For an extreme gaming PC maker, Alienware has come up with the smallest and most moderately priced machine in its history in the $699 X51.
The company, acquired by Dell in 2006, is looking to expand beyond the 1 to 2 per cent share of the PC market owned by enthusiast gaming PCs, with a model that is quieter, more affordable and less obtrusive in a living room environment.
I was surprised by its compact size at its launch in San Francisco on Tuesday evening and even more surprised by the price – I associate Alienware with desktop towers and with prices of over $1500.
But the X51, even at the maximum specifications of a Blu-ray drive, Nvidia GTX graphics card, Intel Core i7 processor, 8gb of memory and 1Tb hard drive, still comes in at just under $1,250 (monitor not included).
And the basic $699 model, with a Core i3 processor and less powerful graphics card, will still be a good experience, according to Jorge Perez, Alienware marketing director.
“We wanted to create a product that stayed true to our brand, but was more accessible from a size and price point to the many people that play games but are not hard-core gamers,” he said.
“This is our smallest desktop ever – we wanted to build a versatile product that you could see in a dorm room or living room environment.”
The X51 will stand vertically or horizontally, can link up to a big-screen TV with its HDMI output and has 7.1 sound and built-in Wi-Fi. Its graphics are capable of 3D, 1080p “full” HD and 30 frames per second gameplay.
A classy chassis is what makes it stand out as an Alienware product – it has three zones where the lighting can be customised and has dark chrome accents.
The box will not look out of place under a TV and, next to aging consoles, its performance on PC games is likely to shine.
Unlike HP, which absorbed its Voodoo high-end gaming acquisition and included its features in more mainstream products, Dell has kept Alienware separate and helped it achieve global reach – there are now more than 80 Alienware stores in China.
But the X51 will probably be welcomed by Dell management as a sign that Alienware can also reach a wider demographic as well as a bigger global audience.
