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Alienware

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Alienware Corporation
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryComputer hardware
FoundedOctober 24, 1996; 28 years ago (1996-10-24)[1][2] (as Saikai of Miami, Inc.)
FoundersNelson Gonzalez, Alex Aguila
HeadquartersThe Hammocks,
Ormond Beach, Florida
,
United States
Key people
Michael Dell (CEO)
ProductsDesktops
Notebooks
Peripherals
Monitors
Number of employees
490[3]
ParentDell
Websitedell.com/en-us/gaming/alienware/

Alienware Corporation is an American computer hardware subsidiary brand of Dell. Their product range is dedicated to gaming computers and accessories and can be identified by their alien-themed designs.[4] Alienware was founded in 1996 by Nelson Gonzalez and Alex Aguila.[5][6] The development of the company is also associated with Frank Azor,[7] Arthur Lewis,[8][9] Joe Balerdi,[10] and Michael S. Dell (CEO). The company's corporate headquarters is located in The Hammocks, Miami, Florida.[11]

History

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Founding

[edit]

Alienware was established in 1996 as Saikai of Miami, Inc. by Nelson Gonzalez and Alex Aguila, two childhood friends. It assembles desktops, notebooks, workstations, and PC gaming consoles.[12][13][14][15] According to employees, the name "Alienware" was chosen because of the founders' fondness for the hit television series The X-Files, which also inspired the science-fiction themed names of product lines such as Area-51, Hangar 18, and Aurora.[16] In 1997, the corporation changed its name to Alienware.

Acquisition by Dell

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Dell had considered buying Alienware as early as 2002, but did not go through with the purchase until March 2006.[17][18] As a subsidiary of Dell, Alienware retains control of its design and marketing while benefiting from Dell's purchasing power, economies of scale, and supply chain, which lowered its operating costs.[18]

Initially, Dell maintained its competing XPS line of gaming PCs, often selling computers with similar specifications, which may have hurt Alienware's market share within its market segment.[19][20] Due to corporate restructuring in the spring of 2008, the XPS brand was scaled down, and the desktop line was eliminated, leaving only XPS notebooks,[20] but XPS desktop models had returned by the end of the year.[21] Product development of gaming PCs was consolidated with Dell's gaming division, with Alienware becoming Dell's premier gaming brand.[22][23] On June 2, 2009, The M17x was introduced as the first Alienware/Dell branded system. This launch also expanded Alienware's global reach from six to 35 countries while supporting 17 different languages.[24]

Products (after acquisition by Dell)

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Windows OS-based consoles

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Alienware announced that it would be releasing a series of video game consoles starting in 2014, aiming to compete with Sony's PlayStation 4, Nintendo's Wii U, and Microsoft's Xbox One.[25] The first version in this series, the Alpha, ran Windows 8.1.[26] The operating system and ability to play PC games is what separates the Alpha from the eighth generation of video game consoles. At E3 2016, Alienware announced the second rendition of the Alpha, the Alpha R2. The R2 adds 6th generation Intel processors, a choice of either AMD's Radeon R9 M470X or Nvidia's GeForce 960 graphics cards, and support for Alienware's proprietary Graphics Amplifier. It also ships with Windows 10.[27]

Graphics Amplifier

[edit]

The Graphics Amplifier allows an Alienware laptop to run most full length (or smaller, non-hybrid) desktop GPUs.[28] A proprietary PCIe 3.0 ×4 cable is used instead of the Thunderbolt 3 cable used on most other eGPUs.[29]

Laptops

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18 inch

  • M18x (discontinued) – Introduced in 2011, it is considered a replacement for the original M17x design, but with a bigger chassis, a screen up to 18.4 inches (47 cm), dual MXM 3.0B GPU support, special keyboard macros, and up to 32 GB of DDR3-1600 MHz RAM. Shipped with Intel Sandy Bridge processors and the option of single or dual AMD Radeon 6870M/6970M/6990M Radeon HD 6000 series GPU(s), single or dual Nvidia GeForce 500 series GPU(s). Factory CPU overclocking was also an available option.
  • M18x-R2 (discontinued) – 2012 revision of the M18x; originally shipped with Intel Sandy Bridge processors, later shipped with updated with Intel Ivy Bridge processors, single or dual Nvidia GeForce 600 series GPU(s), single or dual AMD Radeon HD 7970M Radeon HD 7000 series GPU(s), up to 32 GB of DDR3-1600 MHz, and optional factory overclock.
  • Alienware 18 (discontinued) – 2013 refresh of the M18x; updated with Intel Haswell Processors, single or dual Nvidia GeForce 700 series GPU(s), single or dual AMD Radeon R9 M290X GPU(s), and up to 32 GB of DDR3L-1600 MHz RAM, and 1 TB RAID 0 SSDs along with facelift with new design. Marketed as "Alienware 18" but listed in some countries as "M18XR3 Viking".[30]
  • Alienware 18 R2 (2014) (discontinued) – 2014 Updated version of the Alienware 18 or "M18x R3"; updated with Intel Haswell micro architecture processors, single or dual Nvidia GeForce 800 series GPU(s), up to 32 GB of DDR3-1600 MHz, and optional overclock.
  • Alienware 18 R3 (2015) (discontinued) – 2015 version was a limited re-release of the previous Alienware 18, with updated dual Nvidia GeForce 900 series GPUs and up to 32 GB of DDR3L-1600 MHz.
  • Alienware m18 (2023) – The new version of the Alienware m series featuring 18-inch display, 13th-gen Intel Core / Ryzen 7000 series CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPU.[31]

