So, I bought an Alienware MX17 R4 - Biggest mistake ever!

[OrdoAbChao]

I bought this machine about a year and a half ago. When I first got it, it was amazing. I could run anything on max settings flawlessly and it was fast as lightning. I beefed it up a bit over stock when I bought it. $2,500 machine.

Over the past 3 months, I've been on the phone with their tech support at least 6 times with a new issue. Repair techs have been to my house 4 times now to replace the motherboard, both hard drives and the optical drive and video card.

The machine still wont work the way its supposed to. My mouse drags and is choppy in modern games. My audio shuts off and comes on randomly depending on what happens if the computer shuts down.

They are now trying to get me to send them my computer and let them screw with it for a week to repair it. Utterly ridiculous. That I should go without my main work computer for a week while these tools try to figure out how to fix their own garbage.

This is by the worst computer I've ever owned in my life. I've honestly had $500 laptops run better for 5 years and still going strong and this piece of junk has been nothing but issues.

In my opinion I'd hope nobody wastes their money on this complete paper weight in the future.

 

[wowhaxor]

I think the consensus has always been that alienware is overpriced as fuck.

 

[dreadpixel]

Ive always preferred Refurbished class "A" Workstations or Gaming Laptops. At least I know they have been hard tested.
In the other side. Have you used your machine for bitcoin mining or anything related with warez? That could be the reason of the failure.

 

[THUNDERELVI]

Alienware, Apple, HP, etc... they are all OVERPRICED! Not to mention that they have huge overheating problems after a few months.
Buy a desktop and build it yourself -> much cheaper (like 2x at least) and they never overheat.

 

[dreadpixel]

Alienware, Apple, HP, etc... they are all OVERPRICED! Not to mention that they have huge overheating problems after a few months.
Buy a desktop and build it yourself -> much cheaper (like 2x at least) and they never overheat.

Every laptop has overheating problems every few months.
Thats why you have to clean the vents every 6 or 4 months, to prevent having to do a reflow or a reballing.
Take care of your laptop as if it is your child and you will never have problems.
In my case Im using a Dell Precision M4600 with a 4GB Firepro, 20 GB RAM and I got it for 1,200 USD. I have 3 years with it and Ive never have a problem because I always clean it and have Linux on it and VirtualBox win Windows instances.

 

[jazzc]

Thats why you have to clean the vents every 6 or 4 months, to prevent having to do a reflow or a reballing.
Take care of your laptop as if it is your child and you will never have problems.

You reflow and reball your child 2-3 times a year?

 

[dreadpixel]

You reflow and reball your child 2-3 times a year?

Hahaha havent got there yet. My first child just got 2 years old

 

[KHer0]

Alienware, Apple, HP, etc... they are all OVERPRICED! Not to mention that they have huge overheating problems after a few months.
Buy a desktop and build it yourself -> much cheaper (like 2x at least) and they never overheat.

Totally agree with this. I build my PC. Run it for 5 years, then replace it Never had a problem with any of them in my life

As for Laptops, I have Vaio laptop for 5 years. I am an Architect so we render a lot. I used my laptop to render projects for +30 hours straight. Never had any problem with it. Now, I am graduated and gave the laptop to my sister, it's still working flawlessly. As for cleaning, I cleaned it only once after 4 years of buying


Anyway, Just build your own PC

 

[zai21]

I think the consensus has always been that alienware is overpriced as fuck.

Exactly, if you plan to play video games why even risk buying a laptop when upgrading the parts will be hard.

Desktop = for gaming
Laptop = for work

 

[fuad_2000]

MSI Ghost Pro.

 

[oscilay]

With that amount of money you could`ve build 2x custom rigs that mop the floor with any alienware.

 

[SkyrocketSEO]

Every laptop has overheating problems every few months.

Bought Samsung few years ago.Laptop is raped daily. Still no problems with anything. Works like a charm. Battery runs as if it is new, no heating problem, no any sort of hardware problem.
Bought it new, it was around 400 Euros

 

[Los Angeles SEO Agency]

I bought this machine about a year and a half ago. When I first got it, it was amazing. I could run anything on max settings flawlessly and it was fast as lightning. I beefed it up a bit over stock when I bought it. $2,500 machine.

Over the past 3 months, I've been on the phone with their tech support at least 6 times with a new issue. Repair techs have been to my house 4 times now to replace the motherboard, both hard drives and the optical drive and video card.

The machine still wont work the way its supposed to. My mouse drags and is choppy in modern games. My audio shuts off and comes on randomly depending on what happens if the computer shuts down.

They are now trying to get me to send them my computer and let them screw with it for a week to repair it. Utterly ridiculous. That I should go without my main work computer for a week while these tools try to figure out how to fix their own garbage.

This is by the worst computer I've ever owned in my life. I've honestly had $500 laptops run better for 5 years and still going strong and this piece of junk has been nothing but issues.

In my opinion I'd hope nobody wastes their money on this complete paper weight in the future.

Hey OP,

What are the tech specs of your computer? Processor Speed, RAM, Hard Drive type, etc

Also have you ran diagnostics yet to see that perhaps you may be running low on memory in which case a simple upgrade to 8 gig ram would benefit greatly.

SSD drives are great too!. You should request the manufacturer to replace it with a machine that contains at least 8 gig ram, SSD and a moderately fast processor.

Warm Regards,
SDSEOGURU

 

[ficfroc]

 

[ZennoBlaster]

Every laptop has overheating problems every few months.
Thats why you have to clean the vents every 6 or 4 months, to prevent having to do a reflow or a reballing.
Take care of your laptop as if it is your child and you will never have problems.
In my case Im using a Dell Precision M4600 with a 4GB Firepro, 20 GB RAM and I got it for 1,200 USD. I have 3 years with it and Ive never have a problem because I always clean it and have Linux on it and VirtualBox win Windows instances.

I've found that replacing the laptop HDD with SSD cuts down on heat, saves battery power, and, best of all, makes a crappy laptop run like a new rig.

 

[joshweaver9]

Idk why anyone buys alienware. You can build a custom rig for 30% of the price.

 

[umerjutt00]

Most of the machines from big brands are over-priced. you got to pay for the big name printed on the back of the laptop not the actual hardware. I bought Acer laptop sometime last year and it is still going strong without any problems.

 

[Agera]

I think the consensus has always been that alienware is overpriced as fuck.

Exactly you're just paying for the name/logo. It's sooo much cheaper to just build your own computer (if you know how to) then to have them custom build one. I was on their site yesterday and built a computer with them online just to get the price and the total was a little over $3,100, I could build the same computer myself for $2,200 and would only take me a few hours to put together/configure.

 

[Retraction]

Build a desktop. I built a desktop for $700 and it's four times as powerful as the most powerful alienware latptop.

 

[proxygo]

built my own since 2002 currently have 3 wired up
there pcs are way over priced. for what they charge if you put it
together yourself, ude have a pc 3x better