Alienware announces Aurora ALX with quad SLI

Fans of excessive computer performance and palpatation-causing pricetags, steel yourself for Alienware’s latest, the Aurora ALX, featuring quad SLI NVIDIA GeForce cards. They're claiming full 2560 x 1600 resolution gaming (that'd be native res on Apple's 30-inch Cinema Display and Dell's 3007WFP) on the dual-core AMD Athlon 64 FX-60-based box, which also features (surprise, surprise) a liquid cooling system. How much? Well, uh, it starts at $6,929, but we configured one online to just shy of $8,800 (without monitor and peripherals). So, just how much do you love gaming?

[TEB @ Mar 10th 2006 11:18AM]

now THIS is what you should give away for the cake contest!

[The1 @ Mar 10th 2006 11:19AM]

A fool would buy this. In 6 months it will be obsolete.

[gnome @ Mar 10th 2006 11:19AM]

Ok, it's bleeding fast, but can it fix me a coffee?

[Andrew @ Mar 10th 2006 11:21AM]

I love gaming enough to not buy an Alienware :-|

[Stu L Tissimus @ Mar 10th 2006 11:21AM]

Wow! $2000 for a free mousepad!

[invaderluj @ Mar 10th 2006 11:27AM]

wow...can you say overkill

I have dual sli 7800s and every game I have ever played plays on the highest setting with at least 40fps...and I built it myself for a fraction of the price

[Joe @ Mar 10th 2006 11:37AM]

Almost perfect but still missing HDMI and HD-DVD/BlueRay

[Trev @ Mar 10th 2006 11:39AM]

For people with more money than sense.

[Osiris @ Mar 10th 2006 12:01PM]

You'll need this to run Unreal 2k7 it seems.
They run Quad Sli for the dev..

Alienware is always over priced though.
It is ALWAYS cheaper to just build your own, and not particularly to learn how either.

All it takes is research and patience.
And cash of course..

[cuby @ Mar 10th 2006 12:14PM]

something about a sofa king?

[Saffy @ Mar 10th 2006 12:16PM]

We Tod Ed!

[Leo @ Mar 10th 2006 12:29PM]

I will do anything to get this beast. i'm selling my car lol. wouldn't it be cool to hook up 2 or even 3 apple 30inch displays and play BF2 on full res on A 90 INCH SCREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BRYAN @ Mar 10th 2006 12:47PM]

I think there are a lot of sour grapes in the crowd today. It is expensive, and you could save some money if you built it yourself, but even thats not cheap with these components. If your going to drop that kind of money anyway, may as well get a nice case and a warranty. Call me crazy, but I am not brave enough to drop that kind of cash, and then "trial and error" my way through a water cooling instalation. Buy the alienware and plug it in.

I like games as much as the next guy, but do we realy need this kind of horsepower. There isnt a game on the market my Radeon 9600 cant handle smoothly. Higher resolution never made a game more fun. Tetris or red alert 2 is a good example. Gameplay is more important than hardware, and the best games will still run on 5 year old systems.

[Phyto @ Mar 10th 2006 12:49PM]

Man! This is just what I need to run my latest version of Pong! Seriously, I hope that Alienware delivers a nuclean plant with this machine cause it gonna severely suck a lot of WATTS!

[Eric M @ Mar 10th 2006 2:29PM]

Can anyone say CPU-limited? 2x SLI is already more than enough. Only the uniformed who buy the most expensive of everything would be dumb enough to buy quad SLI.

[Josh @ Mar 10th 2006 2:38PM]

i wouldn't buy it purely based on their poor customer service and lack of quality control. My new Aurora 7500 has been in their shop for 2 weeks now, without a single explanation as to why it's taking so long.

[Jimmy @ Mar 10th 2006 3:26PM]

I'm proud to say I knew something before Engadget did for the 1st time ever

#15, did you try like asking them what was going on? Haha, usually Alienware has great customer support. Best company I've ever dealt with. And their customer support is award winning.

There are some reasons to why it is so expensive. The processor is very expensive. There are currently 3 other PCs on PCworld.com (very reliable magazine and site) that use this processor, 1 is $3,500, the other 2 are about $4,500, none of them have quad cards though, which are very expensive. And one reason that it is so expensive is because this price of $6,929 includes a $700 Alienware speaker system, if you uncheck that, it's $6,231. Also included is the $120 Tripp Lite LC1200, for power protection. Also included with the system is $50 Alien Autopsy which allows you to contact Alienware in seconds when you're having a problem. And AlienRespawn disks are included, incase you get a virus all you have to do is insert the CD to restore your computer to facory settings.