17 inch

  • M17x (discontinued) – Introduced in 2009, it is the first laptop released by Alienware after the company was bought by Dell. The name and some of the design is based on the Alienware 17-inch laptop, the Alienware M17.
  • M17x-R2 (discontinued) – 2010 revision of the M17x, adding support for Intel i5 and i7 processors, dual MXM 3.0B graphic cards.
  • M17x-R3 (discontinued) – 2011 revision of the M17x, changes from aluminium chassis to a simplified plastic design, 3D Ready through a 120 Hz screen. Removes Dual-GPU capability.
  • M17x-R4 (discontinued) – 2012 revision of the M17x, updated with Windows 8, Intel Ivybridge Processors and Nvidia GeForce 600 series or the AMD Radeon HD 7970M.
  • Alienware 17 (discontinued) – 2013 refresh of the M17x, updated with Intel Haswell Processors and Nvidia GeForce 700 series GPUs or the AMD R9 M290X with new facelift and body design. Marketed as "Alienware 17" but listed in some countries and order details as "M17XR5 Ranger". Updated with Nvidia GeForce 800 series in 2014
  • Alienware 17 R2 (discontinued) – 2015 revision of the Alienware 17, updated with Nvidia GeForce 900 series. Features FHD matte display or FHD touch display. A port on the rear for graphics amplifier. This model introduced BGA mounted CPU and GPU, removing the ability to replace the CPU or GPU without changing the entire motherboard.
  • Alienware 17 R3 (discontinued) – 2015 refresh of the Alienware 17, Windows 10 available. Features FHD overclocking display. Ultra HD IGZO display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 900 series with 4 GB GDDR5 and 8 GB GDDR5 option.
  • Alienware 17 R4 (discontinued) – 2016 Alienware 17 (2016), Windows 10. Features 6th / 7th generation Intel CPU, Tobii eye tracking, Ultra HD display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 1000 series with up to 8 GB GDDR5.
  • Alienware 17 R5 (discontinued) – 2018 Alienware 17 (2018), Windows 10. Features Tobii eye tracking, Ultra HD display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 1000 series with up to 8 GB GDDR5, 8th / 9th generation of Intel processors.
  • Alienware M17 (discontinued) – 2018 Thin and light gaming laptop for 17" category. Comes with 8th Gen Intel CPU up to Core i9-8950HK, RTX 2070 Max-Q, 16 GB of RAM and 17.3 inches (44 cm) 1080p display with optional 4K upgrade.[32]
  • Alienware Area-51m (discontinued) – 2019 desktop replacement gaming laptop with a desktop CPU, up to Intel Core i9-9900K (from i7 8700 to i9 9900K), 128 GB of upgradeable memory, upgradeable GPU (ships with GTX 1080 but will be upgraded to RTX 2080) and overclockable as well. Also features two power adapters and new Legend design language for Alienware.[33][34]
  • Alienware M17 R2 (discontinued) – 2019 Thin and light gaming laptop for 17" category, replace the M17 after 6 months of announcing. Comes with 9th Gen Intel CPU up to Core i9-9980HK, up to RTX 2080 Max-Q, 16 GB of RAM and 17.3 inches (44 cm) 1080p display with optional 4K upgrade. The Alienware m17 R2 will be based on the same design language and chassis material as the beefier 17.3-inch Area-51M.[35]
  • Alienware Area-51m R2 (discontinued) – 2020 Alienware took the world's first fully upgradable gaming laptop and added the latest 10th-gen Intel processors and an optional 4K screen — a first for the Area-51 lineup.[36][37]
  • Alienware M17 R3 (discontinued) – 2020 Thin and light gaming laptop for the 17" category. Comes with 10th generation Intel CPU up to Core i9-10980HK, up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8 GB GDDR6, 32 GB of RAM and 17.3-inch (44 cm) 3840 × 2160 60 Hz 25 ms 500 cd/m2 100% Adobe RGB color gamut display with Tobii Eye tracking technology.
  • Alienware M17 R4 (discontinued) – 2021 Thin and light gaming laptop for the 17" category. Equipped with 10th generation Intel CPU up to Core i9-10980HK, up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16 GB GDDR6 Graphics Card, 32 GB DDR4 RAM at 2933 MHz, 17.3-inch (44 cm) 3840 × 2160 60 fps.[38] The RTX 3080 also includes support for ray tracing and DLSS.[39]
  • Alienware X17 R1 (discontinued) – 2021 Thin and light gaming laptop for the 17" category. Equipped with 11th generation Intel CPU up to Core i9-11900H, up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16 GB GDDR6 Graphics Card, 32 GB DDR4 RAM at 3466 MHz, 17.3-inch (44 cm) 3840 × 2160 60 fps. Thinnest 17-inch Alienware laptop so far.[40]
  • Alienware M17 R5 – 2022 Thin and light gaming laptop for the 17" category. Equipped with 6th generation AMD CPU up to Ryzen 9 6900HX, up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080Ti 16 GB GDDR6 Graphics Card, 32 GB DDR5 RAM at 4800 MHz, 17.3-inch (44 cm) 3840 × 2160 60 fps.
  • Alienware X17 R2 – 2022 Thin and light gaming laptop for the 17" category. Equipped with 12th-generation Intel CPU up to Core i9-12900H, up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080Ti 16 GB GDDR6 Graphics Card, 32 GB DDR5 RAM at 4800 MHz, 17.3-inch (44 cm) 3840 × 2160 60 fps. Thinnest 17-inch Alienware laptop so far.[41][42]

