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Hi all,

Im thinking of purchasing a system from Alienware. Has anyone dealt with them and how did you like it. Ive heard only good things but Im sure they arent perfect.
Would appreciate any info thanks.
 
They're one of the big 4 really
Falcon NW, Alienware, HyperSonic, VooDoo Computers
all four make amazing, top-of-the-line, kick-ass, perfectly put-together high-end custom machines... not for the weak-hearted, they also come with a price tag to match if not exceed the performance:)
If you have the dough, and you're a true computer freak, they are your only choice and any one of them is reportedly a good one:)
I personally have heard a few iffy things about alienware, which is why I went with VooDoo computers (www.voodoo.ca), but they may not be anything more than rumours and one nasty maximumPC review... if I had to stick with one of the American companies (VooDoo is Canadian, though 1/2 of their sales is to USA), personally I'd probably go with Falcon NorthWest (my prime choice before I discovered VooDoo), but that's just a personal preference with little to back it up -- just figured you could use all the input we can offer:)

G'luck:)
 
Well I emailed Alienware last week the 9th to ask them a few questions. So far no reply. Yesterday early morning I call got put on hold for 10 minutes and then a person came on saying " Give us your number someone will call you back".

Btw thanks for the feedback on the company.

Im like ok I figure their busy no problem. I give them my number now Im on late afternoon of day2 and still no call back. Geez I wonder if this company wants to sell me a computer or what. Screw it Im sure theres some company out their that wants a few $$$ from me.
 
hmmm... don't know if they'll flame me all for doing this, but the company I bought my computer from (voodoo.ca) has really awesome response time... you can even talk to them through their forums, give them a call immediatelly, order through their 'quote-kitchen' or whatever...
I've had a really good experince with them:)

if you're looking for their review, check the January Maximum PC or the November PC Gamer -- both gave them their highest awards:)

G'luck:)
 
I think Im going with a Hypersonic. When I emailed them they got right back to me and answered all my questions. The system I configured was exactly what I wanted. It was almost like they wanted to sell me a computer.

I know Voodoo systems rock but the exact same system from Hypersonic was 700 dollars less. I just dont see how you can build a computer better by (700) dollars heh.
 
Hello Maw,

I was pointed to this forum from our MUTTHABoards on the Voodoo Site. I thought it would be a good idea if I posted personally to give you some information as to why our systems are the way they are...

First off, Hypersonic being $700 less begs me to think that we aren't talking about the 'exact' same components. I'm sure they might be close, in some respects, but certainly NOT exact.

Alienware, Falcon, and Hypersonic all make great systems without a doubt. I am certainly not going to take anything away from any of them, however, I will tell you what we put into our systems.

Our systems are built like nothing you've seen. In recent months Maximum PC awarded us a 10/10 Kick Ass based on our build quality alone. They have since taken some of our ideas and applied them on the way THEY build systems. It's quite interesting actually..

Our computers come standard with a 3 year parts and labour warranty, whereas most dealers have a 1 year p&l and you need to upgrade to get even close to 3 years.

Our systems come with software support. Meaning, if you have a problem with a software program - our techs will log into your computer (with your permission) and help you fix the problem.. This is good for three years.

Voodoo uses a full disclosure policy.. Meaning we give you the brand name of EVERY product in the machine.. We do NOT settle for lower end boards/chipsets in our DDR or SDRAM systems. We only use the best motherboards, ram, CD-Writers, fans, power supplies - and certainly some of the coolest cooling options money can buy...

Our systems aren't for everyone, mind you.. We cater to people who are absolutely NUTS about quality - NOT just components - but the build quality. These guys like to flip open the case of their computers to show their friends, just like a car freak would pop the hood of their car and show their friends.. It's really quite the community..! You should visit our forums when you get a chance at www.voodoopc.com - and click on the button that says MUTTHABoards.

While our systems are usually on par with some of the competition in terms of price, when you add the warranties, and the additional support - we may come out on top, we may not.. It depends on the day... We don't guarantee the lowest price - and we never have...

Voodoo has been in business since 1991.. We have built our brand name on our craftsmanship and customer support...

I hope I answered your concern as much as possible... I tend to ramble on, so I'm going to cut this short.

Thankyou for your time.

Sincerely,

Rahul Sood
President, Voodoo Computers Ltd.
www.voodoopc.com





----
The VooDoo Computer Studio
www.voodoo.ca
 
No they arent the same systems in fact the Hypersonic has the 1200 AMD with the 266 fsb and 2100 DDR memory. In fact to be fair to you I will compare what from what I seen on both sites.



