1/5

posted Jun-04-2005

"I am very dissatisfied with this company. I would not recommend them to anyone and I will certainly never buy from them again. I ordered from this company after reading the good reviews here. Please read about my experience:

I purchased an Envy m:380 laptop on Feb. 10, 2005. I work for the US Dept. of State and live in Almaty, Kazakhstan for work. I have a US mailing address, which is my billing address for my credit card. When I ordered the laptop, I asked them to send the laptop to my address in Almaty and not my credit card billing address. I called and talked to someone from sales and I told them again to send it to my Almaty address. I again sent an email to their customer care with the proper address.

I did several build checks and they said they hadn't started building it yet, still collecting components. Then I requested another build check and they told me it had already been sent, but "Sorry" we forgot to tell you. They sent it to my mailing/billing address. It took three weeks to receive it because they shipped it to the incorrect address.

When I got it, the sound on the laptop was extremely low. I had all the volumes at max and I could hear the DVD audio only if I had my face two inches from the screen. The same problem if I connected headphones to the headphone port in front, volume was too low to hear. I contacted their customer service, WHO WERE VERY HELPFUL! Unfortunately, they were not able to help me correct the problem.

Then I found another, even worse problem. The PCMCIA cage was damaged. My hobby is photography and I used a PCMCIA card reader to read the flash cards. I couldn't even insert the card.

I contacted Customer Service and they essentially said I was lying, that the laptop never would have been sent out with the PCMCIA card like that. They also said they never claimed their laptop speakers were the best in the world, I would think you should be able to hear them though.

Another couple of flaws: the rubber foot on the bottom front was torn off and they didn't completely paint the area around the serial port.

I sent the laptop back hoping to get the problems resolved. I just recently got it back. The PCMCIA slot is fixed, but they didn't replace the rubber foot and they didn't fix the system sound.

I orinally ordered this laptop 4 months ago and I still don't have my MX1000 color matching mouse or the backpack that I ordered with the system.

I am very very dissapointed with this company and very dissatisfied. I only chose this company after reading their good reviews on this site. I paid over $5,000 (US) for this laptop and it still doesn't work and I still don't have all the accessories for it. I have just asked them for a refund. I will post an update on any action they take. I have also retained all email traffic between myself and them."

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (2) Cool Share

5/5

posted Mar-01-2004

"My experiance with this company has been wonderful. I looked at and even spoke to many many other "custom laptop" companies before I even heard of voodoo. After sour dealings with alienware, hypersonic, and sager I was feeling alittle lost, but upon my arrival at voodoopc.com thinigs were looking up. While I was impressed by the machines they offered, I realized that they were ODM systems and thus accessable too many differnt companies. What finally sold me on them was thier customers. They have a very loyal and happy customer base, and that syas far more about a compnay than any magazine review or benchmark.

I ordered an m:460 and recieved it fast than I thought (25 days, even with a tattoo that adds 5 days). Out of the box the machine was beautiful, I almost couldnt beleive it was plastic. The paint is superb, and on booting it up I learned that its preformance was amazing too. While being a Pentium-m system (a chip many critisize as not worthy of heavy gaming) it supports bf1942 and desert combat at 1400x1050res with everything on full...even aa/af at 4x each; without a hiccup (thats amazing if you know how absolutly insane some of the custom DC maps can be on a system).

Ill cut down my ramble to this: My experiance has been nothing short of superb. I am no claiming that the machine is perfect, only that every problem Ive had has been thus far dealt with promptly and professionally. I would most definantly buy from them again."

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (2) Cool Share

5/5

posted Feb-10-2005

"Order Process

Did a lot of research concerning various online vendors, one thing common to most was the horror stories on forums/review sites were horror stories. System shipped with wrong parts, not booting up, constant crashes and numerous delays over estimated shipping time. I understood that these had to be exceptions to the rule but what amazed me was the Reseller rating for Voodoopc and the total lack of any horror stories with them. Did some more research on several forums and mainly read good stuff. The one thing that really stood out was that Voodoo kept their own public forums where people can ask questions and post reviews of their systems. Something can be mired by flames and complaints scaring away clients. There I knew this company was different as it takes a lot of guts/confidence for a vendor to make public their customer forums. I settled to go with a Voodoo system at that point.

