Alienware
- Thread starter Corporal Bill
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Alienware as far as I can tell is just excessive spending. You buy it, to show the world how rich you are. There are far more cheaper and easier methods of getting a computer to the same standards as an alienware, but it won't hold the same reputation.
Alienware are proper crap to be honest, research components, research how to build it yourself, learn a new skill.
It's not hard and as long as you take the correct safety measures then you'll not fry anything (also buy from Scan, they can give you installation insurance if you're not completely confident).
Edit: Just checked prices, sweet crap are they high. My system cost me about £700-800 to build it myself, similar config (actually slightly worse) from Alienware would set me back £1408.56.
That's with one of their shittier cases as well.
It's not hard and as long as you take the correct safety measures then you'll not fry anything (also buy from Scan, they can give you installation insurance if you're not completely confident).
Edit: Just checked prices, sweet crap are they high. My system cost me about £700-800 to build it myself, similar config (actually slightly worse) from Alienware would set me back £1408.56.
That's with one of their shittier cases as well.
I've had great experiences with them; I'm typing this response on my fourth Alienware purchase (an M17x). I haven't used an Aurora, but my Area 51 was awesome. Because it's a popular brand, any problems you have will almost always have well-documented fixes online as other people have had the same problems.
Also,
Plus, it takes an incredible amount of research to get the right components and make sure they work together, and even more time to actually build the thing.
Like I said, it's worth it if you know what you're doing, but otherwise just pay the premium and buy an Alienware.
Also,
Radeonx said:
Destal said:
If you don't already know how, I'd highly recommend against building a computer. If you're extremely tech-savvy then it might be worth a shot, but otherwise it often ends in disaster. Friends of mine without much computer experience have tried to build a computer, and in the end they wasted $1000+ on a machine that couldn't even run.Furburt said:
Plus, it takes an incredible amount of research to get the right components and make sure they work together, and even more time to actually build the thing.
Like I said, it's worth it if you know what you're doing, but otherwise just pay the premium and buy an Alienware.
Actually Dell are very good for off-the-shelf systems, they also make some of the best laptops.Nukeforyou said:
Then he failed at doing proper research beforehand, if it's your first time building a computer find guides and ask for opinions and help in specific tech forums. Do not just order all of the components you think will make a 'badass' system.Timbydude said:
Do NOT buy an Alienware. They are extremely well made, but they are just as overpriced. I just built mine for less then half the price: 8GB DDR3, Core i7 875K, Nvidia GTX 470, Asus 7P55D. Then there were miscellaneous things like Blu-Ray, case, heat sink, etc. And it cost about $1674 (USD).
Seriously, if you have the money then grab a smart friend and build it yourself. Only downside? No tech support.
EDIT: Still need to buy a license for Windows 7
Seriously, if you have the money then grab a smart friend and build it yourself. Only downside? No tech support.
EDIT: Still need to buy a license for Windows 7
In retrospect, yes, most of them failed at doing proper research first. But, the problem is that if you don't know enough about it, it's difficult to gauge whether or not you've done the right research in the first place. For example, you may not be entirely aware that you can fry a processor if you have too much static on your hands, but when buying the components you wouldn't necessarily know that that's something to look up.flaming_squirrel said:
One of my friends ruined his two most expensive components that he got from Newegg because he didn't know that they could be ruined, and ended up just quitting.
have a pre-built dell XPS, got it for a good price at the time. (1500 euro) been modding it, I would say go for building your own. it's not hard at all and your computer can look WAAAAAAY better then an alienware 
As others have said, try to avoid Alienware. They are very overpriced, and their towers typically have airflow problems, leading to overheating (and broken components).Corporal Bill said:Hello my fellow escapists.
Do any of you own an Alienware PC?
I am going to purchase one when i'm sixteen, the Aurora to be precise and i'm wondering whats the difference between games for windows disc's and just regular PC-CD or DVD ROMS
And also can you sorta upload games on disc to Steam to play online. Like Left For Dead 2 for example.
Answer away friends
EDIT: Also if you have an Alienware Aurora please tell me what you think of it and how it performs
I would suggest either building one yourself through parts from newegg, assuming you know what you're doing, or using the website http://ibuypower.com/ . I have not used that website myself, but I'm told it's one of the best places to buy a custom rig. From a couple quick flips through the site, the prices seem fairly solid and my friends who've used it have nothing but positive things to say about it.
As for your other questions:
1) There's no such thing as Games for Windows disc. Games for Windows Live is basically the PC equivalent of Xbox Live (you can even tie the accounts together). Any game that comes with the word Games for Windows Live on it just means it supports/requires the GfW software. They almost always come on DVDs nowadays, though some might be CDs.
2) It is possible to buy boxed copies of certain specific games (so you have the disc) and then activate them on your Steam account so you can download them like any other Steam game. The list is far from all inclusive though. Any game not on this list [https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7480-WUSF-3601] cannot be activated on Steam without purchasing it through Steam.
Do this: go to Tomshardware.com, in particular, go to http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-31.html
You can read a whole ton of posts on gaming PCs at whatever price range, plus there is a lot of people who browse and approve or recommend different components. Obviously doing some of your own research first is a good thing but once you think you might have a good build, asking the pros if it'll do what you want will be good. You could probably even say "hey, I want a PC at least as good as an Alienware Aurora" and see what people come up with. Your budget is the main thing.
