Dell XPS 630 Gaming PC

When Dell took over Alienware in 2006, there was much speculation as to what would happen to Dell's XPS gaming range, and some relief when it appeared they would peacefully coexist. Recently, however, that future looked unsure, with rumours of the Dell XPS range's demise. Thankfully, these rumours were greatly exaggerated. I say thankfully not because Alienware's gaming PCs are bad, but because having the XPS range alongside them affords the customer more choice - and surely that can't be a bad thing.

Especially since the target customer group in this case is gamers, and gamers like their individuality. They're basically the reason PCs are no longer boring beige boxes, as at some point the industry in general copped on to the fact that people were investing large amounts of time and money on prettying them up, and decided to do it for them - at a premium, of course.

Dell, being the second-largest PC manufacturer in the world, has obviously got in on this action, offering custom looks across its entire XPS desktop and laptop range. And though personally I've not always found Dell's XPS desktop designs the most attractive, I must admit its current case line-up (420, 630 and the high-end 730) is rather gorgeous. What we have before us today is a 630, falling between Dell's budget and extreme lines. The 630 is quite attractive, despite lacking features like the LCD panel, front mounted video ports and rubberised recess that are found on its lower spec sibling, the XPS 420.

But before getting onto the case, let's first examine what you get. The core specifications are impressive, comprising a 2.4GHz Intel Quad Core QX6600, dual nVidia GeForce 8800GTs running in SLI, 2GB of RAM, twin 500GB hard drives striped in RAID 0 and a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer soundcard.

In the box you'll also find a full user manual in English, multi-lingual electronic safety instructions, and a full-colour quick-start guide. All of these are contained in a lovely leather XPS folder with pockets for 16 DVDs, two Velcro cable ties and a textured XPS cleaning cloth. You also get Roxio Creator DE 10.1, Microsoft Works 9, an OS re-installation disc, Dell drivers and utilities, and the SoundBlaster X-Fi CD.

Alienware Area 51 7500

Processor:

The Area 51 7500 comes equipped with an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz. This processor is a very fast and powerful addition to the Area 51 7500 and allows you to play even the most taxing games.

Memory:

The Area 51 7500 comes standard with four 1 GB memory sticks for a total of 4 GB of RAM. 4 GB of memory is enough to keep up with the most advanced games available now, as well as keeping up with the requirements of future games. Another side effect of having this much memory is how well Windows Vista runs both while playing games, and performing other activities like word processing or web surfing.

Video/Audio:

The dual 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT's will keep up with the most intense, fast–paced 3D first–person shooters or MMORPGs with zero graphics lag. This is one of the best graphics configurations offered in a gaming computer in this price range.

The Area 51 7500 comes standard with high–definition 7.1 surround sound. Your games will sound as good as they look.

I/O Device:

This system comes standard with a 3 button optical mouse with a scroll wheel and a premium USB keyboard from Logitech. There is an option to add speakers through the configuration utility, though they don't come standard.

One of the outstanding features of Alienware is their original PC case designs. The Area 51 7500 comes in a very attractive full–tower chassis that comes in a beautiful array of colors for no additional charge.

Value/Price:

This is an exceptional computer for the price. If you have the money to spend, Alienware has the upgrades available to build the ultimate gaming PC. Alienware also offers free shipping. This is a nice money saving bonus.

Support/Warranty:

Alienware’s online live chat is first–class. We didn’t have to wait more than a minute and the representative was helpful and courteous. You can also contact customer support through phone and email.

The system comes with a 1–year parts and labor warranty and it can be upgraded if you choose.

Summary:

The Alienware Area 51 7500 is light years ahead of the competition. It offers some of the most advanced components available to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of the hardware that is included.