Items tagged with Alienware
Alienware's new Area 51 gaming desktop PC arrived late last year and it certainly turned heads, including ours, due to its somewhat radical design. Sure, we've seen some wild chassis designs out of Dell's Alienware gaming PC division in the past, but their new, redesigned Area 51 machine really broke the mold. In fact, if you're stuck on the old gray or black box design of most legacy systems, the "Triad" chassis of the new Area 51 may be too much of a departure for you to wrap your head around. We think, with a little investigation into the mechanical engineering and simple physics of the design, however, the intrinsic advantages are plain to see. For starters, the front and rear IO options,...
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Welcome back for another episode of HotHardware’s Two And A Half Geeks. In this episode, Dave, Marco and guest-gee extraordinaire William “Chip” Van Winkle talk about the sleek Dell XPS 13 ultrabook, the Alienware Alpha, Microsoft’s myriad of Windows 10 disclosures, the recently released NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, the Asus Padfone X hybrid mobile device and a whole lot more. Show Notes: 01:38 - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 Review With EVGA And ASUS 13:00 - Dell XPS 13 (2015) Ultrabook, HotHardware's Full Review 24:21 - Microsoft Windows 10 Preview With Cortana And Updated Start Menu Available For Download 24:39 - Browser Performance Match-up: Windows 10 IE With Spartan Engine vs. Chrome and...
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Alienware has had a busy January. During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, the Dell subsidiary unveiled updated versions of its Alienware 15 and Alienware 17 gaming notebooks complete with fifth generation Intel Core processors. And earlier this week, we took a look at Alienware’s Alpha which not only serves as an HTPC, but also a console PC for light gaming while lounging on your couch.Alienware Alpha But if you’d like to hear more about Alienware’s current product lineup, or what happens behind the scenes when new products are developed, why not go directly the source? Luckily, such an opportunity has presented itself and Alienware General Manager Frank Azor will...
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Valve’s Steam Machine was all the rage at CES 2014 in Las Vegas, but as we enter 2015, the SteamOS gaming platform (and Valve’s tantalizing Steam Controller) are still works in progress. SteamOS hasn’t been written off, but Dell, which was one of the first PC makers to build a custom console-sized system for SteamOS, isn’t waiting around. Its Alienware gaming brand launched the Alienware Alpha, which is meant to be your next (or your first) living room gaming PC. The Alienware Alpha plugs the holes left by Valve with Microsoft hardware and software and a simple 10-ft UI developed in house. Instead of shipping with a Steam Controller, for example, the Alpha features an Xbox 360 wireless controller....
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We first caught wind on the Alienware Alpha in the lead-up to Valve’s Steam Box announcements, prior to the Consumer Electronics Show. If you’re unfamiliar with the Alienware Alpha, it is a sleek, small form factor gaming PC, designed specifically for gamers. Valve is not quite ready with Steam OS or the Steam Controller, so the whole Steam Box angle is on hold for now, but that didn’t stop Alienware from re-tooling a bit and shipping the Alpha with Windows 8.1 instead. There are a number of Alpha configurations currently available. The machines have a starting price of $549 with the entry-level configuration featuring an Intel Core i3-4130T dual-core processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive,...
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When Valve initially revealed its partners for the company’s Steam Machine, Alienware was one of the first on board. However, since the Steam Machine was delayed, Alienware decided to go ahead and re-package the device. Called the Alienware Alpha, the company has started shipping the device out to consumers who pre-ordered the PC console.The Alienware Alpha has a starting price of $549 with the low end version featuring an Intel Core i3 4130T dual-core processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 500GB hard drive, and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M GPU. The $799 model swaps out the i3 for an Intel Core i5 4590T quad-core processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 1TB hard drive while the most expensive version will cost consumers...
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In this latest episode of HotHardware's Two and a Half Geeks, Dave and Marco are sans the half geek, but forge ahead anyway and discuss SanDisk's Extreme Pro SSDs, the awesome ASUS G751 gaming notebook with NVIDIA's Maxwell GPU, the wild Alienware Area 51 gaming PC, Amazon's Fire HD 7 tablet, printable food, water-cooled tri-SLI from Gigabyte and a whole lot more... Show Notes: 01:10 - SanDisk Extreme Pro Solid State Drives Reviewed 07:00 - Asus G751 Gaming Laptop: Mobile Maxwell Done Right 15:45 - Amazon Fire HD 7 Tablet (2014) Review 24:25 - Alienware Area-51: Triad, Tri-SLI GTX 980, Haswell-E 34:23 - GIGABYTE Unveils GeForce GTX 980 WaterForce Tri-SLI Killer...
