Support NeoGAF

[sk3tch]

I love the idea, but as usual for Alienware, it's too expensive. I'll stick with my Antec Fusion case and whatever hardware I like:

Alienware being "too expensive" kind of doesn't apply any more. Now since Dell, they have some great pricing, sales, etc. - and best of all, you can haggle with their sales people and really score some nice deals. For me, it's the quality that is lacking. But with a PC it's easier (versus a laptop).

People in this thread comparing home-built stuff to this - it's not really fair. I mean, this has a significant amount of engineering applied to it. It's not something you can build yourself. Granted, it's not too far off of what you could build yourself - but the form factor and other minor things would be lacking.

It's like comparing a MacBook Pro to a PC laptop. Ha.

 

[Chittagong]

People in this thread comparing home-built stuff to this - it's not really fair. I mean, this has a significant amount of engineering applied to it. It's not something you can build yourself. Granted, it's not too far off of what you could build yourself - but the form factor and other minor things would be lacking.

One of the key engineering innovations is how neatly the video card stacks horizontally, they have this card tray that has a video card connector that rotates it 90 degrees to fit a standard mobo while keeping the card horizontal. Second one is the external power brick that removes a lot of space and heat. Third one is the plastic tray that channels CPU air out very efficiently. All very low tech innovations, but useful ones.

 

[specialguy]

Alienware being "too expensive" kind of doesn't apply any more. Now since Dell, they have some great pricing, sales, etc. - and best of all, you can haggle with their sales people and really score some nice deals. For me, it's the quality that is lacking. But with a PC it's easier (versus a laptop).

People in this thread comparing home-built stuff to this - it's not really fair. I mean, this has a significant amount of engineering applied to it. It's not something you can build yourself. Granted, it's not too far off of what you could build yourself - but the form factor and other minor things would be lacking.

It's like comparing a MacBook Pro to a PC laptop. Ha.

Plus again, I'd like to see anybody build a decent i5, 8GB RAM rig for way less. Less yeah, but it'll be like maybe $150. I mean a build would go like:

i52500=$200
Motherboard=$100
8GB Ram=at least $50
Power Supply=$50
Decent case=$50
Decent GPU $200
OS (if you're not pirating) $100
Optical drives=Some more $ (at least one version of X51 comes with Blu Ray right?)
1TB Hard Drive=$100

That's $850+whatever for the optical drive.

Granted your CPU would probably be slightly superior, and in a real case you could overclock it, etc, but still.


The X51 video card is kind of weak, stock, but that's understandable.

 

[Durante]

Plus again, I'd like to see anybody build a decent i5, 8GB RAM rig for way less.

Didn't I just do that on the previous page? Even if you include Windows with my build I'd say it still qualifies as "way less". I don't want to derail the thread, but isn't it enough to say that the X51 is a nice alternative for people who don't want to build their own and/or really want a form factor smaller than ITX? -- while accepting that you do pay quite a bit for that form factor and convenience.

 

[sk3tch]

Didn't I just do that on the previous page? Even if you include Windows with my build I'd say it still qualifies as "way less". I don't want to derail the thread, but isn't it enough to say that the X51 is a nice alternative for people who don't want to build their own and/or really want a form factor smaller than ITX? -- while accepting that you do pay quite a bit for that form factor and convenience.

It's enough. But I build my own PCs and yet the Alienware is still attractive. It's just hitting that nice niche - a box you set by your TV so you can let your friends/roommate/kids/etc. game on it and not have to worry too much about support, etc. since it's fully designed out of the box for that purpose. I'm totally with you regarding your argument, but my point is it is apples to oranges. No one that wants this Alienware would seriously go try to save $200 or whatever to get an build-your-own deal. This is buy, receive, power up, play.

 

[Thunderbear]

This sort of system is great at this point in the life cycle of consoles. Problem is that no game is built for what this thing is truly capable of. If you designed a game from the ground up to match the specifics of this box only, the graphics would look way, way better. Basically right now what you are getting is a supped up version of the console experience (which is why I am doing PC now as well at the end of the console experience with the exception of exclusive titles).

