Poor assistance from Dell/Alienware, Alienware m17 r4. Any suggestions?
Poor assistance from Dell/Alienware, Alienware m17 r4. Any suggestions?
So far, I've faced several problems with Dell. My first purchase was a G7 7700, but it kept throttling excessively, so I returned it and considered switching to an Alienware model. Here’s a quick summary of what happened:
I previously owned an Alienware 17 R2 and really enjoyed it. Then I ordered an Alienware m17 r4 on March 18th, which arrived on April 7th. The laptop had several issues: the touchpad was slow or unresponsive, the backlight was too bright, and some hotkeys didn’t work at all. There was also a small scratch near one of the screw holes that showed the metal from when I bought it. Overall, the build quality didn’t meet expectations given the price of $3500+. Despite this, I appreciate the laptop’s portability and power, but I’m looking for something without these problems.
I reached out to Dell’s customer service, who assured me they’d build a new m17 r4 for me and send it. They also asked me to return my old laptop since I needed a replacement after my previous one failed after nearly six years. They promised faster shipping because it was urgent, but the delivery date passed on April 19th without an updated timeline.
When I contacted support again, they informed me that my laptop couldn’t be built and would not be delivered since the manufacturer had discontinued the part. This came as a surprise, as I hadn’t been told about this before. The customer care team suggested I get a refund, but when I tried to speak with someone else, they refused to help and said there was no further resolution because the laptop wasn’t being produced anymore. They only offered to connect me with a manager who might call back within two hours—but it’s been over 24 hours since that promise.
I posted on Alienware’s support page on Facebook yesterday, explaining my frustration. They admitted they couldn’t assist with order issues and had to contact customer care again by phone. The agent said I could speak to a manager, but it’s been too long without any attempts to reach me via phone or email.
It’s frustrating to deal with such delays and lack of communication. I understand the m17 r4 is likely discontinued, but I hope they’d treat current customers better. Has anyone else experienced this kind of situation?
I’ve listed the specifications below:
- m17 r4
- i7-10870h
- 32 GB RAM
- 144 Hz display
- 3080 16 GB SSD
They’re giving you an out by offering a refund. Not sure what else they can do. It’s disappointing that the contact was bad and that your revision was stopped. Just accept the money, return the computer, and move forward. Don’t waste more time on something you’ll likely never be satisfied with. Better to get your money back and try something else than to hold onto it and regret it later.
I appreciate the laptop itself, but I just want one without the problems. Right now I really need it. I'm in a situation where proper quality control wouldn't have been possible, otherwise I wouldn't be here. Their service doesn't make up for the time and effort required to set up a new machine with all my software and transfer my files (about a day or two).
I really can't solve my problem with that right now. I don't have the funds to purchase a laptop yet, and I also lack access to another device since I'm having to stay isolated due to the pandemic. I plan to contact their executive team, hoping for a resolution within the next day or two.