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Alienware 13 R3 - Scratches above keyboard
This is my first forum post, so my apologies if I've done anything incorrectly.
So I've recently bought an Alienware 13 from Dell and have been using it for a couple of days now. I'm really happy with the device and I have not encountered any problems whatsoever. But, when I first opened the laptop and took the plastic film of the shiny black bar above the keyboard, I noticed some scratching in the top left corner. I thought it was nothing at first, and was okay with it, but today, when I sat down at the table, I decided to wipe it down with a paper cloth to keep it nice and pretty, and before I did, I noticed the light from my lamp hit the shiny bar in such a way, that it revealed a collection of very small, barely noticable scratches going from the left side of the bar all the way to the right. I hadn't noticed them before and I was very shocked. I considered the possibility that the bottom of the chin bar of the screen could be rubbing against it, but that doesn't even touch it and certainly doesn't shift from left to right. What's really strange is that the scratches aren't interrupted and reach from one side to the other in one wavy line. I'm sure I'm not guilty of scratching the machine, because I've put it back in the original box after use every time and been very careful with it.
I desperately want to know what the reason behind this could be, and how it could have happened. Has anyone else experienced the same? Maybe someone else notices scratches there after reading this? I'd like to hear what Dell says about this, because I honestly don't think they would send me a damaged device.
TL;DR - Scratches on the shiny black bar above the keyboard of my Alienware 13 R3, didn't make them, hadn't noticed them before.
Thanks!
LSUFAN51
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4 Operator
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6.4K Posts
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May 16th, 2017 20:00
:emotion-2:
I'd suggest you quickly contact Technical Support in the link below. Keep in mind, you have 30 days from invoice date to return it and then order a new one.
Contact Information | Dell US
U.S. Return Policy | Dell
robert p
9.4K Posts
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May 17th, 2017 04:00
Hi JorisTheFreeze,
Thanks for posting.
First thing that comes to mind is how much have you been cleaning your new computer with a "paper cloth"? Paper is very abrasive and could have caused scratches, according to the manual, the unit should be cleaned with a soft non-abrasive cloth. Microfiber is recommended and is the best.
If you are still within the first 21 days of ownership, you can return the computer for any reason, otherwise cosmetic blemishes or customer dissatisfaction with the product would not be covered by the warranty.
JorisTheFreeze
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May 17th, 2017 05:00
Hi DELL-Robert P and LSUFAN51. I have used a paper cloth (paper towel? English is not my first language) once to clean the bar. I didn't apply much pressure and was very careful not to damage the device. I have cleaned my previous laptop, which had a plastic black bar too, the same way and it never scratched. I have considered the possibility that this could be the reason it is scratched, but the scratches don't match the pattern that I would expect from the way I used the paper towel. I wiped the bar in one motion, not moving it from side to side, yet the scratches cross eachother and seem to wave across the bar. I also can't feel the scratches when going over them with my finger or fingernail, which means they're either really small or not on the surface at all. The fact that there were already some imperfections after removing the plastic film the first time I opened the laptop makes me think I didn't do this.
I'm not an expert on cleaning laptops, but I have never seen anything like this and I expected the device to last longer before scratching, if the scratches weren't there before.
I have called customer support and they've asked me to send a picture, so I'll see what they say about it.