Once the next-generation consoles come out, PC ports are going to struggle just as they did when the Xbox360 and PS3 launched. The reason is that it's much easier to maximize the performance of one set of hardware than to try to accommodate a wide range of different PC specs out there even if plenty of people will have components strong enough to outdo the next-gen when it comes out.

I've feel I've said this so many times but for those that are not in games development and understand how it works, it might seem easy to just compare specs and say A > B but it doesn't work like that when A has a million configurations and different drivers.

Right now, for the next year and a half, PC is the best place to be if you want a smooth framerate, great picture quality and superior graphics all around. But I still want to stress that a game done exclusively for the box the OP bought would look insane compared to what you are seeing in today's games. It's just wouldn't be a smart move if you want to break even or even hope to make a profit.

 

[theBishop]

Alienware being "too expensive" kind of doesn't apply any more. Now since Dell, they have some great pricing, sales, etc. - and best of all, you can haggle with their sales people and really score some nice deals. For me, it's the quality that is lacking. But with a PC it's easier (versus a laptop).

People in this thread comparing home-built stuff to this - it's not really fair. I mean, this has a significant amount of engineering applied to it. It's not something you can build yourself. Granted, it's not too far off of what you could build yourself - but the form factor and other minor things would be lacking.

It's like comparing a MacBook Pro to a PC laptop. Ha.

Yeah, fair enough. I still wouldn't buy one.

 

[specialguy]

Didn't I just do that on the previous page? Even if you include Windows with my build I'd say it still qualifies as "way less". I don't want to derail the thread, but isn't it enough to say that the X51 is a nice alternative for people who don't want to build their own and/or really want a form factor smaller than ITX? -- while accepting that you do pay quite a bit for that form factor and convenience.

Well others shot that down. Plus there must be something lost in translation with these prices. He's dealing in pounds, you in Euros, and I dont understand either.


All I can do is go by american prices. Where the X51 tops out around $999 I believe, and the build I specced runs $850. Though you could probably shave some off that.

Going by google telling me one pound=~1.6 american dollars, chittachong paid some $1800 for his X51+7850. There's the root of the problem.

Also these comparisons arent fair to the X51 because it comes with a video card, then to put the 7850 in you have to buy another, so you end up with two video cards, a major cost difference. Since you are building something similar to X51 (EG, using a cheap micro ATX board which isn't normal) you should also have to buy a GTX555 equivalent video card to compensate.

At the very least he could sell his GTX555 for some $. Or you could compare the X51 cost alone (no 7850) to a build with a single GTX555 class card to be more fair.

Also the PSU in your build looks dodgy, never heard of that brand. You always want to start with a quality name brand PSU.

I mean I realize that's not entirely fair either.

 

[dragonelite]

Dat next gen potential.

 

[Chittagong]

Well others shot that down. Plus there must be something lost in translation with these prices. He's dealing in pounds, you in Euros, and I dont understand either.

Going by google telling me one pound=~1.6 american dollars, chittachong paid some $1800 for his X51+7850. There's the root of the problem.

I mean I realize that's not entirely fair either.

While I think doing price comparisons between this unit and a self made build is a bit pointless, I think the only way to do this comparison even relatively fairly is to

1. look at what the base X51 I have costs at US Dell, ie the i5 + GTX555

2. build a similar system from US
- i5 processor stock clocked at 3.0GHz
- use GTX560 SE as a proxy for the GTX555 (OEM only part)
- include 8GB RAM, two sticks
- include a 7200RPM 1TB HDD
- include a slot loading DVD drive
- include Windows 7 Home Premium
- include a quality PSU
- choose a decent quality case
- remember to include 3 fans and CPU heatsink
- include a decent wired USBkeyboard and mouse
- include a motherboard with WIFI and HDMI out, 8 USB slots

There is no need to include the HD7850 to the comparison since the price would be same in both.

Clearly it will be still more expensive to get the Alienware X51, but the difference is nowhere near as big as comparing the UK price I paid to partial list of components in the US suggests.

EDIT: changed the graphics card listed as suggested

 

[JB1981]

The more expensive i5 one. The one with GTX 545 is 240W, whereas the more expensive GTX 555 one is 330W.

Ok so the i5 with GTX 555 plus custom GPU you're looking at $1,000+. If I went PC route I'd want to play games at 1080p. I want something substantially better than what I have with PS3/360 and really want to take advantage of my 1080p TV.

