What do you think about the Alienware X51 <Update>Jan,16th

Hi Everyone

I am looking into buying a new computer with the basic objective for gaming...

What do you think about this one...

It comes with everything, but I will choose windows 7...




Alienware X51 (R2) (AX51R2-5730BK)
at a glance...
•Processor: 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4440 (6MB Cache, up to 3.30 GHz w/Turbo Boost)
•Display: No Monitor
•Operating system: Windows 8 Home, English
•Memory (RAM): 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600Mhz
•Optical drive: Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD±RW, CD-RW)
•Video graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 645
•Media card reader: No Media Card Reader, includes USB 3.0
•Bluetooth®: Bluetooth - No
•Audio: Internal High-Definition 7.1 Performance Audio with Waves MaxxAudio®
•Preinstalled software: McAfee TPeaks Live Safe - 30 Day, Microsoft® Office Trial (OTR13), CMS - Cyberlink Media Suite Essentials for Blu Ray, ALIENWARE™ COMMAND CENTER, Liquid Cooling - No

Is that the skinny one that looks like this?
http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-x51-r2/pd.aspx

For an Alienware, that GTX 645 video card is sort of low end.
But I'd actually be a little worried about putting a faster (and hotter) video card in such a tiny case, even if Dell/Alienware lists a faster card as an option. It's likely that you wouldn't be able to replace the card yourself with a faster card, depending on how they designed it. There may be a difference in the motherboard between the low end and high end card models.

Depending on what types of games you play, it may be OK. If you play any darkside games, I'd recommend you get something with more "Oomph." The upcoming Sherlock Holmes may stress the 645 (though you may be able to turn down graphics in the game options enough that it will play). You notice Alienware's "gamer recommended" version of the X51 has a different video card than the GTX 645.

It should be able to play most adventure games, though, and if you like the appearance, that's something you have to decide for yourself. But it's not the best "bang for the buck." You're paying for style and brand name.

The lowest price Alienware Aurora (larger size computer case) comes with a Geforce GTX 680, which is a much faster card than the 645. Unless you like the little alien on the case, you could do as good for less money elsewhere. If you do like the alien case, watch out for Alienware coupons online.

Bottom line is whether the Alienware "look" is important to you and what type of games you intend to play.

And check out this spec which is the same for even the high end X51. This sounds pretty puny to me for any of these configurations. Heat in that little case would be a concern for me too... But it does look good!

Power
Alienware™ 240 Watt Power Supply (Standard)
Alienware™ 330 Watt Power Supply

Thanks ,Jenny ..Yes that's the one.....

I don't play dark side games....except for Diablo 3....Mostly adventure....

Thanks ,Drac....I am hoping I won't need to worry about the heat...

My nephew just got an alienware Laptop for Christmas, and the graphics are outstanding....

I was impressed with Call Of Duty Ghost on the system...

On my Xp my video card is a GeForce 8600 GT... which gave me so many problems trying to play the new Adventurer games...

The only Con: with the system is that you can't upgrade...There are no slots for that...

Also.. I just talked to my brother who bought my nephew the Laptop....He said that heat is a factor with laptops as well....The area where you put the system should be well ventilated....

Xbox 360 also has a heat problem....My husband gets nuts with first person shooters....Every once in a while he has to shut it down to cool....

Well it's a very old card now -- 6 or 7 years old -- old for a video card if you intend to play current games, many of which have gone to 3D. It still works well for casuals though (unlike certain Intel graphics).

Thanks, Jenny

Plus with Alienware..I can trade up years from now..As long as I keep all the paperwork...I will be able to trade the X51 for a better system....

I am just so tired of worrying all the time if a game will play on my computer...

Now a days games are getting more expensive... Its a bummer when you pay $60.00 ,and you have several problems...

I am praying this computer lives up to the hype.... My nephew loves his..

Do you know what graphics his laptop uses?
Even the Alienware 14 laptop has a minimum of a GeForce GT 750M.

He has alienware 17

These are his Specs on the card.. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M with 3GB GDDR5

That's a LOT better card than the GTX 645.
It's not surprising he likes that laptop.

I'd also have some concern about that puny power supply.

Well he plays alot of shooters.....

I really didn't want to spend that kind of money...Cause I bought Microsoft Office too...

The unit came to 1,099.00....Free shipping...Hope I love it...

Drac... I had puny power supplies on both windows 98 ,and Xp computers....I never had a power problem...

OK I was really concerned about the video card...So I bought this one....

What do you think????



