Alienware Q&A

[Evil Avatar]

Following up on their gamer PC interviews, Gamecloud has posted a chat (http://www.gamecloud.com/article.php?article_id=3248) with Alienware president Alex Aguila.

Gamecloud: Alienware was one of the first companies to come out with laptops specifically for PC gaming. Overall, do you think that laptops are finally a solid PC gaming machine that can rival a desktop?

Alex Aguila: Absolutely --- mobile technology is far more advanced than in previous years and now customers can get the power of a desktop in mobile form. Alienware’s Aurora m7700 and Area-51m 7700 are good examples of this – both of these systems run on desktop processors and can most certainly rival any desktop on the market; we’ve got the scores to prove it.

[Draft]

Gamecloud - The Alienware design for laptops has been seen in more than one movie and TV show. Overall, how many appearances has an Alienware product made in a TV show or film and how do these appearances come about?

Alex Aguila - In 2005, Alienware was seen in more than 100 individual television episodes and feature films worldwide. Each of these shows being broadcast on multiple media platforms (theatrical/on planes/DVD/Pay-per-view/TV broadcast etc.). Each of the placements is being repeated countless times in a number of different international markets. The placements usually come via sponsorships or they are coordinated by another party on behalf of Alienware.

Gamecloud - Alienware is also not shy about trying out new technologies. How much does the company put into creating unique hardware that no one else has?

Alex Aguila - Alienware is dedicated to only offering the most cutting edge hardware to our customers and producing the fastest and most innovative products on the market. And with that kind of dedication involves some level of risk taking which Alienware has done in the past and will continue to do if the opportunity were to arise. We do have our own research lab that is solely dedicated to tests all kinds of technologies across different platforms. Alienware also funds testing for different types of hardware. At the end of the day, all of this is valued by our customers and represents the Alienware “difference” that allows us to stand out from other PC vendors.Hahaha, what? Does Alienware own Gamecloud?

[Evil Avatar]

They own my ass. I do all my fiction writing on an Alienware laptop. I've been trying to get one from Falcon, but so far I haven't had any luck.

[Orphiuchus]

I'm reporting to the school of infantry the 31st, in a few months when I get back the first thing I'm buying is a $3500.00 alienware laptop.

[Thunderbrand]

Heh...I paid (and still paying) $3400 on an Area 51-m 5500 i bought in october 2004 and now im almost regretting it. after a years use its pretty much outdated and i have the lame nvidia video card that cant play the recent games of today. and they phased out my line of laptops so i cant upgrade it, which was the main reason i bought it. oh well!

[Genital Eclipse]

Heh...I paid (and still paying) $3400 on an Area 51-m 5500 i bought in october 2004 and now im almost regretting it. after a years use its pretty much outdated and i have the lame nvidia video card that cant play the recent games of today. and they phased out my line of laptops so i cant upgrade it, which was the main reason i bought it. oh well!

Same regrets here.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

The only boutique rigs I would buy are Falcon[If they would update their damn hardware] or Voodoo. Screw the rest especially Alienware.

[Orphiuchus]

Falcon and Voodoo both cost about 1500 more than alienware for the same thing, and thats with alienware costing like 1500 more than most.

*edit* nevermind, I'm going with powernotebooks.com

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Uh well no[yeah youre basically right on price but], Falcon and Voodoo do much more custom work, Voodoo especially. Not just throwing hardware in a plastic box.

[Grifter]

Why would anyone who knows their shit pay what these companies are charging.
If your a true PC enthuist/gamer build your own damn rigs. If it's all about the case for you buy one online and have it profesionaly painted. The only PC's worth buying are laptops or internet PC's for ma and pop clueless.

[Mr.Zip]

Uh well no[yeah youre basically right on price but], Falcon and Voodoo do much more custom work, Voodoo especially. Not just throwing hardware in a plastic box.


I know next to nothing about hardware so this may be a stupid question but what do you mean when you say custom work? Other than throwing hardware in a box what else is there?

edit: It seems I know next to nothing about writing complete sentences too.

[Grifter]

Most of their cases are beautifuly painted and the inside of the PC is very clean making it as much of a display point as the tower itself. Again you are easily going to pay an extra $1000-$1500 for features that can just as easily be done at home excluding the paint job.

Here are the links. These guys definately do some nice work. I wasn't trying to belittle them in my last posts just for me a big part of PC gaming is putting together my own rig, and with console gaming it's not having to worry about any of the hardware or compatibility issues.

Folcon North West (http://www.falcon-nw.com/flash/)

VooDoo (http://www.voodoopc.com/whyvoodoo/galleria.aspx?galleryID=1&albumID=29#Top)

Alienware (http://www.alienware.com/Product_Pages/desktop_all_gaming.aspx)


I recently gained access to my friends metal shop so I am gonna mess around with modding my case then try building a completely costom one. If you guys are interested in the results let me know. If I like the results I might do some
non-personal work as well.

