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Alienware's redesigned Area-51, Aurora, and updated M15x hands-on

by Ross Miller posted Sep 24th 2009 at 8:17AM

Okay, so it's not quite the invasion that the company touted, but Alienware definitely gave itself a fairly sizable retail space at this week's Tokyo Game Show, on hand to show off its Area-51 / Aurora revised desktops and its upgraded m15x laptop. We think you can already grasp the gist of the lineup from the company's long-standing modus operandi: large, powerful, and covered inside and out with LEDs. Enjoy the sight of six hard drives aligned in a wall by way of the gallery below, and stay tuned after the break to see a very brief demonstration on how those "scales" on top of the desktops work.

Gallery: Core i7-equipped Alienware M15x hands-on

Gallery: Alienware's updated Aurora / Area-51 desktops hands-on

Continue reading Alienware's redesigned Area-51, Aurora, and updated M15x hands-on

Alienware slaps 2GHz Core i7 920XM in M15x, new designs on Area-51 / Aurora desktops

by Darren Murph posted Sep 23rd 2009 at 8:20AM

It's a wild day in the land of Dell, so it makes sense that said meshugaas is carrying over to the company's Alienware portfolio. We knew that five new rigs were slated to launch today, and now we've finally got the details you've been craving (in official fashion, no less). Up first is the revamped Area-51 M15x laptop, which boasts a streamlined chassis and the entirely overused "most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe" tagline. Those with deep pockets can get this pup outfitted with a 2.0GHz Core i7 920XM (yes, that's the new Clarksfield mobile Core i7!) and a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M, both of which should work wonders on your most demanding NES ROMs. You'll also find up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500GB HDD or 256GB SSD, slot-loading Blu-ray drive, FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, a trio of USB 2.0 sockets, VGA and DisplayPort video outputs, an ExpressCard slot and an 8-in-1 card reader. There's no mention of a starting price, but before you even look, you should decide whether or not you're kosher with toting around a 1.92-inch thick machine weighing 9 pounds.

Moving on, there's the all-new Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops, both of which usher in yet another case change along with ridiculously fast / pricey innards. The standard Area-51 is a liquid cooled beast with factory overclocked Core i7 CPUs (as high as 3.6GHz), an array of multi-GPU options from ATI and NVIDIA, internal lighting effects and a handy door to quickly access the HDD compartment. All of the hard drives are loaded via a cable-free dock, and there's enough room for six SATA II HDDs. The rig also holds up to 12GB of 1,333MHz DDR3 memory, twin Blu-ray drives and a pair of gigabit Ethernet jacks. The ALX edition, on the other hand, is the "most powerful desktop" the company has ever created, as it packs an optional 3.86GHz Core i7 975, twin 1.8GB GeForce GTX 295 GPUs and a power supply large enough to trip most household breakers.

Closing things out is the Aurora and Aurora ALX, the latter of which is the most potent microATX rig Alienware has ever called its own. The liquid cooled ALX can be equipped with a 3.6GHz Core i7 975, dual 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 GPUs and up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, while the slightly more affordable Aurora -- which goes down as the smallest mid-sized desktop ever crafted by the outfit -- can be upgraded nearly as much itself. Pricing on these rigs still remains open, but we've a feeling that'll be cleared up just as soon as the new product pages go live.

Gallery: Alienware slaps 2GHz Core i7 920XM in M15x, new designs on Area-51 / Aurora desktops

Show full PR text

DELL FEEDS GAMERS' PASSIONS WITH FIVE NEW 'ALL POWERFUL' ALIENWARE GAMING RIGS

All-New Alienware Gaming Systems Include the M15x Laptop and Aurora and Area-51 Desktops

Alienware M15x Features the New Intel® Mobile Core™ i7 Processor

Alienware M17x Laptop Receives Up To 145 Percent Graphics Performance Boost with Addition of Dual 1GB ATI Radeon Mobility™ HD 4870

Alienware Peripherals, Including the New Alienware TactX Keyboard and Mouse, Offer Gamers a Fully-Integrated PC Gaming Ecosystem

ROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 23, 2009 – PC Gamers now have five new ways to level up with a fleet of high-performance gaming rigs from Alienware, including four overclocked* liquid-cooled desktop systems and the most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe.