I did about a week of research and picked out the parts I thought I'd want for my first ever PC build. My last one was a prebuilt at a local shop, it was alright... but anyway, I started by setting a budget and reading about CPUs. I chose an i5 750. From there I picked an appropriate motherboard, an MSI P55GD65. Then I wanted a 5850 video card based on a lot of reviews it had the performance I wanted and in my price range. I picked the case based on what was available at the store as well as reading reviews after I selected a few that I liked. Picked the Antec 902. Finally I needed a PSU, and I went with a popular suggestion for a quality PSU which was a Corsair 750TX. DVD drive, well whatever that was $20. I then upgraded and got 2 new 500GB Seagate HDDs for a RAID 0 setup (to put my old HDD back in my old PC which I sold to my parents). Oh yeah also I bought a CPU cooler, although I should have made a more informed decision there but it does work well enough. All told I think that was about $1400. I've since added to it but that's where it started. And as for putting it together, it's quite easy. Took probably 2 hours but it wasn't tough, I just took my time to do it right and to have good cable management. Plugged it in and voila, booted up first try.
I'm fairly tech savvy, but unless you're really bad with electronic stuff, building your own isn't a big deal. And it's quite rewarding.
You can read a whole ton of posts on gaming PCs at whatever price range, plus there is a lot of people who browse and approve or recommend different components. Obviously doing some of your own research first is a good thing but once you think you might have a good build, asking the pros if it'll do what you want will be good. You could probably even say "hey, I want a PC at least as good as an Alienware Aurora" and see what people come up with. Your budget is the main thing.
I did about a week of research and picked out the parts I thought I'd want for my first ever PC build. My last one was a prebuilt at a local shop, it was alright... but anyway, I started by setting a budget and reading about CPUs. I chose an i5 750. From there I picked an appropriate motherboard, an MSI P55GD65. Then I wanted a 5850 video card based on a lot of reviews it had the performance I wanted and in my price range. I picked the case based on what was available at the store as well as reading reviews after I selected a few that I liked. Picked the Antec 902. Finally I needed a PSU, and I went with a popular suggestion for a quality PSU which was a Corsair 750TX. DVD drive, well whatever that was $20. I then upgraded and got 2 new 500GB Seagate HDDs for a RAID 0 setup (to put my old HDD back in my old PC which I sold to my parents). Oh yeah also I bought a CPU cooler, although I should have made a more informed decision there but it does work well enough. All told I think that was about $1400. I've since added to it but that's where it started. And as for putting it together, it's quite easy. Took probably 2 hours but it wasn't tough, I just took my time to do it right and to have good cable management. Plugged it in and voila, booted up first try.
I'm fairly tech savvy, but unless you're really bad with electronic stuff, building your own isn't a big deal. And it's quite rewarding.
I built a computer far better than any alienware for cheap. Alienware is for people that don't know how to build a computer and don't want to learn. It's really quite easy, just make sure every part is compatible, and the most important part you should cut no corners in quality in is the powersource. Those things will fail quickly if you get a bad one, and they're expensive and a real pain in the ass to install.
They are extremely overpriced and you pay out your ass for a really crappy PC...they START the price for those things at $999 with an i3/i5...you should be getting an i7 for that price no doubt. But they make you pay another $300 just to get an i7.Corporal Bill said:EDIT: Also if you have an Alienware Aurora please tell me what you think of it and how it performs
Anyone who buys from Alienware obviously knows nothing about computers. So just build your own, save yourself a LOAD of cash, and you'll be able to customize it however YOU want.
Also, I checked the starting package they give you for $999...it's worth about $500-$600. And they make you pay $100 more for a graphics card that only costs $20 more (from ATI 5670 to a 5770)
I don't recommend laptops for gaming since they're more difficult to upgrade/often impossible to upgrade.They have overheating problems and need to be cleaned of dust fairly frequently.
Alienware typically is overpriced and is more about showing off you have a super flashy PC but the guts are identical to other units half the price. If the glowing eyes/keyboard are that important then by all means. I say build a desktop for 1/3 the price.
Alienware typically is overpriced and is more about showing off you have a super flashy PC but the guts are identical to other units half the price. If the glowing eyes/keyboard are that important then by all means. I say build a desktop for 1/3 the price.
I used to be weary of them due to overpricing, but I have to admit I have fallen in love with the M11x as it fits everything I want in a gaming laptop and there isn't really any competition. I'll probably be getting one by the end of the year.
I don't think I'd recommend ibuypower.com. Not unless they've drastically changed recently. I purchased a desktop system from them a few years ago and had a great many problems with them. Here's a short list:Agayek said:
1. Missing software. Microsoft Office was preinstalled, but no disks were included - which *wasn't* what I paid for - repeated calls to their "customer service" got me nowhere. I eventually gave up out of sheer frustration.
2. Faked benchmark report. They supposedly "burn in" the hardware through extensive testing. Seeing as how I bought the computer before all video cards were supported for sli (drivers for my vid cards didn't exist until a week after I got the machine), I don't know how they got the benchmark statistics they claim to have gotten, especially the incredibly *high* statistics they'd gotten.
3. Machine came to me without functioning sound. Onboard sound, I had to hunt down the proper motherboard drivers and install them, several times, until I finally got them to work.
4. Mentioned before, but their customer service is/was horrible. They had no dedicated customer service reps (or so it seemed) as I was constantly shuffled around, often to people who were currently "out of the office".
Unless they've changed, you pay less for the computer, but you pay much more in headaches, phone tag time, and overall irritation.