16 inch

  • Alienware m16 (2023) – The new version of the Alienware m series featuring 16-inch display, 13th-gen Intel Core / Ryzen 7000 series CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPU.[43]

15 inch

Alienware M15x
  • M15x (discontinued) – 2010 With 1st generation Intel i3/i5/i7 and Nvidia GeForce 200 series.
  • Alienware 15 (discontinued) – 2015 revision of the M15x, updated with Intel Haswell Processors and Nvidia GeForce 900 series. Features FHD matte display or UHD touch display. Features a port on the rear for graphics amplifier.
  • Alienware 15 R2 (discontinued) – 2015 refresh of the Alienware 15, updated with Intel Skylake processors and using the same NVIDIA graphics chipsets. Uses same FHD and 4K UHD screens and graphics amplifier port on the rear.
  • Alienware 15 R3 (discontinued) – 2016 Alienware 15 (2016), Windows 10. 6th / 7th gen Intel CPU, 1080p standard display and Ultra HD 4K display and 120 Hz TN+WVA Anti-Glare 400 nit NVIDIA G-SYNC Enabled Display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 1000 series with up to 8 GB GDDR5.
  • Alienware 15 R4 (discontinued) – Early 2018 Alienware 15 (2018), Windows 10. Features Tobii eye tracking, Ultra HD Display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 1000 series with up to 8 GB GDDR5, 8th / 9th gen Intel CPU (i7 8750H or i9 8950HK)
  • Alienware M15 (discontinued) – 2018 thin and light gaming laptop. 1080p standard display and Ultra HD 4K display and 144 Hz IPS 1080p display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 1000 series with up to a GTX 2070 Max-Q design.
  • Alienware M15 R2 (discontinued) – 2019 thin and light gaming laptop. 1080p standard display and 60 Hz Ultra HD 4K display, 144 Hz IPS 1080p, and 240 Hz IPS 1080p display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 20 series with up to a RTX 2080 Max-Q, 9th gen Intel CPU.
  • Alienware M15 R3 (discontinued) – 2020 thin and light gaming laptop. 1080p standard display and 60 Hz Ultra HD 4K display, 144 Hz IPS 1080p, and 240 Hz IPS 1080p display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 20 series with up to a RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, 10th gen Intel CPU.
  • Alienware M15 R4 (discontinued) – Early 2021 thin and light gaming laptop. 1920 × 1080 standard display and 60 Hz 3840 × 2160 display, 144 Hz IPS 1920 × 1080, and 300 Hz IPS display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 30 series with up to a RTX 3080 mobile and Intel 10th generation CPU. Features Tobii eye tracking with 3840 × 2160 variant.[44]
  • Alienware M15 R5 (discontinued) – 2021 thin and light gaming laptop. 1920 × 1080 standard display and 60 Hz 3840 × 2160 display, 144 Hz IPS 1920 × 1080, and 300 Hz IPS display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 30 series with up to a RTX 3080 mobile and AMD Ryzen 5th generation CPU. Features Tobii eye tracking with 3840 × 2160 variant.
  • Alienware M15 R6 (discontinued) – 2021 thin and light gaming laptop. 1920 × 1080 standard display and 60 Hz 3840 × 2160 display, 144 Hz IPS 1920 × 1080, and 300 Hz IPS display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 30 series with up to a RTX 3080 mobile and Intel 11th generation CPU. Features Tobii eye tracking with 3840 × 2160 variant.
  • Alienware X15 R1 (discontinued) – 2021 thin and light gaming laptop, updated with Intel 11th gen Alder Lake processors and Nvidia RTX 30 series GPUs. Thinnest 15-inch Alienware laptop so far.
  • Alienware M15 R7 – 2022 thin and light gaming laptop. 1920 × 1080 standard display and 60 Hz 3840 × 2160 display, 144 Hz IPS 1920 × 1080, and 300 Hz IPS display also available, as well as a Nvidia GeForce 30 series with up to a RTX 3080 mobile and Intel 12th generation CPU. Features Tobii eye tracking with 3840 × 2160 variant.[45][46][47]
  • Alienware X15 R2 – 2022 refresh of the X15 R1, updated with Intel 12th gen Alder Lake processors and Nvidia RTX 30 series GPUs. Thinnest 15-inch Alienware laptop so far.

