I had thought that spending about $4000 on a system, including an additional $350 for service and support would keep me stable. Not so it seems. I had purchased a new Alienware Aurora with dual core AMD with a stout NVidea card. This replaced my other system which died a timely death (warranty expired just a few months previous to catastrophic failure). How can this go so horribly wrong?
OK, you buy a Ferrari you expect some delays in receipt and some support issues, but come on folks this is worse than bad. To start with, it took 40 days after the stated delivery date to receive my Aurora (they predicted two months delay, but it was 3.5 months). No problem, I expected more delay than they led on to because I have dealt with suppliers of high end components who are notoriously overextended. I had expected great things from the box. The fact that my FPS never got above 35 was disquieting, but tolerable. When the first video card went belly-up it took over 40 days to get a replacement. That replacement did not last 30 days. I have repeatedly told these guys that I believe something else is fundamentally wrong. Video cards do not just burn out that fast. Now I have been sent last year's video card as a refurbished replacement. If it worked, then might be fine. The fact is, after waiting a week to get card #3 it arrived unattached to the heat sink and without the necessary screws.
The support guy told me that he will send out screws and some thermal joint compound (icky). I had hoped that he would have sent me an assembled video card instead. Better yet, how about fully testing the box before you send it out. So, they sent out the screws via parcel post (9 days), but missed the thermal joint compound. The stuff I had left over from working on the last high powered transistor board of my own is apparently not good enough since its not Dow Corning (sorry Archer Engineering). I am waiting for the 'right' stuff to be sent next-day, but this seems rediculous.
I notice a little sticker on the bottom of the laptop that states that the computer was manufactured from tested components and never tested as a unit. Isn't that just nuts? I bought a 3 year support contract and my box wasn't burn-in tested? Caveat emptor indeed! Likely they will end up losing alot of money on this box over the next couple of years of support. Unless they drag out each issue to keep my uptime so low no new problems can arise.
If anyone is considering the purchase of an Alienware laptop, think twice. If my experience is anywhere close to an average experience, you should run away as fast as you can. My son's refurbished HP has had more up time. For my $4k I have had more headache than machine, and more time waiting on support and delivery than I have had using the system.
Beware the folly of overpromised and overextended merchants.
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