Computer hardware: Alienware

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Sunday, 19 February 2012

Hands on: Alienware X51 review

Gaming PC vendor Alienware recently took the wraps off its X51 - a smaller form factor desktop to go alongside its not-so-dainty Aurora line of gaming desktop behemoths.

We got up close with the Core i7 variant of the new mini gaming PC at a demo event yesterday.

The first thing that strikes you is the size - it isn't that much taller than an Xbox 360 - 32cm high at its shortest point and less than 10cm in thickness.

The box has been designed to either sit horizontally or stand vertically, and Alienware is expecting a reasonable number to find homes underneath HDTVs in living rooms.

Alienware x51

So what we're looking at here is a couple of the £999 units each boasting a 3.4Ghz Intel Core i7-2600, Nvidia Geforce GTX 555 graphics and 8GB of memory.

Alienware is keen to stress that there's a market for a performance gaming system without the bulk - it believes people are looking for smaller machines, but that gamers still want a desktop PC rather than a laptop. The company is keen to stress it wanted to sit the X51 above traditional small form factor (SFF) systems that don't have a great deal of power or graphics capabilities.

Alienware x51

As you can see, there's a slot-loading optical drive on the front (24x dual-layer DVD), as well as a couple of USB 2.0 ports. There are a couple of USB 3.0 ports on the back as well as three more USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Ethernet, full complement of audio outputs including SPDIF and two DVIs. 802.11n Wi-Fi is also integrated.

Alienware x51

Alienware was keen to demonstrate that the lower end £699 is also very capable - it packs a 3.3GHz Intel Core i3-2120, Nvidia Geforce GT545 graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 1TB HDD. All models sport Windows 7 Home Premium.

There's also a 3GHz Core i5-2320 mid-range variant available.

Alienware x51

We love the look of the thing (and yes, you can customise the colours of those LEDs - there are 8,000 different combinations) but we'll be honest - the X51 is a lot of money for what it is, especially since Alienware believes it occupies a mainstream rather than enthusiast segment of the market.

Alienware x51

The unit's weigh clocks in at 5.5Kg - Alienware says it occupies only around 15 per cent of the space of one of its traditional desktops. The components inside are user upgradeable.

Alienware x51

You also get a Alienware backlit keyboard and mouse in the box. We'll run our benchmarking rule over it when we hold of one in our TechRadar test lab, though Alienware has posted its on basic benchies for the Core i3 and i7 models, which you can see below - click here for a bigger version.

Alienware x51

Alienware X51: The Xbox With Teeth

While Alienware isn't openly inviting comparisons to Microsoft's Xbox 360 with their brand new X51 gaming desktop, it's hard not to see the resemblance, at least in form factor. But where Microsoft's aging console continues trudging away with generations old hardware, Alienware has produced an authentic Windows 7 gaming PC in a shell roughly the same size. Not only that, but they're introducing it at one of the lowest prices we've ever seen for what's ordinarily a very premium brand.

Was Alienware able to cram a fully-powered machine in this tiny chassis, or were too many sacrifices made? Just what exactly can you fit into this console-esque chassis? Read on for our full analysis!

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Friday, 20 January 2012

Alienware X51 announced

The Alienware X51 has been officially announced, with the gaming brand offering up a desktop with a small form-factor that is aiming to tempt in the groups between casual gamers and hardcore.

The X51 brings a decent set of specs and the always-enviable Alienware design but packs it into a form-factor that is only marginally bigger than an Xbox.

"I don't personally believe you can offer a system that offers a better gaming performance within that form-factor or even that there is anything close, " Eoin Leyden, Alienware's senior product consultant told TechRadar.

Range

As you would expect the Alienware X51 comes in a range of specs with the lowest priced version at £699 bringing an 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3-2120, Nvidia Geforce GT545 graphics, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 1TB harddrive.

At the other end of the spectrum is the £999 version with 8 Gigs of RAM, Intel Core i7-2600 and Nvidia Geforce GTX 555 graphics. That will give you up to 77 frames per second from Battlefield 3, according to Dell-owned Alienware.

The smaller form factor is aimed at the mass market, and it has been designed to stand horizontally or vertically - so you could sit it next to your TV without it looking too out of place.

It's certainly an unexpected move from a company that has previously specialised in massive high-end rigs - but can it take advantage of the recent renaissance in PC gaming?

Alienware explains move to small form-factor

Alienware's senior product consultant has explained to TechRadar the reasoning behind offering a small-form factored gaming PC in the Alienware X51.

Dell-owned Alienware has established its reputation with high-end products, appealing to hard-core gamers with enough money to fork out for the latest kit.

However, with desktop computing on the wane, Alienware is keen to tap into a category of gamers that do not have the space or justification for a huge, powerful gaming machine.

Decline

Eoin Leyden, Alienware's senior product consultant told TechRadar: "Desktop as a category has been declining, and the only shining light has been small and ultra-small form factor PCs.

"These PCs have been predominantly digital hubs for the living room that have no regard for the gaming population at all.

Alienware x51

"Some of that has been partly driven by price, but also the heat generated by gaming systems is a problem."

Alienware's X51 has a form-factor similar to that of an Xbox, but offers far superior specs even at its lowest price point – offering up Intel's Core i3-2120 processor and 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 545 graphics along with 4GB DDR3 RAM.

"The performance speaks for itself," adds Leyden. "The compromise is within the form-factor.

"You can't do SLI graphics because you couldn't manage the heat. You could if you made it bigger, but that defies the entire point.

"I don't personally believe you can offer a system that offers a better gaming performance within that form-factor or even that there is anything close."

"I asked one of our designers what cool thing I should be telling people in the briefings and he said, 'Tell them that we managed to make it all fit in'!"

Sub-core game

Leyden believes that the division between mid-level and hardcore gaming is increasingly blurred and that a generation of gamers still want to play the latest titles but only have limited time.

"From casual to pro-gamer the difference is the amount of leisure time people devote to gaming.

"At one end of the scale you have 'all of my leisure time is taken up by gaming' and at the further you move over you soon hit the 'I get two hours of Call of Duty or Skyrim or do I go and play golf?'

"Gaming is in their heads but not necessarily the number one thing that drives them. If [that demographic] is going to buy a small PC they will want it to be able to play games.

"If they go into a shop and there is two small form factor PCs but one is fully tripped out for games, I'd say 'absolutely – it's a great investment'.

"Within the confines of the form-factor we have totally developed an Alienware product. We didn't go out going to hit a price point but this is a PC that can do all of the things a desktop computer ought to do, but for that extra bit of money it can also play the latest games."

Another key factor is that the standard components mean that the user can upgrade their own PC.

"We did talk about locking it down, but we decided that would not be what we want to do with Alienware desktops," concludes Leyden.