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Question for Sentia owners--please reply ASAP

post #1 of 41
10/29/04 at 10:46pm
Thread Starter 
Hello--I had recently purchased a Dell 700m (1900+15%tax) over the new Sentia (~2400, no tax is shipped in the US) due to price factors alone (I am in Canada and the AW would cost me a horrendous amount in shipping/customs/taxes). However, due to the HORRIBLE customer service I received with Dell, I returned the 700m (nothing wrong with the comp itself) and am waiting to get my money back (three weeks now) to buy my new comp (hopefully the Sentia).
Now, the questions I had were the following:
1. I have read a lot of reviews on Sentias and AW in general stating MAJOR issues with problems out of the box and customer service--is this actually the case? Has anyone had any major problems with them? (I will be shipping it to a friend in the US and then driving nearly 10 hous--one way--to pick it up and don't want to have to deal with returns/etc).
2. How long does it REALLY take to get it? (The configuration I've picked out gives me about a 9 day estimate to shipping)
3. How noisy/warm is it? The good thing about the Dell 700m was that it was literally silent. There was the slightest fan noise when it started, but other than that, I don't think I heard anything and it barely got warm.

The closest computer I have found (which I think may have the same parent manufacturer as the Sentia because they look almost identical, save for the case top), available in Canada, is the Systemax 4110 (12.1 inch WXGA) from TigerDirect.ca, but I've never heard of Systemax, can't find reviews on that system, and can't really see the comp in person, so I don't want to risk it.


Aside from that, I've also just seen the Compaq ($1800+15% tax) and HP (2000+15% tax) 14 inch widescreens, which are rather sexy looking as well (I want widescreen, just not 15.4, need more mobility, am not a gamer, but want a good, light comp) and their best feature is that they come with JBL (Compaq) or harmon/kardon (HP) speakers.. (they have them at Best Buy/Future Shop... haven't seen them anywhere else). I had also liked the sony vaio s150 (13.3" widescreen--also has a separate graphics card while the Sentia, and new Compaq/HP have integrated), but shyed away due to the price (2600+15% tax)---so, for you AW or other company reps--are you planning on coming out with 13-14" widescreens extremely soon (as in before the end of the year--I had planned on getting my comp in SEPTEMBER 2004) and what are the prices for them estimated to be (please also state whether you're talking about US or Canadian dollars--all my $$ amounts above were in Canadian dollars, for reference)?

I'd appreciate quick replies as I'm getting antsy about getting a new comp... thanks again
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post #2 of 41
10/29/04 at 11:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bermie
Hello--I had recently purchased a Dell 700m However, due to the HORRIBLE customer service I received with Dell, I returned the 700m (nothing wrong with the comp itself) and am waiting to get my money back (three weeks now) to buy my new comp (hopefully the Sentia).
Did you hear that people!!??

He had horrible customer service from Dell! It was so bad he returned a perfectly good laptop!!

Sorry, I just get tired of all the AW bashers who pop in here now and again.