Your system I copied hope you dont mind.



Asus A7M-266 DDR Athlon Thunderbird/Palamino & Duron MB with Toggle 3D Audio
The ASUS A7M266 is the best (and we mean BEST) DDR Motherboard for AMD Athlon & Duron Processors on the market. Voodoo introduced this motherboard in our new MonsoonXDDR-EGAD after testing many different DDR Boards. We have determined that the ASUS is the most ass-kicking motherboard on the planet - without a doubt.


AMD Athlon 1200MHz Processor - 200MHz Bus - 384K On Die Cache
AMD's growth last year is absolute proof that this company is here to stay. They are making some of the fastest processors in the world. You can take almost any AMD Processor and match it up with virtually anything from Intel, and you'll probably find the AMD to be faster in most applications. AMD is a true enthusiasts processor without a doubt.


Artic Silver II Thermal Cooling Compound
Voodoo has chosen Artic Silver II as the standard cooling compound of choice for our computers. We use Artic Silver II in place of the standard Thermal Compound that's included with your Serious Silicon. The Artic Silver II has been tested to decrease CPU temperatures dramatically.


Thermaltake Super Orb - Dual Fan CPU Cooler for Serious Cooling
While the Chrome Orb is good, the Super Orb is that much better - It's essentially a much taller heatsink with double the fans installed for extra cooling. While it's a litte loud, it's reasonable considering the fact that it cools the processor better than any other cooler on the market. The Super Orb is really meant for 1.2GHz Processors and over - although some people pick this Orb for overclocking their processors <cough>.


Voodoo 1.44 Megabyte Floppy Disk Drive



Samsung Technologies DDR 256 Megabyte PC2100 Ram Chip
Once again Voodoo picks the best quality ram available for DDR Systems. Crucial Technologies make excellent ram, but unfortunately they only have PC-1600 DDR Ram available. Samsung is our second choice as the words largest Rambus manufacturer. Samsung also make some pretty hot DDR Chips as proven by our tests.


ASUS Fifty Speed 10,400 RPM Internal CD-Rom Reader
The ASUS CD-S500 breaks through the bottlenecks inherent in traditional CD-ROM technology with innovative solutions to sustain accuracy and stability of high-speed data transfer. The next-generation anti-vibration design used in the ASUS CD-S500 offers unparalleled performance to match the demands of high-end systems.


Plextor Plexwriter 121032 CD-ReWriter - 32X Read - 12X Write - 10X Re-Write - BurnProof
The Plextor Plexwriter 121032A is the best darn CD-Writer you'll ever own. Speed means nothing to most people, so the fact that it's the fastest CD Writer on the market may not turn your crank. What will is the unique "Burn Proof" technology. This is a special technology that allows you to do other things while burning CD's, and it guarantees that the CD will continue to burn! This means you can listen to MP3's, surf the net, pretty much anything, and you can continue to burn CD's! You'll spoil yourself silly with this thing... This CD-Writer includes a 1 year warranty with system


30.7 Gigabyte IBM Deskstar 75GXP Hard Disk Drive 7200 Key Features: 7200 RPM - 2 Megabyte Cache - ATA 100 Throughput
Consider the key features when purchasing a hard drive. First of all, if your dealer doesn't know what brand it is then don't even think about buying it. Your data is being stored on this drive so the last thing you need is a crash due to a no-name drive. Also, remember hard drives comes in various speeds - make sure your hard drive supports ATA 100 and it's at least 5400RPM. The IBM Deskstar 75GXP is a killer drive - especially for RAID Configurations.


Hercules 3D Prophet II GEforce2 ULTRA 64 Megabyte DDR Video Card Key Features: 64 MEGS 460MHz DDR Ram, 250MHz GEForce2 Clock Speed, TV-Out, DVD Software
There's not much we can say about this card that hasn't already been said. This is the craziest, fastest, most expensive, kick-ass, ripping frames, coolest, ultimate, and silly frame fetching video card ever. We can't say much more other than WOW! Try it, and you won't regret it, that's a guarantee.


GlobalWin CAF12 120mm Video & System Air Propulsion System
The Global Win CAF12 is by far the best video card cooler available today. This unit uses a big 120mm Innovative case fan that pumps a whoppin' 67CFM of air per minute. The CAF12 has fan guards on the front and backside. The mounting system is the same as the Global Win CBF32. The CAF12 comes with a pass through power connector and is meant to be hook up to the computer power supply.


