Where to get Alienware 17 R5 per-key RGB part and/or upgrade

Hello. To make a long story short, I purchased a Dell Alienware 17 R5 on August 20th this year, and, one day later, Dell started offering the per-key RGB lighted keyboard in their on-line web-based configurator. I wanted to obtain the new keyboard part so that I could at least upgrade my laptop myself, but, I contacted Dell support and they were rude and unhelpful and refused to even give me the keyboard part number.

My main question is what is the part number of the new per-key RGB keyboard and where and when can I buy it? According to information from various forums, the part number of the new keyboard may be m17ixf-bw , but, I don't know if this is correct. It seems Dell wants to keep their part numbers secret and all I could find associated with my service tag was this :



All I really want is the part number for the new keyboard and where to buy it. If someone who has an Alienware 17 R5 with the per-RGB keyboard would just go to support.dell.com, enter their service tag, click on "System configuration", click on "Original configuration", expand "Components" and then expand their laptop's keyboard information and copy the info here ( like I did in the above image ), I'd be very grateful .

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

jdb2

 

Oh yes, you're the guy with the "Screwed by Dell : Bought $4K+ Alienware 17 R5 *ONE DAY* before per-key RGB keyboard option was offered." You deserved to be flamed for thinking Dell "screwed you."

Ultimately you have to order it from Dell so you need to work with Dell. I didn't have any issue doing the online chat with their parts department and you shouldn't either but nobody has successfully ordered this after the fact. There's another Reddit thread about this very issue plus a bunch of recent posts on here about it. If you have $130 to spare to be the guinea pig go for it.

As I posted on Reddit, the part number that shows up under system configuration / the build sheet isn't what is needed to order the keyboard after the fact so asking in more places for the same information isn't going to help you out.

 

I don't know what's wrong with the OP but he should probably have his internet taken away. Dude threatened to sue Dell because the per-key keyboard isn't available to order

https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/...ed_by_dell_bought_4k_alienware_17_r5_one_day/

 

What's wrong with me is that I'm POed that I can't order a $30 part for my $4K+ laptop. And I didn't "threaten to sue them" in the usual sense : after the rep became rude I became upset and said that I'd "sue" them in small claims court, which is not like a regular lawsuit with a jury -- it's just a judge and each defendant has to pay a $25 or so fee. But, that's irrelevant. And please don't launch ad hominem attacks against me -- I never did in any of the threads I created.

Good day.

jdb2

 

"I didn't have any issue doing the online chat with their parts department and you shouldn't either but nobody has successfully ordered this after the fact."

I got on Dell's on-line parts department, but the only options for on-line chat are with a technical support rep which isn't specific to replacement/spare parts. Is there something I'm doing wrong or missing?

 

Nevermind, I got connected with the right agent...

Thanks!

 

The part itself is not $30 - it's $120 to order the whole keyboard but only $30 to upgrade to it on a new build. It's a new item so it's reasonable they don't have them available to order as parts yet.

And, you didn't threaten to sue them but you admit you threatened to sue them. *epic facepalm* If you take Dell to small claims court, please let me know in advance so I can be there to film it.

 

I talked with an agent and they said exactly the same thing -- that the current supply of per-key RGB keyboard parts were reserved for warrantied laptops which had the per-key RGB keyboards and which needed to be replaced due to an R.M.A. Also, $30 or $120 doesn't really make a difference when the total cost was $4K+ -- I said that I'd pay $150 for it.

I was irritable and a little manic and I had been on hold talking to some Dell technical support rep who was probably 10000 miles away and the guy was being rude and wouldn't even give me a part number nor discuss the topic and I blew up at that point. Sorry, if it means anything :|

More ad hominem attacks. Actually, in many small claims court cases where one of the defendants is a huge corporation, the company usually doesn't even send a lawyer because it's not worth their money or time and the person who brought the suit wins by default -- might be different with Dell though.

Good day...

 

Well you threatened to sue them.....I saw your reddit topic. Sorry but I think you act quite entitled. FIrst of all technology gets updated. Its just what it is. I bought the 15R3 past January and year I knew the new 6 core models where coming but I needed to replace my old laptop asap. You agreed to pay a certain amount for the specs they offered at that day and thats pretty much final. But to threated to sue them is kinda a cherry on the cake just because they arent doing what you want.

Anyway just keep checking spareparts on sites such as Aliexpress. Thats pretty much your only chance. Most parts are not sold directly when they can only be replaced by removing the motherboard. Thats kinda their policy.

 

Why do people keep harping on the "you threatened to sue them" comment? Technically, I threatened to take them to small claims court, but, all of that is irrelevant as I explained that I had been talking to a rude Dell rep and I blew up and then hung up.

If by "entitled" you mean "arrogant" then please note that I'm an Aspie and I often say things that seem neutral to me but others find to be offensive or arrogant, and I've had to suffer with that my whole life.

