Gadgets, Technology and Consumer Electronics | r Gadget » Alienware http://rgadget.com Gadgets, Technology and Consumer Electronics - An online review Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:19:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Alienware debuts Radeon HD 4870 X2-equipped gaming rigs http://rgadget.com/2008/08/alienware-debuts-radeon-hd-4870-x2-equipped-gaming-rigs/ http://rgadget.com/2008/08/alienware-debuts-radeon-hd-4870-x2-equipped-gaming-rigs/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:04:23 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/?p=1271

Alienware has already stuffed NVIDIA’s top-end GTX 280 graphics card into its Area-51 desktop, but if that’s not your thing, you can rest assured that company is now offering the high-end comforts of ATI’s Radeon HD 4870 X2 as well. That option, which Alienware helpfully reminds us offers 2.4 teraflops of graphics power, is available in the company’s Area-51, Area-51 ALX, and Aurora desktops, each of which also offer the even pricier option of dual HD 4870 X2 cards in a CrossFireX configuration. To go for that latter bit of excess, however, you’ll also have to bump the power supply up to a full 1,200 watts, although we’re guessing that won’t be too much of a concern for anyone considering going this route.

—Source

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]]> http://rgadget.com/2008/08/alienware-debuts-radeon-hd-4870-x2-equipped-gaming-rigs/feed/ 1 Alienware to bring out low-cost AMD graphics powerhouse http://rgadget.com/2008/05/alienware-to-bring-out-low-cost-amd-graphics-powerhouse/ http://rgadget.com/2008/05/alienware-to-bring-out-low-cost-amd-graphics-powerhouse/#comments Thu, 15 May 2008 01:58:19 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/?p=961

Dell’s Alienware unit is slated to put AMD-ATI front and center. The Dell subsidiary will bring out a relatively low-cost game PC with dual ATI graphics chips within the next two weeks.

This comes in the wake of a report that Dell will phase out its XPS game PC line in favor of Alienware systems.
Alienware will ship a system with 4GB of memory, two ATI graphics chips, and a quad-core AMD processor for under $1,700, dirt cheap in the gaming PC world.

Alienware will ship a system with 4GB of memory, two ATI graphics chips, and a quad-core AMD processor for less than $1,700, dirt cheap in the gaming PC world.
(Credit: Alienware)

The $1,699 system–cheap by game PC standards–will come with 4GB (DDR2 800MHz) memory, a quad-core 9550 (2.2GHz) Phenom X4 processor, and a 3870 X2 board with two ATI HD 3870 graphics chips, said Marc Diana, Alienware product marketing manager for desktops. The system will ship within 48 hours, he said.

It will also sport an Asus high-end motherboard based on the AMD 790FX chipset, Diana said.

Systems configured with a quad-core processor and dual graphics chips are typically well over $2,000.

Overall, Alienware is seeing respectable demand for AMD-based systems. “AMD is a good entry point,” according to Diana.

Alienware is already offering a relatively high-end system for less than $3,000 with a quad-core Phenom X4 9850 (2.5GHz) “Black Edition” (Black Edition indicates that the processor can be overclocked) and two ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 graphics boards (each with two 3870 graphics chips).

“It’s not your granddaddy’s AMD system. We’re talking top-of-the-line quad core,” he said.

This not the sentiment at all game PC makers, however. Falcon Northwest is seeing virtually no demand for AMD-based systems, according to a spokesperson at that company. Falcon Northwest sells Intel-based systems almost exclusively. The company attributes this to the fact that customers are spending big bucks for its systems and that they will invariably opt for higher-performing Intel chips.

Diana concedes that AMD will not take the performance crown–this goes to Intel. And in graphics, Nvidia typically performs better in games than ATI, he said. “(Nvidia is) able to refine their drivers more for the most popular games,” he said.

And in the laptop gaming space, Intel-Nvidia rules too. Currently, Alienware offers no AMD-based gaming laptops, though this may change in the future when AMD brings out its Puma mobile platform later this quarter.

Alienware recently began selling a gaming laptop, the Area-51 m17x, with two Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTX graphics chips and the Intel Core 2 Extreme processor, starting at about $3,200.

—Source

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]]> http://rgadget.com/2008/05/alienware-to-bring-out-low-cost-amd-graphics-powerhouse/feed/ 0 Alienware “Fastest Ever” 17-Inch Area-51 m17x Gaming Notebook On Sale Right Now http://rgadget.com/2008/04/alienware-fastest-ever-17-inch-area-51-m17x-gaming-notebook-on-sale-right-now/ http://rgadget.com/2008/04/alienware-fastest-ever-17-inch-area-51-m17x-gaming-notebook-on-sale-right-now/#comments Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:19:44 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/?p=1841

Alienware’s latest community effort is AlienNetwork, a “digital channel” which debuted today. To kick off the show with a bang, they revealed that their “fastest ever” 17-inch Area-51 m17x gaming notebook shown back in November is launching today at 5PM (right now, give or take). Versus the m15x, it’s got a higher res 1920×1200 screen, NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX SLI graphic cards, up to a Core 2 Extreme CPU and the option for two hard drives set up in RAID. It’s in all black and if we might say so, just a bit sexier than the m15x.