 

[Durante]

- use GTX560 as a proxy for the GTX555 (latter is a cut down OEM only part of the former)

You should use a 560 SE, since it's basically the same thing as a 555 (and $30 cheaper than a "real" 560).

I'd do a US build, but (a) I don't know the best shops there and (b) I don't really care that much.

The real points to consider when deciding to buy this or not are:
- do you really want the case (it's smaller, but in many ways -- e.g. heat, noise, expansion options -- that's worse rather than better)
- are you happy with the performance ceiling achievable on the system

Only if you answer both of those with yes should you start to deliberate whether the convenience of it is worth the price (and compare that directly to the alternatives you would consider).

 

[wazoo]

I do not get why 7850 level is not allowed when buying the X51.

The Geforce 555 is the kind of GPU, OEM gets at very discounted prices making them huge profits. It is like "we build a gamer PC, but put a card you do not want to have inside".

Also, the X51 is not a silent PC; for that price, I do not want to hear it.

 

[tw1164]

This might be a good pickup from dell's outlet. Dell often has coupons for 20% off systems. It has a H61 chipset. I wonder if they'll release a bios update for ivy support.

 

[Warnen]

Ok so the i5 with GTX 555 plus custom GPU you're looking at $1,000+. If I went PC route I'd want to play games at 1080p. I want something substantially better than what I have with PS3/360 and really want to take advantage of my 1080p TV.

I have the i7/gtx555 one and the most demanding game I own is witcher 2. It auto sets to high setting and runs fantastic at 1080p. Can't tell ya the frame rate but it's much smoother then my x360 version. I'd guess 50s

 

[wazoo]

I have the i7/gtx555 one and the most demanding game I own is witcher 2. It auto sets to high setting and runs fantastic at 1080p. Can't tell ya the frame rate but it's much smoother then my x360 version. I'd guess 50s

I do not think you can be deceived by the X51 with current PC games, unless you start to mod games with ultra settings, HD textures, etc

Of course, any ambitious game, modified or not is another gen / current consoles.

 

[Ty4on]

8GB Ram=at least $50

Have no idea what US prices are, but are two sticks of 4GB 1333MHz (X51 uses this) that expensive?

Edit: It's kinda tall and a little expensive, but comes with a 600W PSU, has space for 680/7970 (blowers are strongly recommended) and positive pressure with dust filters (one for 140mm intake fan, one for the GPU getting fresh air from the outside). It also has a slim spot for optical drive which means you can easily put a slot drive. Excellent if you want a compact high end gaming system and probably a lot more silent than the X51, especially if you get a third party CPU cooler (not a tower). Cable management is a little bitch though

Tons of builds and questions asked here.

 

[Chittagong]

Since I've got still a bit of Zelda: Skyward Sword to finish I decided to give Dolphin a go. So now my Alienware X51 is a Wii HD.

Game runs like a charm, performance seems fantastic (despite what it says on the screenshots, it runs locked at 30FPS 1080P with 2x internal res, 4xAA and 4xAF). I can't believe how great Wii looks. I might even need to buy some of the games I've missed out on because I couldn't stand the SD mess.

I'll keep updating the OP with new pics and figures, will add these too.












Still have figure how to bring over my save files from Wii, though.

 

[wildfire]

I love the idea, but as usual for Alienware, it's too expensive. I'll stick with my Antec Fusion case and whatever hardware I like:

Get out of here with that nonsense. Alienware is usually overpriced but their X51 is the exceptional case. If you actually built computers you would know the X51 in the US only have a little over a 20% markup compared to building it yourself. I didn't bother doing the math for UK since I don't live there.

 

[I Stalk Alone]

[*]Sapphire HD 7850 2GB (2.56TFLOP, DirectX 11.1, Open GL 4.2)

isn't the 7870 2.56TFLOPS? the 7850 is 1.76TFLOPS.

Upon saying that however I believe this product does have its place for those no fuss console gamers wishing to jump into pc gaming. All you need to do is replace that graphics card after two card generations with a similar TDP card and you are pretty much set for over 5-7 years of AAA pc gaming. Being a perfect WiiHD machine is also a great bonus.

