Alienware Alpha Compared To Next Gen Consoles

For a console budget, should you be buying the alienware alpha or should you go for a next gen console instead?

[XiYakushijuAkeginuXi]

The very basic alienware alpha with a Core i3, 4 GB Ram and 500 GB HDD will ship at $549. Which is almost $50 more than what you will have to pay for a Xbox One.

Someone forgot the Xbox one has a price drop

[FITgamer]

...but it didn't. It's a cheaper SKU if you aren't interested in kinect. If you want the whole package it is $50 more.

[SilentNegotiator]

But the Alienware PC still doesn't come with a Kinect, so...pretty pointless way to compare them.

[SilentNegotiator]

"Core i3, 4 GB Ram and 500 GB HDD will ship at $549"

Typical Alienware.

[Dynasty2021]

This.

Alienware is Dell's "insane pricing" department and I seriously, SERIOUSLY cannot believe they're still in business.

"I could pay Alienware £1500+, or pay <£1000 for the exact same hardware, just a different, less "cool" case, and spend 2 hours building it."

[tee_bag242]

It seems way to underpowered. But if it gets a Maxwell GPU like it says it will give the PS4/x1's AMD GPU something to think about.

[slivery]

You're telling me, when I was first getting into PC gaming my stupid ass decided to buy an Alienware laptop, now mind you that thing is still considered the best laptop Alienware ever made design wise, even today, even by them but jesus f*cking christ was it over priced to hell.

I payed like $2,000 for nothing, something I could have easily built myself for under $700 at the time.

I look back at what a fool I was to pay so much for that Alienware. Hell you think their prices are bad now.... They are actually a lot better at pricing now, although still overpriced for what it would actually cost to make that yourself but damn they really took an arm and a leg back in the days.

@Dynasty2021

Easy just like when I was young and stupid or all the people who are adults and still stupid. Those people are keeping them in business, you can't deny they have incredibly awesome aesthetics which is another reason why so many people get suckered into buying them who don't know any better.

I mean I sure can't complain about how cool they look, the laptop I am talking about still looks as if it was made today and it is going on 10 years since I bought it. They have some really futuristic designs and what not.

Those damn glowing alien eyes is what got me..

[Gamer1982]

This article does nothing for people who already knows what this is.. Also says PC has not awesome exclusives.. I don't remember games like Starcraft II and Civilization V being on PS4 and Xbox One.. Must have ported those bad boys overnight!!

[incendy35]

I have found that a Windows 8 machine running Steam plus Xbox One is the ultimate setup for the living room. So many games to play between the two plus you get all the X1 entertainment features. Perfect match.

[XiYakushijuAkeginuXi]

I think the ultimate setup is a 4k TV with surround sound and all consoles and PC is one place!!

[beerzombie]

yes very well said. 1 bubble.

[scotmacb]

The new consoles on a 4k tv look awful for 1080p gaming anything 1080p looks crap on a 4k tv

[ramiuk1]

well im pretty happy with mine but its not a 4k tv.
its everything hooked up to my high spec surround system and my 1080p 120" projector.

4k tvs still premium price in UK imo and i refuse to pay it knowing it will drop in 6 months

[Milesprowers]

The ultimate setup would be a Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast in one place.

[SonyKong64]

ps4/wiiU combo for me thanks = )

[SaturdayNightBeaver]

AW is a joke , and this is so bad. You'd be better with ps2 even.

[TheMapleNerd]

I guess it will cost 1000$ here in Denmark, and Ps4 and Xbox one prices are about ~600$.
Xbox one is about 530$~
Ps4 + Watch dogs is 630$~

[lemoncake]

If you are going to get one its better to spend more to up the specs, or build your own small pc and use that.

[Priestwithgun]

Nothing beats ASSEMBLED PC,I learned it hard way,badly wanted to buy a ps4/xb1 but realized PC is simply the best,both price and power wise,consoles are for exclusives

[joab777]

This makes no sense. I dont know how much it would b to run the I7 with at least 8 gb of ram (D DR3, not even the 5), with a fixed gpu, but I bet u could build a better pc for slightly more. Why wouldnt u if that is what u want.

If they made a bare bones console with superior tech to the ps4 for the same price, and allowed everything to be upgradeable, it may catch on. Many console owners may actually buy it to play pc games on or multiplayer that play or run better on pc.

[FragMnTagM]

PC's with a graphics card have DDR3 (system RAM) and DDR5 (graphics card RAM). My PC has 16gb of DDR3 and 3gb of DDR5.

[Redrum059]

The only way I would consider purchasing this alien, is if I can run a maxed out and fully modded skyrim (like in the badass videos found all over YouTube) in standard alienware model ($550)

I don't use my pc for gaming but I spent almost 600 on it from microcenter.
I don't know too much on specs but I would appreciate it if someone here can help me out on letting me know what I would need to run skyrim fully modded and maxed out.

Here is what my pc is packing.
ACER
- Microsoft Windows 7 home premium (64-bit)

- AMD A10 Quad-Core processor 5700 (3.4 Ghz)

- AMD Radeon HD (7660D + 7470) dual graphics (2GB video memory)

- 12GB DDR3 RAM (Expandable to 16GB) ???

- 2TB 7.200 RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive

- super multi DVD +/- RW Drive

- Gigabit Network 802.11 b/g/n wireless Network

Again, I don't know specs and I bought this PC refurbished 2 years ago, I didn't know what I was buying and I still don't know what I bought lol. PC works fine though.

