Dell offers free Alienware M11x hinge repairs (no warranty needed)

Alienware M11x

Dell’s Alienware M11x notebook features an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, a reasonably fast Intel processor, and high performance graphics. At about 4.5 pounds, it’s pretty heavy for an ultraportable laptop, but it’s one of the smallest, lightest, and cheapest ($749 and up) notebooks aimed specifically at video game enthusiasts.

Unfortunately a number of early customers noticed cracks showing up in the hinges connecting the laptop screen/lid to the keyboard/base.

Dell is aware of the problem and newer Alienware M11x laptops have sturdier hinges. But today Dell made it clear that the company would fix any older M11x R1 or R2 models with broken hinges, free of charge.

Customers from anywhere in the globe can send in their laptops for repair, and it doesn’t matter if the notebook is covered by warranty or not. That’s a pretty classy move on Dell’s part (although releasing a product that wasn’t flawed in the first place would have been even better).

The company says that most customers that bought even the original M11x models haven’t had any problems — so if it ain’t broke, don’t send it in to be fixed.

Posted on Wednesday, September 7th, 2011, 5:14 pm by Brad Linder | 5 Comments

Sam Trenholme

My biggest issue with the M11X series is that its battery can not be swapped out while on the field. Coupled with a short battery life, this makes the critter less useful on long flights or other situations where one can not plug the laptop in.

Besides that, this is the most powerful 11 inch laptop available right now. And, yes, other models have the same “can’t replace the battery” issue (such as the Macbook Air), but, then again, the air’s battery lasts longer.
Anonymous

You can use an external power pack to power the system long enough to do a battery swap.

Or you can just put the system into hibernation and then do the battery swap.

Unlike the MBA, which you have to take apart to swap the battery.

The newer Sandy Bridge version should last longer and when Ivy Bridge comes out they should boost the run time even more.

If Dell adds a battery slice option then you can probably double the run time as well.
Sam Trenholme

What I’m seeing looking at this critter is that you need a screwdriver to change its battery: http://www.notebookreview.com/shared/picture.asp?f=50098

Has this changed?
Anonymous

No, but the system is small enough to either just do it on your lap or on the food tray. Only the two screws holding the battery in place have to be actually pulled out and kept track of, which you can just palm, and then just unplug and swap the battery. While the bottom panel screws can stay in the panel and just put the whole thing to the side until done.

It’s annoying but hardly impossible. The MBA is a lot more work to reach its batteries and is hard to do even in a home environment.

Though if that sounds like too much work then you can invest in a larger external power pack to supplement the run time.

They also sell the DC adapter for plugging into the plane power for another alternative for long flights. You don’t just have to rely on the internal battery power.
jugadores

CORRECTION: they will not fix ANY old m11x. IF you have carried out ANY kind of repair on it – they will not honour this promise. I now know this now applies even if you can logically demonstrate that the root cause of the problem could only have reasonably been the hinge. therefore you are in no man’s land. If you buy another assembly from dell and they whisk someone over to fit it – it could be refurbished and come with 13 scratches as mine did. in essence the promise is qualified (if it looks too good to be true and all that..)

Dell offers free Alienware M11x hinge repairs (no warranty needed)

Featured Articles

Mini PC comparison table

Recent Posts

Popular Discussions

Featured Video