14 inch

Alienware M14x
  • M14x (discontinued) – Introduced in 2011 as a replacement for the M15x, with Nvidia GeForce 500 series and support for Intel i5 and i7 processors.
  • M14x-R2 (discontinued) – 2012 revision of the M14x, updated with Intel Ivy Bridge processors and Nvidia GeForce 600 series and Blu-ray slot drive.
  • Alienware 14 (discontinued) – 2013 refresh of the M14x, updated with Intel Haswell Processors and Nvidia GeForce 700 series and Blu-ray slot drive with new facelift and body design. It also features an IPS display. Marketed as "Alienware 14" but listed in some countries and order details as "M14XR3".
  • Alienware X14 – 2022 refresh of the 14, updated with Intel 12th-gen Alder Lake processors and Nvidia RTX 30 series GPUs.

13 inch

  • Alienware 13 (discontinued) – Introduced in 2014 as a replacement for the M11x, with Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M and ULV Intel Haswell and Broadwell i5 or i7 processors. Features HD or FHD matte displays or QHD touch display. Alienware's thinnest gaming laptop to date. Updated with Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M in 2015. A port on the rear for graphics amplifier.
  • Alienware 13 R2 (discontinued) – 2015 refresh of the Alienware 13 featuring ULV Intel Skylake processors. It retains the same Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M from the previous generation.
  • Alienware 13 R3 – Refreshed 2016 Alienware 13 featuring either a 13.3 inches (34 cm) FHD (1920 × 1080) IPS Anti-Glare 300 nit display or a 13.3-inch QHD (2560 × 1440) OLED Anti-Glare 400 cd/m2 Display with Touch Technology. It is equipped with a Nvidia GeForce 1000 series GTX 1060 with 6 GB GDDR5. This generation also saw the use of the H-series quad-core CPUs as opposed to the ULV CPUs.

11.6 inch

Alienware M11x
  • M11x (discontinued) – First introduced in early 2010, it was the smallest-size gaming laptop from Alienware. It was equipped with 1 GB DDR3 RAM and a Penryn dual-core processor, with a Pentium SU4100 at the entry-level and a Core 2 Duo SU7300 at the top. Driving the 11.6 inches (29 cm) screen were two video processors, a GMA 4500MHD integrated and a discrete Nvidia GeForce GT 335M.
  • M11x-R2 (discontinued) – The late 2010 revision, it used ULV Intel Arrandale Core i5 and i7 processors. The revision also added a rubberized "soft-touch" exterior to the design. The same GT 335M was used for video; however, NVIDIA's Optimus technology had been added to automatically switch between it and the still-used GMA 4500MHD.
  • M11x-R3 (discontinued) – The 2011 revision, it added support for the second generation of Intel's Mobility series Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. It also provided a 500 GB 7200 RPM HDD. It included the Nvidia GeForce GT 540M and integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000. A second revision of the motherboard design used on the R3 series came in Q4 2011, although on a limited amount of laptops. This version used the Nvidia GeForce GT 550M.

