Alienware Alpha R2 Review: Big Screen Gaming In A Little Package
Alienware Alpha R2's Tiny Chassis
There's no mistaking the Alpha R2 for anything but an Alienware system. From its alien head logo with glowing eyes that serves as the power and reset button to its angled accents, the Alienware DNA is apparent. it's not an over-the-top design bordering on gaudy. Just the opposite, the Alpha R2 is a slick looking mini PC with a matte black finish on top and glossy sides, all made of plastic. The engraved lines on the top of the chassis are also glossy.
Two USB 3.0 ports on the front give the Alpha R2 away as a PC, otherwise your less tech savvy friends and family members might mistake it for a regular piece of A/V gear, such as a Blu-ray player or a streaming set-top box. Even with the USB ports, they might question its functionality at first sight.
It might be tempting to situate the Alpha R2 on its side to save space, but it's designed to lay down horizontally with rubber feet on the bottom to keep it from slipping. Even so, you could stand it up, just take care when reaching the length of any corded peripherals you have plugged in—the chassis itself isn't likely to crack or break from tipping over, but you don't want to be jostling around the mechanical HDD inside.
![Alienware Alpha R2 Rear Ports](https://hothardware.com/ContentImages/Article/2504/content/small_alienware_alpha_r2_rear_ports.jpg)
There's no DisplayPort or VGA connector, so the only way you're hooking the Alpha R2 up to your TV or monitor is with an HDMI cable. While you're at it, you might decide to connect a set-top box or some other accessory to the Alpha R2's HDMI input—it's a passthrough port for viewing content from other devices, in case your TV or receiver is short on HDMI ports. It's a nice touch and an acknowledgement that things is at home in the living room.
Two large vents sit above the various ports and inputs. Each one is attached to a blower that sits inside the Alpha R2, including one that expels hot hair from the CPU and another for the GPU. The two blowers working in tandem cause a bit of a ruckus when gaming or doing anything that stresses the core components, and it doesn't take much for them to kick on. That's a drag if you don't have loud enough speakers or headphones to drown them out, though it's also the price for having this amount of performance packed into such a small box.
![Alienware Alpha R2 LEDs](https://hothardware.com/ContentImages/Article/2504/content/small_alienware_alpha_LEDs.jpg)
![Alienware Alpha R2 Peripherals](https://hothardware.com/ContentImages/Article/2504/content/small_alienware_alpha_r2_peripherals.jpg)
Neither peripheral is overly fancy, though the keyboard stands out with its white lettering, bordered keycaps, and special alien characters on the all-important WASD keys that look like hieroglyphics from another planet. There's also media buttons on the top, though no dedicated macro keys, backlight, or any true gaming features.
The click action on the keyboard is surprisingly sturdy for a non-mechanical keyboard, and a somewhat low profile one at that. We won't be tossing our mechanical plank in the garbage, but if you don't already own a keyboard, this one will get you by until you shop for a true gaming board.