Alienware Area-51 ALX

Pros 
The amazing design and high-end processor are two big pluses for this machine.

Cons 
The PC lacks an SSD and has only one optical drive.

The Verdict: 8.6/10

This PC lacks some niceties, but the powerful i7 980 processor, dual video cards and overall quality build make the Alienware Area-51 ALX a very solid choice.

Alienware produces the de facto archetypes for ultra-high performance gaming computers and theirAlienware Area-51 ALX lives up to their standards. Every aspect of this computer screams performance, beginning with the matte black anodized aluminum housing complete with the illuminated image of an "Area 51" alien. The AlienFX feature allows nearly infinite lighting combinations to complete the alien effect. There are even lights underneath the fins that automatically open and close, apparently to cool the computer, but more likely to complete the visual impression.

The dramatic exterior gives you an idea of what this gaming computer has to offer. Every detail of this machine makes it a gaming powerhouse. The base model is missing a couple important components that the best gaming PCs have, but it has a lot of potential once you make a few needed upgrades. Just about every aspect of the computer has additional options to meet the high standards of serious gamers.

Specifications:-

PROCESSOR Intel® Core™ i7-980 Six Core Processor, 3.33GHz, 12MB Cache

OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English

MEMORY 6GB Triple Channel 1600MHz DDR3

VIDEO CARD Dual 1GB ATI Radeon™ HD 6870 - ATI CrossFireX™ Enabled

HARD DRIVE 2TB RAID 0 (2x 1TB SATA-II, 7,200 RPM, 32MB Cache HDDs)

SOUND CARD Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

OPTICAL DRIVE Single Drive: 24X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability

ALIENFX AlienFX Color, Quasar Blue

AVATAR & OS CUSTOMIZATION Alienhead 3D

PRE-INSTALLED SOFTWARE Steam and Portal™ Factory Installed

KEYBOARD Alienware TactX™ Keyboard

MOUSE Alienware TactX™ Mouse

SERVICE PLAN 1 Year Basic Service Plan

ONLINE DATA BACKUP DataSafe 2.0 Online Backup 2GB for 1 year