To DELL: Suggestions for R3

Dear DELL,

I tried your m11x r2, it blows. Your tech support is crap.
I will be getting my refund...

As for the Revision 3...

FIX THIS ALREADY:
1) THE BLOODY HINGE......Sorry but its unacceptable

NEEDS:
2) GT400m GPU (dx11 / tessellation is a MUST for 2011)
3) Better overall construction (brushed aluminum would be nice)

WANTS:
4) Better LCD display (better vertical angles, smaller bezel and larger screen)
5) USB 3.0

 

I just want the m11x innards inside a macbook pro quality chassis.

 

My personal opinion: If Dell thinks it's cheaper to replace/fix the existing hinge issue than to fix the hinge design itself, I will not be buying from Alienware (or Dell) again nor will I recommend them to anyone.

But if they want to save the little bit of effort and money it would take to fix their design mistakes at the expense of giving their companies a bad reputation AND losing revenue from customers that would have bought the laptop if it had been solidly built, that's up to them.

 

better cpu, nough said.

 

-good gpu
-good battery life / small size
-good cpu

Now pick 2, cant have 3 lol

The only way to have a beffy gpu with good battery life is a ULV cpu.

At 18W TDP, i think the i7 ULV is perfect.

Think about it, even if the gpu gets upgraded to a gt445m (double the gpu cores, over twice as powerfull + dx11), I bet the i7 640um still wont botyleneck the system.

If only the chassis is 13".... Then they can fit a normal i3/5m in there. Ofcourse id still prefer a beefier gpu + bigger battery.

 

Just in case they didn't listen it yet...
FIX THE BLOODY HINGE!
Ahem!

+
12.1" MATTE screen

=
Perfection!

 

In addition:

1) Fix Hinge (Helping Dell notice a trend on the posts)
2) The screen is sort of crappy. My Inspiron 700m (similar size screen) which is 6 years old has a better screen than the M11x now, after 6 years and all the aging it suffered.

Thank you

 

We still have few games with normal dx10 support and you are asking for dx11 with tesselation. Where? In benches, crappy avp and metro 2033? Though i'm not against new gpu but asking it for dx11 is a lol...

 

Wow... just goes to show you can't please all the people all the time.

Seriously, both the M11x R1 and R2 were released just a few months ago. It is by far, the most powerful gaming machine under 14". It has great aesthetics with its AlienFX lighting system, has great battery life, and is pretty reasonably priced.

Yet, people still act like they're calling out for blood if Dell / Alienware doesn't meet their demands. Sheesh.

 

I think people just want the hinge issue acknowledged, and repaired. If not in their model, at least in future revisions.

 

I'm hoping my hinge lasts as long as my older E1505 did: Four years. I'm actually glad I don't have a matte screen as the glass is super easy to clean.

It is odd that Alienware/Dell wouldn't address/realize the whole hinge issue. I wouldn't mind a better GPU/CPU but it plays all the games I have on it fine. For instance, I installed The Witcher this morning and it plays at native res with a couple things turned down.

:3

 

I want a cupholder. I also want custom graphics on the outside from dell. Like camo or skulls or hello kitty. Instead of the battery, I want an option to get SLI graphics in there too.

 

Well then it's not a laptop lol. I second a cup holder. That would be so awesome.

 

5 words:
Out of warranty...
Broken hinge...

What then huh??

 

+1
I totally agree!

 

Double the CUDA Cores does not result in twice the performance...especially with how "Fermi II" architecture works.

The more likely Nvidia 400 series card that could end up in an M11x refresh would be one in the GT 420M to the GT 435M range (which are all the same 96 shader GPU but at different clocks). Any one of those cards would be a bump up from the GT335 in DX9/10 games but don't expect much in the way of DX11 support.


My suggestion for Dell is go for AMD's Zacate Fusion APU with an AMD Seymour based GPU and an AMD XGP for an external GPU. For extra flavor top it off with a laser pico projector built into the lid.

 

Zacate is (CPUwise) slower than current arrandales from Intel. It's faster than an Atom, but even the Via Nano is faster than most Atoms, so that isn't saying much. XGP is relatively unused, except for an old HD3870 external GPU.

I do think a Llano + Seymour should do the trick - but it's all down to how SB+Fermi will do, relatively, and what Alienware's design goals and direction are aimed at (with the technology they have avalible to them).

 

...with the image coming out of the alien head's eye/s. That would be pretty darn awesome

 

Ontario is the Fusion APU up against Atom, while Zacate goes against Intel's CULV. Zacate's CPU performance vs. Intel's CULVs is yet unknown but it's gaming performance has been hinted at in comparisons against a Core i5-520M....and the AMD does very well. What Zacate also offers though in a combination with an AMD discrete GPU is Hybrid Crossfire which not only offers switchable graphics (AMD is working on their version of Optimus) but a potential graphics performance boost where both the IGP and GPU work together.

