Dell Intros Alliance and Horde XPS 1730s

Uh...WOW. Dell goes after the World of Warcraft crowd with special edition XPS 1730 notebooks with custom content and Horde or Alliance themes.

Computer maker Dell has been known to make special appeals to gamers before, what wit introducing gaming-centric systems in its high-end XPS line and then buying boutique computer maker Alienware, known for cranking out systems designed to dominate LAN parties. But Dell’s latest move not only targets gamers, it specifically targets World of Warcraft fans: a new edition of Dell’s XPS 1730 notebook not only comes with custom World of Warcraft content and pre-loaded games, but the notebooks feature custom case designs that enable player to declare their allegiance to the Alliance or Horde without ever opening their mouths.

“This truly legendary collaboration with Blizzard reinforces Dell’s commitment to design excellence and dedication to delivering the best possible gaming experience,” said Glen Robson, head of XPS systems at Dell, in a release. “World of Warcraft players can now have the ultimate system to reflect their passion for the game.”

In addition to Horde and Alliance-themed case designs, the XPS 1730 World of Warcraft editions include both World of Warcraft and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade with the latest content updates, original desktop background art and screensavers, a WOW-themed backpack with retail copies of WOW products and the latest Brady Games strategy guide for WOW,Burning Crusade,Warcraft III, and The Frozen Throne, and a special Quest Envelope with a Golden Ticket enabling customers to receive a special custom FingerPrint based on their WOW character, an Account Upgrade Certificate enabling player to get in-game Collector’s Edition pets, and a club card providing access to upcoming beta tests.

Under the Alliance/Horde hood, the XPS 1730 sports Core 2 Duo processor that can be overclocked to 3.4 GHz, options dual-drive RAID-configurable 7,200 RPM hard drives, a 17-inch widescreen display, optional Blu-ray disc capability, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an integrated camera and microphone, and an ExpressCard slot.

The World of Warcraft systems are available now to WOW players who registered during the “It Begins” quest…mere mortals will have to wait until December 11, but they can start planning their acquisition strategy now at Dell’s gaming Web site. Oh, and the price? Dell’s XPS 1730 World of Warcraft systems start at $4,449.