$699 Alienware x51 + $400 upgrade later vs Next Gen Consoles

Now I know we have *no clue* as to what exactly the next gen consoles will have in terms of hardware. But bare with me here, I want you to answer this question by taking into consideration what you expect the next gen consoles to have assuming the same hardware trends are followed as were in this current generation.

Let's assume the next generation will be 8 years long and that the consoles at launch will be as powerful compared with PCs as the PS3 and Xbox 360 were when they were released.

Which of the following two setups do you think would be able to play games decently (console quality) for longer:

1. Alienware x51 base model for $699 plus a hardware upgrade of CPU and GPU midway through the next generation for upto $400.

2. A next generation console purchased at launch (expected holiday season 2013).

God, I hate alienware. completely overprices their computers

Alienware suck

Alienware?

Alienware suck

seanmcloughlin

Yeh what's wrong with Alienware? They've been reviewed highly and give me a cool easy way to get a good computer. Maybe I'm missing something?

[QUOTE="seanmcloughlin"]

Alienware suck

LiquidAjax

No, he's actually very fortunate that he doesn't own one.

Yeh what's wrong with Alienware? They've been reviewed highly and give me a cool easy way to get a good computer. Maybe I'm missing something?

greengloop

Wat?

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Yeh what's wrong with Alienware? They've been reviewed highly and give me a cool easy way to get a good computer. Maybe I'm missing something?

toast_burner

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Yeh what's wrong with Alienware? They've been reviewed highly and give me a cool easy way to get a good computer. Maybe I'm missing something?

toast_burner

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Yeh what's wrong with Alienware? They've been reviewed highly and give me a cool easy way to get a good computer. Maybe I'm missing something?

toast_burner

Pick the hardware you want, even if it's direct copy of what's in the Alienware you want. If you don't have the knowledge, ability or inclination to build it yourself go to any custom PC builder and give them the list of parts, pick a case and save a shed load of money.

Alienware is the windows based equivilent of Apple, low spec hardware at high prices. They are all cosmetic and no substance.

Here's an example, this is top end stuff to show the difference

From Overclockers UK (not the cheapest place)

System Specification

- Case: Coolermaster HAF X Case

- Power Supply: Corsair TX 750W PSU

- CPU: Intel Core i7 3970X 3.50GHz Sandybridge

- E overclocked to 4.20GHz - Motherboard: Gigabyte X79-UD3 Intel X79 (Socket 2011) DDR3 Motherboard

- Cooler: Alpenfohn K2 Mount Doom CPU Cooler

- RAM: 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 Quad Channel Kit

- Hard Drive: Samsung 840 500GB SSD + 1TB HDD

- Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 690 4096Mb DDR5

- Sound: Onboard 7.1 Audio

- Optical Drive: OcUK 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter - Black

Extra stuff

- A guaranteed 4.20GHz performance for the price of 3.50GHz

- Choose from a selection of graphics cards to meet your performance needs

- Precision built and cabled by Overclockers UK expert technicians

- 8 Hours stressed tested and quality controlled - USB3, SATA 6GB/s, Intel Ethernet for next gen computing

- Quad Channel DDR3 memory for unlimited bandwidth

- Hex core processing for seamless multitasking

- All systems with an Windows 7 selected ship out with a pre-installed 180 day trial of Panda Antivirus 2012. Not compatible with Windows 8. (upgrade to win 8 pro for free)

- 2 year collect and return warranty

£3,000 (inc VAT) ($4,817.50)

Alienware

CHASSIS COLOUR Alienware Aurora Matte Black 875W Chassis

PROCESSOR Intel® Core i7-3960X (Six Core Extreme, 15MB Cache Overclocked up to 4.2Ghz)

OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 Pro 64bit, English

GRAPHICS CARD 4GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 690

MEMORY 16384MB (4x4GB) 1600MHz DDR3 Quad Channel

HARD DRIVE 500GB (7200RPM) Solid State Hybrid + 1TB SATA 6Gb/s (7200RPM) 32MB Cache

OPTICAL DRIVE DVD+/-RW (Read/Write) 24x W8

SOUND CARD Integrated HDA 7.1 Dolby Digital capability

SECURITY SOFTWARE No Security/Anti-Virus Protection

SERVICES AND SUPPORT 2 yrs Next Day In-Home Hardware & Premium Software Phone Supportedit

Extra Stuff

ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE PROTECTION No Accidental Damage Protection

CablesUK 250V Power Cord

Shipping Documents English Documentation

Gedis Bundle Reference D11AMW02

Alienware Aurora Order Dell System Media Kit

Alienware Aurora Resource DVD W8 Dell Backup & Recovery

Dell Backup And Recovery Basic

Cost £3,790.82 (inc VAT) ($6,087.49)

What you're getting here is a computer with a lesser CPU (I picked the max available on each site) for £790.82 ($1,269.94) more

TL: DR Don't buy an Alienware, they cost a sh!t load of money :P

Alienware has been historically overpriced.

