Dell manufacture AW?

They are not all Clevo's. Clevo is a small company compared to others. Are the Alienware's even Clevo's currently?

AlienWare's have their issues. But neither DeLL or Alienware makes their own. Of course with the cost Alienware has more room in the budget for top shelf vs DeLL. Of course excluding DeLL's top end business/professional models which also spare no expense.

a) neither is/does
b) no they do not make their own, they do determine specs. Yes they do benefit from DeLL infrastructure.
c) No since AW does not even make their own. I further think the DeLL best might not be ODM'd by the same as AW as not exactly the same niche?
d) No Clevo is not the center of the universe. They are by comparison very small. I think 2.5 million units per year maximum.

a) yes
b) no it's all integrated into Dell now.
c) no it's all Dell.
d) no the ODM of the M17x is Flextronics.

I thought Clevo was the largest ODM.

Quanta
Compal

not sure after but
Wistron
Inventec
Even Asus
I could find the list give me a minute.

Dell has multiple manufacturing plants. They manufacture the M17x in China. Dell seems to have more issues because they sell in much greater volume than AW did when it was independent.

Damn am I good!

Top 6 biggest notebook manufacturers:
1. Quanta (Q1 2007 est. 5.6 millions)
2. Compal (Q1 2007 est. 4.4 millions)
3. Wistron
4. Inventec
5. ASUS
6. Uniwill

>80% of all notebooks made.

These are 2007 numbers can't get more current but trust me. Clevo's own site lists 2.5 mil annual. Quanta made 30 mil, Compal 18/20 mil (2007)

DeLL does not have plants. But NW you got it 100% correct it is a volume issue for the most part.

Also the belief AW does not suffer major issues is factually incorrect and puts a truly misleading slant on all current and future discussion in this thread.

There's a youtube video with Dells manufacturing plants.

Here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEhNkzdKyrw

lol, look here LINK

NW I think you are the guy who taught me much about AW and OC/BIOS options? So I do respect your input greatly. That said Curious has all kinds of questions. Your video link does not show one notebook? Even the modifications are done in Taiwan/China from my understanding on notebooks from DeLL and AlienWare always have.

I grew up in Michigan so I know a little about MFG even if internal or out sourced. I know manufactured and I know assembly? I know the terms get imprecise and god forbid used incorrectly? That said DeLL and AlienWare do not MFG or even assemble notebooks. Hell I don't even think Sager does?

I think DeLL's desktop assembly operations and delivery system is genius. But the video shows nothing about notebooks. There is a reason. They don't do! Guys build better desktops on their own. DeLL/AlienWare/Sager do not even play with barebone notebooks. It is simply too cost effective to allow plants in China to do. It is the way it is. If what I say is offensive? Don't blame the messenger. Your DeLL and AW notebook might of been made in the same plant. I told you guys who really makes them. What is the question at this point?

It is as it is so be it.

To OP look at price points? If you buy a DeLL for $1500 vs an AW for $3000 do you really have a question about overall build or components? If you do I must ask why? As NW pointed out even AW has bad hinges? For $1500 more I want good hinges.

Curious roll with the flow, adjust, not black or white. A $4000 dollar AW is going to be better than a $1000 DeLL? Do the math.
But on that last point consider Clevo one of the best builders of high end systems might have a greater failure rate than the other high volume ODM's. Your perception is your failure to recognize what I will call economy of scale. If I sell one notebook and it does not fail I am 100%? If I sell one and it fails 100%. Consider Clevo sells 2.5 mil (not really) Quanta sells 30+ (real)? Clevo has a 1% failure rate? 2500 units? Same failure rate for Quanta? 30000 units give the same failure rate? You see the quality is the same, the failure rate is the same? But you have a lot more posters?

Curious You really need to look at the big picture?

The point of the vid was to just show they have manufacturing plants and maybe I should be saying assembly plants versus manufacturing. Regardless I know the ODM of the M17x and M15x is Flextronics.

Point taken but consider we are talking notebooks. Yes as you gathered DeLL might assemble components but not for notebooks. And no I did not know Flextronics made that model. Nice to know.

But I still do doubt DeLL does much more than take your order much as AlienWare did. So now as they are combined who cares.

Make no mistake I am not against globalization or anything like that. I am more interested in trying to teach people that it could be possible that two identical products are in front of you. Made in the same place right next to each other. Slap different brand names on them and just watch how the quality of one is perceived as being greater? It makes no factual sense.

Edit: Yes NW I do get I am on more of a sub point on this but so be it.

My AW m5500 is still running after more than 3 years of use; However mine is the Uniwill 259 model. I am amazed at how well it has hung in there after I have used and abused it.

Now I will say I have had fantastic success with my newer Dell Studio XPS 16, and the ex's XPS m1530 is still running like it was new. (It's now 2 years old) I must be fortunate, because I haven't had the nightmares with Dell laptops that some people have.

Does the 1530 have 8600m GT? If so you are a lucky man.

Yes it has the 8600m GT. I got the laptop very early on- One month after release. It wasn't until about a year into production that they started having issues with those cards.

mb do you know your 3DMark score on the 3670? Mine is HD3650m and about 3750 stock and 4900 at 2.85Ghz CPU (same T9400) and GPU 800/500?

Sorry, I'd have to run the 'benchies' on it, and unfortunately now is not a good time.