Jointly developed by the Dell and Alienware teams, and featuring the latest technologies for maximum performance, aggressive designs and unmatched customization and personalization through Alienware's exclusive Command Center software suite, these systems represent a new era in PC gaming.

The All powerful Alienware Aurora, Aurora ALX, Area-51 and Area-51 ALX desktops and the Alienware M15x laptop join the M17x, launched in June, to expand the Alienware arsenal and reaffirm Dell's position as visionary and designer of the industry's most coveted gaming systems.

The News:

Alienware M15x – The most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop in the universe. Sporting Alienware's acclaimed new mobile ID which debuted with the M17x laptop, the M15x offers Alienware performance in a compact package guaranteed to appeal to mobile enthusiasts and hardcore gamers on the go. The first Alienware laptop to feature a mobile Core i7 processor, the M15x also offers a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M GPU* and up to 8GB DDR3 1333MHz memory* to take on, and dominate, even the most intense game titles. Prices start at $1,499 and additional technical specifications are here.

Alienware Aurora and Aurora ALX – The Aurora is most upgradeable and the Aurora ALX is the most powerful MicroATX desktops Alienware has ever created. Featuring the latest Intel® Core™ i7 processors, including an optional Extreme Edition overclocked** to 3.6GHz, the Aurora line of desktops are designed to deliver the power needed for hardcore gaming, pro-level HD audio and video editing, 3D animation and more. To crank up your gaming performance, Aurora and Aurora ALX have options for dual 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics cards, up to 24GB DDR3 1333MHz memory[asterisk] or 12GB DDR3 1600MHz memory, respectively, and up to 2TB of hard drive storage – all in a compact, MicroATX chassis for taking up less desk space. Prices start at $1,299 and additional technical specs are here.

Alienware Area-51 and Area-51 ALX designed for extreme gamers and tech enthusiasts who demand only the latest, most advanced equipment, the Area-51 line of desktops features Intel Core i7 processors factory overclocked* to an intense 3.86GHz for peak performance. To max out your graphics benchmarks, these systems offer the quad-GPU power of dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 295 graphics cards. Other featured specs include up to 12GB DDR3* memory clocked at 1333MHz or 1600MHz, respectively, and six easy-access, cable-free hard drive bays that support both 7,200RPM and 10,000RPM drives, solid state drives and RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 10 configurations. Prices begin at $1,999.

The ALX brand denotes a distinguished class of Alienware systems that deliver both unique designs and peak performance. Both Aurora ALX and Area-51 ALX offer technology options beyond their respective standard editions, allowing for higher benchmarks, extended future-proofing and all-around increased bragging rights. Aurora ALX features design elements not available on Aurora such as the Active Venting louver system, internal theater lighting and cable-free hard drive bays. Area-51 ALX ups the ante with an anodized aluminum body and motorized front panel. All Alienware desktops also offer CPU liquid cooling right out of the box which allows the ease of overclocking that deliver extreme computing.

Also announced today, Alienware customers can now configure the M17x laptop with the intense power of the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 in both single and ATI CrossFireX configurations for up to a 145 percent graphics performance increase1. The result is an immersive, cinematic experience when playing the latest HD games and movies.

Alienware users can build out a complete, high-performance gaming ecosystem with the recently announced Alienware TactX Mouse and Keyboard, and the Alienware OptX™ AW2210 Monitor which features a 21.5-inch full HD screen for experiencing the latest generation games and HD movies in glorious 1080p resolution.

