CNET doesn't buy a computer, take it home, and have to deal with the other aspects of purchasing a machine, such as support. But the people you'll find discussing the issues on this forum do just that.
When Alienware sends out a system for a review, they do their best work. That doesn't necessarily translate into an excellent experience for the typical consumer.
There is one basic fact you should come to terms with, <i>without</i> mentioning Alienware's support (which is horrible beyond belief) ... and that is the price. You will be paying a great deal more money for a system that could easily be assembled much cheaper by yourself, or in many cases, a local tech. Every component that Alienware uses can be ordered over the Internet, or through a distributor (in the case of the technician). You aren't paying for a markup on the wholesale prices, but a markup + labor on the <i>retail</i> prices.
I can't say whether the Aurora DDR system might have problems. That would be a vague statement, as each system is configured according to the user preferences ... and so, no two systems are alike.
I <i>can</i> tell you that the different sections of the company have had serious communication problems in the past. This means that when you make a order with the customer service rep, he may promise you to make custom changes that will never end up on the work order slip. Or the builder will ignore what is on the slip, and build something completely different. That the inspector who supposedly will check out the system and do the burn-in really won't bother with any of that ... he may not even turn the computer on to see if it will boot. The company is often sloppy when it comes to the "little" details, which could be anything from the name that is supposed to be printed on the included manual, to actually jumpering the hard drives correctly. And then, there is the shipping department, who appears to employ people who are incapable of filling out a correct shipping address on a label. You may be in California, for example, but that doesn't mean the system won't end up on Alabama ... at which point, someone may accuse you of asking to have the system shipped to the other State.
None of these different divisions are able to communicate effectively with each other ... and they won't give a damn if this ends up being a problem for you. They will have already charged your credit card for the system, long before you actually receive anything ...unlike other companies who don't charge for the system until the day it ships. (Ask ... it's company policy.) They know if you send the system back, at the very least they will get a restocking fee out of you.
In the midst of all of this, you'll encounter an endless array of people who seem to gravitate from one area to another, answering the phone, and whose biggest talent is a penchant for lying at the drop of a hat to cover up any mistakes.
These are the reasons why ordering a system from Alienware is not only expensive, but will end up being a lesson in futility you won't soon forget. This means, with all the contributing factors, that the possibility that you will receive a functional machine, with the correct configuration, is much lower than any online review you may read.
I have dealt with Alienware for over three years, off and on. I know people who work at the company by name, and have their phone numbers and email addresses ... including the owner of the company. All of that was needed in order to replace several parts, <i>in every order that was ever made</i>. I have never had a single experience with Alienware that was satisfactory ... meaning the order was made, everything was correctly configured, delivered on time, and functional after being set up and turned on. That was with four different systems in my family, and with close friends.
That's the reality, regardless of what CNET might say.
You might be interested in knowing that the last computer I got from Alienware <i>was</i> a review system, which only needed the mainboard, one of the hard drives, the video card, and the modem replaced to be completely functional. Only two components were missing, which I took to be a sign that the company was finally starting to improve their quality control.
You can ignore me if you wish, but it's your wallet, your frustration, and your funeral. You can't say you didn't walk in with your eyes wide open ... you were warned.
I wish you luck, and hope your experience with them is pleasant. Give my regards to Gerald, and ask him how many systems he has managed to send to unmanned guard shacks in other parts of the country since last May? I hope he is improving on the statistical anomalies experienced by the company this year. Anyone who lies that well should certainly be the head of the sales department by now.
I walked away from the company with one constant thought. I didn't know who was the bigger idiot. Them, for being classless, evasive, incompetent fools ... or me, for being stupid enough to order a system from them and spend hundreds (literally) of hours on the phone arguing with someone who should have been branded with the words <i>incorrigible asswipe</i> on his forehead on the instant of his birth. Flip a coin. Either way, you'd be right.
Toejam31
<font color=red>My Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=6847" target="_new"><font color=green>Toejam31's Tantalizing Tantric Toy</font color=green></A>
<font color=red>Second Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=15942" target="_new"><font color=green>Toey's Dynamite DDR Duron</font color=green></A>
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<font color=purple>"Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."</font color=purple>
. They custom build computers for their customers and pay very special attention to customer service. I bought a computer from them in January and have been happy at every step of the way with them. If you do, ask for Todd and tell him Wade sent you. If you would like help, let me know, I spent many hours of research before deciding on my current config. I went with AMD and DDR.
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