As for the XGP it's initial launch was with a HD3870 for the Fujistu Amilo but it's also been used to run a HD4650 and HD5830 off the Acer Ferrari One (just not in the U.S.). It may be relatively unused but it is worthwhile tech.

Finally a Llano APU could potentially do the job by itself without the need for a discrete GPU...seeing as the top end quad is rumored to have an IGP with 480 Stream Processors (just more than a Mob HD5650) with a TDP just under 15W more than the Intel ULV+GT 335M combo. The problem with that is like Sandy Bridge (C)ULVs, Llano isn't due out until 2Q 2011 (or later) while Bobcat APUs and Mobile 6000 series cards could possibly be ready by CES.

 

Dell management team will never come to this forum for feedback/users' complain. If you do not send this to the proper department, you are basically talking to thin air about your wish list.

Also, Dell will never redesign the body of M11x because they still have massive inventory of parts stored. It is more economic feasible to spread the cost of product repair (it's all about accounting ) over the lifespan of the laptop. The current potential design flaw acts as a great incentive to convince buyers to purchase additional warranty (another great source of revenue). So it is a win-win situation for Dell. The management team realized that fans of alienware will continue to support their products with great tolerance toward the major design flaw. If the formula is working for Apple (iphone 4 and its antenna), it is working for Dell. Expect a refresh in at least 6 monthes or more but the hinge problem is very unlikely to be resolved.

 

Wow, aggressive.

If you're worried about repairs out of warranty, you could always buy a better warranty from Dell or Squaretrade while your current warranty is still valid.

And if you are philosophically opposed to buying warranties to cover a known problem that you personally believe that the manufacturer should fix through a recall / redesign.... then either return or sell the laptop. It's a capitalist society. If you don't like what someone is selling, don't buy it.

Both of those options are a lot easier and more effective than sitting there and waiting for someone else to fix the problem for you. I don't know about you, but when I see someone else dragging their feet to fix a problem that I want fixed, then I take ownership of the situation and fix it myself.

 

That is the kind of attitude I can't tolerate, even more if you add lies to it. That is why I am not buying more warranty. It is ridiculous. Dell is abusing its almost monopoly in the small/portable gaming laptops, but I will be moving to other company if they don't change... M11x is indeed a great machine. I have R1 and I don't see necessity of buying a R2 or even... ahem... R3. But the way they a handling this simple hinge issue is ridiculous. They are basically assuming that most consumers are stupid unreasonable fans...

 

So you are basically saying that a capitalist society don't need to have any principle, everything is valid as long as someone get a profit in the end and consumers have just to accept what they can get without complain and fixing problems by themselves... Great... What a wonderful world... Kind of similar to old URSS actually (in the getting-what-you-can-without complaits-and-fixing-it-by-yourself part )

 

The Alienware M11x doesn't have a monopoly. They are called competitive differentiators. The small size and powerful gaming capabilities are what differentiate the Alienware M11x from other laptops.

And they are not alone in that space. You can buy a Sony Vaio Z. You can buy an Acer Timeline X. Heck, you can even buy an older Dell XPS M1330 / M1340 and be happy.

Nobody is forcing you to buy only Dell or Alienware computers.

You're turning a business decision into an emotional issue.

Dell knows there is a problem. The reason they don't issue a recall / redesign is this: It's cheaper for them to keep fixing the problem, then it is to recall / redesign the laptop.

Lol, no. Stop trying to turn this into an issue about whether capitalism is moral or ethical. It has nothing to do with whether capitalism is right or wrong.

It's about being realistic on what will actually work. If someone else won't fix a problem that they should be fixing, then you fix it yourself.

And if you want to get compensated for the amount of time/money you spent
fixing their problem, then you sue them for the damages. If a company won't listen to your complaints, then you make them listen to money. And one way to turn your complaint into money is to sue them. Dell is an American company. In America, if you think someone else owes you something that they aren't giving you, you sue them. Like it or not, right or wrong, that is just how it is done here.

 

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Nice. Quoting one line out of context, so you can face-palm it. Hope that fixes the hinge issue.

You know how you can make your hinge issue go away TODAY? Buy an extended warranty, or sell/return your laptop.

You could also sit around, wait, post a bunch of messages on an internet forum, and hope that Dell changes their mind and issues a recall / redesign. But you've seen how productive that option is.

 

Folks - I know this is not a simple issue. Historically, Dell/Alienware didn't resolve the root cause when the old m15 when hinge issues presented themselves.. They are probably not going to do the same here. They will repair them. If you honestly think the hinges are a deal breaker ask a Dell/Alienware Server MANAGER (english if needed) send you, in writing that they will warranty the hinge even after the initial warranty is concluded.

The other option is straightforward. Don't buy a m11x. If you feel like making a free market stand, dont buy alienware. We show our support every day by what we purchase. So if you dont want to support bad hinges or whatever, then dont buy one.

So far (knock on wood) my hinge is fine. Could it break tomorrow, sure. But I am not going to dwell on it.

Best Wishes, StevenX

 

See the forum rules -

we're done here.