Original post below. Been busy with some final Semester One assignments, so, sorry about the late replies… Currently waiting on Dell to pick up the second and third laptops, which is taking longer than it should. I've arranged to send back the first laptop once I have bought something else.
I recently bought a Dell XPS Laptop. It was a 15", 16GB RAM, 512 SSD. I was looking for a contender to the Apple MacBook Pro that was much cheaper as I'm a student and have a set budget. I did a lot of research and although I saw and read some mixed reviews, I decided to get one.
It arrived and looked great. I was really happy with the build quality, it felt solid and well-made. I didn't mind that I couldn't open it with one hand as I felt that it was a sign of it's sturdiness.
Another thing to mention is that I was given a date re/ delivery (it was a Wednesday). I called and asked if it would be delivered directly to my house or if I should go to the Post Office and they assured me it would come to my house. I had an assignment due and my old computer died a few days earlier. I needed every second I could get to work on my essay. Lo and behold, it went to the Post Office at 4:38pm and I was waiting at home until 5pm, like they advised, for nothing and lost a day of being able to work. Ridiculous! Finally, the next day, I picked it up and hurried my essay.
I started using it and before a day or two it started having some glitches. First, there were strange green pixelations on the video, then the web pages would zoom right in without me even doing anything. Then the volume starting intermittently muting out of the blue. I tried refreshing, that didn't work, then I had to reload the entire browser which did bring the volume back. I also had some white residue appear out of nowhere (after closing and opening it - and I take exceptional care of my belongings) near the hinge. On top of that, the fingerprint reader wasn't working sometimes. I was so disappointed because I loved the feel of it. If only it just worked!
I contacted Dell support and they seemed good at first. They remotely accessed my laptop and updated a heap of drivers. The problems persisted.
I contacted them a further time and once again they remotely updated the drivers (and whatever else they did) and the problems persisted.
By now, I also had to deal with one or two incompetent representatives, one which was so bad, I made a complaint. I was later offered an apology by the reviewing Supervisor who listened to the bizarre behaviour of the rep via recording.
I sent them screenshots of all the problems and they continued monitoring my laptop (not exactly what you want when using a private computer!).
I decided they had tried enough times to fix it so I requested a replacement. However, since their replacement procedure required a gap of me not having a computer for school, I was essentially forced to buy a second laptop. Importantly, this was becoming a distraction for my studies, too, and causing me to pay double until the problems were resolved affecting my savings and banking interest.
SO! The second laptop arrived, supposedly brand new. Expecting to finally have a working laptop, I opened the box and found a laptop with an unravelled cord, a bent, yes bent screen (at least 8mm at the centre) and a dirty touchpad! What the hell?!
I put it straight back in the box! I contacted Dell, and staying calm, explained the situation, giving them the benefit of the doubt, even though the second laptop was clearly used! So, here I was with two laptops, one with major software issues, the other with faulty, dirty hardware. They offered a replacement, as well as a delay on returning the first one which I could still use (putting up with the software issues in the meantime), until the third laptop would arrive when finally they would get it right! My love for the Dell XPS design was quickly wearing thin by now.
Finally, nearly two months after my initial purchase, the third floptop arrived. The Star Track courier was meant to deliver it to my door which is untrue as I was home all day. Yet again, I had to wait until the next day to see what I would get. Well, again, the screen didn't sit flush (this time "splitting" into a three or four millimetre gap as it went from left to right (while closed) and surprise, surprise, the same green glitches! The cord was fine but the battery was nearly dead which I thought was odd considering the other two were fully charged. There were also a couple of blemishes on the outer top panel which were permanent. I decided to use it for the night but the next day, I thought, no way! Enough!
By now, I was at my wit's end. I'd been patient and courteous and I let them know, firmly, how upset I was that they could do this. Yet, I was caught in a dilemma. Even though they offered a full refund on both purchases, I would still be forced to deal with a gap of not having a computer for school which was NOT AN OPTION. I was confused as to what to do, notwithstanding the exhaustion I was going through from school. So, based on the cost compared to the Apple quotes I received, I didn't have much choice but to request (rightfully) a replacement again in the slim hope they would get it right for once! I had pretty much assumed by now they were sending me the final dregs of the XPS 15. Units which were potentially refurbs. But not even bothering to check and clean a touchpad? Disgraceful.
Well, they refused to send a replacement. I just wanted what I paid for but they made me feel like it was somehow my fault I was receiving these floptops! They said they had already sent two repalcements and that was enough but they failed to consider I actually made two separate purchases, so technically, one replacement was delivered!
It's such a shame because I actually love the look and feel of the XPS, and the 4K screen is superb. What a buzzkill!
I've since received a great quote (better then UniDays) and I'm about to buy an iMac but it won't have the portability of a laptop which I need. I don't know what to do.
Does anyone have any advice, please?! I'll be ignoring inane comments.
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Let this be a warning to anyone considering buying a Dell XPS 9560. And as far as I can tell, the 8th gen models are practically identical. If Dell managed to resolve this properly, I will galdly edit this forum post but I'd like to know if I deserve to be compensated somehow by them for the trouble and stress and distraction they've caused me. On top of everything else, they are now forcing me to delay rolling over my Term Deposit, which I add funds to every year,which is costing me more interest!
Whoa, calm down there champ, I didn't assume anything. All I said was that "I have to wonder…"; and considering the issues you've had (if they are all really as bad as you've described), you've had a lot of bad luck. So it made more sense to me that you had purchased refurbished units (that first replacement one at least).
As mentioned elsewhere, I've purchased many Dell units in the past, both for home and work, and refurbished and new; and while there have been issues with some, they've all been resolved via support, and where a technician visit was required, within a couple of days. I used to despise Dell 10 years ago.