PRODUCT REVIEW
Top of the Gift List: Alienware's Area-51

The holidays are a time of quiet reflection and generosity, a season of giving and helping one's fellow man. Of course, there is another facet of the holiday season, too: All of those shiny gadgets displayed in store windows and pictured on Web sites highlight the attraction of upgrading to the latest and greatest technology.

Although visions of Dells and Macs may be dancing in consumers' heads, those yearning for a new machine would do well to consider some slightly out-there options. For example, specialty computer company Alienware, which makes PCs for gamers and other power users, has built its reputation on speed, coolness and customer service. But is a sleek Alienware machine really worth its premium price?

The answer, in my opinion, is a resounding yes. After playing on an Alienware Area-51 desktop for a few days, I went back to my trusty Dell with a heavy heart.

Zip, Zippier, Zippiest

My test subject was an Area-51 computer with a 3-GHz Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) Pentium 4 processor, 1,024 MB of memory and a 120-GB hard drive. It also had an AlienIce video cooling system, an Nvidia GeForce FX 5900 Ultra 256-MB card and a SoundBlaster Audigy 1394 sound card. The retail price, without monitor, was US$2,817. Not surprisingly, it came with a free T-shirt.

When playing games, it's imperative to have the fastest possible computer. Although many computers can be gussied up with components that improve speed, the Area-51 comes fully loaded, so there is no need for tinkering.

On many computers, frame refresh rates are where a sluggish machine will show its defects. A complex and dynamic game like Quake III or Unreal Tournament requires zippy frame refreshes, and slower machines with multiple components can require gamers to muck around by changing screen resolutions or tweaking other configurations.

This is where Alienware comes in handy.

When playing games, the Area-51's prowess is good enough that there's no need to lower graphic options or screen resolutions from their maximum settings. The machine was so speedy and consistent that it really did make other PCs look bad.

Beyond Gaming

In addition to catering to its core audience of power gamers, Alienware recently has been making a push toward the enterprise. The company may have a legitimate chance at entering the business and general consumer markets, since its machines' speed makes them impressive for many applications beyond games.

Web browsing was a joy on this machine, as was using software that requires a significant amount of computing power, such as QuarkXPress. Because of their price tag and reputation as gaming machines, Alienware computers may have limited appeal for now, but their performance of routine business tasks could make them contenders in the future.

Case in Point

To be shallow for a moment, the Area-51 also looks cool. The machine I tested had a Conspiracy Blue full-tower case, though several other colors are available (any color other than black will raise the price). The sleek, molded case is true to the company's name, with a schwa alien face located on the lower half of the tower.

For anyone who is used to looking at a beige or gray box, a colorful case can be jarring -- but in a good way. It certainly will draw comments from the scads of friends who will suddenly "drop by" once they learn you've got an Alienware machine.

Despite its eye-catching exterior, the case does have its downsides. Its shape creates difficulty in opening and closing the box for upgrades or replacing components, and some of the openings are not immediately intuitive.

Also, it would have been nice to have a FireWire port on the front of the box, although Alienware was kind enough to put four USB 2.0 ports there. In addition, there are six more USB ports in the back, four free PCI slots, a couple of DIMM slots and a few open bays for additional drives. With so many connectivity options, any clumsiness in opening the box becomes a minor quibble.

Got the Money, Honey?

Of course, blazing speed and sleek looks aside, there is still the matter of the bill.

Alienware has garnered a reputation as a maker of pricey machines -- but in many ways, that reputation is undeserved. Although I could have put together a Pentium 4 machine for less money that played games reasonably well, rather than stunningly well, if I had used the components that went into the Area-51 I tested, the home-built machine would have cost just a little less than what Alienware is charging. Plus, I wouldn't have gotten the company's famously good customer support.

Moreover, when compared with similar machines from other high-end gaming computer makers like Voodoo PC or Falcon Northwest, Alienware's cost is on par. And every Alienware computer is custom made, so budget-conscious gamers can play around with configurations, possibly making sacrifices in memory or processing power to cut down on sticker shock.

With all that in mind, take out that gift list and make room at the top for an Alienware Area-51. You'll thank yourself in January, when the weather prevents travel and there's nothing to do but learn the nuances of Battlefield 1942.