Alienware X51 (I know, I know, just some advice)

I

Ididar

Gawd
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Aug 2, 2004
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http://www.dell.com/ca/p/alienware-x51/pd

Yes, yes, I know. I should be building a system but I really don't have the time or motivation to dig in and research the parts, buy them, and assemble it all at this stage. I'm just looking for something that I would just browse the internet or do some photoshop on 90% of the time but might occasionally do some gaming. Has to be a small form factor given how it will be setup on the desk.

I know it will cost more than building it myself. I'm just looking for some advice on whether or not the components are really crappy, or just overpriced. Overpriced I can cope with.
 
Needs a better GPU I can tell you that/ Anandtech is going to do a review, I would wait for their review.


Otherwise looks nice.
 
Form Factor/Design are nice I think, but definitely overpriced and underpowered

For the base $699 you get
i3 2120
4GB RAM
1TB HDD
GT 545
240W PSU

which is meh for a "gaming" PC. And probably can't do much to upgrade due to the form factor

But I do see Dell being able to push this out considering it's the cheapest Alienware they've ever made
 
It looks half decent for an entry level gaming PC for someone coming from the consoles. That being said, what really kills it is the weak external powerbrick. Unfortunately with the Power being limited to 330W max., you won't be able to put anything higher than a GTX 560 (non-Ti) or Radeon 6870. Also it's limited to 9-inch length cards.

I really like the idea, but even at the price they give, it would be marginally cheaper or similar cost if you just got one of those small barebones kits and add the parts yourself if you aren't too inclined to put an entire system together.
 
If I went ahead and bought one of those things I'd probably spend up to $1000 and go for the i7 variety, just for some future proofing. My current laptop is an old Dell (coincidence) from about 6-7 years ago. Battery is toast so it has to stay plugged in all the time ... which is fine because I never use it away from the desk. That said, It is slow as cold molasses at anything but web browsing or basic document writing. I've got an AutoCAD license from work (yes, a legit one) I'd love to put on it but the thing wouldn't be able to handle it.

I fully understand that it is overpriced for the components but as long as it isn't terrible I don't mind spending extra so I don't have to spend the effort picking components and assembling myself. I'm honestly too far out of touch right now to pick decent components. Also, it looks nicer than anything I'd probably be able to do myself. I admit I sort of cringed a little at the external power supply but I can manage that. I was originally leaning towards waiting for the new Lenovo all-in-one in May or June but realized that I'd be sacrificing a lot of power and potential to clean up the desk an extra bit. I think I can do it fine with this sort of unit and a good monitor. The desk is sitting in the living room and I have all the current cables nicely tie-wrapped up underneath the desk and the power bar on one of the back legs hidden away. Trying to keep things very clean there.

Oh, and thanks for the tip on Anandtech.
 
Buy a pc off of a seller here. There are plenty of good people who could do that. Really though, the toughest part of building a pc is the software. The rest of it is really just legos with wires.
 
I think your thread is odd. You post here, knowing that Alienware is looked down on, but in each post you are busy justifying it with "I don't mind paying extra". Well, regardless of whether it's expensive or whatnot, you've really got to look in the mirror. Specifically, by what you are writing in this thread, you are being both embarrassed and exhibitionist about your potential future choice of system. Are you asking us to talk you down, save you from this madness? Or what is this about really?
 
I would like to see a company like make a case similar (Like a new Silverstone Sugo or something)to do what alienware is doing with the angle mounted video card. Something to make it slim like that and use and external brick to power it. Make 2 models one that can hold a card the size of a 6870 or so, and another that held up to a 7970.
 
*edit*

Nevermind, if you want an alienware go right ahead. If nothing else the bloatware that usually comes with them is horribly annoying. That machine is underpowered, has basically 0 upgradeability.

It is small, and if small is what you want, go right ahead. Not a great purchase IMO.
 
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MrSmegzabush said:
I would like to see a company like make a case similar (Like a new Silverstone Sugo or something)to do what alienware is doing with the angle mounted video card. Something to make it slim like that and use and external brick to power it. Make 2 models one that can hold a card the size of a 6870 or so, and another that held up to a 7970.
Click to expand...

Something like this? Or this? Or maybe one of these? Cases like that for mini-ITX have been around almost as long as the mini-ITX form factor has been around. Although I kind of agree that it'd be neat to see this style of case done with more of an emphasis on power and style.

It's worth noting that the largest external power bricks are around 200-220W, so expecting to be able to run a high-end system off one isn't exactly realistic.
 
You are right about the power brick not being enough, so I'll go with that. Let me rephrase this then too. While I know those cases exist, the are all centered around HTPC or some kind of Office/POS machine. Id like to see Silverstone (or some other company that has gaming in mind) make one with a ~300W PSU, Dual slot card capability along with a riser
 
WiSK said:
I think your thread is odd. You post here, knowing that Alienware is looked down on, but in each post you are busy justifying it with "I don't mind paying extra". Well, regardless of whether it's expensive or whatnot, you've really got to look in the mirror. Specifically, by what you are writing in this thread, you are being both embarrassed and exhibitionist about your potential future choice of system. Are you asking us to talk you down, save you from this madness? Or what is this about really?
Click to expand...