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Dell's Alienware division has a knack for making a splash with PC system design, whether it's their big, bad unapologetic notebooks, unique X51 small form-factor PCs, or their no-holds-barred Area-51 killer gaming rigs. In fact, for some folks, Alienware designs can be an either "you love it or hate it" affair. Full disclosure: personally, we tend to be cut from the former affectionate group of performance enthusiasts that generally favor Alienware's outside-the-box design efforts -- and oh boy, Alienware's recent redesign of the Area-51 is way outside the box. In fact, it's not really even a box at all, it's what Dell's Alienware design team calls a "Triad" design. Alienware Area-51:...
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In late August, Dell Alienware took the wraps off of a radically new Area 51-branded desktop system featuring an angular case designed for maximum thermal efficiency and ergonomics. We first gave you a glimpse of that system right here, and have a full review of Haswell-E and Tri-SLI powered version of the Area 51 in the works as we speak--that article should be posted very soon. Alienware is officially launching the Area 51 tonight at a swanky event in New York City, but the company has another couple of surprises coming down the pipeline as well, also being unveiled tonight, namely the Alienware 13 and its companion Alienware Graphics Amplifier. We had the chance to spend some time with the...
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Today is a pretty big day in technology. Not only did Intel's long-anticipated Haswell-E finally roll into town (check out review of the burly Intel Core i7 5960X CPU), but we also get a sneak peek at a completely redesigned Alienware Area 51 desktop system. This refreshed system is unlike any previous Alienware rig you've seen -- heck, it's unlike any PC you've ever seen, period. Dell's enthusiast Alienware brand has always stood out for its unique, other-worldly looks, though if there's such a thing as taking things to the next level, this is it. However, there's more to this refresh than just shock value -- it's a futuristic aesthetic with a purposeful design behind it. You'll notice the angled...
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Where mobile devices are concerned, thin is in - something that applies just as well to our notebooks as it does our smartphones. If we're a bit more specific and are talking about gaming notebooks, thin is a word very rarely associated. While Razer has done a great job with its ultra-thin gaming notebooks, most vendors prefer to keep a little bit of the bulk, mostly in the name of performance. Personally, I prefer that, and as it happens, Dell does, too. That's proven by the company's upcoming Alienware 13, a sleek 13-inch notebook that comes in at under 1 inch thick. That's even thinner than the 11-inch M11x, released a couple of years ago. The size alone makes the Alienware 13 very portable,...
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Bitcoin just landed a big time partner in Dell, the third largest PC maker in the world and now the largest e-commerce merchant to accept the cryptocurrency. Dell doesn't get the distinction of being the first system builder to jump on the bandwagon, but with nearly $60 billion in annual sales, the OEM is by far bitcoin's biggest e-commerce coup. Coinbase is the bridge connecting the two, and with the third-party payment processor's integration, Dell is able to accept bitcoin payments from both its home consumer and small business clients in the U.S. To pay with bitcoin, you simply add items to your cart as you normally would and then select "Bitcoin" as the payment option. To celebrate the partnership,...
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Sometimes, you just have to pull out all the stops, which is essentially what Dell is doing by making its Alienware Aurora gaming desktop available with the option of including an NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan Z GPU. Alienware notes that the Titan Z boasts 5760 CUDA cores, 12GB of GDDR5 memory, and 8 TeraFLOPS of compute power. Of course, there’s plenty of other good stuff available for the Aurora. You can configure a system with an Intel Core i7-4820K (up to 3.9GHz), 8GB (4 x 2GB) of quad-channel DDR3-1600MHz RAM, 2TB 7200rpm HDD, and double-layer 24x CD/DVD burner ODD with a Titan Z for $3,799 (or for a limited time, $3,609.05). And of course, you can opt for more RAM and faster and/or higher-capacity...
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In this episode of Two and A Half Geeks, Marco, Dave and Iyaz discuss AMD's new low power Beema and Mullins processors for mobile devices, the HTC One (M8), Samsung's Galaxy S5, Micron's new M500DC SSD for enterprise applications, and the Alienware 17 and Samsung ATIV 9 Plus notebooks. We also reveal some of the components that'll be used in our next high-end gaming rig giveaway! Show Notes: 02:15 - AMD Beema and Mullins Low Power 2014 APUs Tested 09:30 - HTC One (M8) Android Smartphone Review 17:30 - Micron M500DC Enterprise Class SSD Review 22:10 - Alienware 17: AMD's R9 M290X Goes Mobile 28:45 - Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus Review 31:06 - Upcoming contest hints. (Wow, we've got a good one...