The Aurora and Aurora ALX start at $1,299, and are available for order immediately at www.alienware.com
The Area 51 and Area 51 ALX start at $1,999, and will be available to order in the coming weeks.
The Alienware M15x starts at $1,499 and is available for order immediately at www.alienware.com
The branded peripherals can be ordered immediately at: www.alienware.com

Alienware is one of two brand pillars within Dell's broader consumer portfolio. Dell's Alienware gaming brand delivers high-performance computing for enthusiasts and tech lovers alike, and complements the Adamo by Dell brand, which offers unmatched style, design and craftsmanship. Alienware and Adamo are the standard-bearers of Dell's personalization efforts, which extend to the entire consumer portfolio, including Inspiron and Studio and Dell Design Studio, which reinvents the way people can customize their laptops as extensions of self-expression.

Quotes:

"These newest additions to the Alienware lineup represent the culmination of months of hard work, bringing together two world-class teams to create a family of world-class products targeting PC gamers," said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Dell's Gaming Group. "Our current offering of desktops, notebooks and peripheral products signals our commitment to providing the best PC gaming experience possible and to being the global industry leader for PC gaming products."

"Alienware systems are, and always have been, our benchmark for PC gaming performance," said Michael Tatelman, vice president of sales and marketing for Dell's consumer business. "Through the Alienware brand, Dell is committed to offering gamers the richest possible PC gaming experience with the latest technology and coolest designs."

"The new Intel® Core™ i7 mobile processor redefines expectations for performance, flexibility and extreme gaming on mobile platforms," said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of the PC Client Group at Intel. "We are pleased that Alienware has designed the Intel® Core™ i7 920Xm processor into their latest mobile gaming laptop."

"As the first-ever DirectX® 11-capable graphics card, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 is the pinnacle of PC graphics performance," said Matt Skynner, Vice President & General Manager, GPU Division, AMD. "By pairing the awesome power of this card with Alienware's reputation for industry-leading technology, gamers can expect an unmatched gaming experience."

Alienware launching new M15x laptop and Aurora / Area-51 ALX desktops at TGS

by Darren Murph posted Sep 22nd 2009 at 11:17AM

Wondering what all those teasers were about? So were we, and now we've got the skinny on what exactly is looming at the Tokyo Game Show. For starters, you may have noticed that Alienware has completely removed the option to purchase an Area-51 m15x gaming laptop except in refurbished form, and the only desktop remaining in the store is the Area-51 X58, which is conveniently discounted today. The reason? It's launching five of its most powerful creations yet on September 23rd (that's tomorrow, bub), including the quickest 15-inch lappie in the galaxy (the all-new M15x) as well as the dual-GPU Aurora / Aurora ALX desktops. Finally, a refreshed Area-51 and Area-51 ALX will also be on tap, though exact specifications for the whole lot won't be revealed until the 23rd. Oh, and we'll totally be on hand in Japan to provide all the hands-on media you can stand, so stay tuned!

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Alienware gets in the Core i7 game with Area-51 X-58 desktop

by Darren Murph posted Nov 17th 2008 at 5:44PM

Now that Intel's mighty Core i7 is all out in the open, it's no shock to see a wave of gaming rigs come along boasting said chip. Following in the footsteps of Dell and Gateway comes Alienware with the Area-51 X-58 -- a beast that's a leap above (in terms of power and price) the recently revealed Area-51 750i. Serious gamers can select from the Core i7 920 (2.66GHz), 940 (2.93GHz) or Core i7 Extreme (3.2GHz) along with dual gigabit Ethernet jacks, one or two 2GB ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2s, up to 2TB of HDD space, an optional dual-layer Blu-ray burner and the usual complement of ports. The sky's the limit once you really start speccing it out, but the ball gets rolling at "just" $1,649.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Alienware also introduced the even more robust ALX X-58, which starts at $3,699. Full release after the break.

