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m5750 build quality (keyboard and chassis)

post #1 of 24
10/31/06 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
My m5750 (2GHz, 2GB) sounds as if it is going to fall apart whenever it is touched. When on a flat, stable, surface the left half of the keyboard is very noisy and loose compared to the right half. When resting ones palm on the area below the left half of the keyboard there are ominous creaking noises. This happens with the optical drive open or closed.

In comparison my IBM T42 ThinkPad is as solid as a slab of marble; but nowhere near as fast of course.

Is anyone else experiencing anything similar?
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post #2 of 24
10/31/06 at 9:36pm
I've had my 5750 for 4 days, seems pretty solid to me. Keyboard is firm on both sides.
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post #3 of 24
10/31/06 at 9:48pm
hmm, seems pretty solid to me as well...

I've had it in my lap for hrs @ a time w/ no noticeable creeks or flex
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post #4 of 24
11/1/06 at 1:21pm
Thread Starter 
Good to know, I guess...

I took the keyboard off as detailed in the AW forums and it is not the keyboard that is defective but the overall construction. Re-installing the keyboard did not fix the problem but putting a piece of paper under the left side before replacing it solved the noisy keyboard problem but not the creaky chassis issue.

I am wondering how far I can dismantle this thing before my warranty is voided. I really want to avoid sending it back and dealing with, what appears, horrible tech support. I also need this thing for travel. Perhaps I should suck it up, return it, eat the 15% restocking fee, and get a laptop from voodoopc.
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post #5 of 24
11/1/06 at 4:13pm
my m5700 which is the same physical construction never had those issues, actually is extremely solid. i would not take it apart too far without aw on the phone and personally i think aw will work with you to sort it out and get you a good one.
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post #6 of 24
11/2/06 at 8:59pm
My m5750 seems very solid, too!
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post #7 of 24
11/3/06 at 1:42pm
perhaps the latch on teh left side is broken theres for causing the sound issue, teh m5700 has 3 latches on top and one on each side you should check that
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post #8 of 24
11/7/06 at 5:25pm
Mine is very solid.
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post #9 of 24
11/14/06 at 7:18pm
Thread Starter 
I checked the latches and they all look good. My temporyary fix with the paper under the keyboard is still in place but the chassis creaking is still present. I contacted support and after they viewed the video that I made (http://tasty.soylentsoft.com/alienware/) they agreed that the laptop is defective and that I should send it in. I need it for a business trip right away though but will probably ship it back later this year. Thanks for all your responses so far.
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post #10 of 24
11/16/06 at 3:23pm
nice video, yeah thats a weird sound like theres something not seated correctly in teh computer
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post #11 of 24
11/16/06 at 5:05pm
Thread Starter 
I checked the video card, RAM, and hard drive seating and they all look good. You can't tell from the video but the sound is coming from the very edge of laptop. I think it is from the top, silver, part of the chassis rubbing on the bottom, black, part.
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post #12 of 24
12/2/06 at 9:29pm
I just received a Sentia via FedEx yesterday.

Same build quality issues. The left front part of the chassis floats about a millimeter in the air when the screen is open. The screen doesn't sit flush with the chassis when closed. And the keyboard is loose on the right side.

I am returning it outright and disputing any charges through American Express. I tried tech support last night and after waiting about 1.5 hours on hold, the actually asked me to take pictures of it for them. I don't have time for this baloney.
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post #13 of 24
12/3/06 at 1:17am
Thread Starter 
Ya; I am choked about it. Especially when my buddy buys a dell Inspiron with almost the same specs and although it looks crappy it's build quality is way better; no flexing. Why can't IBM make a über-pad line or something.
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post #14 of 24
12/3/06 at 11:55pm
A mil! And the unmitigated audacity to ask for a pix of that mil!!!

Killin' me sieglo, it's not that I am heartless, but your efforts in cross threading complaints, no clue/impatience...and your other NbF posts/complaints...hold it, you did wait on the phone for a hour and a half...patience misplaced...I would definitely go with VoodooPC next...

Sorry gumshoes...

Zoid
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post #15 of 24
12/4/06 at 12:59am
Apparently you've never had the pleasure of trying to type on a notebook with only three feet touching the desk. Whether it's a millimeter or a centimeter, if you don't have a stable surface to type on it pretty much sucks. Maybe you would prefer I rest that fourth foot on a stack of post-its or something.

And AW tech support was pretty bad. My understanding is that AW build quality and tech support were both supposed to be top notch. That obviously isn't the case. And yet... I paid a premium for that computer. Why?

Sorry we can't all be AW apologists -- or shills.
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post #16 of 24
12/4/06 at 1:14am
I don't apoligize for Alienware...they are big boyz.

I'm only going off of your first 14 posts in NbFs sieglo...your words not mine. Well, the "Killin' Me" wordz are definitely mine...



Zoid
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post #17 of 24
12/4/06 at 1:37am
It's too bad, I would be very happy with the machine if the casing was okay and I didn't have to deal with AW tech support. It runs fast and looks good, I'll give it that.
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post #18 of 24
12/4/06 at 4:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fidget
my m5700 which is the same physical construction never had those issues, actually is extremely solid. i would not take it apart too far without aw on the phone and personally i think aw will work with you to sort it out and get you a good one.


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post #19 of 24
12/5/06 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 
Now I am pissed. Their return policy is that they cover shipping inside USA only and as I live in Canada it will cost me to return it for servicing. About 500 CDN for express or 150 to 200 for ground. VISA will not let me just send it back and drop the charges. God I hate AW now.
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post #20 of 24
1/2/07 at 11:47pm
Thread Starter 
Update: I shipped it down there, at my expense, and they have done something to it and returned it. It is better than before but still some creaking; it seems the creaking is more pronounced once it has warmed up. The keyboard is better but still noisier and softer on the lower left. All in all it is at present tolerable but only so because I have no recourse... send it back, at my expense, again to have them do nothing to it?
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