Just received new M14x R2: Worst Dell laptop I have EVER had! $2500 and pain right out of the box!

Wow, I never expected this, but I just received my new machine a day ago and the very first boot took about 4 minutes (!), I configured new Windows-7 (Pro) installation with my choices, adjusted basic settings and shut down. On the very next boot, the machine hung at the AW-brand login screen and never did reach a functional Windows desktop! I waited 25 jaw-dropping minutes in total disbelief, then dumped it to try again. The second attempt made it through to a Windows desktop in about 1 minute, but then the mouse was very laggy until the pointer and keyboard completely froze after about 1 minute of basic Windows setups (no user-installed software running), at which point I had to hard-dump it again. A third boot produced Windows in about 20 seconds, but again the pointer was acting very laggy and unresponsive until another freeze in about 2 minutes. This is not going to work for me.

I have never had any machine, even the bad ones, that had this much trouble right out of the box, and this is utterly UNEXCUSABLE for an Alien! I configured this with the 3840QM processor and 512 GB SSD, which I thought meant that I was going to see remarkable performance right from boot. I have seen nothing but trouble. Further, I am no stranger to successfully fighting the Alienware tweak battle before on my M17 R2, with much success on that machine. I don't know what is happening over at Dell/Alienware, but that company has fallen a long way and has some MAJOR soul-searching to do if they want to stay in business. I obtained my return authorization today on the phone, and I'm going to be figuratively drop-kicking this cranky turd of a machine back to Dell immediately. Buyers beware! I'm guessing it's the solid state drive, so perhaps a good old-fashioned hard drive will be fine.

 

Why didn't you try and have Alienware fix the issue instead of just returning it? sounds like you weren't completely sold on the system.

 

So you got craped out win instalation and decided brand sucks. Cool story bro.

 

Some Solid state drives are known to go bad like that. Its more than likely (95%) the SSD.

 

You didn't try to reformat windows or anything?

 

I'm not to be alienware fan boy , everything you mentioned are OS & SSD related , since you have computer knowledge follow what idiotpilot just said.

 

Thanks all for your responses. I may wait a while and re-order with a hard drive instead. I have read numerous posts here on NBR regarding strange instabilities with SSDs, so perhaps it is a slightly immature technology right now and I'm not the only one who has seen this kind of thing. It sure sounded great initially, but I am now not at all convinced.

I am not new to Aliens, and I still am trying to believe in them, but this experience has been another serious downer. And Dell, well, we all know they have problems ahead. It will be an interesting ride for them, I'm sure.

 

Not so much immature just they are tossing them out so fast right now QC isn't very good.

 

After reading a few horror stories about some 14's being DOA due to some faulty hardware i was very thankful mine arrived in perfect functioning condition. But OP, while it is on alienware to make sure their products are shipping functionally this should be quite an easy fix as it's either a corrupted OS installation or a faulty HDD.

 

When i purchased my second ssd drive i went again with samsung as my 470 series was and still is working perfectly. What a sirprise it was once i recieved a non operational 830. All benchs measured it slower than any mechanical drive i owned, it was even slower than few old usb2 sticks i had paying around. My problems wit it were similar like the ones you're describing. Sometimes no boot, slow and unresponsive system. Got a new ssd next day and its working like a charm since then. Always try to troubleshot your system and just replace defective component. Tech anywhere are underpaid and overtasked and often dont have necessary attention for details.

 

When i worked in geeksquad if windows installed it installed. If it booted once for us we didn't question it.

 

I'm sorry to read that you had such a bad experience but you know that DELL is doing everything in their hands to keep you satisfied. At least you were not left alone with the broken computer and no money on the pocket. Electronics may fail as we all know and it could have been just a non-working O.S. Let us know how the new PC is once it arrives and if you ever have any issue feel free to post it and we'll definitely take a look into it.

 

Yep thats what I'm saying - you dont have time to run series of tests and check if anything is okay. Usually system boot with all drivers installed is only thing you do before shipping out new machine.

 

Yes, you are definitely right about Dell/Alienware doing the right things as far as having an excellent return policy. There is none better anywhere in the industry. I have had nothing but good service from Dell when I had to call them. The trouble is, the quality of their products for the price is really suffering these days, and I have had to make far too many calls for problems. I have had failures of high-end equipment supplied by Dell far too many times in the past, including my XPS 15 (seen in sig), a previous XPS 17, my Ultra-Sharp 27" monitor (two of them, and I am now on my third!), who knows how long until my new 30" Ultra-Sharp goes too, and now this Alien. It is just getting to be far too much, friends, and my costs in time and stress are mounting to incredible levels. Dell better get serious about quality real soon and most likely accept that they are going to have to be a smaller company in the future, and accept lower profits. In this economic climate and with technology where it is today, I don't see any other alternative for them.

 

$2500 for an M14x? Wow, more than I paid for my old 680m/3740qm M17x.