The Alienware ALX
The Top of the Line PC for Everything you Need to Do

Carol D'Andrea
Andy Taylor

Another reason we love doing the radio show and TV segments as well as the website is for the opportunitys to look at some killer technology! In the last few years we have had the opportunity to glance at some awesome looking laptops from Alienware that have offered more to the end user then most laptops available on the market. For those unaware of the company, Alienware is the company built on the idea of putting the best components and quality into the system design and with that, markets to the new computer user looking for a powerhouse system or seasoned user that will stretch the computer to its limits. Most people that see an Alienware system for the first time will comment first on how great the system looks, from its Alien logo on the back of the notebook screen to its case design that separates it from most any system you could find on store shelves. Looks are not deceiving, While the outside of the systems are attention getters, the eye opener is the specs that make up the system.

We got our hands on the latest from Alienware, The ALX desktop system. When the 70+ pound box arrived, we got chills as we slowly opened up the boxes to unveil the most awesome looking desktop system we had ever laid our eyes on! The Alienware P2 Chassis looks similar to the Aliens head in the horror film set in outer space, you know...the one where in space nobody can hear you scream? The only thing screaming here was the system as it launched program after program without a hesitating lag at all.

As the consumer you also have options with the P2 Chassis as it is available in Space Black, Saucer Silver, Cyborg Green or Conspiracy Blue for the SLI model and the Silver and Black for the CF system.

I will have to warn you, while it is great to look at; it has a huge footprint, meaning it will take up a large amount of desk space. Another nice feature of the case is lit ports so that user can easily see what port is USB and Audio Jacks on the well laid out front panel. The easy access case makes it easy to upgrade and add features and with its size, no scraping your knuckles on metal.

We received the ALX system pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista however Windows XP systems are also available for the ALX SLI version; we looked at the ALX CF version which features the Intel Core2 Extreme QX 9650 Penryn 45nm process which is the latest processor from Intel. This liquid cooled processor was over clocked to 4.0GHz and performed great at Multimedia production task as well as gaming with today's latest games. In the system we looked at, the Motherboard from Asus, accepts up to 4 GB of Dual Channel DDR3 Memory to help in multi tasking or photo and video editing.

Storage on the system was also impressive as we had our configuration set for 1TB of storage with two 7200 RPM hard drives. A Solid State drive system is also available up to 128GB (2x64GB). To best explain, Solid State Drives work without moving parts such as a typical hard drive which spins a platter for the data. This can mean faster boot up/start times for the computer user; however can increase the cost an additional $1300.  Another great feature and option to the system is a Blu-Ray 6x reader or 4x reader and writer for true High Definition content.

The reason this system is signified as the CF, is due to its inclusion of the ATI graphics cards in Crossfire Mode. This allows the user to pull the graphics processing of two different chips on separate board to power the graphics needs. The cards in the system we looked at featured the ATI HD 3870, This gave us 2x 512MB of graphics memory giving our games visualizations we were not able to see in another top end system with one graphics board. The SLI system ties together the Nvidia chipset and boards to achieve similar performance. Wireless is also integrated in the system so that the user may tie to his own hot spot; this is achieved with 802.11n/g/b, actually, the user receives two of these ports for connecting the provided antenna.

For wired connections, two is still the number with gigabit ports available. For Audio lovers, 8 Channel 7.1 audio is on board with the jacks easily laid out for connecting to a 7.1 system. If you spent all your money on the ALX and can only get the 2 speaker system, that's ok..you can purchase some speakers later! Two external SATA connectors will allow you to easily add storage with External SATA drives or with the eight 2.0/1.1 USB connectors, 2 to the front and 6 to the rear of the system. We also loved the fact it came with a great keyboard, the Logitech G15 and Mouse, the Logitech G5 Gaming Mouse. There are also some great items that come along with your purchase including a Pen, Keychain and Hat and leather-bound notebook which stores your disc and information on your purchase. 

Because of the power supply requirements of the ALX, which are stringent due to the Crossfire graphics and high end components, the system is powered by a 1000watt power supply!  This is certainly not a system for someone just wanting to check email, however for the system that can do it all, I would not be far off recommending the Alienware ALX - CF system.

The Alienware ALX CF system has been one of the most responsive systems we've seen on our desktop. Packing it up and sending it back to Alienware for another reviewer to take a look at was just in time for another announcement from Alienware with its mobile computer line. The company continues to deliver award winning PC's for all market segments. We look forward to see what the company has in store for consumers next.

The price for this baby is also something to consider as its base price is $5119.

To customize and see more about this system, visit the Alienware website at http://www.alienware.com

Click here to watch our video from
Tech Tuesday where we look at the Alienware ALX

See More Photos of Carol's last minutes with
the Alienware ALX Click Here

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