Alienware Blurs the Line Between Console and PC
- Thread starter The Wooster
- Start date
Oh, I see. Alienware built the Hybrid for people who like an efficient drive while feeling environmentally consciencious and...
Hang on, that IS the Hybrid. This is actually very interesting, though.
Hang on, that IS the Hybrid. This is actually very interesting, though.
Its a good idea, but there are some points of contention. Much as I mentioned I have all of 230$ in this box. 170 for the processor, mobo, PSU, and case. The remainder went to upgrading the ram in it and I ended up using a GTX 520 that I had pulled out of my moms PC when I upgraded her rig. So as I dont have spare cases laying around, that would massively cut into overhead, and really it just would nto be worth it.RhombusHatesYou said:
Secondly, the optiplex mobo is full on ATX,(yet oddly it was too compact to handle my GTS 250 which is a longer, fatter card) so I wouldnt not be able to get much smaller
My objective was to remanufacture a workable PC for less than 250$ to be used with the TV. It might be big, ugly and scratched up, but it works very well (25fps in ToR on max settings but without AA turned on) for the price, and really the price was right.
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Getting back on track. I think this is a market that is already being more explored than people realize. Just look at how many Home theater systems or Blu ray players now have wifi connectivity and allow you to access content from web sources. People want that experience of using a computer in a 10 foot GUI, but many people cant or are simply afraid to try something that complex. I remember the first time I did it was like 2001 with an Svideo feed to an SDTV so the capacity has been with us for quite a while. Its just a matter of people becoming acclimated to it enough to willingly try it themselves. Id say in another 10 years your going to see set top TVs with microcomputers built in being relatively commonplace.
While I can see the attraction of a product like this, there is just one thing that really raised my eyebrow and that was the wattage of the PSU.
240 Watts?
Now I am no tech-expert but that sounds a tad low to me. Although my current rig, which I built myself and only ever cautiously refer to it as a "gaming rig", despite being it's main purpose, is small-potatoes compared to the really hardcore rigs out there, I'm running a 650W PSU because the 450W unit I had before was struggling.
Wardy
240 Watts?
Now I am no tech-expert but that sounds a tad low to me. Although my current rig, which I built myself and only ever cautiously refer to it as a "gaming rig", despite being it's main purpose, is small-potatoes compared to the really hardcore rigs out there, I'm running a 650W PSU because the 450W unit I had before was struggling.
Wardy
It's pretty much just a progression of the the tablet, slate PC and desktop touchscreen systems (whole pc jammed into slightly thicker touchscreen monitor) tech that already exists. All it needs is for manufacturing costs to drop low enough to make it viable to sell as a commonplace tv and for someone to step forward and put the idea in the minds of consumers.viranimus said:
That second part, putting the idea in the mind of the consumer, is the trick. It's easy for people who follow tech news and developments to keep up with things but to the average consumer the concepts for some of these devices never really forms until a Product is made available. Look at tablets and, to a lesser degree, slate PCs... even people who knew about them didn't really have much idea on what to do with them until Apple came along and took a completely different approach - instead of trying to make the extremely limited tech act like a PC they played to it's strengths. Bang. Raining money.
Oh this has been tried several times, the reason it doesn't do well is because it offers no benefits but comes at a higher price... not the best deal there.
I'm sure they will shift quite a few due to it's name, but other then that if people wanted a console... they would buy a console.
I'm sure they will shift quite a few due to it's name, but other then that if people wanted a console... they would buy a console.
I just looked this thing up on the Canadian Alienware site. Though the tech specs aren't terrible, it's still a tad expensive.
I would also like to note that the Canadian version of this PC is also 699.99, while the UK one is 699.99 pounds. But the Canadian one is less powerful and offers less options. What the hell man?
Canadian version
UK Version
US Version
I would also like to note that the Canadian version of this PC is also 699.99, while the UK one is 699.99 pounds. But the Canadian one is less powerful and offers less options. What the hell man?
Canadian version
UK Version
US Version
Well, if its an i5 2500k, then thats better than a lot of the i7s out there.Akimoto said:
Also fun fact. £699 is 1337nzd rounded down. But I have to agree, you can get quite a bit betetr for that much money. In fact Im building a better one for around that price as we speak
What's wrong with hooking up your mid tower to your TV? "ZOMG PEOPLE WILL THINK I'M A NERD!"?RUINER ACTUAL said:
I'd say having a computer with an alien head button just might be worse.
I do it sometimes, and it's awesome.
A super small PC case? WHAT A GRAND IDEA! /dripping with sarcasm
No, fuck off. I love my big, spacious, smart PC case (it's got drawers and stuff, real easy to work with, best case I've ever had/seen), where if I need to take something out or put something in, I don't feel like I'm performing a frikkin' surgery.
No, fuck off. I love my big, spacious, smart PC case (it's got drawers and stuff, real easy to work with, best case I've ever had/seen), where if I need to take something out or put something in, I don't feel like I'm performing a frikkin' surgery.
