D820 Build Quality - Disappointed in Latch

I recently purchased a fully decked out D820. I received it yesterday and I'll disappointed in the the latching mechanism. This is a considerable wiggle between the lid and the base when the latch is engaged. The latch is all metal which is nice, but the plastic latch on my D810 worked better as there is no wiggle room at all on that machine.

I travel every week and move my laptop around quite a bit when I'm at work so something like this does bother me. What's concerning is that it might get worse over time.

I'm not sure if the solution is a different latch system or simplying a bigger rubber foot for the lid (to hold it further from the base).

For a $2k business laptop I expect better. Sure I could live with it and Dell would replace anything caused by the problem under warranty, but when the previous gen model doesn't have the issue, I have a hard time accepting it.

Other than that I am so far satisified.

Strangely enough the left side (looking at the laptop) seems to be ok, the right side has the problem.

As a field tech, do you see this as something Dell would be able fix (new lid, etc) or is it a design flaw that you either take it or leave it? We should have BOTH good hinges and latches, not have to settle for one or the other.

I agree about the hinges, my D810 is pretty good that way but still a little play. None at all on the new machine and it's not nearly as thick as my hulking D810.

I am considering giving Dell a chance to fix it and if they can't, it goes back. It may seem like a minor annoyance but it's certainly one they should have caught. If I am going to spend that sort of money, it should have great fit and finish. If I wanted lax build/design quality, I'd get an Inspiron... but my I8600 and I700 don't even have that problem and they were considerably cheaper.

Do you know if Dell's on-site policy only includes your home site or if I am travelling will they do the next business day on-site at a different location?

I called Dell yesterday and strangely enough spoke to a heavily Indian accented person name 'Bill'. Once he got all my inforation and I described the problem he promptly transferred me to customer care who were, of course, closed. This is surprising because everything other time I've called Dell related to a Small Business Division purchase I get someone onshore. Now Bill may have been here but he certainly seemed like the usual non-helpful script reader which is unlike the other US based Dell support folks. Perhaps because it was a weekend?

Anyhow, I will ask them to come out and fix it. The fix seems easy enough as the poster above mentioned. I also have noticed that the laptop sits flat with the screen closed. When it's opened and put in a normal viewing position, the whole laptop is imbalanced as if it's sitting on the left rear and right front feet pads. I tried on a few differenet surfaces, same result. Two desks in my office, kitchen table, kitchen counter, a chess board, etc. To a different degree the left front foot does not lay flat so there is a THUD every time I take my hands off the keyboard and go to type again.

Hmm, I'm not sure how expecting quality equates to being 'hot and bothered' but perhaps you are willing to accept lower quality than I am. I find that surprising given that you spent even more on a Dell Precision laptop. Anyhow, I don't ever recall becoming hot over any kind of computer, bothered maybe, but not hot. If you're ok with a faulty latch, then that's great. And it is faulty, I doubt in Dell's design specs they specified 2 mm of play in between the lid and base.

I do like Dell but I'm not a 'Dell fan boy' so when I see an issue I'll call them on it. I own two Dell 20" LCDs, a I8600, a D810, and a I700M. I had a 9300 I sent back (screen was TERRIBLE) and it looks like a D820 may go back as well.

And yes, my Inspiron had ZERO gap between the lid and base. It did creak, but it's still running strong even with the imprint of my hands/wrist on the palm rest. Is it ok that Dell corrected the creak but added the gap that allows the LCD to jiggle around? My D810 has no creaks, play in the latch, and it also sits flat.. It's a brick to lug around but I guess I should have stayed with it and wait for Dell to work out the obvious bugs with their new line.