-BoX
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post #3 of 41
10/29/04 at 11:14pm
Here,Here!!!!!!!!
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post #4 of 41
10/30/04 at 1:20am
Thread Starter 
(actually, i'm a she, not a he!)
one more question: how is the actual sound on the sentia? I know that it's not going to be amazing, i'm not expecting that--i guess compared to the dell 700m, if anyone's experienced both (i'd say it'd most likely be about the same)..
yes, it was the way i was treated that made me give up the dell.. later, I was even offered a discount to stay with them, but first, it's a matter of principle, and secondly, I'd hate to think of how I may be treated if i actually had a problem! (also, again, as a minor part, it was the smaller keyboard issue as well--I've fairly small hands, so getting used to it wouldn't be a problem for me; however, i switch between my full-size, ergonomic keyboard on my desktop and that on my laptop all the time. When it's a normal size, I don't notice a problem.. but with the smaller keys, I tend to make more mistakes on one or the other. Plus, my partner will constantly be stealing it and it's a hassle for him since he's so much bigger than I am and much larger hands... (well... i think the truth is that he's "normal" while i'm "minature," but that's another story altogether!))
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post #5 of 41
10/30/04 at 1:40am
Well I ordered my laptop in July and just now finally got it. The problem was some parts were on back order and then when I got it didn't work at all. First, the combo drive didn't read discs, then my hard drive, and then the mother board connection went out. So after I sent it back and about a month later I got it back. It still has a few minor issues. For one it always freezes up, second my hard drive makes some weird clicking noise and occasionally doesn't play disks. To answer your question about how loud it is, it’s actually really quite except for the clicking and grinding. It doesn't get very hot. I've left it on for a good 10 hours and when I came back it I didn't notice any change in temp.
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post #6 of 41
10/30/04 at 2:22am
1. out of the box problem: flakey wireless connection. however that turned out to be a software issue (had to reinstall windows--alien respawn specifically). this is detailed in another post or two.

2. from date of order to date of arrival, it was about 4 weeks (if i remember correctly). it was a long wait but the sentia was the machine i wanted. at the time, the 700m would have taken about the same amount of time.

3. sentia gets warm/hot but not a scorcher. i can imagine worse. bottom line: it heats up but thats to be expected. as for noise, the noisiest is from the cd/dvd drive when im ripping music. that was louder than i expected but im not ripping cds every minute im using my sentia. processor noise only gets loud when the system is being worked good...but by loud i dont mean annoyingly loud. its a tame loud.
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post #7 of 41
10/30/04 at 11:36am
I have had my Sentia for just a week now and am completely happy with it. As for your questions:

1. No out of box problems. No packaging problems, software conflicts, wireless problems or need to deal with Alienware customer service since purchase. I did have very good interaction and response from Alienware CS when configuring and ordering my machine. Very professional and polite.

2. My computer's estimated date of delivery was about 2 weeks off. One problem, which isn't Alienware's fault, is that Florida was hit by 3 Hurricanes, which may have caused some delays that normally wouldn't have been encountered. Overall, it took about a month to get the computer from time of ordering to delivery. This sounds typical of all Sentia configurations.

3. My Sentia gets warm, but not hot. I had a Dell that was like putting a hot frying pan on my lap, so this is much more comfy. The Sentia is very quiet too. You hear the faintest fan noise and drive head movement, but this isquite quiet compared to other computers I have used in the past 20 years.

Overall, I love the computer. No laptop is perfect, but this one fits my needs better than any other. Yes, there are things that could be improved, but this is the case with virtually any computer you buy. I was comparing an Alienware, Sony, Dell 700m and IBM Thinkpad and decided on the Sentia.

Hope this helps from another satisfied Sentia owner.

Huck
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post #8 of 41
10/30/04 at 12:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iambox
Did you hear that people!!?? He had horrible customer service from Dell! It was so bad he returned a perfectly good laptop!! Sorry, I just get tired of all the AW bashers who pop in here now and again.

-BoX
Yes, someone is bound to have a bad experience with any company. Sometimes you just have to call back and get a different rep or speak with a supervisor to get things done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by -=TRADE-MARK=-
Well I ordered my laptop in July and just now finally got it. The problem was some parts were on back order and then when I got it didn't work at all. First, the combo drive didn't read discs, then my hard drive, and then the mother board connection went out. So after I sent it back and about a month later I got it back. It still has a few minor issues. For one it always freezes up, second my hard drive makes some weird clicking noise and occasionally doesn't play disks. To answer your question about how loud it is, it’s actually really quite except for the clicking and grinding. It doesn't get very hot. I've left it on for a good 10 hours and when I came back it I didn't notice any change in temp.
So it took roughly 3 months to receive your Sentia, you send it back for service, and it took another month for you to get it back. Now that's what I call excellent service from Alienware.....

bermie, you can forget a 9 day ship date on the Sentia, the typical turnaround is roughly 1 month from the time you place the order, and in some cases even longer depending on the parts you select. AW likes to post those quick ship dates to capture the sale. Afterwards the delays kick in and you'll be stuck in phases for a while. This is fact and not my opinion, so feel free to search this forum for other people's experiences.