DLink 538TX 10/100 Full Duplex Ethernet Card with Wake On Lan Connection
These cards are Voodoo's favorite as they include a no-hassle lifetime warranty.


Creative Labs Soundblaster Live X-Gamer 5.1 with Digital Connections
The Soundblaster Live X-Gamer 5.1 uses the effects of the powerful EMU10K1 DSP, which accellerates the processing of any digital audio (making your game play silky smooth!). Another cool thing about this soundcard is the support for full digital surround sound. The 5.1 Version is essentially the same thing as the original, with Dolby Digital 5.1 Support. A very cool feature if you use the Cambridge DTT3500 5.1 Speaker System.


Cambridge Soundworks FPS2000 Digital 4 Point Speakers & Subwoofer Satellite Power: 7 watts RMS each channel, Subwoofer Power: 25 watts RMS
Experience the ultimate high-powered 4 channel speaker digital audio for EAX game titles and DirectSound 3D gaming with Four Point Surround FPS 2000 Digital Speakers. Designed by Cambridge SoundWorks, the FPS2000 Digital speaker system delivers superb sound with crystal-clear highs and great midrange along with thunderous bass for total home theatre quality. Impress your friends and neighbors with incredible sound emitting from your PC, but be warned, cranking the volume on these things might cause you to throw out your home stereo.


Logitech Internet Keyboard
The Logitech Internet keyboard puts all your favorite Web commands, applications, and sites right at your fingertips. This is a complete solution that provides all the functionality you want for entering text into your favorite applications, controlling your computer, and making the most of your on-line time.


Logitech Wheelmouse Optical Mouse
Choose a mouse that records motion optically instead of with a ball. There are no moving parts to breakdown. It works awesome with an Attack Pad. After months of use, you'll never have to stop and clean it. The revolutionary mouse shape nestles comfortably into your left or right hand. Enjoy easy scrolling without scrollbars and save time by using the buttons for shortcuts.


Voodoo Attack-Pad Mousing Surface (Not just another mousepad!)
The ATTACK-PAD made by Everglide is the best mousing surface your mouse will ever see. You won't believe the pinpoint accuracy you'll have when slaying your enemy, or just bumming around on the Internet. This product is more than just a 'mousepad' and it certainly 'completes' your high-performance Voodoo Computer accurately. The ATTACK-PAD is also 100% compatible with ALL Optical Mice.


Microsoft Windows ME Millenium Edition License, Operating Manual, & CD
Windows Millennium Edition is the new home operating system for PCs that brings the richness and convenience of the digital world to the home. YEAH WHATEVER! That was taken right from Microsoft's site. We say Windows Millenium is Windows 98 with a few upgrades. Either way, it's the latest operating system out, so you should probably buy this with your system.


Voodoo Computers Silver Warranty: 3 Year Hardware Parts & Labour Included
Besides our quality hardware, what else makes our systems the best of the best? Our service plans... Voodoo is well known for our high-quality service: The Silver Warranty gives you a lifetime of free tech support for your system. It also provides you with unlimited service on all the computer hardware for up to three years on both parts and labour. (Peripherals and other items specified on your invoice are not covered by this warranty.) In addition, if you decide that you need a bit more power, you can exchange or upgrade any component in the system for up to 30 days, free of labour charges.. ATTENTION: It is highly recommended that you store all your original packaging that is shipped with your computer. Your warranty will not cover lost or damaged goods due to improper packaging and shipping. This includes all items, including printers, monitors, and scanners. **The manufacturer backs our monitors for at least 3 years, some even come with a 4 year warranty. Any peripherals such as monitors, printers, and scanners are covered directly by the manufacturers warranty. We spend a great deal of time evaluating our manufacturers before we sell their products. All the manufacturers have service centers across Canada and the US. Contact us for the instructions on how to get your product serviced or replaced in the shortest time possible. **This warranty applies only to those items on this invoice.


Voodoo Computers Virtual Onsite Desktop Support - 3 Year Plan*
The Virtual Onsite Support is an awesome feature that allows us to log into your machine if necessary and diagnose problems over a remote connection. We can fix almost anything, quickly and efficiently. *High Speed Internet Connection Required To Activate Voodoo Virtual Onsite Support.