Continue reading Alienware gets in the Core i7 game with Area-51 X-58 desktop

Alienware stoops lower with $1,049 Area-51 750i gaming desktop

by Darren Murph posted Nov 13th 2008 at 2:15PM

Remember when the average Alienware was like four large? Ah, those were the days. As the used-to-be-boutique gaming PC company looks to attract a wider range of customers and fight off the effects of this economic quandary we're involved in, it has introduced the (relatively) affordable Area-51 750i. Predictably based on the NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI motherboard, this rig can be outfitted with a Core 2 Extreme QX9650, twin ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics cards (or dueling GeForce GTX 280s, if you prefer), 8GB of DDR2 RAM, Windows Vista 64-bit, more hard drive space than you'll ever have use for, an optional Blu-ray burner and the usual complement of ports. We needn't remind you that the $1,049 baseline rig doesn't have a specs list nearly that impressive, but if it's all about that glowing case, you can get in the game quite cheaply right now.

Alienware slaps NVIDIA's Quadro FX 3600M into Area-51 m15x

by Darren Murph posted Jul 29th 2008 at 7:48PM

Some five months after NVIDIA took the Saran Wrap off of its professional-oriented Quadro FX 3600M, along comes Alienware patting itself on the back. Why? Because its Area-51 m15x is the first 15.4-inch laptop on planet Earth to offer said card, giving users who practically live in CAD, DCC or other visualization applications an option to still look 1337 (and tap into the occasional 3D game) on their lappie. Unfortunately, such graphical prowess will add $600 to the cost of your rig over the standard 256MB GeForce 8600M GT, but no one ever said that dancing on the cutting edge was cheap.

How would you change Alienware's Area-51 m15x / m17x laptops?

by Darren Murph posted Jun 20th 2008 at 6:30PM

Not to crack open a can of worms or anything, but we're honestly curious to see what the legions of Area-51 m15x / m17x owners would change about their machines. When launched, both rigs were fawned over for their top-notch specifications, but the m15x hasn't seen the warmest of receptions from its owners. As you well know, the 17-inch sibling just now started landing on doorsteps everywhere, and we're genuinely hoping that it doesn't present those same cracking issues as found on the aforesaid m15x. Beyond defects, we also want to hear what you'd change about a flawless m15x / m17x. Whittle down the weight? Change up the style? Swap out a few components? Go on and let 'er rip in comments below.

Alienware m17x laptop touching down nationwide

by Darren Murph posted Jun 19th 2008 at 11:44PM

If your neighbor ordered one of these monstrosities, you probably felt the ground shake when the freight carrier dropped this bad boy off at his / her doorstep. If you were stuck in the cubicle during that whole ordeal, however, here's a gentler news flash: Alienware's brawny m17x gaming laptop is shipping right now. Initial reports from early adopters include phrases like "So huge!" and "Brobdingnagian!," which is pretty much right in line with what we were expecting to hear.

Alienware adds Skullcap design option on Area-51 m15x

by Darren Murph posted Jun 17th 2008 at 1:25AM

Judging by the multitude of problems experienced by Area-51 m15x owners, we can't say we'd recommend said laptop without reservations, but those dead set on picking one up now have yet another design option to choose from. Yeah, the sleek Ripley motif is peachy for the milder sect, but those seeking something a bit more flamboyant will certainly appreciate the new Skullcap option (pictured). Initially, Skullcap will only be offered as a free option in silver, but if demand necessitates, we can certainly envision the company busting out the paint gun.

Alienware Area-51 desktops first to score NVIDIA GTX 280 graphics

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 16th 2008 at 3:29PM

NVIDIA just launched its new GeForce GTX 280 graphics cards earlier today, but you know the crazy kids over at Alienware don't like to wait for the latest and greatest -- Dell's gaming division has already announced Area-51 configurations that include the new cards. The Area-51 7500 will support one GTX 280-based card, while the top-of-the-line Area-51 ALX will offer a three-way SLI option that's sure to render an image of your empty wallet in no time -- it's a $1,700 option. No word on when these are scheduled to ship, but seeing as the cards are out tomorrow, we'd guess it'll be soon.