It is simply about wanting an honest opinion about the specs, not about the price but about the system itself or if there are better options besides building myself. I do understand the bloatware issue and that it will cost more. I simply came here to see what other issues there might be besides the ones I do recognize. I've been out of the computer buying/building game for almost a decade so my knowledge of the bits and pieces is sketchy at best.

Talk me down? If it is just a bad system technically ... yes. If it is just overpriced? I'll make that call myself.
 
GPU is woefully inadequate for gaming. Now if it was a 560Ti then it wouldn't be so bad. Just my opinion.
 
We can see Dell's influence here... This computer is essentially a typical Dell office low profile PC with a flashy case & biggest gpu they could fit from their bed partner nvidia... Gpu being power hungry hurts a lot here...

It's not bad, it's not great, sort'f like a compact car, it runs, but nothing exciting. A mass market product.

I actually played around and customized a rig with an Aurora case (read; case only thing left original), and those are surprisingly (for me) actually very nice. The Gpu compartment to isolate hot air from the rest of the system works very well.

Case weighs around 50 pounds though.
 
just out of curiosity, does this machine use an actual desktop GPU? or a mobile graphic card/chip?
if it does use a desktop GPU then i m guessing both the GT 545 and GTX 555 are a single slot low profile card?
i do not think this rig will be able to fit a full size dual slot card in it
 
KeymaN said:
just out of curiosity, does this machine use an actual desktop GPU? or a mobile graphic card/chip?
if it does use a desktop GPU then i m guessing both the GT 545 and GTX 555 are a single slot low profile card?
i do not think this rig will be able to fit a full size dual slot card in it
Click to expand...

Desktop card (9" max) with pcie extender cable, if I remember right.
 
Skott said:
GPU is woefully inadequate for gaming. Now if it was a 560Ti then it wouldn't be so bad. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

Realizing that the amount of gaming I will do is fairly minimal (online RPG's only potentially) is it really inadequate? I don't expect to be playing any FPS.
 
Ididar said:
Realizing that the amount of gaming I will do is fairly minimal (online RPG's only potentially) is it really inadequate? I don't expect to be playing any FPS.
Click to expand...

I didn't see you list any games you plan to play so I interpret this PC is for general PC gaming. Now, my definition of a general gaming PC means games currently out now and any that may release this year. Its true FPS are usually the most GPU intensive of games but other genres can be GPU intensive as well. If we go by *my* definition that GPU is inadequate. In my own opinion. I do realize others may have a different definition of 'general gaming PC' than me.

Now, if you are planning to only play certain games then list them and then I can possibly form a different opinion as to whether that GPU is adequate or not. Also note I'm not critisizing here. Just giving you my honest opinion about the specs like you asked for. :)
 
I have not seen the shaders in the GTX 555 but Ill try to draw a bit of an analogy. I own an ASUS G74SX ROG laptop with at 560M and ~2.0Ghz Quad. The 560M is a Desktop 550 TI down-clocked like 20%, and can run BF3 at 1080P on medium settings at around ~40FPS, so yes, it will work as a compact gaming machine, but don't expect to turn on many bells and whistles.
 
Skott said:
I didn't see you list any games you plan to play so I interpret this PC is for general PC gaming. Now, my definition of a general gaming PC means games currently out now and any that may release this year. Its true FPS are usually the most GPU intensive of games but other genres can be GPU intensive as well. If we go by *my* definition that GPU is inadequate. In my own opinion. I do realize others may have a different definition of 'general gaming PC' than me.

Now, if you are planning to only play certain games then list them and then I can possibly form a different opinion as to whether that GPU is adequate or not. Also note I'm not critisizing here. Just giving you my honest opinion about the specs like you asked for. :)
Click to expand...

Valid point, I was probably a bit too vague. I'm thinking of possibly getting back into World of Warcraft, for instance. Maybe. Possibly. I'm tempted but trying to avoid it. Damned time sink. But, if I did decide to get back into it, or something like Star Wars The Old Republic. Probably the only type of game I'd actually play on a computer (i.e. something I couldn't play on a console).
 
The riser card intrigues me, I didn't even think about those until seeing this. If a chassis manufacturer builds an "xbox" form factor case employing that design I'd be tempted to try it out for a build. Anything to change the current shuttle/cube design every chassis manufacturer seems to be locked into for small gaming builds. Although I guess you would still be limited to a power brick or some similar solution in anything that size.
 
So if the video card in this system is ... "eh" ... where could one buy a pre-fab system in a small form factor case?
 
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