Alienware Reveals 4GHz desktop 363
keeleysam writes "c|net news.com is reporting that Alienware is going to ship a 4GHz desktop. The new Area-51 ALX, introduced on Friday, uses overclocking, or the practice of pushing a processor past its factory speed setting, to elevate a standard Intel Pentium 4 chip to 4GHz. Because overclocking a processor can cause it to overheat, the desktop also includes a special liquid-cooling system devised by Alienware. Purchasing the 4GHz Area-51 ALX desktop is an expensive proposition for most consumers, as the machine starts at about $4,200, according to pricing on Alienware's ALX Web site."
Bring a lifevest for LAN parties (Score:3, Interesting)
Why hasn't this been seen elsewhere? (Score:4, Interesting)
These systems could then be sold at slightly elevated prices. The script-kiddie crowd would lunge at them, buying into a piece of the OC'ing action. The naive would purchase them for the in-between performance levels they would have. The rest would build their own computer and do it themselves. But, in the mean time, those companies get to gouge good customers - all while making them feel that their purchase was personalized.
customization options (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm guessing that the 2mb l2 cache is faster, so why are we still following the fascination with clockspeed (other proof, like AMD, aside)?
you know alienware has struck it rich when they include their own "ALX High Performance Network Cable".
Does AlienWare cover warrantee, since Intel wont? (Score:5, Interesting)
--
GMail invites for iPod referrals [slashdot.org]
Undervolting is the new overclocking (Score:5, Interesting)
I watched a bit over 3 hours of DVD video on my HP zv5000z with the CPU set to 1GHz @ 0.85V before the 12-cell battery ran out. Normal screen brightness and everything.
Of course, this won't work all that well on Intel CPUs. Maybe Alienware will include a free naquada generator with their "4GHz" P4's.
G5 (Score:5, Interesting)
Insignificant Performance Increase (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:How can it get any hotter (Score:3, Interesting)
Seriously, comparing it to heat problems in a notebook is pretty silly, as there simply isn't the same amount of space available for a cooling system. I know what you're saying, but the comparison is pretty shaky ;)
Re:Why hasn't this been seen elsewhere? (Score:3, Interesting)
$4200 used to be a more common price (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:very un-slashdot like (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:wow, thanks (Score:5, Interesting)
And yes, I say this as I type from my brand new Alienware. The trick is, they make solid machines still (they always did, thats how they got started), but you completely overpay for the gaming case, so get a "home office" setup instead. Its a helluva lot cheaper with the same components, and a Dragon case instead of a custom one so its easier to work with.
And before some troll posts something along the lines of "well, real computer geeks BUILD their computers", I respond, "I'd get more money than I'd save if I build my own by working, and I don't really have freetime for it. But rest assured, I've built my own before, and its not THAT exciting."
Now USE it, game developers! (Score:4, Interesting)
But instead of debating that, it's more informative to wonder what all those bogomips would DO in today's games.
Some people would reply: more frames per second! More varied stuff in those frames! But there's a limit to how much more graphics muscle will improve the gameplay experience in any given game (my Athlon 64 3200+/2GHz machine runs Halflife no better than my Athlon XP 1800+/1.53GHz machine), and there's also a limit to what graphics crunching can do for a game. Doom 3 may be shiny, but by all accounts you could write a game with the same gameplay as Doom 3 (but less prettiness) that would run on a P3/Geforce2.
I'm ready to see a game that really makes use of modern computers' incredible power for gameplay/AI/physics. How about a version of Homeworld with realistic trajectory modelling of every mass-driver shot, a version of NWN with *real* intelligent AI opponents, or one of a million different ideas for games whose gameplay design, in addition to their graphics, takes into account modern computers.
NWN did this -- sort of. But it took so long to release (which is a good thing!), and has been a while since release, that modern machines still get bored running its scripting/AI. Hopefully all this will be spiffed up in NWN2.
Re:wow, thanks (Score:3, Interesting)
Go with a beige-box type retailer (who usually have boxes other than beige these days) and you'll be paying like 100 bucks over the cost of parts. More if you're not paying the microsoft tax, of course.
Honestly, for the trouble it saves, it's worth it.
Re:How can it get any hotter (Score:3, Interesting)
and considering a nice high end Prescott system can pull on the high side of 300W under full load at stock speeds,
I'm guessing it isn't pretty. Maybe in the neighborhood of 400W full load; probably a bit less than half of that idle.
no disrespect to Alienware (Score:3, Interesting)
the reason they give that definition of overclocking is because the PR people who made this press release...
Just curious, but did you notice that the description of overclocking was part of the submitter's description of the story? Supposedly this isn't a press release. But looking back at the history for the submitter, keeleysam [slashdot.org], it looks like the account is less than 2 weeks old. Perhaps created simply as a dummy by slashdot in order to post this paid-placement advertorial.
On the topic of Alienware, I think they are selling a worthy product. There is a niche of gamers / users who want a tweaked machine, but don't have the time or technical prowess to do it themselves. Alienware is targetting that demand quite well.
Re:wow, thanks (Score:3, Interesting)
My 0.02.
Full Disclaimer: My only connection to IBP is that I purchased one of their E-Series laptops several monthes ago, and have been very impressed.
Re:wow, thanks (Score:2, Interesting)