My order was unique in that I wanted an SLI enabled system but without SLI. While SLI has a lot of potential, I wasn't impressed by how Nvidia implemented the feature, being so driver dependant. I was a big ATI fan and wanted an X800 card. A lot of sites either didn't have SLI enabled motherboards for AMD or won't sell an SLI system with an ATI card (Why sell 1 ATI card when you can sell 2 Nvidia I guess). Calling Voodoo they transferred me to Rahul, their CTO, who said he could do it but he would have to check with their supplier. I got a call back from Rahul within the hour telling me that they can get me an X800 XT card, the PE would be near impossible to get. I was perfectly understanding realizing ATI's supply issues and appreciated his honesty. I was impressed by how Voodoo was willing to go through the extra trouble of meeting my unique setup request and placed my order over the phone. In summary it was

Rage - SLI
ASUS A8N-SLi Deluxe Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 FX-55
2 Gig Crucial Ballistix DDR-400 Kit
LiteOn 16-48 DVD & CD Reader
Pioneer Dual Layer 16X DVD+-RW
160 GiG Seagate Barracuda Sata NCQ
ATI X800 XT "

This review was modified by Sam Khatri on February 10 2005 06:50:31 PM

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (2) Cool Share

5/5

posted Jun-21-2004

"I am a health care professional and work with large format 8 to 12 MP RAW digital photographs/Photoshop CS, very large/complicated Illustrator files, desktop publishing, large format printer files (poster presentations), database management and statistical analysis and graphical plotting, CAD work, and gaming. I have laptops from Compaq, Dell, and Sony, and high-end desktops from HP and Gateway (P4 extreme w/ HT, 2GB RAM, 256MB ATI graphics, fast SATA drives). Admittedly, my new Voodoo is configured with more power than the other laptops, but the quality is so much better - quiet, solid, great keyboard, and crisp display with NO lost pixels (every other laptop had a few noticeable dropped pixels but did not qualify for replacement). My new Voodoo Envy M:780 blows them all away including my similarly configured desktops. It is simply a fantastic and beautiful machine. My future systems (laptop and desktops) will be Voodoo!

Regarding cost, Voodoo is known for being pricey, but look at what I found: Before ordering I looked at Dell. For an Inspiron XPS system with only a 15.4 inch display (my Voodoo is 17 inch), the same 3.4GHz P4 extreme/HT processor, same RAM (2GB), only 128MB video (my Voodoo has 256MB), and only a 100GB ultra ATA drive (my Voodoo has dual 10,000 RPM 72GB SATA drives) THE PRICE WAS THE SAME AS MY VOODOO!!! Less machine without the added quality of the Voodoo but the same price… It is worth noting the Voodoo policy of offering future system component upgrades at dealer cost! Also, Voodoo was pretty much right on target with the estimated shipping date from the start. They even managed to get it to me a few days sooner then expected and customer updating and ease of contacting Voodoo is exceptional."

This review was modified by nemcnick on June 26 2004 07:11:33 AM

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share

2/5

posted Jan-24-2005

"Had a Voodoo M:860 ordered on the 20th of November.

Here are the specs,
AMD 3400
60gb 7200 rpm HD
1gb Ram
White paint with blue metalic chips
Voodoo tatoo
3 year Platinum Warranty

It took a little extra time to get into my hands because Voodoo was missing motherboard mounts for the M:860, and was having trouble getting extras. So all around it took about 55 days. I wasn't too worried though, I knew I was going to have to wait a while when it was ordered.

The paint is wonderful except for one spot where it looks like it's chipping a little. Is barely noticable at all.

Computer runs great, except for when I have to go into standby/hibernation. At first it wouldn't work, so I got the Omega drivers and now it seems to work fine.