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NVIDIA holds the lion's share of the market in mobile graphics hardware, but it's not the only competitor. When Alienware asked if we'd be interested in looking at a notebook based on AMD's top-end R9 M290X in a single-GPU configuration, we agreed. This system is based on exactly the same hardware and chassis as the Alienware 18-inch model that we reviewed last fall, but it's somewhat more modest hardware whacks a full $2000 off the price. Unlike the massive system we reviewed last time around, this rig's performance aims at what, on a desktop, would be considered a midrange GPU with a moderately high-end CPU core... Alienware 17: AMD's R9 M290X Goes Mobile...
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NVIDIA holds the lion's share of the market in mobile graphics hardware, but it's not the only competitor. When Alienware asked if we'd be interested in looking at a notebook based on AMD's top-end R9 M290X in a single-GPU configuration, we agreed. This system is based on exactly the same hardware and chassis as the Alienware 18-inch model that we reviewed last fall, but it's somewhat more modest hardware whacks a full $2000 off the price. Unlike the massive system we reviewed last time around, this rig's performance aims at what, on a desktop, would be considered a midrange GPU with a moderately high-end CPU core. The high-speed storage, plentiful RAM, and high-DPI screen (for a PC, anyway)...
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Every company has their own take on Steam Machines, which has been quite interesting to see, and Dell’s strategy is to offer two options. One will be a dedicated SteamOS console while the other will be a desktop PC that doubles as a Steam Machine. The former bears the Alienware X51 name, which is fitting because the SFF X51 has been around for a while and makes sense as a Steam Machine. It also allows consumers to opt for different form factors, depending on their needs. Alienware Steam Machine Dell didn’t offer any specs or pricing, but the Alienware Steam Machine and the Alienware X51 Steam Machine edition will launch late this year; more details will be forthcoming closer to the...
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As the specter of the next generation of gaming consoles looms large on the horizon, there’s certainly a case to be made for rolling with a gaming PC instead of an Xbox One or PlayStation 4, and Dell’s Alienware is sweetening the pot by offering a $200 cash back incentive. When you buy a new Alienware gaming rig, you can trade in your old console and get $200 cash back; the same deal applies for old PCs. After you buy your new Alienware system, you can visit the Alienware Trade Up Portal and provide a copy of your receipt and your bank information. Then you’ll be given a prepaid shipping label to print and instructions for sending the old device and any power cables into Alienware....
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Are the days of the desktop numbered? Perhaps, but if there's one group that'll keep it alive, it's the hardcore gaming crowd. For those who simply cannot be without the latest and greatest pushing the newest titles out of their Steam library, Alienware has updated its Aurora gaming desktop this week. Starting now, gamers can build one with Intel's latest Core i7 processors, including an Extreme Edition option. These chips have up to six cores and 15MB of cache, with overclocked speeds reaching a blistering 4.3GHz using Turbo Boost. These chips are, of course, a part of the new Ivy Bridge-E 4000 family, announced this week at IDF in California. The Alienware Aurora will be available on Dell.com...
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In this latest episode of HotHardware's Two and Half Geeks Webcast, Iyaz, Dave and Marco discuss Motorola's Moto X smartphone, HotHardware's Back to School Shopping Guide, which lists some of the hottest mobile devices and small form factor PCs this season, Alienware's powerful ALW 18 Gaming Notebook, Windows 8.1’s impending release and Zotac’s ZBox Nano ID65 Plus... Show Notes: 01:00 – Moto X Smartphone Preview 06:21 – HotHardware's 2013 Back To School Shopping Guide 09:44 – Alienware 18 Notebook: Haswell, GeForce GTX 780M 14:18 – Windows 8.1 Set For Launch October 18th, What You Need to Know 22:30 – Zotac ZBOX Nano ID65 Plus Out NUCs Intel...
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Things aren't always what they appear to be, and so it is with Dell's Alienware X51 R2, a small form factor (SFF) gaming PC in console digs. It's shaped similar to Microsoft's Xbox 360 Slim, and though it's slightly larger than either a 360 or PlayStation 3, the X51 R2 would be right at home in a living room setting nestled next to a large screen TV. Indeed, it's adept at running Steam's Big Picture mode, and if your primary objective is to play games in the living room, go ahead and consider the X51 R2 a hybrid game console. We know from our autopsy that the X51 R2's internal organs are decidedly PC, just like the original X51 that Dell beamed into our lab last year. The R2 model we're dissecting...
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Remember the Twilight Zone episode in which a race of 9-foot aliens descended upon Earth with seemingly benign intentions? They shared advanced technologies with the human race and appeared to live by a code outlined in a book that U.S. government cryptographers figured out was titled, "To Serve Man." The horrifying reveal at the end of the episode was that it's actually a cookbook, lending a whole new perspective to its contents and what those space invaders were really up to the whole time. The point being here, is that things aren't always what they appear to be. And so it is with Dell's Alienware X51 R2, a small form factor (SFF) gaming PC in console digs. It's shaped similar to Microsoft's...
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