Alienware Rolls Out Core i7s

Dell's Alienware division has introduced Core i7-powered desktops - and, of course, they pack all the features and spare no expense.

Dell subsidiary Alienware doesn’t want to be left out of the new high-end crowd of gaming-oriented systems powered by Intel’s latest Core i7 processor, so it’s announced two new systems—the Alienware Area-51 X-58 and Area-51 ALX X-58—offering up to 12 GB of RAM, customizable lighting controls, and all the high-performance options gamers could want. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Alienware if all that came inexpensively.

"By incorporating the revolutionary capabilities of Intel Core i7 and Core i7 Extreme Edition processors into the Alienware and XPS lines of gaming systems," said Dell Gaming head Arthur Lewis, "Dell Gaming continues to lead the industry in delivering performance levels and in-game benchmarks that shatter all previously perceived limitations."

Teh X-58 is available with the 266, 294, and 3.2 GHz versions of the Core i7 processors, supports up to 12 GB of memory in six DIMM slots, and is available with a range of ATI and Nvidia single- and dual-GPU graphics cards. The systems support single hard drive and RAID configurations, dual gigabit Ethernet, 7.1/5.1 audio, eight USB 2.0 ports, two IEEE 1394b ports, an eSTATA port, and users’ choice of power supplies ranging from 750 to 1,200 Watts. The Area-51 ALX X-58 doesn’t bother offering the 2.66 GHz Core i7, adds an option for an Ageia PhysX processing unit.

Both units are available with DVD or Blu-ray optical drives, feature Alienware’s "AlienIce" cooling, the Alienware Command Center that puts user controls in an easily-accessed port, and—of course—fully customizable lighting controls, including software-controllable multi-zone lighting for event-based actions like receiving email or changing programs.

The Alienware Area-51 X-58 starts at $1,649, while the Area-51 ALX X-58 starts at $3,699…but, of course, there’s no telling what the final price will be once add-ons, options, and enhancements are tallied up.