I never had any trouble getting in touch with Voodoo and their customer service during the order period was wonderful.

The screen is beautiful also, and the Dvd burner works perfectly.

My next computer will be another Voodoo.

Almost 2 years later....

Paint has turned green in many places when it used to be pearl white on the laptop and the screen wasn't perfect - I had a stuck pixel. This laptop cost thousands and I could have gotten a Falcon northwest with a perfect screen. I have emailed voodoo numerous times asking if my hinges broke on the 860 if I would have to pay to get it fixed even if I have the 3 year warranty. According to the message boards, people have had to pay for them to get fixed because they've labeled them a manufactures issue, not theirs. I never got a response from 4 emails.

I would not order from Voodoo again. In fact I am getting a Falcon Northwest Mach 5 as we speak. I'll review that sometime next month. "

This review was modified by venenzi on November 30 2006 08:20:10 AM

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share

4/5

posted Feb-25-2005

"*Update 3/19*
I've had this system up and running for about two weeks now, so I think I'm able to provide an accurate assessment of how the system turned out.
On the plus side, its very pretty, and the attention to detail is fairly obvious. However, I'm having some issues with the system that make me hesitant to purchase another system from Voodoo, or to recommend them to others.
When I first tried to boot my system, I experienced an annoying problem that has continued to this day. When I try and turn the system on, the system hangs at the company logo. Sometimes I can turn it off and on again and it will load, but as of now it seems that 9 times out of 10 it will continue to stay frozen when I reboot. I spent half an hour on the phone with tech support and was able to temporarily solve the problem, but it returned that evening.
There is also an odd noise, similar to a squeaky door hinge of some sort, that the system randomly makes without any obvious pattern. Other minor issues include the case's door, which is unusually difficult to close, but also gets a little stuck when trying to open it past 75 degrees. Lastly, the case has an annoying aluminum grill on the back of the system which must be removed before the case can be opened. This completely negates the ease of use of thumbscrews, and makes the case a hassle to open.
I don't know what I was expecting when I bought my system. I suppose I thought that paying twice as much for a computer as I would have if I built it myself (literally; I crunched the numbers), I figured that it would be more polished than any other system I've ever had. Sure, the PC is very fast and pretty, but there are some issues (specifically the boot problems) that I would not expect to escape the testing phase.



*Update 2/28*
I spoke to Rahul and he explained just how busy they were this year. Due to the fact that Voodoo has demonstrated that they will go the extra mile for their customers in service (what other company's president is willing to answer a customer's complaints on the phone?), I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for Voodoo to get me my system. I'm sure I won't be disappointed, and that it will be worth the wait.



I ordered a Rage on January 13. When I ordered, the website stated that the average time before a system shipped was 30-35 days. When I was deciding on a system to buy I spoke to Voodoo techs several times on the phone, and one of them said that at the moment the wait was more like 35-40 days due to a higher than normal demand.
It has been 43 days and as of earlier this week, I was told to expect my system in two more weeks (after being told the same thing two weeks ago). I can understand that there is an increased demand for these systems at the moment, but the long wait is aggravating.
However, even with the wait, I have every confidence that the team at Voodoo will do what they can to get my system to me as soon as they can while maintaining their level of quality. Even with my optimism, my experience so far is making me a little nervous. I'll post more once I get my system or I get more information."

This review was modified by DedEye on March 19 2005 11:51:08 PM

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share

5/5

posted Oct-18-2004

"After years of building my own PCs or buying them from mass market computer stores, I decided to take the plunge and buy a new PC from a boutique PC maker. It took me a while to decide on which company to use, but I finally decided on VoodooPC. This decision was due in no small part to their excellent sales, customer care, and technical support teams, whom I contacted by phone and email many times before deciding to buy.

And boy am I glad I did! My new Rage was delivered on October 14th, and it is a sight to behold! I never thought I'd say this about a computer, but my Rage is beautiful! I couldn't have imagined owning a computer that exudes such quality and style. The workmanship is fantastic, and the components top notch. The MESA chassis with the black B.A.M. (Brushed, Anodized & Machined) exterior is gorgeous, spaceous, sturdy...