Voodoo Disaster Recovery Set (VDRS) - License and Set Included
97% of all problems related to ANY computer are caused by SOFTWARE Problems. The VDRS set will allow you to repair all software problems with your new Voodoo Computer. The ultimate disaster recovery tool, this custom manufactured set contains all the tools that you need to recover from a disaster. If anything goes wrong with your software, the VDRS will re-build your hard drive back to factory condition - this means ALL applications that we installed on your PC from factory will be replaced in original condition. Remember, you must backup your data before using this Tool!


No Shipping Required Pickup from our Calgary Location or Local Courier Service Dropoff
Once your new Voodoo Computer is completely tested and benchmarked & burned-in, we will arrange same-day shipping if you live in the Calgary Area.


VoodooPC "Powerful Personal Computers" Tee-Shirt
If you own the best, you deserve to wear the best.


$5008.71 CDN
Approximate USD = $3405.9228


Hyper

1200 AMD 266 fsb (same mb as yours ASUS)
256 DDR 2100
Mid Case 300 watt power supply
IBM deskstar 45gb with the 100 ata controller
52X Cdrom
Plextor plexwriter 12/10/32
Hercules 3d prohet 64 meg geforce ultra tv out
creativelabs x gamer gold 5.1
Cambridge Soundworks 2000 speakers
Fast Etherlink network card 10/100 (3com)
Windows ME
Microsoft Intellimouse usb optical eye
Keyboard black 104 key
Standard Warranty 1yr parts labor and shipping 3 yr tech support
2441.00 dollar US. They also include specialized video cooling.

Similar systems your right not "exactly the same" but pretty damn close right?

so your system costs 3400 usd theres 2400. Now Im sorry but I dont see how your system is 1000 usd better than the Hypersonic. Ill give you your case is better and warranty. If you want to check my numbers feel free to visit Hypersonic and configure it the same. I feel I was more than being fair to you by saying a "700" dollar difference.
 
Like I said - our systems aren't for everyone...

It's hard to explain the value difference in certain situations... Take for example this situation, where we clearly have two completely difference warranty / service packages - not to mention a different kind of build.. I'm sure if you've seen the inside of one of our PCs you'd understand. While Hypersonic have a great reputation - so does Falcon-NW - and they're both on two COMPLETELY different pricing levels...!

Do you think it makes sense that someone would pay $100 to have the INSIDE of their case a different colour? Probably not.. However, many of our clients love it.. They love our build quality.. They'll pay the money for the system..

There are people who need the extra hand holding and service.. Perhaps the fact that we offer free handholding to people that haven't even bought systems from us might give you a good indication of what we're all about...

We COULD lower our prices(not by much mind you, the margins are still extremely low), and therefore increase production/demand - but what would that do? Possibly degrade our incredible service and/or build quality? We spend 16 tech hours on the machine - ON TOP of testing.


...little things like the case, and power supply add up - ours is a 340 - with a 12v connection for P4s or perhaps future upgrades.


The "approx us dollars" is based on a higher exchage rate...You would normally save at least $150 by wiring the money...

I will conclude by saying that if you really are concerned about the price - we're probably NOT the company for you.. and you can quote me on that..

Thanks!

Rahul Sood
President
Voodoo Computers
www.voodoopc.com


----
The VooDoo Computer Studio
www.voodoo.ca
 
Im impressed you responded Rahul. That does show me something positive about your company. Price isnt the issue for me but I like to get my money's worth. I dont dispute your systems being top notch. I just was comparing product for product as listed. I guess we can leave it at to each his own.

Michael
 
now i dont know from where to buy
Alienware, Falcon, Hypersonic or Voodoo
Plz respond to this, cuz im gonna waste like 4000 on my next pc.
 
Interesting. The THG community is important enough that some companies actually care what we think!

Can you imagine if spammers made personalized and detailed posts, with intelligent arguments, giving credit to competitors where due, and showing enough pride in their companies to list their names at the bottom? We might respect them the way that we now respect the voodoo guy.

Nah... We'd still hate them.

Tom Mc

Even a fool, when he remains silent, appears wise.
 
Xuon:
of the big four, if you're really into high-end computing, I'd skip HyperSonic and Alienware... they are mostly cashing on the reputation they earned when they built excellent custom-built computers previously... these days, they are going the way of Dell etc, at start of vicious cycle of trimming the profit, increasing the throughput, decreasing the quality thus decreasing the value, thus having to trim the profit and increase the throughput again etc... and while their previous reviews were amazing, the recent ones show a bad trend toward mediocrity...

so I'd say Falcon NW or VooDoo -- they both still build way too expensive but lovingly custom built computers that are *perfect* (well, as close to it as they get:)
Those two were my top choices after I did my research last November/December...