[Roy Anderson @ Mar 10th 2006 3:39PM]

Alienware isn't for most of us and that's kind of the point. They're pursuing a very viable business model.
As the PC market becomes steadily more depressed (and it is, mind you), companies like Alienware don't stand a chance against giant mass-market PC manufacturers like Dell and Gateway. So they're not even trying to compete. Companies like Alienware are *TRYING* to make the most expensive PC possible. Trying to trick it out with everything and then some. They're shooting for that niche market of folks with a rich tooth when it comes to gaming. Don't be hatin'.

[jon @ Mar 10th 2006 6:42PM]

I have an Auoroa 5700 whatever Alienware mobile gaming system. And it kicks ass, dual proc 4200+ with a 7800 gtx. I'm real happy with the system. I would definitely buy another alienware down the line. They make a good product.

And dont hate because you cant afford it, get a better job slackers!

[Frank Black (a.k.a. LDM) @ Mar 10th 2006 8:06PM]

Meh! I'll take a PS3 instead (it will be soooo much cheaper). And this from a master liquid cooled PC builder!
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/ldm_master_builder!.jpg

[Echo_ @ Mar 10th 2006 9:39PM]

bryan your 9600 cant handle crap

[Frank Black (a.k.a. LDM) @ Mar 11th 2006 10:09AM]

One more thing; Hey Alienware hire me and I will show you how to make MILLIONS and never worry about DELL that funky homosapien!!

Hint: It�s not always about horsepower. �Funkyness� at a reasonable price can move product too... Ask Engadget for my email address (I give em permission), email me, then hit me on the cell!

�Check the technique�
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/ldm_master_builder!.jpg
You know, just in case you missed it above ;^)...

[mickey mak @ Apr 29th 2006 11:48PM]

I received an Alienware ALX Aurora with dual 7800's 2gb of ram an NEC 21" monitor multisync fe2111sb, dual 70gb 10,000rpm raptor hard drives,a SB Audigy card in August 2005 it cost me approx 8 grand with preinstalled games, software etc. and although it may have a few quirks and problems here or there, I have loved my baby ever since. I run virtually all games, but mainly I play CS, DOD and BF2 at 1200 x 1600 and I love it. I cant get enough of it man. Im rich, Im loaded - so what, why the ***k would I want to waste time that could spent doing something more fun building this thing for MAYBE half the price??? And although its far too much horsepower I also have a Ferrari - the speed limit is 60mph or whatever - a ridiculous car, hardly works half the time, is always in the shop, is frighteningly expensive to run, and is frankly not the most comfortable thing on the planet, nothing short of madness to anyone who cannot afford it. But for those who can it is just a toy, it isnt meant to prove anything, and it certainly isnt something someone should buy who cannot otherwise afford to do so. Having said that what you say about Alienware being a crappy company - the proof is in the pudding, and mine runs beautifully and the tech people are super. I may be rich but I am not an idiot, I just know that I want to get the most out my activities and to have the best chance of doing that I buy the most expensive crap. So just grin and bear it OK, if you work real hard you may have a shot some day too, but most likely not...

[Hisham @ May 25th 2006 1:21PM]

if i was old enough to get a job i would by one/build 1. im only 13, im a bit too advanced for my age though :D

[TAViX @ Aug 21st 2006 8:58PM]

Mickey Mak, sorry to say that, but you are an idiot, even if you claim you're not. First, with the money given on that PC, I could make miself a super configuration, 2 times better of that provided by Alienware. Not to mencion that with all that kind of money you can buy something else.

[Vincent @ Aug 27th 2006 4:57PM]

Well. i read just about everybodys comments. interseting finds. Truth is i can't afford one yet and actually, im a retired gammer from the 90's KI, MK's Street fighters, my era, i dont plan to use it for gaming much if at all but the creative solution's like editing my films and photoshop, cant wait to buy it, i believe in alienware and the power it has to help me do the job i need to get done and not just for the gaming! :)

[Vesna Lay @ Jan 13th 2007 10:55PM]

true it's very expensive and yeah it's a ripoff, but hey I'm paying them to build it for me and build it with good craftsmanship, I sure as hell can't organize all those wires and everything like they do. I'm not even sure if I would run those tests that they do for you, and apparently, although it's unconfirmed people claim they OC it for you. I'm not willing to do that either. Am I lazy? Yes, do I have the money to pay them? Yes. So why not? Plus it's got a cool case, and I like it. I mean I'm already pre-occupied as is being a college student with a job and volunteering at a hospital I don't have the time and patience to sit here research and learn how to put a computer together. Maybe I'll do it in my spare time but until I have spare tim, I'm going shell out $2000+ for an alienware