Comments on: Dell?s World of Warcraft Notebook: Yowza!

By: Rob Enderle

Rob Enderle — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:56:20 +0000

Typically products like this are short run, a few thousand only. They did the $10,000 desktop figuring they would only sell a few and couldn't keep up with demand for 3 or 4 months. There are a group of folks that really like exclusive products and that's what keeps Dell and others building them.

By: Barry

Barry — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:58:53 +0000

Maybe Dell is creating a super expensive system because they know only a select percentage of WOW players will actually buy one. So it has to be priced high with plenty of margin to even justify building them in the first place.

I wish there was a way to figure out how many they sold….

By: Chris Morley

Chris Morley — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:49:18 +0000

I agree - the idea is absolutely sound, my quibble is with the execution.

The fact is that 10 million people play WOW because it's accessible - it plays on just about any PC you can buy off the shelf today, it's easy to get into, and it's fun and addictive. I'd say the same goes for Sims 2.

But when you place such a high price of admission - in this case the cost of this laptop, I wonder how that shrinks the target market? We're getting into luxury good territory, and I'm not sure how that intersects the demand curve of your average WOW player...

Just me thinking out loud!

By: Ian Bell

Ian Bell — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:55:06 +0000

While I agree that the system specs are overboard for a game like WOW, the whole marketing focus is brilliant.

There are no better marketing strategy than getting a particular user base to believe in your product enough to promote it for you. Look at Apple fans for example.

If WOW users do decide this laptop is a great product, Dell will have just scored a huge win.

By: Chris Morley

Chris Morley — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:36:39 +0000

Products like this bring to light the disconnect between marketing, product development, and customer demand.

There are roughly 10 million or so WOW players. It's no secret that PC companies would love to have a significant piece of this business. However, this laptop is wholly unsuited for the target market.

First - there is no reason for SLI graphics with WOW - it's not an intensive engine, period. In fact, it is enjoyable on many integrated graphics solutions. That's not to say that a single 8700 would go to waste. Surely you'd be able to play at the highest resolutions with all the effects turned on.

Secondly, and probably most telling, is that the PhysX processor does not help with WOW - AT ALL. Not in the slightest. If Dell had figured out a way to integrate a Killer NIC in that machine (another luxury niche upgrade), then I'd say they've done some homework.

But as it stands, this laptop is more appropriate for a game like Unreal Tournament 3, which will make full use of SLI graphics and PhysX.