Alienware Alpha

[KillarZ]

I'm curious to know what you PC experts think of the new Alienware Alpha.

 

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-alpha/pd?ref=PD_OC

 

I for one would be interested in a market that uses small boxed pcs as a gaming console. But for me, the primary issue for pc gaming is optimizing your hardware and controller. I found that many games, DCS included takes way to much time to get set up to the point where everything runs the way it should. I also fear the lack of controller support for some games, such as battlefield 4. They were really lazy with their controller support for the pc. I plug in my 360 controller to play and the game icons to pick up weapons and get in vehicles, ect. show up as if I was playing with a mouse and keyboard. Along with that, navigating through origin and through the pause menu requires a keyboard and mouse, customizing your controller set up is a pain, and it is dang near impossible to get a kill in multiplayer because the game doesn't have any assist for the controller online. This isn't just for BF4 but a couple of other games I've tried, just don't feel right on the pc.

 

My question for you experts:

 

How do you guys think this type of hardware will run on DCS?

I heard that the graphics chip has similar performance to an Nvidia gtx 860m. I don't think the i3 will hold up well, but what about the i5 or i7 version?

 

How quickly do you think the hardware will age?

 

What do you guys think of the pricing?

Starting at $150 more than the console I'm a little disappointed it comes with an i3 processor, 4gb ddr3, and a 500gb hard drive. However, the more pricey version at $900 seems like a fairly good deal for an i7, 8gb ddr3, and 2TB HDD build.

Edited October 27, 2014 by KillarZ

[PureEvil]

for dcs this alienware i7 is slow. got an old pc case, hdd and dvd rom? quick look at amazon, with this setup gaming will be much more enjoyble for a longer period of time )))

 

[cichlidfan]

No offense intended but, if you wan't a console, get a console, if you wan't to play DCS, build (not buy) a PC.

 

Mobile graphics are far, far less powerful than desktop cards so don't expect too much from anything being compared to a mobile chip.

[KillarZ]

No offense intended but, if you wan't a console, get a console, if you wan't to play DCS, build (not buy) a PC.

 

Mobile graphics are far, far less powerful than desktop cards so don't expect too much from anything being compared to a mobile chip.

 

I understand and I figured I'd get comments like that. I have a laptop with an Intel I7 Q630QM, 16GB DDR3 Ram, and a 2gb NVIDIA Gt 635m. With this I'm able to play DCS. It might not be the best graphics or frame rate but it gets the job done at a decent level.

 

for dcs this alienware i7 is slow. got an old pc case, hdd and dvd rom? quick look at amazon, with this setup gaming will be much more enjoyble for a longer period of time )))

 

Also the build that you posted PureEvil will out perform the Alienware, but it still lacks the OS and case. Plus it uses an i5 rather than an i7. The Alienware is compact (smaller than the consoles) and comes with an xbox 360 controller and receiver in which adds to the value. And correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure it uses desktop processors too.

 

I'm not trying to sound like a fanboy because to be honest I wish the thing was a little bit cheaper, but I am curious on your guys thoughts and ideas.

Edited October 27, 2014 by KillarZ

[xxJohnxx]

Very easy:

If you want a system that fits your need, build it yourself.

 

If you want to waste money on some medium end system, buy Alienware.

Just look at their "detailed" information:

 

Video Card:

Alpha chassis with NVIDIA® GeForce® GPU 2GB GDDR5

 

It's not even stated which video card it is! For all we know it could be a 560 or something like that. Given that Alienware often use low-end cards, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[...] The Alienware is compact (smaller than the consoles) [...]

 

This is not want you want to look for when you are buying a gaming PC. A small case often means bad airflow, which normally results in reduced performance. On such a small case I even doubt there is a "normal" graphics card included. It is probably some laptop version, which will be trimmed for low heat production and low power consumption, not for performance.

 

My tip:

If you want a console, buy a console.

If you want to do PC gaming, build your own system.

[Lordbaldur]

I am not optimistic about SteamOS nor do I want to be. A great thing about PC gaming is that I can customize my rig.

[Abburo]

Alienware is nice and fancy, a lot of backlightning giving it a distinct note and is a rock solid system due to its intensive compatibility checks before getting the name. If you are a non technical guy then yes, this can be an option, but be prepared to pay 75% for branding and above descriptions.

 

Otherwise, if you have an ideea how to put a CPU in the MB socket, you know how to choose a power supply and some basic understandings when reading internet reviews, then building your own rig is much more rewarding, cheaper and of course more powerfull.

 

You choose!

Edited October 30, 2014 by Abburo

[Gladman]

Take if from a guy who had an Alienware.

 

BUILD YOUR OWN!!!!

 

Dale