Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

  1. #1
    HEXUS.admin
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    31,709
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    2,073 times in 719 posts

    Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    Starting at £450. Is it a worthy Steam Machine?
    Read more.

  2. #2
    Anthropomorphic Personification shaithis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    The Last Aerie
    Posts
    10,857
    Thanks
    645
    Thanked
    872 times in 736 posts
    • shaithis's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z77 WS
      • CPU:
      • i7 3770k @ 4.5GHz
      • Memory:
      • 32GB HyperX 1866
      • Storage:
      • Lots!
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire Fury X
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX850
      • Case:
      • Corsair 600T (White)
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2 x Dell 3007
      • Internet:
      • Zen 80Mb Fibre

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    The £699 one doesn't seem too bad considering the spec, at least if you wanted a good system without self-building.

    EDIT: Just re-read, I thought it was implying they have replaced the parts with 970m and 980m.....but they haven't....so pretty poor.
    Last edited by shaithis; 24-11-2014 at 03:11 PM.
    Main PC: Asus Rampage IV Extreme / 3960X@4.5GHz / Antec H1200 Pro / 32GB DDR3-1866 Quad Channel / Sapphire Fury X / Areca 1680 / 850W EVGA SuperNOVA Gold 2 / Corsair 600T / 2x Dell 3007 / 4 x 250GB SSD + 2 x 80GB SSD / 4 x 1TB HDD (RAID 10) / Windows 10 Pro, Yosemite & Ubuntu
    HTPC: AsRock Z77 Pro 4 / 3770K@4.2GHz / 24GB / GTX 1080 / SST-LC20 / Antec TP-550 / Hisense 65k5510 4K TV / HTC Vive / 2 x 240GB SSD + 12TB HDD Space / Race Seat / Logitech G29 / Win 10 Pro
    HTPC2: Asus AM1I-A / 5150 / 4GB / Corsair Force 3 240GB / Silverstone SST-ML05B + ST30SF / Samsung UE60H6200 TV / Windows 10 Pro
    Spare/Loaner: Gigabyte EX58-UD5 / i950 / 12GB / HD7870 / Corsair 300R / Silverpower 700W modular
    NAS 1: HP N40L / 12GB ECC RAM / 2 x 3TB Arrays || NAS 2: Dell PowerEdge T110 II / 24GB ECC RAM / 2 x 3TB Hybrid arrays || Network:Buffalo WZR-1166DHP w/DD-WRT + HP ProCurve 1800-24G
    Laptop: Dell Precision 5510 Printer: HP CP1515n || Phone: Huawei P30 || Other: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Pro 10.1 CM14 / Playstation 4 + G29 + 2TB Hybrid drive

  3. #3
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    16
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    Quote Originally Posted by shaithis View Post
    The £699 one doesn't seem too bad considering the spec, at least if you wanted a good system without self-building.
    The issue is that graphics card comes in below a 560ti, it's not enough to rival consoles the steam machines have to beat them if they are to achieve the purpose of combating the console market.

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Berkshire
    Posts
    131
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked
    7 times in 6 posts

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    So on a device aimed at gaming the CPU is upgradeable, but the GPU isn't? Genius! I would question the point of an i7 chip in a machine with a single 860M GPU anyway, it will make little or no difference to the gaming experience.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Hicks12's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Plymouth-SouthWest
    Posts
    6,586
    Thanks
    1,070
    Thanked
    340 times in 293 posts
    • Hicks12's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z68-V
      • CPU:
      • Intel i5 2500k@4ghz, cooled by EK Supreme HF
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Kingston hyperX ddr3 PC3-12800 1600mhz
      • Storage:
      • 64GB M4/128GB M4 / WD 640GB AAKS / 1TB Samsung F3
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Palit GTX460 @ 900Mhz Core
      • PSU:
      • 675W ThermalTake ThoughPower XT
      • Case:
      • Lian Li PC-A70 with modded top for 360mm rad
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 Professional 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell U2311H IPS
      • Internet:
      • 10mb/s cable from virgin media

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    £700 sounds pretty bad to be honest because its got similar specs to a reasonably mid/high end laptop... a quick look at pc specialist pre-builts and you can see this one for £789 http://www.ebuyer.com/642077-pc-spec...op-pcs-l672510 (seen it below 700 frequently), the cpu has 2MB less cache but is 500mHz faster at stock with a beefier onboard GPU, the GPU is the same (gt 860m is a typo its a GTX). Why would you buy one of these alienware 'consoles' when you could simply pay £80 more (currently) for something that is potentially faster AND has a 1080p screen and a battery, I would rather just setup the cables and plug it all into one of those laptops that way I can take it away with me whenever.