I went with VooDoo personally, and I can detail my reasons if you want to, but I think both of them are excellent choices -- just don't expect them to be cheap:)
I spent $6500Canadian (~$4000US) on my computer, and I could've gotten same specs for much less - but not the brands, warranty, quality and build, support and help... and as you can probably see, I'm a extremelly happy customer who manages to be more and more impressed by what they do at every turn:)

just again, expect to be able to get same specs that you get at Falcon/VooDoo for a little less at Hypersonic and lot less at Dell or Compaq... but the reasons are pretty obvious and much the same:)
 
You can add me to list of VERY satisfied customers that have purchased a Voodoo system. I also compared and noticed the price differential between the companies. After viewing the mutherboards at Voodoo and seeing the personal attention that was given directly to the people by the owners, staff, and all the happy customers I seen where I might be better off going with such a company. I couldn't be happier with my choice. I won't have that decision to make in the future. It will be Voodoo, hands down :)
 
Hey Zei :)
I received my system about 5 weeks ago. My benchmarks are through the roof and the new games look fabulous on it!! They made me a raid configuration and I also had some other nice goodies added to the system. They were very helpful in their suggestions and were just as helful AFTER the sale as they were before the sale. Of course I don't have to tell you that, with you being another happy customer and regular on the muthaboards :) I would much rather pay the bit extra if it meant quality and after sale assistance not to mention the great warranty. Although on my order there wasn't that much of a price difference compared to the others.
 
I think we better switch back to the muttha boards, I s'pose this really isn't the place to discuss our VooDooMachines...:)
Kodiak/Zweistein
 
but there has been many threads about that case and all pretty negative. The hydraulic door on the front, just is on rails and moves up and down. And when its down it blocks the vents on the front, and therefore airflow.
 
I too am interested in Buying a computer from Alienware, Hypersonic, Voodoo, or Falcon NW. However, I have to agree with Maw that the difference in price seems a bit extreme. For example, on the Monsoon EGAD-DDR, the price difference between the 1.133Ghz Athalon and 1.2Ghz Athalon chip is $120. Whereas on Hypersonic's Sonic Boom, the difference is only $30 - much more reflective of the $10 difference listed at anandtech.com.

Now, I understand Voodoo's higher costs for providing service and a better organized/built systems. But it seems to me that should be more than included in the starting price at the "Quote Kitchen" where $1589.54 gets you a 750Mhz Dunon, Mobo, Case, 15Gig HD, 128MB PC2100 RAM, 50X CD-ROM, CPU and Video cooling, and a 32MB Radeon Video Card. Granted all these components are top-quality, but I would still need to buy a sound card, speakers, monitor, mouse, Ethernet Card and keyboard to get a fully functional PC. That raises the price to almost $2000 (last five just choosing the cheapest components) BEFORE I even decide which components I would like to ubgrade.

I can understand that Voodoo may need to charge this much initially to cover the increased costs of providing the best service and build for their customers. But then why the $120 difference between CPU's that others have a $30 difference for and the Hercules Gametheater XP costing $198 when you can buy it from Guillmont direct for $150?

While others have argued that Alienware and Hypersonic have taken advantage of their name by increasing profit margins through cutting corners, it seems to me that Voodoo (and F-NW) take advantage of their name by increasing profit margins through charging exhorbitant prices.

Now, Voodoo IMO is the best of the four companies and I would otherwise be willing to get my moneys worth. I like their service, quality, and community (and I like the idea of those cool Canadiens building my PC 😉 ), but there is a point where I am not getting my moneys worth.

As it stands a "similarly"-built system at Hypersonic or Alienware costs a good $1500 less than a Voodoo (for my needs). I will not be willing to spend this difference at this point of time, it is simply too much. However, if I happened to get a certain scholarship, I would probably shell out the cash for such a great computer - despite my present opinion that the pricing is a bit severe. Voodoo is a great brand whose products live up to their name, unfortunately their prices do not.

EDIT: By the way I am very impressed that the company president would write here in defense of his product.
I'm new, so take it easy on me.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by BS618 on 03/11/01 03:14 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
 
Alienware is by far the best in the biz. I basically put together the identical comp from Alieware, Hypersonic, Voodoo, etc and Alienware always came out cheapest. Plus they have some stuff that other makers don't offer, ie the latest Klipsch speakers. Tech support is great.
 
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