[mightbe]

Heh...I paid (and still paying) $3400 on an Area 51-m 5500 i bought in october 2004 and now im almost regretting it. after a years use its pretty much outdated and i have the lame nvidia video card that cant play the recent games of today. and they phased out my line of laptops so i cant upgrade it, which was the main reason i bought it. oh well!

I paid 800 for my compaq turion 64 laptop (spent another 170 in ram upgrades) and it runs everything up to WoW just fine. Best gaming purchase I've ever made.

[Taco]

I'll never buy a gaming laptop solely because of the price and upgrade issues.

[Demize99]

I'll never buy a gaming laptop.
Fixed for you. :D

[Taco]

Yep, my only hope is to get supplied with one from work ;).

[thecrazyd]

What bullshit. This is ad-space.

[Taco]

What bullshit. This is ad-space.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[GodFather]

Ive had mixed results with Alienware. I got a desktop years ago and it ran great no problems. When I ordered another desktop it arrived with a bad motherboard from the start. I sent it back and they sent me a new computer and it worked flawlessly. I got a laptop last year and the mobo fried after 3 months and I was using a laptop cooler with it. Sent it back and its worked fine since but to be honest with you the laptops run so hot I get worried everytime I boot it thinking the thing wont run. I think there are some heat issues with the 7700's that need addressing. I noticed alot of other people had similiar issues with the 7700.

[doubtingthomas]

What bullshit. This is ad-space.

It's a website with news stories and forums about consumer products....so....?????

[thecrazyd]

It's a website with news stories and forums about consumer products....so....?????
NEWS about consumer products. News != Advertising

Seriously, this is the most softball interview I have ever seen.

Q - What makes your products so great? Is it the fact that they are awesome and everyone loves them?
A - Yes and yes.

Seriously, this is total tripe.

[Banacek]

I'm sorry, but gaming laptops are for suckers...

[Citizen Philip]

Gaming laptops are a myth. A well-funded myth. Buy a handheld gaming system if you want portability. If you've convinced yourself you need something with a battery for school to take notes make it a taperecorder.

[dotbomb]

I hate laptops with a passion. I have one for work and I hate it. It can even run games like WoW... but I hate it.

Hate is a strong word... but I needed a strong word. Hate hate hate laptops.

Alienware makes cool looking stuff but no way would I pay a premium for a system like that (laptop or desktop). I'm a do it yourself PC builder and since I hate laptops well if my Dell Inspiron ever dies I'll celebrate by not replacing it.

[Taco]

If I didn't game I wouldn't buy anything but laptops. Maybe a REALLY budget PC to mess around with.

[Librum]

Heat is the usual laptop gaming killer. Since even big boxes with fans in them can overheat, cramming all that into a slender plastic case right next to the battery is a recipe for disaster. I've got this monstrous HP z7000 Pavillion that I bought for general use as a 'desktop replacement' that can run games, but since it's got a full-bore P4 3.06Ghz CPU in it I have to literally put the thing up on a couple of paperback books so it gets enough air space to cool itself using the tremendous fans on the bottom, or it just shuts off if I'm doing anything more strenuous than surfing the web.

[GodFather]

Heat is the usual laptop gaming killer. Since even big boxes with fans in them can overheat, cramming all that into a slender plastic case right next to the battery is a recipe for disaster.

I agree 100%. I have a 3.6 p4 in my laptop and the thing gets so hot you would literally burn yourself badly if you touched the side of the thing. I do have to say it will run any game I throw at it. FEAR, COD2 all of em with settings maxed out, but its about as portable as Gilbert Grapes mother.

[KlausFlouride]

The Gateway I have has an Centrino 2.13ghz that runs somewhat cooler. However the Geforce 6800 in it puts out enough heat you would think the thing came with a hair drier as an add-on.

[Ultima Thulian]

NEWS about consumer products. News != Advertising

Seriously, this is the most softball interview I have ever seen.

Q - What makes your products so great? Is it the fact that they are awesome and everyone loves them?
A - Yes and yes.

Seriously, this is total tripe.

Once again, thecrazyd saves us from stupidity and brings things back to logic and perspective. Well played, ol' chap.

[Taco]

And here I was thinking he's just another dude with a stick up his rectum.

Did you just pull a Fitbabits on me?

[kizke]

An Area-51m was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

[mightbe]

I'm going to summarize the theme of this thread.

DON'T BUY AN ALIENWARE LAPTOP!

Perhaps this should be stickied in the hardware forums.