Other worthy tidbits from the show: They’re not planning on a MacBook Air competitor. They’re big-boned (for performance) and proud of it. Also, they’re looking at making some cheaper notebooks for more mainstream gamers that can’t afford to drop $3k on a sweet gaming notebook. Budget gaming notebook, I like the sound of that.

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]]> http://rgadget.com/2008/04/alienware-fastest-ever-17-inch-area-51-m17x-gaming-notebook-on-sale-right-now/feed/ 0 Alienware’s Updated Aurora Gaming Desktop Starts at $999 http://rgadget.com/2008/04/alienwares-updated-aurora-gaming-desktop-starts-at-999/ http://rgadget.com/2008/04/alienwares-updated-aurora-gaming-desktop-starts-at-999/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:16:43 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/?p=1752

Alienware has injected life into the Aurora line with a new gaming rig fitted with quad-core AMD Phenom 9850 processors, your choice of ATI Radeon 3870 X2, HD3850, or HD3870 graphics cards (single or CrossFire configuration), up to 4GB Dual Channel DDR2, and tons of HDD space. Naturally, tricking this thing out with all of the higher-end options is going to make the price ridiculous in a hurry, but a $999 base is about as good as it will get for an Alienware.

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]]> http://rgadget.com/2008/04/alienwares-updated-aurora-gaming-desktop-starts-at-999/feed/ 0 Alienware brings quad graphics support to ALX CrossFireX http://rgadget.com/2008/03/alienware-brings-quad-graphics-support-to-alx-crossfirex/ http://rgadget.com/2008/03/alienware-brings-quad-graphics-support-to-alx-crossfirex/#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:02:20 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/2008/03/05/alienware-brings-quad-graphics-support-to-alx-crossfirex/

Alienware

Believe it or not, Alienware’s Aurora ALX rig was boasting quad SLI support two whole years ago. After yesterday’s official launch of ATI’s CrossFireX technology, now the ALX has another partner in quad GPU crime. Dubbed the Area-51 ALX CFX, this rig features a 3.0GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor, up to 4GB of RAM, a bevy of HDD choices, optional Blu-ray burner, a 1,000-watt power supply and of course, twin 1GB Radeon HD 3870 X2 cards (four GPUs in all). Granted, this thing will run you at least $5,649 as a CrossFireX-equipped rig, so think carefully if slicing into your son’s college fund is really worth 4x the graphical mayhem.

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]]> http://rgadget.com/2008/03/alienware-brings-quad-graphics-support-to-alx-crossfirex/feed/ 2 Alienware Area-51 Notebooks http://rgadget.com/2007/11/alienware-area-51-notebooks/ http://rgadget.com/2007/11/alienware-area-51-notebooks/#comments Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:06:28 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/2007/11/20/alienware-area-51-notebooks/

Alienware Area-51 Notebooks

All that pre-release hype from Alienware we heard last week led up to even more pre-release hype today, with the company unveiling its two new laptops, the Area-51 m15x and m17x. It’s calling the radical PCs “the most powerful notebooks ever created.” There’s still an air of mystery around the two laptops, but we do know that both the 15.4″ Area-51 m15x and the 17″ Area-51 m17x will be using Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme processors at 2.8GHz, and will have enough graphics mojo to play 1080p video and beaucoups games. Pricing and availability still weren’t announced, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on the pretty pics of these highly capable baubles from the extraterrestrials.

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]]> http://rgadget.com/2007/11/alienware-area-51-notebooks/feed/ 0 Alienware’s M5550 Gaming Notebook http://rgadget.com/2007/08/alienwares-m5550-gaming-notebook/ http://rgadget.com/2007/08/alienwares-m5550-gaming-notebook/#comments Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:42:02 +0000 John C http://rgadget.com/2007/08/13/alienwares-m5550-gaming-notebook/

Alienware’s M5550

M5550 gaming notebook released by Alienware. Its specifications are: Windows Vist, powered by Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 15.4-inch screen with 1280×800 resolution display, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 graphic card with 128 MB memory, and 160 GB hard drive. Other common features are dual layer DVD burner, WiFi with a/b/g, 7,1 high definition audio with two speakers, full sized keyboard with integrated keypad. M5550 is yours for a price of $1600 and will be delivered within 48 hours after placing your order.

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