In 2012, Alienware announced that they would discontinue the M11x model due to decreasing consumer interest in small form factor gaming laptops.[48] The company went on to offer refreshed models for the rest of their laptop range: the M14x, M17x, and M18x.[49]

Desktops

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Aurora

  • Aurora R1 (discontinued) – This model was based on the Intel's X58 platform (LGA 1366 Socket). It shared identical hardware with the Aurora ALX R1. The Aurora R1 is equipped with 1st Gen Intel Core i7 and i7 Extreme processors. In order of model number: 920, 930, 940, 950, 960, 965, 975 (quad core), 980X, 990X (six core). Sealed liquid cooling units for the processors came factory installed. The R1 used triple channel memory and had dedicated graphics card options from AMD's HD 5000 series line as well as Nvidia GeForce 400 series and Nvidia GeForce 500 series line. Power supply options included 525 W, 875 W, and 1000 W output power. Both SLI and CrossFireX were supported.
  • Aurora R2 (discontinued) – This was the second revision of the Aurora, and the first Alienware desktop to be sold in retail chains such as Best Buy. It was based on Intel's P55 platform (LGA 1156 Socket). Processors include the Core i5 and i7 (first generation Lynnfield quad core only). In order of model number: i5-750, i5-760, i7-860, i7-870, i7-875 and i7-880. Sealed liquid cooling units for the processors came factory installed. The R2 used dual channel memory and had dedicated graphics card options including AMD Radeon HD 5000 series, Nvidia GeForce 400 series and Nvidia GeForce 500 series. Power supply options were 525 W or 875 W. Both SLI and CrossFireX were supported.
  • Aurora R3 (discontinued) – This was the third revision of the Aurora. It was based on Intel's P67 platform (LGA 1155 Socket). Processors included Core i5 and i7 processors only (second generation quad core Sandy Bridge). In order of model number: i5-2300, i5-2400, i5-2500, i5-2500K, i7-2600, i7-2600K. Sealed liquid cooling units for the processors came factory installed. The R3 used dual channel memory and had dedicated graphics card options including AMD Radeon HD 5000 series and Radeon HD 5000 series as well as Nvidia GeForce 400 series and Nvidia GeForce 500 series. Power supply options were 525 W and 875 W. Both SLI and CrossFireX were supported.
  • Aurora R4 (discontinued) – This is the fourth revision of the Aurora. It is based on Intel's X79 platform (LGA 2011 socket). This model shares identical hardware with the Aurora ALX (R4). Processors include Core i7 processors only (third generation quad core and hexacore Sandy Bridge Extreme). In order of model number: i7-3820, i7-3930K (six core) and i7-3960X (six core). Sealed liquid cooling units for the processors came factory installed. The R4 is the first to use quad channel memory and has Dedicated graphics card options including AMD Radeon HD 6000 series and Radeon HD 7000 series as well as Nvidia GeForce 500 series. Nvidia GeForce 600 series were added later in the year. Power supply options were 525 W and 875 W. Both SLI and CrossFireX were supported. The optional ALX chassis offered thermal controlled venting, tool-less/wireless hard drive bays, internal theater lighting and an extra array of external LEDs. Coupled with the TactX keyboard and mouse it offered up to 25 billion lighting color combinations.
  • Aurora R5 (discontinued) – The fifth revision of the Aurora was announced on June 13, 2016, and was available to purchase June 14, 2016. The updated Aurora was given a facelift and ergonomic handle on the top of the case and is the first of its kind to offer tool-less upgrades to graphics cards, hard drives, and memory. The Aurora was being marketed as being VR ready out of the box, even so far as being HTC Vive Optimized and Oculus Certified. The base model was released with an MSRP of US$799.99 and adding all the extra hardware can cost the consumer up to US$4,189.99. The processor options are Intel based; i3-6100, i5-6400, i5-6600K, i7-6700, and