R1 build quality issues... is the R3 any better?

OK. Now firstly i want to say that i really like the m11x. As i am not a hard core gamer having the highest details in games is not a major biggy for me. The core 2 duo su7300 runs pretty much everything i ask it to and in general use the machine is an all round good egg. However i have had problem after problem and am now going to send the thing back.

Firstly the hdmi sound drivers have never worked properly meaning to get any sound from my tv when it is connected i have to reboot the laptop. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination.

Secondly the broadcom bluetooth card is a pile of garbage. I have owned a fair few in my time and they just cant seem to handle bluetooth audio streatming especially when the wifi card is being heavily used ie surfing the net etc etc. It cuts out drops the connection or just disappears altogether and wont return until another reboot.

The panel is made by samsung. Now i had read that was bad but it wasnt until i got to compare an AOU panle side by side with the Sammy that i realised how bad it really is. The blacks do have a greyish tint and the colours really are faded. I aint a monitor snob in fact normally i couldnt care less but the difference in quality in both the panels is so striking that even i mind having the inferior one.

The screen doesnt sit flush with the bezel and so there is a 2mm gap where all manner of dust and other unwelcome bits can get in.

The sd card slot is the only one i have ever seen where half the card is sticking out the side. Talk about bad design. Totally uncalled for and it is just damn sloppy in my opinion.

So anyways i call dell who as usual sort it out for me straight away. They request pics of the build design and once they have them they order a replacement. Now this is why i keep buying dell because i have always always found that if i have a problem they fix it.

So anyways i am most releived and wait for the replacement to arrive. This is when i see the aou panel cos the new one had it installed. The screen/ bezel issue was much much better the drivers for my hdmi sound worked out of the box.

However tyhe bluetooth issue still remains due to the garbage broadcom card but more seriously... The replacement has the dreaded hinge issue. I mean come on a new factory fitted machine shouldnt be leaving it in this state. The screen when moved vibrates and it is just so much looser than the old one. The lid on my old one had a solid action it felt like it woyuld work for years. The new machines hinge feels like it is going to give up any minute now.

So i am well p+++ed off by now. I have three options.

1. Get the engineer out to fix the hinge design on the replacement and while he is there put in either a better wifi/ bluetooth card or just remove the pile of junk altogether and i will use my usb micro dongle that never ever misses a beat even though it is four years old.

2. get my money back and buy a different model. Maybe a vostro 3350 or 3450. Both machines can be gotten from the outlet at heavily reduced prices and both have the sandy bridge core i5. If anyone else has a suggestion for a laptop in 12-14 inch catagory then feel free to tell me what they are

3. buy an r3. however and i guess this is the crux of the post are the issues i have described above present in the new model. It uses the same chassis so i would imagine the card reader is still screwed but what about the hinge? Has anyone who owns an r3 had any issue streaming audio to bluetooth enabled speakers? Is the dreaded sammy panel still being used in the r3? any other problems i should be wary of?

You see if the dude could fix the hinge and sort the bluetooth issue out trhen i will gladly keep the r1. Despite the problems i love it. The backlit keyboard is superb the keyboard itself is good and i like the trackpad. The size is nigh on perfect and as i said it does all i demand of it. I also love the matte finish and the cover design. Basically i really really want to keep owning an m11x but i just keep either of the machines i have in there current state and am worried about risking what would be quite a substantial sum for an r3 if i am going to encounter the same p++s poor design.

Help in these matters and musing will be well appreciated.

 

No offence but you really sound like a guy who is looking for a Ferrari for $500 bucks. The Hinges can be fixed, a new hinge update is available, call Dell.


The M11X monitor is actually very good IMO, it has a plastic cover for extra protection, colours are good and the only thing bad about it is the lack of 1080p, but hey, I get what I paid for.


I agree with you about the Bluetooth...horrible. R3 is the same apart from specs. The M11X is seriously the only powerful laptop you will get under a 13inch screen and long battery life. You should wait for 2055, then computers will transform .


Why is the SD card problem bugging you? It works, it isn't a problem. It's like saying you would like a USB connector to not be sticking out. There is a 2mm gap and yes, I also have that and it is annoying, call Dell, they will fix it.


How long have you had it for?

 

Not sure why you say this? Unless you are some sort of fan boy who wont have a bad word said about it. If that is the case then what i am about to write will be a waste time. However i will give you the benefit of the doubt and try to explain.

I didnt expect the laptop to sprout wings and fly or come laying a golden egg everyday. I paid 450 quid and i simply expected an m11x core 2 duo that works properly out of the box with no messing. No more no less.

