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Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

techguy
Grafter
Posts: 2,540
Registered: ‎12-09-2008

Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Well I just phoned up Mesh to extend my system warranty (3 years old) and was told the system was too old.
And before you ask why I bought an extended warranty it was simply so that I would not have to fork out for parts (It has paid for itself as the ethernet controller failed on the original board about 3 months outside the standard warranty and they replaced it no questions asked although I did do most of the diagnostics for them)
Looking at the warranties now, they only cover parts for the first year so am looking at alienware for my next system.
I know they were acquired by Dell *shudder* but they say that they are an independent op still and that they can extend warranties beyond three years.
Just wanted to know if anyone on here had ever owned one and whether they were any good?
7 REPLIES 7
Gus
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 26
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Not used them as there prices are way too high, but I do use http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/ ; For you the only issue is the longest warranty they do is 3 years have a PC and laptop from them currently and happy with both and their service
FTTP 500 regrade from Tues 28th November
Kelly
Hero
Posts: 5,497
Thanks: 380
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Nothing wrong with Dell nowadays!  Most of my friends (me included) have been buying Dell laptops rather than any of the main manufacturers,  and we are all g33ks Smiley
Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
techguy
Grafter
Posts: 2,540
Registered: ‎12-09-2008

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Yes, exactly what I thought Gus, thanks for the tip, hadn't heard of this firm.
I think three years is about the max, particularly as the CPU manufacturers are bringing out new CPUs and chipsets every other day.
I've just priced up quite a tastily specced PC for what I think is a decent price.
techguy
Grafter
Posts: 2,540
Registered: ‎12-09-2008

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Hi Kelly
I tried to buy one of their flagship gaming desktops (XPS 600 at the time, SLIed dual Nvidia 7800 GTX cards, one down from the Pentium D Extreme Edition, XP pro) for a shade under 2.5k
The system arrived like it had been kicked about, the internal cooling sounded like it was about to die and even their onboard diagnositcs program was showing a thermal warning.
Several long phone calls to the then dedicated XPS support line where on two occasions they told me to re run the diagnostics (one guy laughed as he said it would take  4 hours and promptly hung up) , wasted days leave waiting for systems which were rejected by the courier on the basis that the box was damaged with no notification to me whatsoever I told them I'd had quite enough and asked for my money back.
So I'd be reluctant to buy so much as a toaster from Dell.
Kelly
Hero
Posts: 5,497
Thanks: 380
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Ouch!  Shocked
I can see why you aren't happy with them then.
Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
techguy
Grafter
Posts: 2,540
Registered: ‎12-09-2008

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

I'm quite a calm man but that really (self censored) me off.
StickyMick
Grafter
Posts: 325
Registered: ‎29-11-2008

Re: Alienware PCs an owner thoughts?

Echos of my brother's experiences with MESH. Despite my "hinting" that he'd be better off self building.
Took them a whole month to deliver it and when it arrived it only had 1 GeForce 8800 in it. They sent an engineer 3 days later, who duly arrived with a GeForce 8500, he disappeared and promptly forgot to book another appointment. In the meantime the existing 8800 popped it's clogs. A week later a second engineer turns up with only 1 replacement. Eventually my brother said "forget it, just send the cards and I'll fit them myself". After a 2 week wait 2x8900's arrived. As far as I can remember these worked for 6 months and then everything started overheating, despite the huge case fans that made the system sound like a Hercules in a power climb.
But as with Dell, I believe they've learned a few things since their acquisition of Alienware, like how to build a PC. When they opened an AW up they all went " Roll_eyes So that's how you do it"