It’s hard to describe the Alienware Alpha. On the surface, it’s a small-form gaming PC, custom-built from laptop components to fit in your entertainment center. But it wassupposed to be a frontrunner in a new category of gaming devices. It isn’t. Valve’s Steam Machine initiative was delayed past its original launch window, leaving manufacturers like Dell to fend for themselves in a market that doesn’t exist yet. It’s a weird, awkward place to be in, but here we are, testing the Alienware Alpha: a Steam Machine before its time. The question is: Can one of the biggest names in PC gaming succeed where others have failed?
PROS
- Alpha UI creates a solid console illusion
- Custom gamepad drivers solve most mouse and keyboard problems
- Makes it easy to play PC games on a TV
CONS
- Painfully long load times
- Overprotective console mode blocks some games from running
- Driver issues can cause trouble with some titles
SUMMARY If you absolutely have to have a Steam Machine right now, you’re not going to do better than the Alienware Alpha. Still, it’s a mere stepping stone towards bigger, better and more complete PC game consoles.
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Read full post here:
https://www.engadget.com/2014-12-12-alienware-alpha-review.html
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Read full post here:
https://www.engadget.com/2014-12-12-alienware-alpha-review.html