i7-6700K. The Aurora R5 was released during the transitioning phase between the GeForce 900 series and GeForce 10 series graphics cards, and the list was extensive; GTX 950 with 2 GB GDDR5, GTX 960 with 2 GB GDDR5, GTX 970 with 4 GB GDDR5, GTX 980 with 4 GB GDDR5, and the GTX 980 Ti with 6 GB GDDR5, all of which could also be put in SLI. Alienware, however, would only allow one GTX 1070 with 8 GB GDDR5 or one GTX 1080 with 8 GB GDDR5X to be installed at launch. Consumers were also allowed to purchase but one GPU from AMD, the Radeon R9 370 with 4 GB GDDR5 (CrossFire R9 370 was optional). PSU choices were 460 W or 850 W, or a liquid cooled 850 W PSU. Hard drive and SSD options ranged from 1 TB and 256 GB, respectively to 2 TB and 1 TB, respectively. RAM was available at launch between 8–64 GB of DDR4 all clocked at 2133 MHz.[50]
  • Aurora R6 (discontinued) – The sixth revision was announced on February 22, 2017. According to Windows Central, "The Aurora R6 is only a mild refresh over the previous generation R5, with the main attraction being the new 7th Generation Kaby Lake processors from Intel."[citation needed] There are dozens of factory-built combinations possible. Four processors to choose from i5-7400, i5-7600k, i7-7700, i7-7700k. Video cards offered include AMD RX 460, 470, 480, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070, 1080, 1080 Ti (11 GB), Titan X (12 GB), Dual RX 460 (Crossfire Enabled), Dual GTX 1070 (SLI Enabled), Dual GTX 1080 (SLI Enabled), Dual GTX 1080 Ti (SLI Enabled), Dual GTX Titan X (SLI Enabled). Memory options start at 8 GB and max out at 64 GB. Factory-installed storage can be a single drive (7200 RPM drive or PCIe SSD) or dual drive including both. Standard PSU or one with liquid cooling in 450 W or 850 W is offered in Aurora R6.
  • Aurora R7 (discontinued) – The Aurora R7 included 8th Gen Intel Cores.[51][better source needed]
  • Aurora R8 (discontinued) – The Aurora R8 included 9th Gen Intel Cores.[52]
  • Aurora R9 (discontinued) – The Aurora R9 was first made available to purchase August 20, 2019. It comes in both Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon color options.[53]
  • Aurora R10 – The Aurora R10 features AMD's Ryzen CPUs.[54]
  • Aurora R11 (discontinued) – The Aurora is similar to the R10 but with Intel CPUs. The R11 was released on May 13, 2020.[55]
  • Aurora R12 (discontinued) – The Aurora R12 Was available to purchase on March 19, 2021. It had the Intel 11th Gen Cores.[56]
  • Aurora R13 – The Aurora R13 became available to purchase on October 27, 2021. It brought in several new features and specifications, including more decoration, a bigger chassis for more airflow, and higher available specs. The R13 has several options for design available, including a clear side panel on the left side of the machine, letting you view all the RGB inside, along with an added bar at the top of the panel inside, featuring the word "Alienware", in RGB. The R13 also made available the RTX 3070, 3070 Ti, 3080, 3080 Ti, and 3090, leading to increased performance, and bringing in the newer 12th gen Alder Lake intel core i9. This system also brought the CryoTech cooling option, which was influenced from an Alienware employees rant about the Intel chip's heat problem, influencing the engineers to make a solution. (Default color is Static Blue)
  • Aurora R14 – The Aurora R14 is nearly identical to the R13, with the only difference being that the R14 is for AMD processors, not Intel processors. (Default color is Static Red)
  • Aurora R15 – The Aurora R15 was released on November 10, 2022. This was a more incremental release, as the major changes are upgrades of components (such as the upgrade to 13th generation Intel Core processors, and 40 series Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs.) Additionally, half of the side panel was replaced with venting to improve airflow. Another version of the R15 was released that resembles the R14, as the Intel Core processors are swapped with AMD Ryzen processors.