 

[Chittagong]

isn't the 7870 2.56TFLOPS? the 7850 is 1.76TFLOPS.

I blame AMD and their lazy spec sheets! http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7850/Pages/radeon-7850.aspx#3

5-7 years you say...? Wow, I would have been happy with 4 years already. Didn't realize CPUs, RAM and GPUs maintain motherboard standards for that long... and the board wouldn't run out of, eh, bandwidth or something?

 

[I Stalk Alone]

I blame AMD and their lazy spec sheets! http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7850/Pages/radeon-7850.aspx#3

5-7 years you say...? Wow, I would have been happy with 4 years already. Didn't realize CPUs, RAM and GPUs maintain motherboard standards for that long... and the board wouldn't run out of, eh, bandwidth or something?

Your cpu can run a card of the class of a gtx680 now (in a different case and psu of course) without running into too much trouble with bottlenecks so in two gpu generations or around three years a card of a gtx680 class should be available at the the TDP of the 7850 for around the same price of a 7850. This will be a good upgrade as you would still be able to sell the 7850 for maybe 40% of its price on ebay in three years which is great. a guaranteed full generation in console gaming if you ask me. The resell on that pc 5-7 years from now will also be pretty good as well maybe $250-300 which is pretty good considering you get to keep all your games.

I won't be getting the x-51 but I will be making something along the same lines next year using a mini it-x form factor and maybe a HD8870 or the nvidia equivalent as they will look like the best bang for buck. We should know the specs of all three consoles by then so buying a pc specced to run the multiplatform console games released on the pc should be easy to figure out by then. While the next gen consoles will run games at 720p60 or 1080p30 comparable to current pc high settings by todays DX11 standards, I will hope to run my games at 1200p120 at high settings as well maybe even 1200p60 at enthusiast or 1200p30 at ultra settings for non fps games.

 

[Baller. PhD]

I'll probably re-join the master race after Dell refreshes these with a gangster GPU built-in. Then I can pay for extended warranty and not have to worry about shit. That or I'll just buy a Mac Pro + extra SSD for bootcamp. Whichever refresh comes out first!

 

[Why would you do that?]

I've been very interested in building a small and graphically powerful PC to use on a TV, because I'd love to put it in my backpack, bring it to friend's houses, and play local multiplayer with them over LAN. I thought it would use much more power than the OP describes, so I didn't pursue it.

I might not do it, since I don't play too many PC games anyway. Mostly the oldies. But the OP is inspiring me...

Still have figure how to bring over my save files from Wii, though.

I can help you with this later if you want, but here's the method I use:
- Dump your nand using Bootmii
- Extract your nand on your PC
- Copy the extracted "title" folder to overwrite Dolphin's "title" folder. (If you copy all folders, you can emulate the Wii system menu as a bonus.)

That'll copy all your saves, guaranteed. However, you might be able to use a Wii homebrew called Savegame Manager GX, too. I haven't messed with it too much, so I'm unsure.

 

[Dreamwriter]

Have no idea what US prices are, but are two sticks of 4GB 1333MHz (X51 uses this) that expensive?

Edit: It's kinda tall and a little expensive, but comes with a 600W PSU, has space for 680/7970 (blowers are strongly recommended) and positive pressure with dust filters (one for 140mm intake fan, one for the GPU getting fresh air from the outside). It also has a slim spot for optical drive which means you can easily put a slot drive. Excellent if you want a compact high end gaming system and probably a lot more silent than the X51, especially if you get a third party CPU cooler (not a tower). Cable management is a little bitch though

Not! I built my computer out of one of these when I got tired of dealing with Dell's sales and credit systems. It's a decent case, but silent it is not. It's also longer than it looks - which you need for the longest graphics cards, but still, it's not a good match for an entertainment center.

As for memory, it's about $45 for the average 2x4GB DDR3 1333Mhz from NewEgg.com. When the X51 came out a couple months ago I priced what it would cost to replicate the system using a compact case, and it was about $150 more than Dell was charging at the time. Which isn't a huge deal.

