complete removal of the bottom panel and keyboard in order to do something as simple as change RAM or re-paste.

 

Yeah, a lot of machines are made like that. But, there are so many people that excuse it with nonsense like "the average gaming notebook owner doesn't upgrade" or "applying new thermal paste is beyond the skill level of most gamers" and other idiotic baloney. As long as fanboys make excuses for the OEMs we can expect more garbage.

I have loved the Alienware brand for years, but I refuse make excuses for any of their mistakes. They are an awesome company, but I'll call the balls and strikes and stop buying their stuff when they stop delivering the goods. (Actually already did that, but I am still hoping they do something awesome to win me back.)

I'm looking out for good old #1 first. Brand advocacy is fine when there is actually something to shout about. When there is not, we should should all be screaming so they don't make the same mistake again. Too bad everyone doesn't take the same approach. I have no respect for excuses offered for favorite brands by fanboys based on what might be OK for the ordinary customer. That's how we ended up in this mess. There needs to be a whole lot less tolerance than what we see from consumers. The OEMs are doing what we allow them to get away with.

 

I had aw desktops back when they were king 10-13 years ago.
And they were bad to the bone....
I know of their quality. That company you speak of is long gone. Sorry

Im just arguing that the support is arguably equally the same. Send it back. Just because dell has live chat where they hold your hand and directly tell you to ship it back doesnt make it much different in the end result.
As for the getting rebates after the sale - i guess thats cool- but id rather just buy the product that works as intended and works well - thats where i try to put my money in the first place.

 

And you would be wrong. There is a world of difference between the support offered by everybody else and that offered by Dell/Alienware. They'll do a remote diagnosis. Then they'll send a technician TO YOUR HOUSE the next business day. Failing that, the technician will take your laptop, and then send it back.

Now, at this point, you may think that we've gotten to a similar situation - whether you have an AW, MSI or Clevo, your laptop has been taken away to be fixed. But again, you'd be wrong. Dell has repair centres all over the world. While a lot of companies require you to ship your laptop to that country's repair depot, Dell has several that can be quite close. So the turnaround on the repair with an AW can be quite rapid.

Also, let's not forget that AW machines are far closer to a business-class laptop in terms of construction quality than any other gaming laptop (including MSI).

Case in point: I ordered a Vindicator briefcase for my AW17 R1 (using the cash back gift card I received when I purchased my AW). However, there was a glitch, and the order was duplicated. So I contacted Dell support via web chat while sitting at my desk. The CSR took a look, agreed there was a glitch, and promptly cancelled the duplicate order.

He asked if there was anything else he could do for me. I said yes, as a matter of fact there was. I had just purchased an extended warranty (as the initial warranty on my AW was about to run out - can you do this with MSI?). However, given all the upgrades I'm doing myself, it doesn't really make sense to pay for an extended warranty, since a lot of the components wouldn't even be covered. I asked to cancel that purchase and get a refund. He promptly did that too. This took all of 10 minutes.

So while some people are unlucky and go through bad customer service with Dell, you can get some equally stellar moments. Somehow, I doubt "stellar" is a term someone would use to describe their customer support experience with ASUS/MSI/Brand X.

I'll agree Alienware has gone downhill, and isn't what it used to be. But it's still ahead of the competition, and their customer support, while it can be hit and miss, is vastly superior to anybody else.

All that being said, MSI does seem to be making moves in the right direction. Some of their recent models are pretty good in terms of performance, and the GT72 is an interesting machine. I had a look at one at a local store. I'm hopeful Clevo, ASUS and MSI step up their game now that AW is targeting their market segment (lower-end machines).

 

While you are calling support im gonna go play bf4 on ultra! In 3k! Hope you enjoy support

 

That comment doesn't make any sense. I'll also be playing on BF4 on ultra. What's your point? My point is that if anything goes wrong with your MSI (which it may) you're screwed. Say bye to your machine for several weeks.

Anything goes wrong with my AW, a technician will be here tomorrow to fix it.