I know this is true and i have asked for the engineer to pop out and sort it but what is beyond me is dell allowing another laptop out of the factory that has the hinge issue. It wouldnt be too much to ask for them to implement the fix at the very start would it. This made is even more strange because they have acknowledged it to be known fault so why not fix it from the beginning.

While you may think that is true i have seen with my own eyes side by side the difference in quality and i can tell you the the sammy panel is garbage in comparison. What i cant understand is why they used two different manufacturers one good and one bad. Why not simply use the good one? Samsung i think are pretty renowned for this dubious practice in there tvs so Dell isnt alone but it doesnt make any more right.

The reality is if you have a samsung panel you got short changed and didnt actually get what you paid for. You got a monitor of lesser quality while others who paid the same got the aou... now they got what they paid for!

This is one thing i can live with. While dell should stop using the card the problem is the card is not fit for purpose but broadcom are the makers and the fault lies with them. I have a dongle so it is no great shakes.

I agree on paper, for the money, you are getting a lot of laptop for the cash just a shame it is riddled with problems.

I will most likely be dead by then so this isnt possible i am afraid.

While it may not be a problem for you it is just simply poor design and means the sd card slot cant be used for permanamt storage which is a shame. The idea being get an ssd drive of say 128 gb and then top it up using a 64gb sdxc card that could have just been left in there. With this daft old slot that is no longer possible. As i have said i have never encountered it before on a laptop and wasnt what i was epxecting. Every laptop i have ever owned (many whom have been made by dell) had the sd card sits flush. Simply put... poor design.

No it isnt nothing like it a usb connector i expect to protrude somewhat but an sd card i would expect to sit flush.

there isnt a fix for this. The only way to get it fixed is to replace the panel.

A week. As i said i love it even with all the problems i have encountered it great little laptop and it does exactly what i want without costing the earth. However i was simply wondering if it would be worth my while repairing the one i have or paying the extra pounds and getting the newer model. I think i have my answer though simply a repair is the way forward... that or either a different model.

I dont really need the extras the r3 offers and as i am more than happy with the performance of the r1. It is the build quality and driver issues that annoy me and if the r3 uses the same chassis which i actually really like the look of then i would expect there to be a few problems creeping up there.

 

Did you get a case of bad luck. Return the whole machine. And if the SD card problem REALLY bothers you then return the machine.


And I bet you that other monitor you're comparing is a lot more expensive

 

mate i am comparing an m11x with a samsung panel and an m11x with an aou panel . If you dont know already dell made them with 2 different panels inside. I have two m11xs right here and i can tell you the difference is night and day.

 

Yes I know that, the difference to me is like a hot dog with butter and one without butter. Barely any difference. I think Samsung is doing a good job at producing monitors. My friend has a 1440x rez monitor from 3 years ago and it's fine.

 

I love butter on hotdogs! I used to use "I cant believe its not butter" spay on a tortilla and wrap a hot dog in it with a little cheese... best snack food ever.

 

What the crap? Butter on a hot dog?

I had heard about the two different panels, but I hadn't heard that the difference was so great.

 

Yep i confess to not being on to keen on that idea . Ketchup yes sir ree but butter... no thanks.

Yes they really are that different. The aou has vastly superior colours and blacks. I noticed the sammy panel straight away when i got the first model. You can just tell it is slightly washed out. That said i didnt mind that much... that is until i got the replacement that has the aou panel fitted. The difference is clearly visible the aou is simply put far better with deep blacks and more vibrant real colours. i woulld take pictures for you but i dont think it would show it correctly.

If i was to buy the r3 and it came with a sammy panel i would be sending it straight back i can assure ya especially if other models are indeed fitted with the aou. It does make me wonder if dell is still doing this in the r3. I would love for someone to come along and confirm one way or another as this will have a major bearing on whether i go for an r3 or not.

 

I will agree with you that the fact that Dell can't put in the new hinges instead of the old, faulty ones, is a mind boggler.

Give the technicians a break and reduce the chances of the technicians damaging your laptop even more when repairing the hinges and just put in the new hinges to begin with, the new hinges probably cost the same as the old ones anyways.

And the screen resolution, nothing can be changed about it. If they just used the exact same LCD each time than I don't think people would be complaining about one being superior than the other or vise versa.

And to answer your question, The R3 is superior as of now with the new processor that gets about the same battery life as the R1 and comes with the new hinges already built in (Why couldn't they do this with the current R1 and R2!?!) and a new GPU.

 

I had an AOU and when they did the hinge fix, I got a Samsung. Which I think looks better than the AOU, so to each his own I guess.

 

Besides, all the screen resolutions are bad, can't we just admit that and live with it?

 

Agreed. And about the butter on the hotdog, I mean't the butter on the bread of the hotdog. And it has no difference to eating one without butter. Every PC has flaws, you just have to live with them. If you don't want a PC with flaws, make your own laptop.

