Beware of Alienware

I advised a client of mine to get an Alienware Area 51 computer for a small home office. Less than a month later the network interface card started crashing the computer. I went in and spent 3 hours on the phone with Alienware's tech support which was obviously in India or somewhere nearby. We went around and around and got nowhere when I had to leave. I came back the next day and started by contacting Optimum Online. Their tech got us back online in no time by using a USB connection. I got Alienware's tech support on the phone again and spent 5 HOURS with them and went throught he whole thing again. I suggested they replace the network interface card and they claimed they came up with an obscure tech alert from Microsoft blaming Windows XP. I could not find what they recommended and insisted they replace the NIC card. I insisted on speaking to a supervisorwho refused to listen to anything I said and insisted I start the 5 HOUR process over again. The problem was that the NIC was on the motherboard, and the whole thing would have to be returned and they seemed desperate to avoid that. My client lost her temper and said something colorful to the supervisor at that point and they refused to talk to us any more. I bought a new NIC card and installed it in the only remaining space. and it has worked ever since. I wouldn't touch Alienware with a 10 foot pole and I tell everyone to avoid them!