Alienware relaunches Area-51 ALX desktop with overclocked 4GHz QX9770

by Darren Murph posted May 22nd 2008 at 11:40AM

Hold onto your frame rates folks, as Alienware has just relaunched its more-potent-than-ever Area-51 ALX desktop. The bona fide gaming rig packs a 3.2GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9770, but rather than being satisfied with Intel's work, this thing comes overclocked to 4GHz -- it's "maximum stable output." As expected, you'll find the outfit's own High-Performance Liquid Cooling solution to keep things from turning into molten hot lava, and you'll also have your choice of twin NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GPUs or an ATI CrossFireX configuration with dual ATI Radeon 3870 X2 cards. Furthermore, you'll notice 4GB of DDR3 RAM, dual Ethernet ports, an optional Blu-ray burner, oodles of hard drive space and all the other high-end niceties you've come to expect from the company. Only problem? The $5,549 starting price that comes along with the 4GHz CPU and required 1,200-watt PSU.

Alienware's Area-51 m17x gaming laptop now on sale

by Darren Murph posted Apr 29th 2008 at 7:39PM

For most, Alienware's AlienNetwork debut was somewhat of a letdown. Nevertheless, at least one good thing did come out of the whole event, and that's the availability of the m17x gaming monster. This 17-inch beast of a laptop finally has its own dedicated page, and yes, you can get your order in starting today. Packed within, you'll find your choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processor, twin GPUs for that sweet SLI action, a WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) display, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, oodles of hard drive space, a dual-layer DVD writer (or optional Blu-ray burner), enough ports for you and your cousin and a 12-cell battery that'll likely last an hour on a good day. Sadly, this Crysis destroyer starts at $2,949 (and breaks the $5k mark with ease), and it looks as if units won't start arriving until late May at best.

ATI's CrossFireX now offered on Alienware Area-51 gaming PC

by Darren Murph posted Apr 28th 2008 at 10:03AM

Alienware's AMD-powered Aurora ALX picked up CrossFireX support just as soon as it went live from ATI, but it has taken a few weeks for the technology to make its way over to the iconic Area-51. Said gaming rig is now available with ATI CrossFireX, meaning that you can take advantage of all four GPUs across a pair of Radeon HD 3870 X2s. Full release posted after the jump.

Continue reading ATI's CrossFireX now offered on Alienware Area-51 gaming PC

Alienware adds the NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2, nForce 790i to its Area-51

by Joshua Topolsky posted Mar 18th 2008 at 12:57PM

Clearly not wanting to lose its status as the most reliable purveyor of nasty gaming rigs, Alienware has re-upped its infamous Area-51 desktops with NVIDIA's latest graphics champ (the GeForce 9800 GX2) and the company's burning hot nForce 790i mobo. Or so we're told in a thrilling press release. The bottom line is this, you can now drop major bank on a seriously up-to-date system that will have friends and foes alike drooling, plotting your murder, or (at the very least) asking to get their game on. Truck over to the site to see the myriad configurations available... but you might want to hide your credit cards first.

Alienware Area-51 m15x owners outraged by overheating, cracking issues

by Darren Murph posted Mar 12th 2008 at 8:14AM

We've been inundated with e-mails from Alienware m15x owners who have shelled out thousands of bucks in order to take home a serious piece of gaming hardware, only to find that their machine is overheating and / or developing cracks in the frame for no apparent reason. If you'll recall, this isn't the first time the laptop aficionados over at Notebook Review got all worked up over an issue with the m15x, but it seems the latest round of quirks have pushed the community over the edge. So, have any of you out there awoke to see your machine slightly more damaged than it was the night before? Are things getting way too heated for anyone's comfort? Let us know what's up in comments below.

Update: Alienware pinged us to say that the linked response below is in fact authentic, and that the company is "aware of the issue and working hard to figure out what's going on."

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Area-51 m15x owners experience overheating and cracking issues
Read - Alienware's reply to the issue (confirmed as authentic by Alienware)