7 replies to this topic

[Patrio Sioux Daltum]

I really don't know my way very much around PC gaming, so you'll have to excuse me when I start off by saying I couldn't build a rig if I worked on it, day and night, for a year. Well, maybe that's not true, but I really couldn't build a PC. It's out of my powers.... For now.

And so, in preparation for MWO, I knew I needed a new computer. My laptop right now is so bad, it can barely run Command and Conquer. I knew Alienware pretty much completely oriented towards gaming, so I turned to them. There seems to be a lot of controversy over laptops for gaming, so I'm not going to go there: I want something good and reliable, and not controversial. However, my budget is sadly limited to around a thousand bucks, so the only choice in Alienware was the X51. A lot of people seem to think this is a solid desktop, but I needed to hear it from the mwomercs community. So, I ask unto thee,

Is the Alienware X51 a good choice?

[Vulpesveritas]

Well, building a PC is simply choosing your parts, plugging in a few wires, using a phillips head screwdriver, and pressing the on button. If you're certain that that's out of what you can do, I recommend going with something other than alienware.
Here are some options I would recommend.
ibuypower and cyberpower PC are probably your best routes to go through for a custom build. Otherwise here are some newegg prebuilds;
http://www.newegg.co...e=1436%3A100185\

of which this is the fastest;
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16883229292

Edited by Vulpesveritas, 13 June 2012 - 11:16 PM.

[Patrio Sioux Daltum]

Vulpesveritas, on 13 June 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

Well, building a PC is simply choosing your parts, plugging in a few wires, using a phillips head screwdriver, and pressing the on button. If you're certain that that's out of what you can do, I recommend going with something other than alienware.
Here are some options I would recommend.
ibuypower and cyberpower PC are probably your best routes to go through for a custom build. Otherwise here are some newegg prebuilds;

Well, okay, part of this is ignorance on my part: I'd have no idea what a CPU goes and where or what it plugs into, for example. Same thing with all the important parts. Or rather, all the parts, except the most obvious ones. I can build a desk, but really not a computer.

[chumppi]

No, it's really not... Don't get Alienware or any other ready-packaged PC if you want your moneys worth. Buy components, then pay the company or build the PC yourself. Alienware is HIGHLY controversial just because of the prices.

MB: Z68 Motherboard (depending on your feature preference, they go from $80 to $200)
CPU: i5-2500k (best performance/cost ratio, very good overclocking ability) ($200)
GPU: GTX 590 or GTX 670 (~$400)
RAM: 8GB DDR3 (eg. Corsair 2x4GB 2133 mhz, $55)
HDD: 2x 1TB Samsung F3 drives in Raid0 (I haven't personally gone into SSD's yet but this is a solid combination, $100 each(damn tsunami))
Case: ? Your preference $50-$100
PSU: You wont need more than 600W good quality PSU $50-$100

Total cost: $1000-$1200, I just newegg'd the prices, you will find stuff cheaper from other places for sure.

That computer is at least 3x as powerful as X-51 and pretty much the same price.

DONT BUY PRE-PACKAGE PC'S, EVEN IF YOU PICK COMPONENTS, THE PLACE YOU BUY CAN PROBABLY BUILD IT FOR YOU FOR $50 OR LESS / GET A FRIEND TO BUILD IT FOR YOU AT YOUR HOUSE.

Edited by chumppi, 13 June 2012 - 01:04 PM.

[Striker1980]

Got to agree with these guys, one of the best things I found was motherboard CPU combos, (I had a bad experience with self building a while ago with an over heating pc).

I managed to get a core i5 processor with heatsink pre-installed, a decent motherboard and 4gb ram for not too much that just slotted right into the case. TBH after that it's a plug and play affair. The only real issues tend to be making sure you have all the right ribbons and cables but these are usually pennies form your local budget computer hardware shop.

I only needed the mobo though as my motherboard died therefore I already had the case, drives display and GPU.

Though if you totally lack IT skills perhaps it is best to be cautious.

(Most important thing, try to stop any static charge building up, IE no nylon socks on carpet and then sticking your hand on the motherboard, try to stay grounded, and never work on the PC with the Powersupply attached to the wall, one loose screw and POW $400 like that!)

[Odins Fist]

You can always build a gaming rig for less money, "BUT" if you just want to push the button and make it go the Alienware(Dell) computer you are considering is 12 pounds, in a tight little package, and with summer here, that could be concern as far as "heat" goes, or it may not depending on the enviroment you have your computer in, it also has a GTX 555 Video card with Specs listed in the link.

http://www.geforce.c.../specifications
.
http://www.dell.com/...lienware-x51/fs
.

As far as ibuypower, or cyberpower ugrade options the sky is the limit on what you want to spend as well as the Alienware(Dell) X51, and i'm not going to get into a debate over which company is better than the other because I will be accused of providing "ANECDOTAL" evidence/opinions or throwing you a "RED HERRING". So my advice would be to read as "MANY" reviews as possible on each product you are considering, and see which company has the best warranty, the best track record, and even "payment plans". (If you are on a budget), payments as low as $21.00 to $38.00 a month in the case of Alienware(Dell) X51 series.
There are so many different ways you can go, if you don't want to build the rig yourself, and if you just want to "push the button and make it go", then I would again suggest to do as much research on your own about each "Company", and all the reviews you can read, and remember this, a flashy candy apple red, or lime green case does not mean it has the best components you can get inside.
.
http://www.ibuypower.com/
.
http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/

Edited by Odins Fist, 13 June 2012 - 01:41 PM.

[Vulpesveritas]

Well, as far as needing to know where to put things, newegg has a very good tutorial. Plus most motherboards label things for you. Most things are common sense, just dont try to force the square peg in the circle hole. Lol.

Beyond that, the x51 is a slim case tower, which exceptionally limits what can go in it and reduces howveffectively it is cooled. Ibuypowervand cyberpowerpc are going to give you better eeals for your dollar.

With alienware you get... a shorter warranty, slower pc, and pretty lights.

Hence why i recommend building your own or looking at other brands at this time.

[Gremlich Johns]

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