...and quiet. I am completely satified with my Rage's noise level. Even though I got the "ordinary" air-cooled Rage, and the computer is on my desk sitting 2 feet from my ears, it's no louder than my old P4 1.5. Truly amazing and quite unexpected for the loaded system I purchased. Again, the Q word - quality - comes to mind.

In addition, a very nice VoodooPC binder was included with my Rage. It contained my hardware inventory and configuration, personalized benchmarks, and a very nice Certificate of Ownership letter. In addition, the binder contained all my software CDs, plus the user manuals for my hardware. A very professional documentation package.

Here's the nuts and bolts of my new Rage:

* AMD Athlon 64 FX-53
* 2 Gig Voodoo DDR-400 (Corsair XMS)
* ASUS A8V Deluxe Motherboard
* LiteOn 16-48 DVD & CD Reader
* Pioneer DVR-108 16X DVD+-RW
* 400 GiG HGST Sata 7200 RPM
* 74 GiG Raptor SATA 10,000 RPM x2 RAID 0
* Voodoo Aluminium Card Reader
* Nvidia Geforce 6800 Ultra 256
* Soundblaster Audigy2ZS Platinum
* Logitech Cordless MX Duo

Benchmarks:

3DMark 2005 - 1024x768x32bit: 3,939
3DMark 2003 - 1024x768x32bit: 12,494
3DMark 2001SE - 1024x768x32bit: 22,801
AquaMark3 - 1024x768x32bit: 64,671

Doom 3 - 1600x1200, High Quality: 58 FPS
Call of Duty - 1024x768x32bit, Max Textures: 60 FPS
Far Cry - 1024x768x32bit, Very High: 84 FPS
Halo-use20-vidmode 1024,768-timedemo: 92 FPS
Unreal Tourn. 2003 - 1024x768x32bit, Flyby: 298 FPS
- 1024x768x32bit, Botmatch: 109 FPS
Quake 3 Demo - 1024x768x32bit, Max Textures: 345 FPS


If you can't tell from my previous comments, then I will spell it out for you - I am very happy with my new Rage, and I would definitely order from VoodooPC again. I normally don't make large purchases like my Rage over the Internet; I prefer to visit a store to see the merchandise before I buy. But in VoodooPC's case, I can be assured that I will receive the highest quality components, assembled in a caring, meticulous manner, and delivered in a gorgeous cabinet.

Well done, VoodooPC!
"

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share

4/5

posted Oct-29-2003

"Purchased an M:600 laptop and was told 4 weeks; I received the laptop in 6 and the backpack carrying case about 3 weeks after that, but was shipped a notebook carrying case for free with the laptop.

I had purchased an Alienware desktop about 18 months prior to this Voodoo system and was happy with it, but I had read great things about Voodoo and decided on them for my next purchase. The online configurator is great and when I called in my order, Richard I believe, was very helpful. I had a problem with my credit card, but Kim, customer service rep., was very helpful and understanding. As soon as I paid for my item, they began working on it and I received e-mail updates periodically.

I received the laptop and was very impressed with the packing. It was shipped with ample cushioning and everything was there (except the Slam backback). The paint job was flawless, Bavarian Blue, although I was a little taken aback by the weight...it's a heavy machine, but with all the first-rate componets installed, it's a minor detail.

The computer itsels is a VERY fast machine. All apps. running blindingly quick and have had no "blue screens of death." A very stable platform. But I do have a couple of complaints. First, the machine runs HOT. I know it has a desktop processor which causes this heat, but I was caught unaware at the heat produced by this processor. If I would have known about this massive amount of heat, I would have reconsidered the M:600 and probably purchased a less heat-intensive machine. My second complaint is that after about 30 minutes of Internet use through the modem, it freezes and will not load web pages. My guess its the heat but I have no idea how that is related. I informed Voodoo of this and they suggested that I open the machine, remove the RAM, clean it with a dollar bill, then replace it. I did all that and it helped somewhat, but it still freezes. I am hoping once I get broadband access, this problem will go away and I will never have to use the modem again. Other than these 2 problems, the machine is great: the componets are top notch, the craftmanship is excellent, and I would buy from Voodoo again."