Anyone remember Alienware's very first gaming laptop? My wife had a Sager laptop practically identical to the Alienware except the Alienware had a lime-green paintjob. The Sager cost $1800 while the Alienware was almost $2300. The Alienware essentially had a $500 paintjob.

My wife's Sager P4 laptop (middle of photo) circa 2003:

A CPU upgrade is going to require a mobo upgrade as well.

they're not really that overpriced these days

A CPU upgrade is going to require a mobo upgrade as well.

scoots9

they're not really that overpriced these days

NoodleFighter

Still a couple hundred generally more than ibuypower and such as far as I can tell.

[QUOTE="seanmcloughlin"]

Alienware suck

LiquidAjax

Yeah cos that's why they suck. I much prefer my own custom system I put together myself.

[QUOTE="NoodleFighter"]

they're not really that overpriced these days

hexashadow13

Still a couple hundred generally more than ibuypower and such as far as I can tell.

For the Aurora towers sure but not the X51

Aurora towers lack customization of CPUs, they limit you to hexacore i7s plus they're overclocked and have unlocked bios meaning they'll charge you even more for that.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220217R

That computer is a hell of alot better.

That computers case actually is pretty small i seen em at bestbuy same case asus computers but it actually has alot of room for a big ass video card

God, I hate alienware. completely overprices their computers

NEWMAHAY

pretty much this you can make the same computer for about 2/3 of the money if you build it yourself

[QUOTE="NoodleFighter"]

they're not really that overpriced these days

hexashadow13

Still a couple hundred generally more than ibuypower and such as far as I can tell.

Ibuypower is....ugh....I vomited in my mouth just mentioning their name....I feel horrible even getting a computer from there.

Pretty much while I like Alienware laptops, the desktops generally are pretty pricey. Also, don't go buying from I buy power, We had someone on the sales floor order a Ibuy Power PC online for a customer and the thing was instantly back in and was given to us at the geeksquad to figure out what was wrong with it. We ended up suggesting to just return the thing because it had bad parts right off the bat and nothing good was in it. I opened that thing up and it had just about the cheapest no-name components that could have been shoved in it. Sparkle Video card, no name ram, a very cheap mobo that I didn't recognize the name of either and same with the power supply.

At least with an alienware tower they use stuff from EVGA, Patriot, Silverstone and such, but thats their normal towers. Dunno about the x51.

And looking at the actual HW specs of the base x51, I say stick it out for the PS4 or 720 or maybe see what the Steambox has in store. Or just maybe watch youtube videos and learn to build a PC. I would not reccamend the x51 as it's gpu is a 640... Thats not going to last long at all.

lol alienware, i think there is only one person on these forums who is a sucker for alienware lol k2theswiss

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]

[QUOTE="hexashadow13"]

[QUOTE="NoodleFighter"]

they're not really that overpriced these days

Ballroompirate

Still a couple hundred generally more than ibuypower and such as far as I can tell.

Ibuypower is....ugh....I vomited in my mouth just mentioning their name....I feel horrible even getting a computer from there.

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]lol alienware, i think there is only one person on these forums who is a sucker for alienware lol slipknot0129

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7wfHStzm24

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]lol alienware, i think there is only one person on these forums who is a sucker for alienware lol slipknot0129

IDK

...

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]lol alienware, i think there is only one person on these forums who is a sucker for alienware lol k2theswiss

IDK

...

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]Who?

fr3ddiemercury

IDK

...

Base model x51 has a GT640.

No thanks.

Forget Alienware. They're overpriced.

Just build your own custom PC.

But the Alienware looks so nice. Are there reasonably priced beautiful looking cases like the x51 or Maingear Potenza Super Stock?

But the Alienware looks so nice. Are there reasonably priced beautiful looking cases like the x51 or Maingear Potenza Super Stock?

greengloop

I would still take the console. Why would I want to pay $1100 for a game console? At $700 no one will be buying that thing anyways. PC gamers aren't going to buy that because they love their PC's and hate consoles. Plus they will also say it is overpriced and they can build a better PC for the same amount. If Alienware releases something like this it will completely FAIL. PC and console gamers won't want it.blackace

you realize they already released the x51 right?