 

[IrishNinja]

yeah, that's my setup right there. even fit a nice after-market cooler with hope of overclocking for dolphin-use this year. the stock fan is great, as well as airflow, so since that cooler went in, temps have been really impressive given the size & components within - kinda wish idve waited for sandy bridge though, i'm instead gonna have to push this i5-760 from 2.8 to hopefully somewhere around 3.6ghz.

 

[Gibbo]

took the plunge and bought the x51. 2 weeks till delivery. went for the mid range option tho.. which is the i5, gt 545, 4gb. hoping it will run diablo 3 and the newer total war games decently :/. been a console only gamer all this while so pretty clueless about all things PC

 

[HyperionX]

Have no idea what US prices are, but are two sticks of 4GB 1333MHz (X51 uses this) that expensive?

Edit: It's kinda tall and a little expensive, but comes with a 600W PSU, has space for 680/7970 (blowers are strongly recommended) and positive pressure with dust filters (one for 140mm intake fan, one for the GPU getting fresh air from the outside). It also has a slim spot for optical drive which means you can easily put a slot drive. Excellent if you want a compact high end gaming system and probably a lot more silent than the X51, especially if you get a third party CPU cooler (not a tower). Cable management is a little bitch though

Tons of builds and questions asked here.

I'm looking at basically the same thing:

A few more ports, a little less power (500W PSU), almost the exact same size if I read the spec sheet correctly.

 

[Kibbles]

Everyone talks about how overpriced Alienware is, is there any pre-built desktop computer better/cheaper than this? I don't feel like building one myself, and I don't need the portability/small form factor.

 

[Ricker]

took the plunge and bought the x51. 2 weeks till delivery. went for the mid range option tho.. which is the i5, gt 545, 4gb. hoping it will run diablo 3 and the newer total war games decently :/. been a console only gamer all this while so pretty clueless about all things PC

My friend got the lowest one(i3,gt545) and it ran D3 beta very well at 1920x1080...it also runs Skyrim amazingly well at the same resolution and high settings.

 

[JB1981]

My friend got the lowest one(i3,gt545) and it ran D3 beta very well at 1920x1080...it also runs Skyrim amazingly well at the same resolution and high settings.

You guys are making this to tempting.

 

[raven777]

I am actually impressed with my x51. I heard some people saying gtx555 is a bad card so I was thinking of instant upgrade to HD7850. But it seems to be running games I want (Diablo3, Blade&Soul at the moment) very well. Maybe I will hold on untill GTX660 release to get either 660 or HD7850 price drop.

 

[Banana Kid]

If this thing turns out to be sturdy enough, I might look into picking it up. I need a new PC but I travel for work enough that spending a bunch of money on a huge tower I can't bring with me isn't gonna be worth it.

The form factor's certainly helpful. If I can be confident it's not gonna break on me, it might be exactly what I need.

 

[mrklaw]

Something like this is fine if you don't want to build yourself. It's clearly a lifestyle PC with some power and there is a market for that.

Building your own isn't that difficult, but finding the right combination of parts to play nice together can take time. And there are plenty of nice cases around - the sonata or Lian Li on the previous page, I had a silverstone LC17 which was like any full size AV receiver. None would look out of place in a neat lounge.

 

[Duke Togo]

I gave up trying to troubleshoot my current old gaming pc...so I ordered one of these on a whim. It will be used to play Diablo 3 on my television...just need to figure out how to comfortably kb/mouse it on my couch/la-z-boy chair.

 

[SillyEskimo]

Every time I see a Wii game running in Dolphin it pisses me off.

Will the WiiU be able to do that with Wii games?

 

[Nabs]

Every time I see a Wii game running in Dolphin it pisses me off.

Will the WiiU be able to do that with Wii games?

no

 

[xemumanic]

For a retail box, especially an Alienware machine, its a great price. Especially for the HTPC/Console PC crowd.

What I want to know is if the GTX 680 could run on the low end PSU the X51 uses. The 670, from what rumors are saying, might be a better fit.

Anyone know for sure?

 

[Mindlog]

If you have access to AAFES they are having a Mother's Day sale on Dell hardware.


If you do not have access to AAFES it looks like the X51 currently includes a Dell gift card?