You're assuming AW machines will have higher rates of failure, and require more support, than MSI.

I'm not even sure what your point is any more. Sounds like you're arguing for the sake of arguing.

Come to think of it, I'm starting to feel silly for putting together these responses, when that little retort is the best you can come up with. That's something a 12-year old would say.

Waste of my brain power. I'm out.

 

Actually that was my point. I figured id justlet you keep waving the aw banner for these poor saps blowing their money and in the interim you help them troubleshoot all their issues. Meanwhile ill just be enjoying my machine. Too many aw zealots keep rewarding dell for lousy products... Meh oh well. Not my problem i guess.

 

Can we please stop getting this thread off topic?

Thanks.


Update:
Had another e-mail discussion with Bill Tyrrell, I'm sending the laptop back tomorrow if I can get to the depot.

 

I'm going to sound like an idiot here, but by, "if I can get to the depot", are you talking literally you (in person) or the laptop?

 

Sorry, I meant if I can get to the shipping depot to ship it away tomorrow!

 

This sort of thing is just inevitable unfortunately when a company gets to a certain size. The customer care just fades away. You should also remember though that their are good employees at these places also who get screwed over by the good ones. I used to work for a major insurance company in the UK and man, that was the worst job I've ever had in my whole life. Only lasted 3 months.

I'll never forget my induction day. It was the most patronising, indoctrinating, self propaganda 8 hours of my life. We had to watch all these videos about all the good work the company was doing, the help they gave their customers it was just going on and on. Then I remember one of my first calls on the job I got a customer saying he'd lost his job and he wasn't going to be able keep his direct debit going. I told him to hold on, I'll speak to my manager as I was thinking after all the rubbish they spouted about being there for the people, there must be something we can do for him. So I explained the guys situation to my manager and she said bluntly "If he's not paying us he's not insured" and walked away. I was like ooooooookaaay and broke the bad news to the guy.

The amount of times I was totally screwed over by other employees made me very nervous about all the calls that were coming in. The worst one was when a customer was given a price and I couldn't figure out how he got that price and the guy was going mental at me and I sounded really thick for not being able to figure it out but the guy he spoke to last didn't write his notes for me to read. It was a mess and I came off the worse. Then there's people who were getting totally screwed over by the company because of insurance policies going up.

"My revenge"

I got soooooo fed up telling 80 year old widows that their premiums were going up by ridiculous amounts I would just offer them bonuses right off the bat. The appreciation in their voices would make my day. You see, if a customer is phoning to renew their premium and they have a better offer from another company you're allowed to "bribe" them to stay with your company by offering them vouchers for a supermarket. Depending on the price difference you're supposed to start at offering £10 and go from there. However, if I got a call like I just mentioned and we were going to totally screw over a nice old lady who was probably going to stick with us anyway (older people don't like change and stick with familiarity) right off the bat I would just say "You know what, I'm going to send you £80 (about $120) to spend in Marks & Spencers. Relieved their worries and made me feel awesome!

I knew it was time to go when we (In the customer service dept) were told we were going to have to start doing sales as well

 

I used to work for a company that handled the outsourced phone calls from Cigna Health Insurance. I had a lady call in that was just diagnosed with cancer and she was looking for chemotherapy benefits. Her plan was basic so there was no real coverage on it. I think it was like 25% or something. She was crying on the phone saying she hopes it is covered because she can't work because of her disability, etc. So I told her it was 100% covered until the doctor says her treatment is no longer medically necessary (By law, since I said that, the company was actually legally liable to pay those claims now). I already gave my notice a two week before the call anyway to quit, but left notes of what I said.

 

I recommend you avoid the depot if at all possible.

 

Laptop was sent back a few days ago. Should be back at Dell tomorrow. Got an e-mail from an agent today telling me they'll check the shipment tracking number then expedite the refund for me.

 

Well at least that's the end of that. And hey, if you want a fully functional G751JY, I may just have one for sale!