Only thing I do know is that I would love to immerse myself in a hyperrealistic world of skyrim :-)

I'm hoping you guys would just tell me that all I need is to simply buy a higher graphics card.

Been craving me sum skyrim lol

[Priestwithgun]

you apu is better than your card!!!Your card ,I don't want to be mean,is useless,get rid of it,it might be hampering your apu,buy a better amd card according to your budget,check your powersupply
Best thing would be fx 8320 and a good card

honestly just check out http://www.tomshardware.com
Expert advice comes from there

[Redrum059]

Thanks for the advice,
So a better graphics card and power supply???

[ultralow]

i think people are to hard on th I-3 i had one paired with a 760gtx....it rocked...

[RiPPn]

We know games will run on the PS4 and Xbox One for at least the next 5 - 8 years. What are the chances of software running on these Alienware units even 2 - 3 years from now?

[Priestwithgun]

You know,PS4 and XB1 are better than alienware entry level,but are beaten by PC costing 500 usd

@scot I was referring to raw power only,the only upperhand consoles have over PC is quality exclusives and ease of use(yes,not even cost),most of PC exclusives are not up to the mark

[scotmacb]

The consoles beat the alienware because they have exclusives

[arkard]

And ps4 and xb1 will be optimized to all hell. You just dont get that optimization on PC due to fragmentation. I love my pc, and lately thats what I have been playing, but this whole PC master race thing is stupid.

[mohsin2596]

Nill... The basic entry level alienware does not have sufficient hardware to run current AAA titles at ultra settings. That is why they have left a room for upgrades but that will obviously cost you a lot.

[Th3o]

People are forgetting that u can adjust graphics on PC. Even my old 2007 Setup can still max out certain games, and play 99% of games on low or with a resolution reduction.

So yeah...

I'm not defending this alienware, but don't forget that PCs in general are known to have flexibility.

It's developers that ruin PC gaming not the hardware.

[ahmedghoula]

here is the thing... for the consoles the specs matter very little for the average user because the developers are forced to optimize their game to run well on the consoles...

As for this, it's basically a PC, and not a very powerful one at that, it doesn't guarantee a specific life time, unless you upgrade, but then what's the point, you'll spend more money which would have better spent on a regular PC chosen by you, or a console and a bunch of games...

[y7jzdgy]

Avoid anything Dell period! I've had an X51 for about a year and have had nothing but problems with it. Please do some research before buying, I wish I had because I would have definitely went with other options; instead I'm $1400 in the hole with this piece of shit. Dell systems are poorly made and their service is pure garbage.

[Judge_Rez]

I think Steam Machines excel with raw specs/price ratio.
This definetely does not. Doesn't sound attractive at all.

[D-riders]

Well the guy lost me at Xbox one hardware which is said to be less superior to ps4. It's not said it is we all know that. You can always tell a fan boy by the way they word stuff

[jmc8888]

It's alienware, it costs twice as much as the parts in it. (if you're lucky and it's not 3-4x)

Looking at the specs this is cheaper by Alienware standards, but you can get alot more for about the same price.

Not to mention by the time this comes out better stuff will be out and the current stuff will drop in price.

Newegg.com > Alienware

Also you can't change the GPU? Pay a premium and stuck with the one thing that can be upgraded and provide the biggest performance boost?

It's like saying you can upgrade the tires, the seats, the radio, but not what's under the hood. What's the point then?

Yeah you'll need more then 4 GB's on day 1.

There's plenty of awesome exclusives on PC, and yes some are AAA. PC has the most exclusives and last time I checked I think more then all the systems combined, year in and year out.

Also console games don't always have a stable 30 or 60. Many don't. Almost all if you count small 1-2 FPS fluctuations above and below the setting.

I love consoles, this isn't a bashing console thing. It's bashing a guy who is trying to give people recommendations and the basis he makes them on he's wrong.

If you give recommendations, you have to be correct on your rationale.

Also where's the option for NO hard drive? I don't want to pay for a teeny tiny 500 gb's. If this is a steam machine, and my library is already well north of 2 TB's, why not give people the option of having no included hard drive?

It may be confusing, but hey, the people buying these things shouldn't be confused. They know it's a PC not a console, it's supposedly upgradeable, so right at the beginning there is no reason to force them to buy a small HD.

Hopefully they provide enough room for a 2nd hard drive, because with those steam sales, like the one probably coming on the 19th, one hard drive simply isn't a long term option.

[CertifiedGamer]

For the price of the Alienware Alpha, I rather build my own PC rig, and make a midrange pc as opposed this low end piece of garbage. I can make a PC twice as good for the asking price of the Alienware alpha.

[ninjahunter]

Despite what people say, an i3 is more than enough to game at 60fps, even 'Next gen games' or games that ps4 has to run at 900p/30. It really just depend on the gpu.

For reference, here's a list of examples of games that run at OVER a 60fps average, maxed out on an i3-3220:
Metro LL, Starcraft 2, Watchdogs, Witcher 2, Battlefield 4, tomb raider, Deus ex HR, Planetside 2.

[theEx1Le]

I think people are looking at the number of cores here and assuming that the CPU isn't as good which just isn't the case. It is almost proven that most games run better on an Intel chip.