$200 Dell Promo e-Gift Card - Arrives in 10-20 days via email, carries a 90 Day Exp. Terms at Dell.c

On a separate but related deal Dell is offering a $50 Gift Card when you purchase a $300 Gift Card.
Slick Deals

Someone sort out the details, but for now I'm fairly certain you can buy this system at a price less than has been quoted as the typical Alienware markup.

 

[JB1981]

For a retail box, especially an Alienware machine, its a great price. Especially for the HTPC/Console PC crowd.

What I want to know is if the GTX 680 could run on the low end PSU the X51 uses. The 670, from what rumors are saying, might be a better fit.

Anyone know for sure?

I thought it couldnt because the low end model has a weaker PSU?

 

[raven777]

For a retail box, especially an Alienware machine, its a great price. Especially for the HTPC/Console PC crowd.

What I want to know is if the GTX 680 could run on the low end PSU the X51 uses. The 670, from what rumors are saying, might be a better fit.

Anyone know for sure?

I dont think you can put GTX680 even on high end PSU for X51 (333watt)

I will wait and see how GTX 660ti comes out, which is mostly likely the highest nvidia card that can fit in x51 safely.

 

[Tobor]

I really want one of these, but I've been waiting for the first upgrade. Ivy Bridge should help with this type of PC, right?

 

[Chittagong]

I really want one of these, but I've been waiting for the first upgrade. Ivy Bridge should help with this type of PC, right?

Yes, next update should be all sorts of meaningful - Ivy Bridge and a new a Kepler GPU whenever an appropriate one is available. Alienware isn't the fastest in rolling in the updates, which is why I got mine now, given that Ivy Bridge is not a massive difference and 7850 is likely to match anything they'd put in next. Waiting is cheaper though.

Wonder if these are selling?

 

[Chris R]

I dont think you can put GTX680 even on high end PSU for X51 (333watt)

I will wait and see how GTX 660ti comes out, which is mostly likely the highest nvidia card that can fit in x51 safely.

I wonder if the shorter GTX 670s would work? They don't look like they draw too much power and are only 6.5" long. There should even be single slot versions.

 

[Chairhome]

I've been very interested in building a small and graphically powerful PC to use on a TV, because I'd love to put it in my backpack, bring it to friend's houses, and play local multiplayer with them over LAN. I thought it would use much more power than the OP describes, so I didn't pursue it.

I might not do it, since I don't play too many PC games anyway. Mostly the oldies. But the OP is inspiring me...



I can help you with this later if you want, but here's the method I use:
- Dump your nand using Bootmii
- Extract your nand on your PC
- Copy the extracted "title" folder to overwrite Dolphin's "title" folder. (If you copy all folders, you can emulate the Wii system menu as a bonus.)

That'll copy all your saves, guaranteed. However, you might be able to use a Wii homebrew called Savegame Manager GX, too. I haven't messed with it too much, so I'm unsure.

Why would you do that?
jk. The easier way is to copy your save to an SD card from the file system then import the file from there on your pc. I think Dolphin has a utility to help you with it, but i forgot.

 

[thechristoph]

You guys are making this to tempting.

It's a great machine.

 

[Tobor]

Yes, next update should be all sorts of meaningful - Ivy Bridge and a new a Kepler GPU whenever an appropriate one is available. Alienware isn't the fastest in rolling in the updates, which is why I got mine now, given that Ivy Bridge is not a massive difference and 7850 is likely to match anything they'd put in next. Waiting is cheaper though.

Wonder if these are selling?

Hmm, now I'm tempted to just pull the trigger. I really want one.

I wish there were rumors regarding an update.

 

[outunderthestars]

This is exactly the kind of machine people like me will buy to get into pc gaming:

Is it the most powerful? No
Is it more expensive than building one? Yes

But I have yet to see another commercially available desktop that is as appealing as the X51's are at this point.

The only thing that worries me is the availability of new gpu's that will fit in the smaller case.

 

[Amagon]

Hmm, now I'm tempted to just pull the trigger. I really want one.

I wish there were rumors regarding an update.

I'm waiting for the next upgrade as well. Its been a while now so why not wait a few more months.

 

[outunderthestars]

I'm waiting for the next upgrade as well. Its been a while now so why not wait a few more months.

Are the new Ivy Bridge processor's a substantial increase in power? How will they help with gaming?