WTF: Alienware 15 R3 came with Chi Mei 768P panel?

I'm trying to understand how this is possible with a Alienware 15 R3 I just picked up in person today. All the specs listed in the service tag check out except for the screen....it was optioned with a 1920x1080 300 nits IPS GSYNC panel, but checking the panel today, it turns out it is a CMN15DB panel?? What in the world? How does that even happen? Previous owner said things never looked right on his screen, but I thought it would just be drivers. For it to actually be a 1366 x 768 panel? Anybody else have this problem? I would love an Alienware rep to comment. System is still under warranty. I know dell uses these panels in their Latitude 3000 series

 

Maybe previous owner changed the panel?

 

Looks like I have to swap this panel to sell the computer...nobody wants this junk panel including me. I found panel part number F7HH2 for 60$, is this the correct gsync 1080p IPS 300 nits panel?

 

Someone messed with your machine i think.....how does the bezel look. Is it glued firmly onto the lcd panel? Or do you see gaps?

 

If you buy from ebay, be sure to always be ready to strongplay buyer protection + bank chargeback.

Most sellers will give you garbage "compatible" screen even though you tell them to give you exact panel.

Really needs to be something done on ebay's part on this.

 

I assume the seller pulled one over you. You do not drop over a grand on a gaming laptop, and not know how to change the resolution of your screen. Would have been one of the first things they checked out of the box; the difference between 1366 x 768 and 1080p is super obvious. When going to configure any game, seeing no higher resolutions would be a major tip off. They either broke the screen and replaced it themselves with the wrong panel, or Dell did. Either way, the customer didn't want to deal with it and sold it with that vague warning.

 

Everything is tight all around and the PO didn’t seem like the kind of guy to know how to do anything beyond reading a spec sheet

 

Was it an outlet machine? I have seen some refurbs come with different parts than what the service tag indicated.

If the ownership has been transferred to your name then you can always contact tech support and ask about having them swap it out. If it was a mistake made by Dell, the wrong panel should still have a Dell part number, so they should be willing to exchange it in my opinion.

 

I have no way of knowing but the machine looks immaculate. I didn't ask the PO if it was refurb or not. All I know is I know this panel in particular has been used in other dell 15.6" notebooks

regardless I have ordered the 50$ panel on ebay that supposedly is the same DPN as what was listed on the service tag specifications. I don't expect Dell to do anything about this. I already put in the ownership transfer request yesterday.

 

Thats extremely strange though.... they scan everything with barcodes during assembly. It is hard that it goes wrong there. But nothing is impossible.

 

I have pulled bezels off on 15r2 and 15r3 models and if you are careful and/or replace the could sided tape strip, they look like they have never been removed. If the seller is the original owner, my guess would be they did the switch. That being said, if it was a refurb or repair, it is possible Dell screwed up and replaced it with the wrong panel.

 

Update on this: Alienware will be taking a look at the machine, I'm mailing it away tomorrow to look at the LCD, the power throttling on the motherboard, and random keys stop working.....

 

Update: Dell replaced the panel as it was found to be their fault in some mystery way. Unfortunately, the panel they sent me back with the computer is scratched in several places.....gotta love Alienware