Aurora ALX

  • ALX (R1) (discontinued) – This model is based on the Intel's X58 platform (LGA 1366 socket). This model shared the identical hardware with the Aurora R1. The ALX R1 is equipped with 1st generation Intel Core i7 and i7 Extreme processors. In order of model number: 920, 930, 940, 950, 960, 965, 975 (quad core), 980X, 990X (six core). Sealed liquid cooling units for the processors came factory installed. The R1 used triple channel memory and had graphics card options from AMD's Radeon HD 5000 series, Nvidia's GeForce 400 series and Nvidia's GeForce 500 series line. Power supply options included 525 W or 875 W. Power supply and motherboard supports both SLI and CrossFireX. The ALX (X58 platform) was offered from the beginning alongside the Aurora R1, R2 and R3. It offered thermal controlled venting, toolless/wireless hard drive bays, internal theater lighting and an extra array of external LEDs. Coupled with the TactX keyboard and mouse it offered up to 25 billion lighting color combinations.

Area-51

Area-51 ALX R1
  • Area-51 R1 (discontinued) – This model is based on the Intel X58 platform (LGA 1366 socket). This model shares identical hardware with the Area 51 ALX. The Area-51 R1 is equipped with 1st Gen Intel Core i7 and i7 Extreme processors. In order of model number: 920, 930, 940, 950, 960, 975 (quad core), 980X, 990X (six core). The Area 51 used triple channel memory and had graphics card options from AMD's Radeon HD 5000 series, Radeon HD 6000 series and Nvidia's GeForce 400 series and GeForce 500 series. Power Supply options included 1000 W or 1100 W. Power supply and motherboard supports both SLI and CrossFireX. The Area 51 was offered from the beginning alongside the Aurora R1, R2, R3 and the Aurora ALX (R1). It offered thermal-controlled active venting, tool-less hard drive bays, internal theater lighting and an array of external LEDs. Area-51 was offered in either semi-gloss black or lunar shadow (silver) finishes, with a non-motorized front push-panel. Command Center software and AlienFX features are offered via a discrete master I/O daughterboard.
  • Area-51 ALX R1 (discontinued) – Alienware's most expensive desktop to date ($5000–$7000 US fully equipped), ALX offered every available option as the standard model (see above); ALX is distinguished from the standard model by its matte black anodized aluminium chassis, and motorized front panel powered by a dedicated ALX-specific master I/O daughterboard.
  • Area-51 R2 (discontinued) – unveiled late August 2014 – available October 2014; newly redesigned Triad chassis; Intel x99 Chipset, support for socket LGA 2011-3 Intel Haswell-E processors; 2133 MHz DDR4 memory; up to 1500 W power supply; support for 3-way/4-way SLI graphics; liquid cooling and the return of Command Center 4.0 with AlienFX/overclocking features via front I/O daughterboard.
  • Area-51 R3 (discontinued)
  • Area-51 R4 (discontinued) – The fourth revision of the Area-51 was announced at E3 2017. The base model was released with an MSRP of US$1899.99 and adding all the extra hardware can cost the consumer up to US$6,659.99. The Area 51 R4 is based on the Intel X299 chipset and the processor options include Intel based; Core i7-7800X, Core i7-7820X, Core i9-7900X Core i9-7920X, Core i9-7960X and Core i9-7980XE. Memory options include 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB DDR4 2400 MHz memory or 8 GB, 16 GB or 32 GB of HyperX DDR4 2933 MHz memory (64 GB kits sold separately). The Area-51 R4 was configurable with Nvidia GeForce 10 series, AMD RX Vega series or AMD Radeon 500 series graphics cards. Video cards offered include AMD RX 580, RX Vega 64, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 1060, 1070, 1080, 1080 Ti (11 GB), liquid cooled 1080 (8 GB), Dual GTX 1070 (SLI Enabled), Dual GTX 1070 Ti (SLI Enabled), Dual GTX 1080 (SLI Enabled), Dual GTX 1080 Ti (SLI Enabled), triple AMD Radeon RX 570 or RX 580. Available PSU choices were 850 W or 1500 W. Storage options ranged from a 2 TB hard drive, 128 GB M.2 SATA, or 256 GB to 1 TB M.2 PCIe SSD.

Area-51 Threadripper Edition

  • Area-51 R4 (discontinued) – The fourth revision of the Area-51 was announced at E3 2017, and the first Area-51 model to be sold with AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. The base model was released with an MSRP of US$2399.99 and adding all the extra hardware can cost the consumer up to US$5,799.99. The Area 51 R4 Threadripper Edition is based on the AMD X399 chipset and the processor options include Ryzen Threadripper 1900X, 1920X and 1950X. Memory options include 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB DDR4 2400 MHz memory or 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of HyperX DDR4 2933 MHz memory. The Area-51 R4 was configurable with Nvidia GeForce 10 series or AMD RX 580 graphics cards, which include; GTX 1060 6 GB, GTX 1070 8 GB, GTX 1070 Ti 8 GB, GTX 1080 8 GB, GTX 1080 Ti 11 GB, or an AMD RX 580 8 GB. Available PSU choices were 850 W or 1500 W. Storage options ranged from a 2 TB hard drive, 128 GB M.2 SATA, or 256 GB to 1 TB M.2 PCIe SSD.

X51

  • R1 (discontinued) – This model is equipped with a choice of 2nd or 3rd Gen Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce 500 or 600 series GPUs.
  • R2 (discontinued) – This model is equipped with 4th Gen Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce 700 series GPUs.
  • R3 (discontinued) – This model is equipped with 6th Gen Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce 900 series GPUs. Added port for graphics amplifier. The hard drive is 256 GB M.2 SSD 6 Gbit/s main plus 1 TB 7200 RPM storage.

Video game console hybrids

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Alienware Alpha

  • Alienware Alpha (discontinued) – A PC/console hybrid introduced in 2014. It contains a custom-built Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M; a Core i3, i5, or i7 Intel Processor, depending on what model is purchased, up to 8 GB of RAM; and between 500 GB and 2 TB of hard drive space.
  • Alienware Alpha R2 (discontinued) – Alienware's update to the small form factor released on June 13, 2016. It contains (depending on customer choice) an AMD Radeon R9 M470X GPU with 2 GB GDDR5 memory or an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 GPU with 4 GB GDDR5. The processor line chosen this rendition are 6th generation Intel processors; the i3-6100T, i5-6400T, or i7-6700T. The RAM from factory comes in either 1 stick of 8 GB or 16 GB configurations of DDR4 memory clocked at 2133 MHz, and the system comes with one SO-DIMM slot. Hard-drive options have been expanded to include a HDD, SSD, or both. The HDD comes in one size, 1 TB at 7200 RPM, whilst the SSD is available in the M.2 mini-PCIe standard ranging in sizes between 256 GB to 1 TB. The new console also has a Graphics Amplifier slot with all models except the AMD Radeon R9 M470X equipped variant. The console ships with Windows 10.[57]

