Alienware Desktop

Rexhasta

Rexhasta

New Member
I am looking for a game computer, and I have heard nothing but great reviews about Alienwares customer service and quality products.

I have a few questions about Alienware. Keep in mind for these questions, I have a budget of about $4000 CDN to buy a new game computer with.

1) Which Alienware desktop would be best, if I wanted the best possible for the budget I have?

2) Do the Alienware packages include Monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers?

3) Can I upgrade or modify it later on, or does Alienware use propriotary parts that make it difficult?

5) How important is Liquid Cooling when playing games?

4) Is Alienware the way to go, or would it be best to build a new computer?

Basically I want to upgrade to a computer that can play the latest games like Doom 3 and Battlefield 2.


Feel free to answer as few or as many as you can, any help is appreciated.
 
Praetor

Praetor

Administrator
Staff member
Holy crap. For $4000CAD i could spec out at least two bleeding edge machines and probably three or four decent machines. For starters:
1. If you insist on buying OEM, buy from Voodoo (1. they're Canadian :p 2. far superior inside jobbies 3. phase change cooler)
2. Id suggest you build your own or save $1000 to have a store build it for you


Now to answer your questions
1. If you insist on blowing the money and/or buying Alienware, well there is a high probablility the best you can get is ther most expensive ALX AMD64 based one they offer
2. Yes
3. you can upgrade later on but their selection of parts of certain parts isnt spectacular to start with (i.e., they've got an Abit AN8 board in most of their A64 boxes -- a solid board -- but by far not a leader nor does it have anything spectacular)
5. Not very
4. Build your own.
 
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M0ddingMan1a

M0ddingMan1a

New Member
reli tho... dont get alien ware unless u dont have time to get ur own. they dont reli offter THAT much high tech parts etc. they do keep up with the leading stuff...but.. yea. they charge u the full price for everthing. u dont need THAT much high power to play d00m 3 or bf2. for 4000 CND, u can get at least 2 computers that can handle those games.
 
Praetor

Praetor

Administrator
Staff member
for 4000 CND, u can get at least 2 computers that can handle those game
Click to expand...
You could get 10 computers that can handle them. But how well? More than two machines that do 1600x1200 4AA 8AF @ 40fps+ is pushing it... Dont also forget the monitors for each :)
 
Rexhasta

Rexhasta

New Member
I am just looking for one machine to spend on that is as close to the pinnacle of gaming computers as I can get.

Praetor said:
Holy crap. For $4000CAD i could spec out at least two bleeding edge machines and probably three or four decent machines.
Click to expand...

If you wouldn't mind, could you recommend specs for one computer (again, for up to $4000 CDN, but that includes Monitor and stuff), that is pretty much as bleeding edge as I can get for my budget?
 
M0ddingMan1a

M0ddingMan1a

New Member
Praetor said:
You could get 10 computers that can handle them. But how well? More than two machines that do 1600x1200 4AA 8AF @ 40fps+ is pushing it... Dont also forget the monitors for each :)
Click to expand...


LOL ok ok praetor. but, im thinkin more about top notch (or near it) cuz hes plannin to spend big. but if he gets 10, he could have his own LAN center. :D
 
M0ddingMan1a

M0ddingMan1a

New Member
Rexhasta said:
I am just looking for one machine to spend on that is as close to the pinnacle of gaming computers as I can get.



If you wouldn't mind, could you recommend specs for one computer (again, for up to $4000 CDN, but that includes Monitor and stuff), that is pretty much as bleeding edge as I can get for my budget?
Click to expand...


u can get a good enough one, hell, mabye even better if u dont go with alienware, if u wanna save money and just go with 2000CND. plus about...500-700 more for the other periperals( keybaord, GAMING mouse, monitor, speakers?) etc.
 
Praetor

Praetor

Administrator
Staff member
Well it comes down to whether you want to build a system for single or multithreaded gaming (but the price delta isnt that much on the overall scale of things)

- AMD Athlon64 FX-57 [ADAFX57DAA5BN, 1190CAD] or AMD Athlon64 X2-4800 [ADA4800DAA6CD, 1000CAD]
- Two EVGA 7800GTX KO [670CAD each]
- DFI Lanparty UT NF4SLI-DR [230CAD]
- 4x512 Mushkin RedlineXP PC4000 [2225 @ 3.3, 420CAD]
- Soundblaster Audigy2 ZS [75CAD]
- Antec NeoPower 480W [120CAD]
- Two Maxtor DiamondMax10 250GB [16MB, 120CAD each]
- NEC 3540 [50CAD]
Subtotal = 3475-3665 depending on the chip
Plenty of room for a monitor or two.
 
redrider773

redrider773

New Member
Instead of 2x250 7,200, why not go for 3 147gb raptors, or 2 300gb fujitsus. He's got the cash. Imagine those on raid.
 
Rexhasta

Rexhasta

New Member
Thanks for the advice, and I have another question: How would an Alienware Aurora 7500 rate against a custom build with a budget of $4000CDN?
 
A

alanuofm

VIP Member
Rexhasta said:
Thanks for the advice, and I have another question: How would an Alienware Aurora 7500 rate against a custom build with a budget of $4000CDN?
Click to expand...

you'll be better off building your own. look at praetors part list. you probably can't get better than that nor do you really want. read the 101's as well if you plan to build.
 
Praetor

Praetor

Administrator
Staff member
Or an 8 dual core opteron system lol...
Click to expand...
That's just silly

Instead of 2x250 7,200, why not go for 3 147gb raptors, or 2 300gb fujitsus. He's got the cash. Imagine those on raid.
Click to expand...
1. Im imagining them on RAID ... now unless he;s doing heavy video editing, I'm not impressed
2. Depedning on the drives involved, the non-raptors may win out overall
3. Where might he get 147GB raptors?

Thanks for the advice, and I have another question: How would an Alienware Aurora 7500 rate against a custom build with a budget of $4000CDN?
Click to expand...
The major differences between the Alienware rig and the one I spec'd out are
  • The Alienware uses the ASUS A8N-SLI DLX ... IMO, the board I picked out will run cicles around that thing like nobody's business
  • The RAM Alienware uses, impossible to tell exactly what the full make/model is but the RAM i picked out will destroy it. Alienware's RAM runs 2-3-2-5 @ PC3200 .. the RAM I picked will run 2-2-2-6 @ PC4000
  • The Alienware box features (or at least has the option for) a Soundblast X-FI which I originally intended to pack into the box however the cost forced me to shuttle down to the Audigy2 ZS (do keep in mind I dont reccomend getting the X2-4800 as I spec'd out ... getting a 4200 or 4600 is a much more financially wise decision -- which gives you plenty of room to fit in a Soundblaster X-FI card)
 
SFR

SFR

Truth fears no questions
M0ddingMan1a said:
guys, this is 4000CND we are talkin about. not 4000USD. so in us, its about... 2500 bucks. dont trip
Click to expand...


actually it is about 3,400USD...
 
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