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Please help spread the word about my Alienware's horrible experience.

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  • Graphics Cards
  • Alienware
Last response: in Opinions and Experiences
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September 17, 2014 1:00:42 AM

The first thing I would like to say, is just build your own, do NOT buy an Alienware X51. Why? Well let me tell you about my experience.

So my first X51 I got was 8gb of RAM, I5 I think 2760 or something like that, 330w external power supply, and geforce 660 2gb video card.

At first I was concerned about the 330w external power supply. But when I got my computer, I was very happy. I built the same set up on newegg at the time for $100 more, and coming already built, I was ready to throw an extra $100 at it, especially since I could finance it. It ran great, and somehow the form factor worked...for a short while.

After about 5 months of flawlessness, I got my first bluescreen. I contacted Alienware, they had a tech log on to my computer virtually, and they concluded it being a video card failure. So they sent me a new one. I installed it, and after about 2 weeks or so, I got another BCC 116, they said it was most likely the power board. I could either wait a month and a half for them to get another one in stock, or get a new computer in equal or more value, I obviously chose the new computer.

They sent me an X51 with 16gb of RAM, I7 3770, new 330w power supply (which I used instead of the old), new keyboard and mouse, and another geforce gtx 660. After a short time, I got another BCC of 116, and they sent me another video card. After a short time, I got ANOTHER BCC 116, the tech virtually logged on my computer, ran diagnostics, and said it was the video card.

This time they sent out a lady, about 60+ years old, took about 2 weeks, but that was on me for a busy work schedule. She came out with the new video card, installed it, and immediately the fan was making noise as if a piece of plastic was stuck in it. She said that Alienware would send another video card with another technician.

About 2 weeks later (my fault with work schedule again) another technician came to my house, about mid 30's to mid 40's came out...not giving a....not caring at all. He installed the new card, it booted up, I went to run stress tests on the video card and he basically told me "I am leaving, I have other computers to tend to, I don't care about how yours runs right now, if you have any problems contact alienware". This is my 6th GTX 660 from alienware...MY 6TH! After 2 months with no problems (1 month was spent out of town and not using my computer) I get yet ANOTHER BCC 116.

I contact Alienware and they said that I am out of warranty. They tell me that it is most likely the power board which is a common problem on these systems. They tell me that EVEN THOUGH THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS UNDER WARRANTY....they are not going to do anything about it....So After a long, angry email to a manager explaining that THESE PROBLEMS WERE OBVIOUSLY OCCURRING DURING WARRANTY AND THAT THEY HAD MULTIPLE TECHNICIANS LOG ON TO MY COMPUTER AND RUN TESTS AS WELL AS TWO TECHNICIANS COME TO MY HOUSE!!!, this problem should be fixed under warranty...they basically told me to screw myself. So I bought a powerboard OUT OF POCKET and the problem still persists. I updated bios, did a clean install of the latest drives, and reformatted and THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS and they REFUSE to do anything to resolve it.

DO NOT buy from Alienware, i don't know about the Aurora or the M series laptops, but the X51 is the biggest piece of garbage I have ever experienced. I wish I would have spent the extra $100 and built my own system, because then I would have had better warranty and customer support....fing garbage. I am honestly thinking about taking legal actions against this company....

More about : spread word alienware horrible experience

a b U Graphics card
September 17, 2014 1:05:11 AM

Its because Dell owns Alienware...don't buy Dell.
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September 17, 2014 1:14:15 AM

This is not new, I know a lot of people having problems with Alienware tech support
It basically sucks, you're just paying for the brand.
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a c 96 U Graphics card
September 17, 2014 1:24:22 AM

Really an horrible experience. In my understanding, most probable cause would be related to PSU. Anyhow, thanks for sharing.
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September 17, 2014 1:28:21 AM

I don't even know what to do, if I don't pay without resolution my credit will be effected, but it won't hinder them with their consumer base. If I do pay I am throwing money at a dead horse...I am so mad and frustrated I feel I could literally drive down there and violently shake/beat someone until this is resolved. They refuse to forward/give me support to a higher up that could actually do something with my case. Not to mention they are all foreign, seems like either Mexican or Indian, not that I am racist, but the external support is very frustrating rather than a US based support that you could usually escalate to a higher representative and the problem resolved in a much better/efficient way.

I am just hoping that anyone looking at an X51 googling reviews like myself finds this post and steers clear away. I pretty much acknowledge that I am screwed and am looking to buy a case, PSU, mobo, and new GPU while preserving the processor and RAM from this computer to build my own setup that I can obviously expect better results with.
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a c 96 U Graphics card
September 17, 2014 1:31:26 AM

Dear,

You know that you don't have any other option not at-least with Alienware so better take that PC to computer service shop nearby and have it checked. Maybe you get it to work.
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September 17, 2014 2:01:19 AM

I have already tried so many things. The form factor is pretty different from a regular PC that you almost have to have it serviced by alienware because the reason why the 330W external power supply works is that everything just kind of....works together with their messed up form factor. My next buy would either be a $150 mobo, or a $25 riser card, and if that doesn't work it would probably be $40 power connectors for the GPU (looks to be 2 6 prong connections labeled as 1 & 2 both connecting to the GPU reduced down to a 6 prong connection to the power board...which is separate from the mobo...but powered by the mobo....). I almost don't even feel like looking at this PC and putting any parts into it, I would rather take out and make my own...
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a c 96 U Graphics card
September 17, 2014 5:04:03 AM

GTX 660 requires only one 6 pin connection.
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a b U Graphics card
September 17, 2014 6:17:46 AM

it sounds like a "lemon law" case to me http://www.computerlemonlaw.com/rights.html

if you are subjected to excessive problems of the same nature and the manufacturer refuses to cover a problem which was never fixed in the first place you can go after them legally.

that is...if you are in the usa (or if your country supports such things)

agreed... dell owns alienware which means that alienware is junk now. the originators of alienware have since moved on to form origin pc which is a much better company and are who actually made the alienware name popular in the first place. building your own however is the way i always suggest people to go.
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