 

there are 2 options sir.

1. living with your m11x and trying to keep your eyes on it's positive side 'cos it is how it is, all the problems are not problems at all (except the hinges of course), I also have them but .. i'm totally fỉne .

2. just return it and I assure you that your life will be much more comfortable.

 

Well the replacement is nigh on prefect except for the hinge. Amazing really if had the hinge of the first machine it would be perfect (dodgy sd card slot excluded here although i am keeping my eye on the thread regarding the sd card reader going in the spare wwan slot which would be a perfect work around).

I just disabled the bluetooth card and stuck my dongle in and that solved that issue and will get round to removing the card altogether at some point). I have emailed tech support and hopefully i can get an engineer out to sort out the hinge issue. I am sure it just needs tightening and not replacing if that is indeed possible?. Assuming that gets sorted then i will be keeping it cos at the end of the day as i have stated many times i love the form factor and it does all i need.

We shall see.

 

After reading this thread which I did find the Hot Dog funny, I have some questions. You state you do not understand Dell sending a new factory replacement with problems? If your first unit was a R1 and the replacement was a R1 and since Dell no longer builds the R1 or R2 then the replacement would be a R1, not that it would be an issue for me with same warranty but you need to understand what you really have and that is a refurb. I do not believe they had a new never sold new unit sitting in a closet somewhere. As far as the screen, it did not seem to be an issue for you until you put two side by side. Some things in life are the luck of the draw as different parts are used in everything built. The blutooth I agree are not very good, you could replace it with aftermarket as I have with the blutooth and wifi card not a big deal. The card slot is a dumb idea it is true you can not leave anything in it. As far as out of the box come on everyone here makes software and hardware change's as Alieware is for tech minded people not the average Best Buy shopper. As far as calling some one a Fan Boy for having a different view, call me a Alienware Fan Boy and I will thank you.

 

Just wanted to point out that the common practice of multiple sourcing components is primarily done to ensure that the production line doesn't stop due of a single component being delayed.

Dell and their competitors establish specs for each component that must be loose enough to allow for multiple suppliers. So, assuming for a moment that there is an objective standard for judging one supplier's product as superior to another's, it is not a matter of the second supplier supplying inferior product (it met spec), but is rather a case of the first supplier exceeding spec.

 

While i did suspect that the unit may be a refurb i honestly dont think they are. Dell in the uk are selling the machines new. Now there are laws regarding selling refurb products and they must be listed as such. So i really do beleive the laptops they sent me are indeed factory fitted new units. I was also able to track the delivery all the way from china. I think this more than anything else tells me the laptops are new simply because if it was a refurb why wouldnt they ship it from the uk? You arent going to tell me that dell have shipped, from all the various countries it sells pcs and laptops to, all there refurb units and now have a stockpile of all there refurbs in some factory in china. No i think these are factory fitted new which makes the fact that the new hinge design is not installed from the start truely strange.

And while i agree that most will alter there m11x with clean installs and what not surely if one wanted to simply use it from new one should be able to... without having to google problems and look for solutions and drivers that all take time. Again i know dell aint alone in this but it is still a pain.

I did think much the same about the panels and the old bottom line of getting products out in vast numbers and making as much money as possible. I know dell aint alone and i am certain most electronic manufacturers do it. I guess it is just a sign of the times.

What i didnt know although it makes sense was the minimum spec thing and if one component is better is simply exceeding the spec sheet. Still not a ethic i agree with because at the end of the day it is simply greedy and usually means that in one way or another the end consumer gets the short end of the stick.

However this thread was not about hammering the m11x or dell and was instead meant to be about finding pothers who had the same issues and getting feedback on my options.

I have had nothing but positive experiences of dell and have used them for many years. They have always sorted me out one way or another and is why i keep buying there laptops. Seriously i havent ever encountered any problem that didnt get solved.

The m11x as i have stated is a superb little notebook and i am doing everything in my power to be able to keep my replacerment simply because despite its faults i really like it (although i will never get over that sd card slot which is just a bad joke ) But as i mentioned earlier there is hope in the form of the wwan slot.

Well thanks for all who have posted but i am still interested in a few things.

What panel is in the r3?

What bluetooth card can anyone recommend that can stream audio from the laptop to external bluetooth headphones whilst simultaneously surfing the internet?

Can the hinge simply be tightened or does the panel have to be replaced?

 

You are correct in saying the factory is in China and they would not send a refurb from there. Also there is a sticker that is on the bottom stating refurb in the U.S. anyway. I did not take anything you said as Dell bashing but as concerns you have. Hope you sort out the problem as for I, the m11x is a powerful little unit that can not be beat unless it's put against gaming notebooks. Every system I have ever owned any brand has short falls, but at lest Alienware dose it with class..