Yes, I know, but I wasn't expecting the same laptop model number to have its specs changed one day after I purchased it -- usually these things are static, or, at least that's my experience with other laptop companies as this is my first Dell/Alienware purchase...

Yes but you at least *knew* that a new laptop model or configuration was going to be released -- I didn't know about Dell changing the options on the same laptop configuration/model the day after I bought it.

That may be true for Dell, but, other companies, like EVGA, offer 90 day "Step-Up" insurance where one pays the difference between a new model and one's current model to upgrade and other companies have similar price guarantees, but, apparently, Dell doesn't have anything like this, and they should...

Here we go again. To make it clear, I was pissed off after being on hold for 20 minutes and having to talk to an uncooperative and rude rep and I just blew up -- I wasn't being serious... Why do people keep coming back to this? I've heard from people connected to Dell that Dell has some of the worst customer service of any company...

Thanks for the info

I talked to a Dell spare/replacement parts rep via the on-line chat system yesterday and they said that they'd have the per-key RGB part in stock in a few months or so because they're low on stock and the keyboards are currently reserved for people who selected the per-key RGB option...

jdb2

 

Guys, give the man a break, he has also apologized, don't think it is productive to continue bashing him.

Peace

 

I can get that it is frustrating but yeah like I said its the dangers of buying tech. It moves so quickly and it also all depends on the supply chains.

You need to be really experienced though in disassembling the laptop. For replacing the keyboard you really need to disassemble everything except for the Screen assembly part. Some cables are glued into the palmrest such as the DC in jack cable which you also need to remove because its adhered directly on top of the keyboard metal backplate which you need to remove as well. Its quite a long process. Had to replace the palmrest once and it was basically the same process. So to be honest my advice would be just to let it go and be happy with the current keyboard. But thats just my opinion.

And i get the communicating part. I never got tested/diagnosed with being an aspie but a lot of people suspect me to be somewhere on the spectrum.

Anyway my experience with Dell is if you want to get something done, call/message the Alienware team directly, they are far more helpful and have the knowledge needed for handling Alienware related requests. The Dell policy is wildly different and for exmaple where you are as end user allowed to disassemble the machine. This is not always the case with Dell products.

 

I tried to call parts for the price on the UHD panel (in brief, call Sales - it sounds ridiculous, but the sales people actually can quote on the parts). The first level of tech support, I wasted 20 minutes re-describing what I already told the Customer Care team (was also complaining about heat issues); only to be told "so sorry, I am Inspiron support - let me connect you to Alienware". To be honest, the Alienware guy I got sounded much more mature, perhaps Indian as well, but laidback and was able to direct me properly for all my questions. Sorry to hear you got an Alienware rep who wasn't so tasty.

I for one know what you're feeling. For example, the SSD I bought for this computer - turns out Amazon just dropped the price by 16%. They will not do price match anymore. Now, I could take it out, return it, buy another one... I probably should... but I'm too lazy. I still feel the right to complain to anyone who I talk about this stuff to though that Amazon sucks for just not adjusting my price within 30 days like any major store would, and insisting I buy again and return. [EDIT: but I didn't threaten to take them to small claims court... haha!]

Furthermore, I was very on edge about going Alienware. The per-key lighting, when I realized I saw that as an option, was like a guiding light. I might not have gone for it otherwise, I REALLY wanted that feature. (Whether it will get used remains to be seen.) I wish Clevo machines would all get that feature soon.

Now to play the other side - if this is a feature you already knew you wanted - it sounds like you didn't check back in the first 30 days. Or did you know about them offering it, but figured you'd just order the part (rather than return), and then the 30 days elapsed and things are where they are?

I will admit it is irritating though not knowing when you can even order it. I was split on QHD vs UHD when ordering mine, but I read all the threads and confirmed it wasn't too hard to replace and the replacement screens didn't cost that much. Otherwise I would have returned and tried both that way. (but since the UHD screen can be had for the upgrade charge from QHD to UHD when configuring, this way I will have BOTH screens to switch to anytime I should desire - I am usually a perfectionist about things too!) But in your case, yeah, you didn't even know that was going to be an option.

Anyway I hope my long-winded post offered you some peer support.

Do you have an RGB per key external keyboard now, by chance? Maybe get yourself one to try for a month, and see if you end up even using the per key lighting? Even though I had that as a must-have, I know it's likely I might end up not using it much or if at all.

 

Oh, also - not sure if you've taken these apart before, or if you have to re-paste yet. Definitely wait to re-paste until you get the keyboard if you can, you're 80% of the way there. As said earlier in the thread, to get the keyboard out, yep, the whole bottom chassis will pretty much be completely parted out. Check the Alienware service manual if you want a breakdown, it actually does a really good job of quickly showing you the steps involved. I wish I'd checked it earlier. YouTube videos are ok, but they're not as fast to see the actual steps as the service manual.