Alienware Alpha DKCWA02 Review

Alienware Alpha DKCWA02 Review-Dell Alienware Alpha is one of the most exciting release of a new computer this year. The fact that the idea of ​​a Desktop gaming looks like a game parlor consoles. We first look at an early version of the device near the end of 2013, back when it became the first major brand names behind the Valve Steam Engine Platform. PC-alternative platform that would be the story of the PC game of the year, with a big lineup the friendly living room that ran the steam OS, the operating system stores are simplified to run Steam games and applications, and a unique controller with twin concave touchpad replaces the analog sticks.

Alienware Alpha DKCWA02 Desktop

Machine Steam platform but has been delayed by Valve, until at least 2015, reportedly because there are problems on the controller. Dell decided it was not going to wait for slow-known gaming company to get its act together, and gave a square Steam Engines make over internal. Instead Steam Steam OS and the controller is still experimental, Alienware Alpha including Windows 8 and Xbox 360 wireless controller (still standard PC gamepad). When first announced, the price sold at a cost of $ 500, the idea is that you will have a gaming PC that can live console of your room, with access to a larger library of games and hardware is better, for about the same price. Currently, the price of Alpha is $ 549 in the US, AU $ 699 in Australia and £ 449 in the UK, while even the Xbox One is down to $ 399 or less in the US, so the price consideration has been shifted. Alpha does look like a gaming console. It is a small, square box with the power button on the front, a few USB ports front and rear and an HDMI output.

Unlike a standard desktop PC, you are not meant to open it and play around with the components inside (although you certainly can, with the exception of the GPU). The basic model includes an Intel Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce 860m GPUs based on a popular custom. That is why it is better to play the first Alpha Desktop, as combining the Core i3 CPU to the graphics card does not sound like the best way to build a gaming desktop. This system has been tweaked and optimized to allow it to play almost all the games today at 1,920x1,080 resolution with smooth frame rates, usually by setting the in-game graphics options for intermediate level. But the PC is not a gaming console, as anyone who has tried mousing on the TV screen will tell you. To that end, the system booted into a custom UI itself, are designed to be operated by using an Xbox controller, makes you have access to some settings before you push into software mode Steam Big Picture this, another UI to launch the game from the living room TV. 

Design and Features

Next to the huge body of Xbox One, and slim but the entire PlayStation 4, Alpha feels a little positive. It's bigger than the Mac Mini, but use the same general design language. Stackable body shape is more popular in previous years when the home theater PC, and / or HTPC, is a valid category. But the passage of time, technology of smart TV to Roku devices have made HTPC style is not very relevant. Providing you have a room next to a cable box, Roku, some game consoles and whatever media you live in closet space, Alpha should slot on the device and do not look out of place. HDMI and optical audio port on the back for cables neat, although the USB dongle for wireless Xbox 360 controller is not very interesting.

The default view (Console Mode), but the more traditional desktop mode is also available, as long as you have the mouse plugged into Alienware Alpha desktop. In the Console Mode, the only advice you should need is a gamepad, but crashes the game a little bit and in-game pop-up (such as in-game overlay from Ubisoft) required mouse. It was hidden in the help menu, but pressing all four trigger button and clicking the left analog stick will give you the mouse pointer. Although no longer officially Alpha Machine Steam Valve, it was designed primarily to play games through Steam and the Big Picture mode. In fact, the only option available in the Console Mode is the power button, some settings, help screens and steam. The company says it's open to distributors of PC games, such as EA Origin, develop software hub Alpha friendly, but for now, it was just steam. However, by adding a mouse and navigate to the Windows 8 desktop, you can install other applications, including gaming platforms, and we were able to install the application and the EA Origin Titanfall play without any problems.

Connection and Performance

The front USB port older USB 2.0 type, and better for the mouse and keyboard instead of hooking up external storage. A pair of USB ports on the back can be used to add a minimum of 500GB of storage in the base model. Interestingly, the system includes an HDMI and a port, such as the Xbox One, but do not have a TV tuner Xbox One custom interfaces to control the cable box. If the basic model, with a Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM and 500GB hard drive, minimal sound for you. This system is actually done when the game is set for medium / low detail settings, but increase each specification will no doubt make for a more flexible, system zippier.

In US dollars, adding $ 150 to make you double the RAM and hard-drive space, but an additional $ 100 on top of that is necessary to trade up to a standard Core i5 CPU. From there, $ 100 makes you a 2TB HDD and Core i7, but at that point you have many choices gaming PC for around $ 900. That the above configuration is AU $ 1,299 in Australia and £ 699 in the UK. Each configuration includes the same Nvidia GPU, and no upgrades are available for that component. Nongaming application performance testing of the basic model, with a Core i3 CPU, it falls far behind most other PC games. Of course, all systems that have a Core i7 CPU, and at least twice as much RAM, so that's to be expected.

On the positive side, we were able to navigateto Windows 8 and run Photoshop, iTunes and other applications our benchmarks without problems, so that Alienware Alpha DKCWA02 can be used as an everyday PC in an emergency, even if the performance is weak. Habits Nvidia GPU in Alpha purportedly based on the GeForce GTX 860m with, mainstream popular laptop GPU found on Lenovo Y50, Razer blade 14, HP Omen and others. As Nvidia is up to 900-series in both desktop and mobile parts.