Building my much more powerful computer, and getting a monitor was about the same price as the Alienware machine.NightmareLuna said:
People that say "Well it'd be too hard!" are kind of ridiculous. It's as easy as following step by step directions you can find anywhere online. I'm pretty sure Newegg has a series of videos that teach you how to do it.
my laptop beats that thing in many areas and ive had it for a rather sizeable amount of time, its also smaller and has a built in 1080 display.
problem with pc is that you will have more problems with them, they also dont have (what is the only benefit of consoles) a custom operating systems, i would like to compare the boot up time of a 360 with this, also the time it takes from hitting power to being in game, or how about using a controller, alot of games arent directly compatible with them and either require an emulation program or m/k.
problem with pc is that you will have more problems with them, they also dont have (what is the only benefit of consoles) a custom operating systems, i would like to compare the boot up time of a 360 with this, also the time it takes from hitting power to being in game, or how about using a controller, alot of games arent directly compatible with them and either require an emulation program or m/k.
Well if you're going to use Gamepad all the time then you might as well get a cheaper console. And Xpadder is a good stopgap I know that console implementation of gamepad controls are far more sophisticated with integrated aim assist and so on.viranimus said:Your certainly not off base. It could just as easily be stated that the niche market in question consists of those who like paying extravagantly more than they should while getting less in return. Surprisingly thats a fairly large cr*cougapplefanscoughcoughhackhacksniffle*owd of people.Treblaine said:
But yea, I do have a couple suggestions.
For gaming purposes on the couch, Xpad + 360 gamepad
More dedicated gaming, Atypical wireless mouse & keyboard.
However, what I tend to use when I am not using the gamepad is this.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travel-outdoors/e0e7/
Its more idea for switching between rudimentary games, and tv applications such as tuner cards, hulu, netflix, etc Its basically the closest thing to a remote for a PC And.. it has a laser pointer too so it doubles as cat toy.
This is a fun concept, but it's really shit. For that money you could build yourself a much better computer. For a comparable amount of money a little more than a year ago I got:
An Antec Nine Hundred-Two Case
An i5 (just prior to Sandy Bridge) which is overclocked to 3.6 GHz
8 Gigs of DDR3-1600 Mushkin Ram
1 Terrabyte HD
2x GTX 460's in SLI
750 Watt PSU
CM Hyper 212+ CPU Cooler
This I mean, even if you trimmmed it back to only a single GTX460 initially, you are going to get better graphic performance than with what is offered in that.
Not a good deal, but as the article said, you are paying for the name. The thing is this, 360's and PS3's (to some extent) have complete shit cooling. Making the whole thing run worse than it has to. You could even eek out better performances from the consoles if this could be solved.
Also, the ability to have a small computer hooked up to your TV has been around for a while. We seriously shouldn't see alienware as the innovator here. What they have done is make a slightly better gaming console for way too much money, only with a better more open OS than a console offers. And when you're plugging away at a game on a 52" HD Television, it's even more important to have better performance. You will wish you were dead after playing BF3 at 32 FPS for 5 minutes.
Edit: This actually comes with 3 different configuration for 3 different prices. More expensive version (?945) comes with an i7, 8 Gigs of Ram, and a slightly better, but still shit videocard.
An Antec Nine Hundred-Two Case
An i5 (just prior to Sandy Bridge) which is overclocked to 3.6 GHz
8 Gigs of DDR3-1600 Mushkin Ram
1 Terrabyte HD
2x GTX 460's in SLI
750 Watt PSU
CM Hyper 212+ CPU Cooler
This I mean, even if you trimmmed it back to only a single GTX460 initially, you are going to get better graphic performance than with what is offered in that.
Not a good deal, but as the article said, you are paying for the name. The thing is this, 360's and PS3's (to some extent) have complete shit cooling. Making the whole thing run worse than it has to. You could even eek out better performances from the consoles if this could be solved.
Also, the ability to have a small computer hooked up to your TV has been around for a while. We seriously shouldn't see alienware as the innovator here. What they have done is make a slightly better gaming console for way too much money, only with a better more open OS than a console offers. And when you're plugging away at a game on a 52" HD Television, it's even more important to have better performance. You will wish you were dead after playing BF3 at 32 FPS for 5 minutes.
Edit: This actually comes with 3 different configuration for 3 different prices. More expensive version (?945) comes with an i7, 8 Gigs of Ram, and a slightly better, but still shit videocard.
Alienware: Marketing to people too silly to know you've been able to hook your computer up to your TV for years now.
I quite like this, especially as both a PC and console gamer. While i see the point some people have that it's extremely expensive for not offering the power that a custom build machine does, for console gaming, this might be a (slightly small) step in the right direction to have just one console that all gamers can enjoy and get people out of this elitist attitude towards their system of choice. Granted, they would definitely need to have a next model that allows for custom upgrading so it can keep up with the ever changing market, otherwise it's just another console system and it leads nowhere.