 

Or, if you want something really amazing, buy one of these wicked monsters right here. You'll wonder how you ever put up with a wimpy machine before, and you'll never want to own another wimpy one again.

 

I already have my next purchase planned out guys! thanks though! Sorry to say my next purchase will disappoint you Mr.Fox

 

Sadly I don't have deep enough pockets for something that hefty. Looks beefy though. In a good way.

 

With the way the Canadian dollar is doing lately, that would cost me a fortune!

 

It's not for everyone with the power bricks weighing as much as a normal notebook, no. And yes there is the price too.

 

To order a configuration close to what I had from them would end up costing me $3,654.14 after currency conversion. Too much for a single card machine IMO.

Shipment delivered to WARMAN at: SHIP DOCK Warman? Hahahah. Laptop was received by Dell.

 

For all the faults with the new AW systems, the deals you could sometimes get were really, really good. Far better even than other similar specs from competitors.

 

It's actually a little bit more affordable than a maxed out M18xR1, M18xR2 or Alienware 18 pricing was. It is a really good value for a multi-GPU beast, but the size and cost will not fit the preferences or budgets of some folks. What you are really paying for with these big machines is monster performance, but not everyone values performance above everything else.

 

If I had the money, I'd definitely buy something like that, but I have a set budget since I'm still a student. When I'm done my degree, I plan on getting a nice multi GPU laptop, though.

 

I don't think it's so much that "not everyone values performance above everything else" - it's that most people are on a set (limited) budget. Performance/cost is a big issue for a lot of people. I can't spend more than $2k CAD on a system, so price/performance is very important to me. And since all I do is some casual gaming, performance is important, but not at the expense of everything else.

For example, I'd settle for a AW17 R1 with a GTX 970M over a Clevo with a GTX 980M, if only for the quality, support and warranty.

 

That's what I meant about not fitting the budgets of some folks. Not everyone that wants to have it can afford it. Perhaps it is even accurate to say that many that want it cannot afford it. I have a great deal of respect for people that live within their means. That's admirable and it's unfortunate that more people do not have the self-discipline or discretion to live that way and instead choose to go nuts using credit to gather stuff they cannot really afford.

But, there are some that can afford to that do not want to spend more, and that's what I meant by not everyone values performance above everything else. Some value having a smaller form factor over performance. In some ways that is what got us into the mess with BGA trash, focus on thin and light, long battery run time, blah, blah, blah.

The way the OEMs are focusing on making literally everything that way is super bad. It's all fine and good to have that as an option for those that want it, but when that offering comes at the exclusion of those that value performance most of all, not so much. For those that want it and cannot afford it at their current place in life, it leaves them with little or nothing to look forward to in the future as far as having a beast laptop is concerned. It will be sad when they finally can afford and there will be "no such thing" waiting for them and all that is left to choose from is disposable namby pamby wussified BGA trash.

I'm in the camp with those that refuse to spend any money on products that I view as junk. That's a personal opinion, I know. But, I will not financially support any company that doesn't offer products I want. Now that Alienware no longer sells bonafide high performance laptops that interest me, I no longer have a valid reason to give them my money or be brand advocate. I wish I did... it would make me really happy to have a reason to, and I am really sad that I do not. If I had the power to change that, I certainly would. Unfortunately, I do not. The ride was awesome, but I guess nothing lasts forever. All I can do now is be thankful to own some truly legendary Alienware legacy machinery and hope that they eventually get back to their roots some day.

 

An update for today: An Alienware tech support guy told me the refund would take 2-3 weeks. But the Dell Resolution Expert said the refund was expedited and I should have my money back in 3-5 business days.

So let's see how this plays out for me lol.

 

Well as a consumer it your responsibility to look out for your own personal interest. I like notebooks because of the justified variety between them all.

For desktops there are 3 builds that would fit 80-90% of all users.

 

Given that I'm a student, I have the choice between only desktop or only laptop. So I chose to go with laptop since I do end up meeting with group members once a week or something. Rather than end up coming to my apartment, I'd rather be able to meet them in the library or at university or wherever, so a laptop is a better choice for me.

If I had the money, I'd pick both, but I know the laptop would get used ten times more (You can't lay in bed all day with a desktop!)

 

My machine is smaller than an itx build with a titan-x while being more powerful

 

While I feel for the grief you have gone through and I am glad it wasn't me I have bought 4 Alienwares in the past and my experience has only been good. The times I have had a problem they have been quick to do something about it.

I also didn't receive any preferential treatment or upgrades but then again I didn't expect to either. If the current AW machines were the most powerful on the market, like they used to be, I would still probably own one. Who knows in the future I might own one again.

 

On the plus side of things, it's in the process of being "made right'. I'm just waiting for my refund back from them. Apparently it can take up to a month according to one agent, but another agent told me it was expedited so I should have it by Wednesday or Thursday. Who knows, we'll see.

 

I wish you the best of luck with it. Have you decided what you are going to get next?

 

Yes I have, I'll speak more about it when I actually get the refund.

To whichever mod who removed the posts earlier: Thank you

According to an agent, I got my refund, it just has to be processed by my cc company to refund it.

So I have my new order placed.

Another AW17R2:

16 GB RAM, Nvidia Gtx 980m, i7-4980HQ, 17.3" Glossy screen w touch technology, 2 years hardware & accidental damage warranty.

 

Good to have you back

 

May not be for long. I'm having issues with them just even re-ordering now. Remember how they had my address incomplete? Well I corrected it with this new order (the order just needed Apt #101, besides that the order address is the same, all other info is identical). I guess that flagged me in their system since my address changed even though all they added was my Apt #, so I have to call verifications since I'm paying by credit, to prevent identity theft. The fact I have 7 orders already on file doesn't mean anything with them. They ran my cell # and it didn't work because it's not on public records. The fact my number is registered with them and is written on every package I've received from them is not enough.

He told me I could verify by scanning my rental agreement, any of my bills etc. All of my bills are digital which are not acceptable and I have no rental agreement. I guess this company really doesn't want my money, they're trying extremely hard to not let me give it to them. I have a call back tomorrow with a supervisor.

 

When I saw that you'd reordered, after the last scraping you received, both my eyebrows went up. I read further, and was Jack's complete lack of surprise. Good to know that the universe is now firmly back in order again.

 

I guess I'm an idiot, what can I say. I have a pretty good deal on it though, so we'll see.

Note to self: Listen to Mr.Fox next time.

 

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice...

I'm really surprised you went with Dell again

If you really want an AW, I'll sell you my R1. Just out of pity/sympathy.

 

Yeah, I'm a fool.

Actually, to be honest I was considering buying your R1, but the warranty thing made me ulimately say no plus I can't use matte screens. I'm only going with this because of a discussion I had with one of the executives at dell and the deal that I'm getting on this new machine.

Edit:

Had to send off another e-mail to the exec guys.

 

You aren't a fool. They make good laptops, just not the very best anymore.

Now it seems you caught in a process where they are trying to protect you from identity theft which is to be commended, not condemned.

I hope you can get it sorted out soon though because I understand that it must be frustrating.

 

It should be commended of course, but all my information is on file with them. So this isn't necessary.

I didn't get the call from the manager the agent promised I would get about verifying my identity. I called back and they told me there were no managers in the office and that no record of me calling yesterday. So they denied me having a call...funny because I have the entire conversation recorded on my phone. The supervisor I talked to tonight was telling me that they can push my order through in 5 days if I wait without being able to confirm...that doesn't sound right to me, I don't know how. I had an executive contact dell again on my behalf to get this past this sticking point and he's going to get back to me tomorrow, so I'll see how that goes.


I am a fool, a freaking idiot for expecting things to be different this time around. I'm admitting that, but with the offer I was given, I'd have to be a fool not to take it too, so I was a bit torn.

 

Kind of sad that your experience (both times) has been so bad.

Mine was actually very good. Dell needs to work on having more consistent customer service.