Headsets

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  • Alienware AW988 (2017) • 7.1 virtual surround sound via USB and AWCC. • Weight: 380 g • Wireless connectivity • Wired connectivity (USB and jack) • Customizable RGB lighting • Detachable noise-canceling microphone
  • Alienware AW510H (2019) • 7.1 virtual surround sound via USB and AWCC. • Weight: 370 g • Wired connectivity (USB and jack) • Comfort-focused design with memory foam earpads • Target Market: Customers looking for satisfactory performance.
  • Alienware AW310H (2019) • Wired connectivity (Only supports jack) • Weight: 350 g • 50 mm high-resolution drivers • Flip-up boom microphone • Lightweight and durable construction • Only connects via 3.5 mm jack, making it a stereo-only headset. • Target Market: Customers looking for confort and an economic model.
  • AW920H (2022) • Weight: 300 g • Dolby Atmos® Virtual Surround Sound • Wireless connectivity. • Wired connectivity (USB and jack) • Customizable RGB lighting • Headset touch controls
  • AW720H (2023) • Wireless connectivity. • Wired connectivity (USB and jack) • Weight: 348 g • This headset has mostly the same features as AW920H but instead of having a touch control system there are buttons.
  • AW520H (2023) • Weight: 337 g • Wired connectivity (USB and jack) • This headset has mostly the same features as AW720H, except the AW520H has no wireless capability.

Monitors

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  • AW3821DW
  • AW3423DW
  • AW3423DWF
  • AW2721D
  • AW2723DF
  • AW2524H
  • AW2523HF
  • AW2725DF
  • AW3225QF

Alienware monitors use a standard naming convention system for their product names.

  • First two characters: Represents that it is an Alienware monitor, typically AW.
  • Characters three and four: Represents the screen size.
  • Characters five and six: Represents the release year.

The ending characters represent a mix of features, as follows.

  • H=1080p resolution
  • D=1440p resolution
  • Q=4K resolution
  • W=Ultrawide
  • G=NVIDIA G-Sync support
  • F=AMD FreeSync support

See also

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References

[edit]
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  2. ^ "Detail by Entity Name". Sunbiz.org. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  3. ^ "Alienware Corporation". Hoover's. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  4. ^ "The History of Alienware". Alienware Arena. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  5. ^ Hill, Brandon (November 18, 2019). "ASUS Gaming Marketing Chief Vivian Lien To Replace Frank Azor As VP Of Dell And Alienware Gaming". HotHardware. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "Meet Vivian Lien, The Woman Leading Alienware & PC Gaming To A More Inclusive Future". India Times. January 17, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Savov, Vlad (June 25, 2019). "Alienware co-founder leaves Dell to become AMD's chief gaming architect". The Verge. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  8. ^ Stenger, Mike (January 18, 2012). "Alienware Launches X51 Slim Desktop PC With Serious Gaming Performance". The Inquisitr. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  9. ^ Ngo, Allen (March 24, 2011). "Alienware vice president hints at wireless HDMI integration". notebookcheck.net.
  10. ^ "Attracting Talent And Money To South Florida's Technology Industry". WLRN. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  11. ^ Dahlberg, Nancy (May 4, 2014). "Game on! Video gaming industry growing in South Florida". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  12. ^ Chacos, Brad (June 9, 2014). "Meet Alienware's Alpha console, a Steam Machine without SteamOS (for now)". PCWorld. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  13. ^ Leather, Antony (August 27, 2015). "Alienware Launches Three New Gaming Laptops". Forbes. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
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  15. ^ "Dell to Buy Alienware, a Maker of High-End PC's for Gamers". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 23, 2006. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Pain, John (March 13, 2006). "Alienware racks up gamers, and millions". USA Today. The Associated Press. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
  17. ^ Nguyen, Tuan (March 22, 2006). "Dell Buys Alienware". DailyTech.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
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  25. ^ Broekhuijsen, Niels (June 10, 2014). "Alienware's Alpha Gaming Console: What is it?". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
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  27. ^ Ackerman, Dan (June 13, 2016). "A big boost for the pint-sized Alienware Alpha". CNET. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
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  29. ^ "Alienware 13 + Graphics Amplifier Review". TechSpot. January 20, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
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  45. ^ "Alienware m15 R7 (AMD) | Product Highlights". YouTube.
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