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share

5/5

posted Jan-12-2004

"Great customer service, wonderful looking product! The customer service department was incredibly helpful, speedy and reliable throughout the entire order process, even to the point of emailing me a few days after they shipped my order to ensure I received it in a timely fashion. A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for with Voodoo. Highly recommended."

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share

1/5

posted Sep-20-2005

"Working in a high-end "custom" environment myself I can honestly say that I know a little bit about what kind of client Voodoo PC is attracting. Just like our own clients, Voodoo Clients are expecting customer service before, during and after the sale. I'd like to share my own experience with Voodoo and hopefully I can help educate them in the art of the high-end client.

We decided to buy a hot pink laptop for a gift for someone who was graduating high school. After picking out the options we wanted we called to make sure the laptop would be ready for graduation which was over 8 weeks away. We were told that it shouldn't be a problem and we placed the order.

6 weeks came and went so we called to check the status and after many calls we were told that the laptop would be done soon. A week prior to graduation we called again and were told that it would be express shipped to guarantee arrival. Three days before graduation the machine still had not shipped so we called again, this time we were told it would not ship in time and that we should print out a picture of it to give to the person who was graduating. What kind of customer service is that?

Two weeks after graduation (a full 10 weeks after ordering the machine) it finally arrived. I thought we were done dealing with Voodoo once and for all until we started having a battery problem.

The recipient of the laptop, a week before college classes were to start, flew cross country to go to school. While flying she decided to use her computer to watch a movie and it wouldn’t turn on. When she landed she tried shore power (mains) and it worked fine. This began a 5 week process to get a replacement battery.

I called tech support on 08-15-05 and told them we needed a new battery. I was told it would need to be ordered and that they do not stock things like that. (Who doesn’t stock batteries for a laptop they sell?) I asked that someone call me back with an ETA. I also said it needed to be shipped to the college, not to Arizona. I never got a call back with an ETA so I called back on the 17th and was told that the battery was backordered from the vendor and that I would need to wait. I asked that it be drop shipped and I was told it could not.

After emailing and calling for 10 days (literally every day!) I finally got a hold of the COO, Trevor. He told me who the manufacturer of the computers (and thus the batteries) was so I could find it on my own. After making a half dozen phone calls I found out the exact model number I needed and had a battery fedexed from a the manufacturer. I was also able to find out that these batteries were chronically bad and that was why they were out of stock. I was displeased, as you can imagine, that I had to do the leg work for Voodoo and that they were not willing to work outside of the scope of their original provider/distributor. Soon after I secured a battery on my own I went back to Voodoo to press them for a replacement for the one I paid for. (Not a bad request in my mind since I had to shell out $150 of my own money for the battery I found myself) This time I spoke with Lance who said he would get the battery and send it directly to the college dorms for me. I was promised a number of times that I would get a return phone call or a tracking number and never did. I finally got an email today from Lance, after asking him to have his COO call me again, that the battery had shipped. This process took 5 week. 5 weeks for a battery! 5 weeks this poor college student could not use her laptop unless plugged into the wall. This is by far the worst customer service I have ever received on a “high-end” product. I figure once I calculate my time I spent over $1000 to get this battery replaced. This is unacceptable. The worst part was, and I told this to Trevor, that when they didn’t have an answer instead of calling to tell me they didn’t have the answer yet, they simply did nothing. I tried to explain this basic concept to Trevor but it didn’t seem to register. Bad information is better than NO information. Voodoo will see no future business from us, which is sad because we buy 10-12 laptops a year and don’t mind paying for the “good stuff.”
"

comment! report?

Is this review?… Helpful (1) Cool Share