This post is more than 5 years old
3 Posts
0
10033
Alienware Aurora R5 liquid cooled
Just bought an Alienware R5 from the website. I am quite displeased with the overall experience of ordering this computer. The first one I ordered was lost in Mexico, and I got the run around for a week on getting another ordered for me to replace that one. I finally received the 2nd one, I found that it was fan cooled. The website states that it is liquid cooled even though the website states that it is liquid cooled. I have called order support, who put me to technical support. After speaking to them, I was told that the machine was shipped with air cooling not liquid cooling. I explained that I knew this, that is why I was calling. The website says that it is liquid cooled and I need to find out how I can get the liquid cooler for it. After some time of speaking in circles, I gave up. Basically was told that I could either ship the computer back and order another one with liquid cooling, or just cancel it.
I would like to know, if the website states that it is liquid cooled, in multiple locations, why it is not, and how can I get the liquid cooler to put into it.
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
Community Manager
•
54.2K Posts
0
August 22nd, 2016 13:00
Our apologies for the shipping mishap and sales site configuration confusion.
The sales site "Features" tab state,
"and engineered with liquid cooling and tool-less access."
"The Aurora is Alienware’s smallest mid tower gaming desktop to offer both dual-graphics and liquid cooling."
Those statements do not mean that every configuration gets liquid cooling. It means it is offered on certain sales configurations. But you have to manually add it via the "Customize & Buy" for an additional charge of $100. See the picture below =
The sales site also states,
So again, it is up to the user to choose the liquid cooling in the sales configurator.
Also, the Liquid Cooled selection requires a K-Series Processor (Intel i5-6600K or Intel i7-6700K) be chosen.
hotarri
24 Posts
0
August 22nd, 2016 14:00
I had the same exact issue. The way the description is worded "engineered with liquid cooling and tool-less access.", makes it seem like all Aurora R5 are liquid cooled (either that or "tool-less access" should also be a paid option).
The option for liquid cooling in the power supply selection makes it sound like the power supply itself is liquid cooled "Alienware™ 850 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply with High Peformance (sic) Liquid Cooling".
This case was clearly designed for liquid cooling considering the power supply occupies the space above the CPU where a decent air cooler would go.
I'd highly recommend swapping out the stock cooler for an aftermarket liquid cooler rather than returning the machine and potentially dealing with a restocking fee. I swapped mine for a Corsair H60 and couldn't be happier. Here's my post with details if you plan to do the same. One nice part is that the backplate from the stock air cooler fits the Corsair H60 posts, so no need to remove the motherboard.
en.community.dell.com/.../20931614
pasnthru2u
3 Posts
0
August 22nd, 2016 14:00
Thank you. I will take a look at getting that.
Goody489
20 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2016 07:00
Honestly this is all user error and lack of reading. IDK why anyone would build a computer and assume things or not read every option they can choose from to make sure its the right decision. It does not matter if u bought an $800 machine or a $4,000 machine, don't spend that kind of money on something u didn't meticulously research
hotarri
24 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2016 09:00
Agreed, we all needed to do more research (I've been approached by others as well that had the same issue after posting my swap a couple weeks ago).
Though if most people "meticulously" researched the Aurora R5 they would not purchase them considering the questionable quality of the MB, lack of bios options, proprietary connections, cheap workstation power supplies, so it's probably in AW's best interest that they include some basic features that won't *** off the consumer the customers as soon as they receive their $800-$4000 machine.
Again, this case is designed for liquid cooling, there is no reason to ship it with air cooling as an option. I can't imagine there are many customers out there, that bought an air cooled R5 that aren't complaining about the absurd amount of noise this supposedly up market machine makes.
Goody489
20 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2016 12:00
Yea I agree that if most people did the research they wouldn't buy it either. But thats all the more reason to do research before spending lol. At $800 you get what you pay for, sorry it didn't come with a 850w Liquid cooled PSU.
hotarri
24 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2016 14:00
Turns out it is likely the PSU itself that is extremely noisy in these machines. I replaced the PSU and stock air cooler on mine in one shot, so thought it was the stock air cooler that was noisy, but it seems like this particular model of the 460W PSU is the problem.
en.community.dell.com/.../19989568
There are five possible models of 460W PSU used, so if you hopefully got one of the better one's it may not be as necessary to swap out your cooler (or PSU) as it was for me.
I'm pretty sure the lower end supplies are also okay for the base configuration considering an i3 with GTX 950 may not have a problem at ~220W max while the i7 with GTX 1080 which is shipped with the same supply will easily tax the PSU much more.
At $800 it seems like a reasonable setup, for the $2000 configuration that comes with the same PSU/cooler it doesn't. At this point my system is stable, silent, powerful and nice to look at.
Just think they should make the 850W supply and liquid cooler standard (or include it as a "free upgrade") rather than charge for it and bundle it with an overpriced "K" CPU upgrade ($150 to upgrade an i7-6700 to i7-6700k, and then require the 6700k in order to get a decent PSU and cooler).
pasnthru2u
3 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2016 15:00
As I have been helped greatly by Hotarri, which I am extremely grateful for, I have just been watching this thread instead of participating.
I went with this computer that cost $1400 by the time I chose what I thought I would want not $800, over a similar gaming rig, because I have been with Dell for the past 20 years and the majority of my experience has been good. I did do research this computer to check the hardware against other machines from other manufacturers and they were all similar. At the time I ordered this machine, I went line by line to add in what I wanted, and even looked in the areas that I wasn't interested in, so that I did not miss anything. When I had it all put together, there was no mention of being liquid or fan cooled. There was nothing stating that I had to further upgrade the processor to kick in another hidden menu to allow me to choose liquid cooled. The only time it comes up without selecting anything, is with the base model being $1400, and the only reason I know that, is because dell says that it comes up as an option, and where it was located at. Still, why is the processor liquid cooling in the chasis power supply area, not the processor? Being that I did not want to start at $1400 (because the computer was for my son, that he paid for), I did not look at that one. I needed to keep the cost within his range.
This issue has more to do with how the website operates, what it states, and especially what it does not state, and how I could go about fixing it for my son, and I really thank Hotarri for helping me accomplish it. He busted his *** all summer working almost full time at 14, to get this, and I want him to get what he was looking forward to, and you helped with that.
cortlinhess
1 Message
1
December 21st, 2016 15:00
This has nothing to do with a lack of reading or research. Same thing happened to me today. All descriptions on the website indicate that these systems are equipped with liquid cooling. When customizing my system, I was given no option for a K series processor or liquid cooling. As all prior descriptions and pictures indicated that these systems are liquid cooled, there was no reason for me to think I had to pay extra or check a box for this feature. Two dell chats later, I'm on the phone, and after being transferred seven times and disconnected twice, they are going to give me a $100 credit and help me get the correct part ordered so that I may install it myself.
mneese
1 Message
0
January 10th, 2017 10:00
Yes, I also understood that it was liquid cooled. It overheats.
And, just like you, my R5 was sent to Florida, then back to Tennessee before it made it to Texas...
It was a two day delivery that turned into a week. Thanks UPS.
It had been opened and the box was pretty beat up.
And, just like you, I would like to know about upgrades, but the Dell website is not very helpful.