If you are willing to wait AW seems to offer a decent notebook, but it does come at a price premium. If you want something unique looking then AW is for you.
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post #9 of 41
10/30/04 at 3:17pm
Wrong.

Many people here have gotten their system (AdamR for one, PM him and see) in less than 7 days.

THIS time of year, with Christmas ramping up and suppliers being so low on product, AW (as is every other company) is having problems coming up with the components to build.

It is flat out wrong to think that AW ropes you in and knows you're going to be waiting longer than the website says...I should know...I'm an owner, Device Manager is not.
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post #10 of 41
10/30/04 at 4:07pm
Craig, I said typical.....and as we all know there are exceptions to the rule, just like the customer service issue that was also mentioned in this thread. Just because you or someone you may know has received their notebook on time doesn't automatically make all AW ship dates accurate. I've seen, and I'm sure you have as well, countless threads in this forum where the AW ship times have been from 1-3 months no matter if its a notebook or desktop. The fact still stands that AW's lead times are far from accurate in most cases.

You're right about me not being an AW owner. I was smart enough to cancel my Sentia order after I was getting the runaround from 3 different CSR's and a Supervisor at AW. I decided to turn my business elsewhere and saved over $600 by ordering an equivalent notebook from another vendor.
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post #11 of 41
10/30/04 at 5:00pm
You make it sound like it is the acception to the rule if the computer shows up on time. In fact, its the opposite, most people get their machines exactly when they say they will.

What you don't hear about in many cases is that people call up two weeks into the build process and change the order...well that puts it right back at square one in many instances.

Bottom line, you don't own one so don't comment in these forums as if you did. That's what really gets my willies in a frill...non owners commenting from experience they never had.
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post #12 of 41
10/30/04 at 5:21pm
Bottom line is you are posting your opinion and I am posting mine based upon what I have read on this forum alone. If my post about AW ship times in in any way incorrect, please prove otherwise. Did you even read the post in this thread from trademark?

A post showing that I had ordered a sentia:
http://notebookforums.com/showthread...highlight=ship

Shipping times:
http://notebookforums.com/showthread...highlight=ship
http://notebookforums.com/showthread...highlight=ship

Craig, you even posted the first reply in this thread
http://notebookforums.com/showthread...highlight=ship

Quote:
Hang in there young lady...its worth the wait!
If you want more info just look in the phases forum.....it's not like I am just pulling this out of thin air. Therefore when I stated it typically takes roughly one month to receive your AW notebook I was right on the money.
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post #13 of 41
10/30/04 at 5:32pm
No one said you didn't order a computer. What I said is that you are a non owner. Someone that did not follow through with the purchase for one reason or another.

How can you honestly speak as if you know anything other than how to order and cancel?

Your previous posts were directly saying that Alienware leads you into believing you will get the product in a certain amount of time, all the while, knowing they are lying to you and just want your money. That is what is wrong of you to say because it is a false statement...unless you can provide me to a link of a board meeting you were at with Nelson where he discussed this cloak and dagger routine?
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post #14 of 41
10/30/04 at 5:50pm
Craig, please drop your "holier than thou" attitude. I already made it clear on a few occasions what I based my statement regarding AW ship times on, and backed it up with several threads with dozens of replies. Obviously you are only reading what you want to read, which is the "positive" comments about AW.

I never said anyone was lying, but I did say that "I" feel like AW misleads people on the ship dates. I speak from experience because I did place an order for one. Simply because I do not own an AW doesn't make my posts any less accurate than they already are.

