Dell Alienware 17 R3 faulty screen

Cornish84

Good evening, recently my laptop has developed a fault where either on boot up or 5 minutes later >95% of the screen fails and I’m left with just a narrow vertical band, it is not been dropped or damaged to cause this fault so I believe it’s just a faulty cable that needs repairing. 
I contacted Dell and they have said it’s outside of its 1 year guarantee they would charge for the repairs.
I bought the laptop direct from Dell for £1,800 and it was delivered on 21/04/2016 so nearly 4 years old, am I covered at all under the consumers rights as the item now isn't usable and hasn’t lasted what I would describe as long enough?

Thank you if you can help. 

tonyh66

probably not covered, 4 years is a long time in computer lifetime. Best finding an independent laptop repairer.

Neil_Jones

If you connect an external monitor to the laptop does the issue follow with it onto the separate screen?

If it does, the issue is not with the screen in the laptop or the cables that run to it from the board.

The issue is far more likely to be the graphics chip on the motherboard, which in 99% of cases means a new motherboard.

a

If it is the graphics chip, there are people out there that can replace the chip on your motherboard, and also fo component repair and diagnostics. Think it approx £100-ish if not more for labour.

The other side is that some models of alienware and msi? too had a display card, so it might be the card?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Graphic-Card-for-Alienware-17-R1-18-R1-AMD-ATI-Radeon-R9-M290X-4GB-V3G02/302912062942

Cornish84

Thanks for getting back to me, when connected via hdmi to the tv it works perfectly, this is what I’m currently having to do.

I’ve had an email back from dell wanting £44 to look at it and diagnose then either £160 to replace the screen or £16 for the cable plus £60 to carry out either job. 

a

I would remove the power and the battery, open it up, gently unplug the cable that connects your motherboard to the monitor on both the led side and the screen side, (then check the continuity from one pin to the corresponding pin on the other side - if you are able), then plug both ends of the cable back in again and try it, as it just could be a bad connection?

You could swap your own cable for about £20 and save £50 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/for-Dell-Alienware-17-R2-R3-LCD-video-screen-display-cable-0X5JP9-DC02C00BQ00-4K/264528127455