Alienware X51
Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English
Memory 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600Mhz
Keyboard Alienware Multi-Media Keyboard
Monitor No Monitor
Video Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 760 Ti with 2GB GDDR5
Driver WLAN Card DW1506 Driver
Hard Drive 2TB SATA 6Gb/s (7,200RPM) 64MB Cache
Chassis Color Matte Stealth Black with Dark Chrome Accents
Mouse Alienware Standard Optical Mouse
Optical Drive Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD±RW, CD-RW)
Wireless DW 1506 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Wireless LAN
Cable US Power Cord
Documentation/Disks English Documentation DAO
Support 1 Year Alienware Basic Support
Systems Management Alienware Command Center 3.0
Resource DVD Alienware X51 Resource DVD
Placemat Setup Instructions, English
Retail Software Dell.com Order
Processor 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-4440 Processor (6MB Cache, up to 3.30 GHz w/Intel® Turbo Boost)
Retail Packing Label Dell.com Order
Color Choice AlienFX System Lighting - Nebula Aqua
Packaging Ship Material
FGA Module ANDRO1405_044/1501_014B/BTO
Optical Software Power DVD 9.6 BD, 3D,V2
Accessories Batman: Arkham Origins FREE with purchase of select GeForce GTX GPU-powered desktops
Regulatory Label Label Structured in Addl SW
CFI Included (Smart Selection) CFI Not Included
Hard Drive Software No SSD SW Required
Labels Label Structured in Addl SW
Office Productivity Software Microsoft Office Trial
Non-Microsoft Application Software Additional Software, Windows 7
Security Software NO VIRUS PROTECTION REQUESTED
Power Supply Alienware 330 Watt Power Supply
Operating System Recovery Options Windows 8 Recovery Disk Not Included


Please tell me you all like it....

Well that's a better video card than the 645.
It should be able to play your adventure games for you.
The Dell version of the GTX 760 is not as fast as the retail version and takes less power, which is why the 330 Watt power supply works with it.

Are you going to play Batman: Arkham Origins now? :)

No way... Jenny..It comes with the system......I just want a SUPER Gaming Computer...I Hope...

I was very concerned about the power supply like, Drac said.....I don't want problems down the road....

Thank You All.....For your input...It was very Helpful....BUT ..Where was Inland?

The wife was out of town for a week - I never realized just how busy the home chores kept you away from things.

Like the others have stated, with the exception of the PSU the rig looks fine. If you don't plan on adding and hardware upgrades, you should be just fine.

LOL ....Your too Funny Inland

Glad you got the chores finished...

I am sooooo Happy You like the system

Thank You

Congratulations on your purchase and I hope it provides you with many years of game-playing joy.

Thanks, Jenny

I won't have it until Jan 17, that's the shipping date....

I will let everyone know when I have it up, and running...I am going to keep my XP desktop packed in the closet...Just incase I want to play an old game....

<Hugs>

Hi Everyone

I got my new computer today... Here is a Pic... Pic I am so Happy I was so scared to move on to another system, but I felt the same way when Windows 98 became obsolete....I have been playing with it all day...I must say Windows 7 is so KOOL ....

Very Happy... The system is SUPER Quiet...

Oooo, wow! Even an Alien lamp! Lol!
Congratulations, Darleen03!

Gil.

Congrats on your new computer! It looks great. I'm happy that you are happy!

That's great,Darleen03 !! Enjoy yourself to the max !!

Darlen03,

Your new computer is super cool, what are the specs on it?

This is right from the Alienware command center....Here is the Specs..







Processor(s)
•Processor
◦CPU_Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10GHz
◦CPU_Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
◦CPU_Caption: Intel64 Family 6 Model 60 Stepping 3
◦CPU_Version:
◦CPU_ProcessorId: BFEBFBFF000306C3
◦CPU_CurrentClockSpeed: 775MHz
◦CPU_AddressWidth: 64Bits
◦CPU_DataWidth: 64Bits
◦CPU_SocketDesignation: SOCKET 0
•Verified Hardware Device against Order: VARIABLEXYZ
•Verify Correct Processor Frequency

System Memory

BIOS Information
•BIOS_Manufacturer: Alienware
•BIOS_Name: BIOS Date: 09/25/13 15:31:31 Ver: 04.06.05
•BIOS_Version1: A03
•BIOS_Version2: ALWARE - 1072009

Motherboard Information
•MB_Manufacturer: Alienware
•MB_Product: 0PGRP5
•MB_SerialNumber: .B1JJDZ1.CN697023BL0124.
•MB_Version: A01

Video Adapter
•Video_Caption: Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600
•Video_AdapterRAM: -1984MB
•Video_DriverVersion: 9.18.10.3234

Hard Drive(s)
•ATA ST2000DM001-1CH1 SCSI Disk Device
◦Disk_Model: ATA ST2000DM001-1CH1 SCSI Disk Device
◦Disk_Size: 2000 GB
◦Disk_Partitions: 4
◦Disk_TotalHeads: 255
◦Disk_TotalCylinders: 243201
◦Disk_TotalTracks: 62016255
◦Disk_TracksPerCylinder: 255