Quote:
How can you honestly speak as if you know anything other than how to order and cancel?
I thought the topic of discussion amongst several of us in this thread was in regards to shop times. Obviously you forget that after you order you are given a lead time, them you wait for the item to arrive. Somewhere in that waiting period the lead time is extended........and in my case I cancelled. Need I say more?

I would expect a moderator to gather facts and be a little more reasonable instead of getting his "willies in a frill".

- Sometimes people appear bright until they speak.
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post #15 of 41
10/30/04 at 8:56pm
Funny how you're still here isn't it?

Let's get a few things straight...

I'm a member before a moderator...and I conduct myself in the way I see fit. I'm not some dried out old windbag who plays Switzerland in everthing. And that's how you deal with all the BS we get in the Alienware forums. Maybe you need to stop and consider why I'm giving you back what you deserve. You are trolling...whether you know it or not, and have been for sometime now.

When I see someone taking cheap shots (and you have been taking them for months since you cancelled your order) I fire back. I'm always going to look out for the truths in these instances. You, sir, are not telling the truth with many of your statements. You're just looking to tear someone down, not help.

And do you know how I'm positive your back is against the wall and that you don't have a leg to stand on in this? Because most of your last post was a personal attack against me.

~word
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post #16 of 41
10/30/04 at 11:39pm
Quote:
I'm a member before a moderator...and I conduct myself in the way I see fit. I'm not some dried out old windbag who plays Switzerland in everthing. And that's how you deal with all the BS we get in the Alienware forums. Maybe you need to stop and consider why I'm giving you back what you deserve. You are trolling...whether you know it or not, and have been for sometime now.
Craig, I deserve your disrespectful tone? It's unfortunate that you're letting your emotions get the best of you. A real moderator would have already politely asked to take the discussion to PM's or email. I find it odd that my "lies" on the typical shipping times were backed up with a few threads that I pulled up with a simple forum search.

Quote:
When I see someone taking cheap shots (and you have been taking them for months since you cancelled your order) I fire back. I'm always going to look out for the truths in these instances. You, sir, are not telling the truth with many of your statements. You're just looking to tear someone down, not help.
I guess you also assume anyone that complains about AW in any way is automatically "trolling". In my initial post I also made it clear that AW offers a unique notebook, but seems to mislead you about the actual ship times. I feel like I have to keep repeating myself to you.

Quote:
And do you know how I'm positive your back is against the wall and that you don't have a leg to stand on in this? Because most of your last post was a personal attack against me.
Personal attack? Are your "willies in a frill" again? I should have known from your second reply that I was wasting my keystrokes. Take a deep breath and maybe you'll learn something from our conversation.
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post #17 of 41
10/30/04 at 11:42pm
I'm with you Craig. Device Manager has some weird obsession with Alienware, even though he doesn't own one. If it looks like a troll, smells like a troll and is as short as a troll, then I guess we know where he stands. I, for one, hate people who just jump into forums that they wish to bash, just to get their jollies. Pathetic. DM, stick to your Dell sites and leave the Alienware sites to OWNERS or future owners. I may be new, but at least I have ethics and don't troll.

Huck
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post #18 of 41
10/31/04 at 1:38am
Craig caught another non-Alienware owner answering a thread directed towards Alienware owners. they do it all the time. We try to catch as many as we can.
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post #19 of 41
10/31/04 at 2:27am
Alienware is an awesome company and they delivered my laptop two days before the estimated ship date. I have never had to call CS until I upgraded my video card which was a year after I ordered and the guy was great while the CD was burning for the BIOS flash he was telling me Doom 3 tweaks and just was pleasant to talk to. I may not be an Sentia owner but I can at least tell you that their ship dates on their website are for the most part right on the money unless there is a backorder on a part that you configured and if that is the case someone will call you and let you know.
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post #20 of 41
10/31/04 at 6:45am
I have been following this thread for a while... and while I hate to state the obvious:

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