 

From everything I've read the Samsung screens are better than the AUO ones. I have a Samsung and am quite pleased with it.

 

*The screen thing is not a universal truth, and there are tweaks you can do
* SD slot might be annoying but if important get a mini/smaller card with adapter and cut the adapter casing down.
* Hinges sucked but the failure rate wasn't 100% or on any specific time table. Using up the inventory will work ok for them $$$ then allowing replacements to pull up the slack.

For me, components were ok but assembly was kinda poor. I had to sort out some things on my own. For the price vs features though Im still satisfied.

 

So, let me get this straight, if I bought extra warranty, and I had a R1, and the motherboard blew up, I would get a R3? Dell, you are so un-logical.

 

Well, probably they'd choose R2 if no R1's were available.

 

Still, 4 cores are better then 2. Someone is seriously going to abuse this system. Frauds and cons, killing the world.

 

Nothing new here. If no stock, warranty policy requires equal/equiv so what to do? Use what you have. This and other forums have examples of folks with multi-year warranties fulfilled by newer replacements.

 

And you don't think warranties aren't a scam either?

Plus, it's still dual core just multithreaded.

 

True. So...the i5/i7 is a dual core ??? But with hyper-threading? Unbelievable.

 

Definitely first gen i5/i7 is a step above the SU7300. The R3 i7 though is great. If the systems weren't so darn expensive I'd probably upgrade to one of those.

 

Couldn't you buy a motherboard of a R2/R3 from some site like eBay and put it into the R1?

 

I think R2 you could, but R3 has some things rearranged internally that I know of. So wouldn't be an easy swap if even possible. But IMHO R2 isn't enough of a boost considering it still has the 335m, plus battery life is worse.

 

My only r1 Bluetooth issues are mouse range and trying to use a BT mouse at the same time as an A2DP headset (they both skip). I am selling my adapter though.

 

A little off-topic, but... how exactly can you tell what screen you have in the M11X...?

 

Device Manager \ Monitors \ Select the monitor \ Properties \ Details Tab \ Choose Hardware ID.

 

Right just to update and round things off. I have to say this has been one drama after another.

I reinstalled windows on the original machine and loaded up the drivers. Using the threads on here i was able to get it looking as it should with all the backgrounds boot screen and avatars in the right place.

The hdmi sound problem is now fixed as soon as i connect it to my tv hey presto sound. I also opened it up and gave the fan a good clean tightened a few screws and have at least made the buzzing sound when the fan starts a lot less in your face. Have disabled the poor internal bluetooth card and using a dongle so that is also fixed.

So as it stood i had two m11xs that worked but one had poor build quality round the bezel area and the other had screwed hinges...

Tech guy came out last week to replace the panel on the replacement. The hinge was perfect but the new screen had a chip in it!!! So straight away a new part was ordered again.

Then i noticed that he had scratched some of the paint at the very back. Not a major issue but very very annoying simply because i look after my stuff. So i rush out to get some matte paint and give it a rolf harris jobby. It didnt work very well. So i am furious at this point.

However the tech guy was due to come today and fit the panel on the replacement. So i let him do that and then after he has gone i strip both machines down and swap the panels round.

So i am left with the original machine with new panel which has no build quality issues and the only issue is a slight buzz from the fan.

The replacement has the old screen with build quality issues (that really arent that bad anyway i am just ultra picky). It also has thanks to a technician that was in too much of a rush scratched paintwork on the back. To top it off after booting the replacement up after he has gone i discover the g and h keys dont work and it wont switch gfx using the fn 6 key. So the replacment which has been nothing but bother is heading back the way of dell and i am keeping the original machine with the new screen.

At last what a saga i have a machine that works. One thing i have noticed in the last couple of days is that i have had about 3 or 4 complete system lock ups and the only way to get it sorted has been to pull the battery. This only happens when the nvidea gfx is enabled... maybe to do with heat?

Not a good omen but i am sticking with this machine because i have really grown to love it. Fired up mass effect 2 last night at native res and settings to high and it ran like the wind. Also gave x3 reunion a boot and the machine gobbled it for brekky.

Just to round it off nicely for anyone interested the new hinge comes with a new screen and the wwan ariel is also attached. The last screen was an aou but the new one is a sammy. As i dont have an aou to compare it to anymore i have reverted back to oh well its bad but its not something that bothers me too much! The new screen also has the stealth black soft back panel that is used on the r3s. Looks very nice indeed.

So it took a while but i finally have a working m11x that looks and runs really well. I will keep my eye on the lock ups but i am hoping that it isnt anything serious... after all dell dont pay me enough to keep fixing there machines!!!