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    Alienware Alpha: The Living Room Gaming PC of the Future (Sans-SteamOS)

    Discussion in 'Notebook News and Reviews' started by Michael Epstein, Jun 13, 2014.

  1. Michael Epstein

    Michael Epstein Notebook Guru NBR Reviewer

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    Earlier this month, Valve announced that its Steamboxes, first unveiled at CES 2014, would be pushed to 2015 due to controller redesign and Linux-based SteamOS issues. Even with the delays and certain manufacturers jumping ship to release their consoles as mini-PCs, Valve is not giving up hope on SteamOS devices coming to market.

    Arguably Valve’s biggest-name hardware partner, Dell’s high-end gaming PC division Alienware is one of the companies that are not going to be waiting around for SteamOS and the Steam Controller to arrive next year. Instead, the Alienware Alpha will run Windows 8.1, with a custom Alienware controller-based interface that suppresses almost everything so annoyingly “Windows” about the OS. Despite this apparent shunning of SteamOS, Alienware has stated that they will be offering instructions on how to install the beta on their new device, and have not turned away from the operating system or controller when they finally come out.

    Read the full content of this Article: http://www.notebookreview.com/news/alienware-alpha-the-living-room-gaming-pc-of-the-future-sans-steamos/
     
    Michael Epstein, Jun 13, 2014
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  2. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

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    The $150 price premium over consoles will be recouped very quickly in (1) cheaper games via Steam sales and the like, and (2) no monthly charge for multiplayer gaming. The controller-friendly interface is probably one of the best examples of OEM "bloat" actually adding value that I can think of. And the ability to drop into traditional Windows adds a ton of functionality over a console.

    Basically, I think Alienware just knocked this one out of the park.
     
    Mitlov, Jun 13, 2014
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