Alienware Aurora ALX Gaming System Preview

We know it can be difficult to keep up with all of the latest and greatest hardware. After months of saving up every spare penny, you finally have enough money for that new upgrade that you've been yearning for since its debut. All the reviews are in agreement and you have to own what many are calling the component of the year. Those who don't buy it run the risk of suffering from mediocre benchmark scores or unexceptional frame rates. While those who are able to make the purchase waste no time posting scores on countless tech forums and showing off their new hardware to friends at LAN parties.   

Well folks, its that time once again. The release of ATI's Radeon HD 5870 graphics card has caused quite a stir in the hardware industry. While enthusiasts scramble to find the coin to upgrade their systems, Alienware is providing an all inclusive option for those in the market for an entire rig, loaded with some of the fastest parts available. Yesterday, Alienware announced the launch of five new configurations, consisting of all new Area 51, Aurora, and M15x gaming systems. Although each option brings something new to the table, we had the chance to check out the Aurora ALX featuring a Core i7 975 processor, X58 microATX motherboard, and two ATI Radeon HD 5870's in CrossFire. If you crave cutting edge technology, then you've come to the right place. Read on as we take a quick look at the Aurora ALX to see just how fast it really is...

Alienware Aurora ALX Gaming System System Specifications

The Alienware Aurora ALX seen here is powered by Intel's Core i7 975 processor running at 3.33GHz and features a custom X58 microATX motherboard. The 975 is Intel's fastest and most powerful desktop CPU in its entire line up, though it is also the most expensive. For cooling duties, Alienware installed a 120mm singe radiator liquid cooling solution on top of the processor. And installed on the board is 6GB of Corsair Dominator memory running at DDR3-1600MHz at 8-8-8-24 timings. There is a ton of fast storage available as we find two 1TB 7200 RPM hard drives in a RAID 0 configuration at the bottom of the case. Last but not least, the highlight of the system is the dual ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics cards running in CrossFire.

Of course, high end technology is never cheap. With a sticker price of $4,074, the Aurora ALX has a lot to prove. So, let's see what the benchmarks have to say.