    Have I missed something ? I like what Valve are trying to do with steam boxes but the OEMs have it all wrong, high prices and lack of upgrade ability seem silly and short minded.
    Quote Originally Posted by snootyjim View Post
    Trust me, go into any local club and shout "I've got dual Nehalem Xeons" and all of the girls will practically collapse on the spot at the thought of your e-penis

  6. #6
    Getting old...
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    You Want To Ask That?
    Posts
    2,568
    Thanks
    188
    Thanked
    93 times in 89 posts
    • UseItNow's system
      • Motherboard:
      • It's holding everything together!
      • CPU:
      • It's in my PC
      • Memory:
      • It's remembering, alright?
      • Storage:
      • It's a hard drive, what more do you want?
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Cr*p, there I said it!
      • PSU:
      • It's old and juicy!
      • Case:
      • Bog standard!
      • Operating System:
      • You Got To Ask? I'm here at Hexus because of it!
      • Monitor(s):
      • Big Enough, Yay For Me!
      • Internet:
      • Hell if I know, care anymore?

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    Might have missed it altogether but would quite like the UI, well something similar, in fact, I'll have a look at the SteamOS, would fit well with my HTPC, also a gaming machine.

    The Alienware machine does look the part, TBH, prices aren't too bad when you factor in OS/Customisation considering the £500 price point, shame the GPU isn't upgradeable.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    Posts
    936
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked
    105 times in 72 posts
    • Jowsey's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asrock H81M-ITX
      • CPU:
      • Intel Xeon E3-1230V3
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Corsair XMS3
      • Storage:
      • 256GB Crucial MX100 & 2TB Seagate Barracuda
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus GTX 770 DCUII 2GB
      • PSU:
      • EVGA SuperNova GS 550 watt
      • Case:
      • Phanteks Evolv ITX
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 64 bit
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 100Mb

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    Meh, all the steam boxes with mobile GPU parts don't make sense. I appreciate it's for the simplicity of the cooling. Can't quite remember but there was one with a low power i5 and an R9-270X coming in fairly cheap which I thought was the best of the bunch. But i'm sure at the time SteamOS didn't support AMD xD

    Edit: I stand corrected, it was actually this Clicky, but it has a quad core AMD processor (I would assume not jaguar cores!) and an R9-270, which is just a lower clocked 270x. And according to that article it could fit a Titan or 290x, however, you have to be careful that it doesn't take off if you put a 290x in it...

    Not bad for $600. Hopefully it will translate well if it ever gets sold here?

  8. #8
    IQ: 1.42
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    old trafford
    Posts
    1,340
    Thanks
    132
    Thanked
    94 times in 80 posts
    • Tunnah's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus somethingorother
      • CPU:
      • 3700X
      • Memory:
      • 16GB 3600
      • Storage:
      • Various SSDs, 90TB RAID6 HDDs
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 1080Ti
      • PSU:
      • Silverstone 650w
      • Case:
      • Lian-Li PC70B
      • Operating System:
      • Win10
      • Internet:
      • 40mbit Sky Fibre

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    I just don't see the point in steamOS. Buying a machine for gaming that doesn't support Windows titles is insane. I know the odd triple-A title makes it, but they're few and far between, most the steamOS titles are old or just plain crappy

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    London (almost)
    Posts
    1,080
    Thanks
    20
    Thanked
    34 times in 28 posts

    Re: Alienware now shipping the Alpha 'console'

    Well Gigabyte tried to jam a 760 in to a small box and it didn't really work.

    The maxwell GPUs scale much better, we have one here but it's the slowest one. Chuck a 970m in to this system and it'd be pretty powerful.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •