Dell UK - NIGHTMARE! - 2020 edition

Mach1000

I recently had my trusty Dell laptop expire after giving excellent service over a number of years. I have been specifying and buying Dell for over 20 years now, so naturally looked to them for my new replacement.  As the cost of Solid State Drives has reduced over the years, I was looking for a quality laptop with a 1Tb SSD and a vacant slot where I could install a 2.5 inch Hard Disk drive - so that I had the benefit of speed for operating software, and storage capacity, without exceeding my budget.

I consulted Dell's tech support and was advised toat the Precision 3540 model was a good fit to my specification so I went ahead and ordered one.  There was a fairly lengthy delivery period, but the laptop eventually arrived - and my problems started!

1. The laptop was delivered with a USA keyboard instead of a UK one, which was very inconvenient!  After lengthy exchange of messages with Dell, they offered me a 10% discount if I agreed to accept the laptop, which after some consideration, I agreed to, thinking I could always add a USB keyboard for anything critical.

2. I then opened the case to explore installation of the HDD, and found that although there was a space, there were no obvious fixings - so I presumed a kit of some kind (that I had not been told about!) was required.  Again after a lot of to and fro, the tech department decided that my laptop CANNOT be fitted with a HDD as well as the SSD after all - despite the assurances I had been given before buying!

07/15/2020 05:55:08AM	Agent (Bhaskar Varanasi): <this is not a link www.dell.com/en-uk/work/shop/laptops/precision-3540-build-your-own/spd/precision-15-3540-laptop>/xctop3540emea
07/15/2020 05:55:26AM	Brian: "So it has a Pcie slot and a 2.5?"
07/15/2020 05:55:31AM	Agent (Bhaskar Varanasi): "This is the machine which can be customised as per our requirement which allows you to add an additional hard drive to it, Brian"

So botom line is that Dell have sold a laptop that does not meet the specification I was assured of when I placed my order.  Aside from that, contacting anyone (knowledgeable and with authority) at Dell is an absolute nightmare.      Dell?  NEVER AGAIN!!

JJ_Egan

Is this a vent or are you asking a Consumer Rights question .

custardy

add a hard drive during configuration or DIY add after purchase.
Was this specified?

born_again

Isn't keyboard layout a windows setting?

Need more storage space, far cheaper and easier to add a external drive. As surely opening the case will void the warranty.

Were_Doomed

born_again said:

Isn't keyboard layout a windows setting?

Yes and No ... Yes in that you can specify a layout in Windows, but also No in that a US keyboard has a different physical layout than a UK keyboard. (e.g. Shift+2 is @ rather than ", Shift+3 is # rather than £, for merely two differences).

custardy

Ive just had a quick look at specing that machine. I see no option for 2 hard drives on config. Which is strange given they offer 2.5 HDD,SDD & M2.
I would expect M2 would at least open up the option of a 2nd drive even if it only has one HDD bay.