Optical Drives / Other Storage
•HL-DT-ST DVDRWBD CA40N SCSI CdRom Device

OperatingSystem: MS Windows 7 Home Premium Edition

DirectXVersion: DirectX 11

IRQ Configuration
• 0 System timer
• 1 -empty-
• 2 -empty-
• 3 -empty-
• 4 -empty-
• 5 -empty-
• 6 -empty-
• 7 -empty-
• 8 System CMOS/real time clock
• 9 -empty-
• 10 -empty-
• 11 Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series SMBus Controller - 8C22
• 12 -empty-
• 13 Numeric data processor
• 14 -empty-
• 15 -empty-
• 16 Dell Wireless 1506 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz)
• 16 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 Ti OEM
• 16 Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 - 8C2D
• 17 High Definition Audio Controller
• 22 High Definition Audio Controller
• 23 Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 - 8C26
•190 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System

Miscellaneous

Final Checks

Installed Devices Drivers
•Dell Wireless 1506 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz), 11-30-2012, 9.2.0.514
•NVIDIA High Definition Audio, 6-16-2013, 1.3.26.4
•Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600, 7-9-2013, 9.18.10.3234
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Microsoft Streaming Tee/Sink-to-Sink Converter, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•HL-DT-ST DVDRWBD CA40N SCSI CdRom Device, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7601.17514
•Realtek High Definition Audio, 2-19-2013, 6.0.1.6844
•Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•ATA ST2000DM001-1CH1 SCSI Disk Device, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Microsoft Streaming Tee/Sink-to-Sink Converter, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Intel(R) Display Audio, 5-22-2013, 6.16.0.3112
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller, 1-22-2013, 12.0.0.1082
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 Ti OEM, 8-9-2013, 9.18.13.2078
•Generic volume shadow copy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Microsoft Streaming Service Proxy, 6-21-2006, 6.1.7600.16385
•Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller, 12-26-2012, 7.67.1226.2012

Burn-In/Benchmarks

So, to cut through all the clutter, I see this...

Core i5-4440 CPU @ 3.10GHz with integrated 4600 Intel graphics
GTX 760 Ti Graphics card
2TB HDD
I didn't see anything about RAM, but it's probably in there somewhere. It's supposed to be 8 GB.

Some of us had concerns about the very puny power supply that comes with this computer. Standard was 240 watts, but Darleen upped it to the still puny 330 watts.

Darleen, I did notice that it says the HDD has 4 partitions. You might need to be aware of that when you install programs or transfer files from the old computer.

It is 8GB...

The power supply is 330.....

What do you mean by 4 partitions...Please explain cause I know nothing about that?

Thanks, Drac

What you posted says

I'm guessing one partition is the restore partition, one partition is the tiny diagnostics partition, one partition is your main Windows partition. The other partition could be an empty partition or it might be something like Dell's Media Direct partition.

If you click the start button and enter
discmgmt.msc
in the search box, it will open the utility that shows your partitions.
Don't change anything unless you know what you're doing, but you can look at the size of the partitions to see what they are. At least two of them won't be visible in Windows Explorer but will show up in the Disk Management Tool.

Dell Diagnostics is tiny -- in the MB's in size.
The restore partition may be about 10 GB.
The Media Direct partition (if that's what it is) will also be about 10 GB.
If you have two large partitions (in the hundreds of GB), one will be the Windows partition and the other is probably an empty partition.

Thanks, Jenny


Will games install ok....I hope..

Everything will install just fine. I just thought you might want to check out the partition issue. I have seen HDDs partitioned into two large partitions and the owners couldn't figure out why they were running our of space. While it's a very good idea to put the OS and the data on different partitions, most people don't realize they need to do that. I'm sure these partitions are Dell specific and to be used for diagnostics, restore etc. But you might want to make sure what these partitions are for. Like Jenny says, if there are a couple of very large partitions, then you should be putting photos and files and directing programs and games to install on the empty one.

But that may not be the case - they might just be small partitions with one large partition for your OS and everything else. Then you don't need to do anything.

Actually the extra partition is probably the EFI partition, described in the 2nd post here:
http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19441985.aspx
and the wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFI_System_partition

I'd forgotten about that one.
So you probably only have one big partition to use.


Dell seems to have dumped Media Direct (which used to ship with Dell computers with Vista).
Windows 7 and 8 boot much faster than Vista, so there's really no use for Media Direct anymore.

Ah, that's good news then. One big partition makes life so much easier.

Thank You, Jenny, and Drac

I feel better now <sigh> of relief...

I hadn't loaded a game yet on it...When I do I will let you all know how it goes...

I am basically reading about the system. and checking out the tour of the alien command center as it has all sorts of system things for game play...My nephew is coming over tonight to help me learn some things as he is a pro with this system....

Thanks, Again

Have fun!

OK....We installed my nephews game Battlefield ....."Beautiful" Just Great...

Tonight I am going to buy ,and install Night of the Rabbit from the Adventure shop...

Way To Go, Darleen03 !!!! Have FUN !!!!

Installed ,Night Of The Rabbit......

All I can say is....

Install a breeze
Gameplay "Superb"

This Post you can now call it officially closed...

Thanks,Mad