Best graphic card for Alienware x51?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
SquiDi7

SquiDi7

Honorable
Apr 21, 2013
140
0
10,680
Im getting the alienware x51 (i7 GTX660), but one of my friends said that it is a crappy graphic card in it.
Im going to play crysis 3 and BF3.
I dont know so much about it, so its why i am asking you guys..... (remember that its a little pc.

Thanks :)
 
Solution
DryCreamer
I don't think that's true, when I factor in my assumed costs you can't build a PC that's twice as good. you might be able to pick up a better video card for the same price, but when you factor in the fact that the AW is small, and has excellent customer service and warranty terms. You can't have both of those things and have it cost half as much.

Alienwares are good computers, the new ones at least, and they are competitively priced. the people who say they are way overpriced have usually never owned one, or don't understand how to build a comparable computer.

Yes, you can build an i5 computer with a GTX 660 for 30% less an than an alienware, but that doesn't factor in that Windows costs money and it also doesn't factor in that...
Sort by date Sort by votes
barto

barto

Expert
Ambassador
Apr 20, 2009
5,465
0
27,960
It's not a crappy graphics card. It's a mid-tier card priced around $200. There are more powerful cards on the market (with a price). But the 660gtx is a good card. Tom's recommended it in their last GPU Chart.

The problem I see is the fact that you are buying an Alienware PC. They are horribly overpriced and you could build one that will destroy it for the same price.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
bemused_fred

bemused_fred

Honorable
Feb 18, 2012
519
0
11,010


Ditto. Even if you are going pre-built, don't touch alienware. They are insanely over-priced.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Mar 16, 2013
171,329
17,830
184,590


"...but one of my friends said..." is the other problem.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DryCreamer

DryCreamer

Distinguished
Jan 18, 2012
464
0
18,810
The GTX 660 is a good card, and should play Crysis 3 fine, but make sure the PC has a quad core CPU, i5 or i7, which the Alienware 'should' have.

The GTX 660 in the Alienware is an OEM version of the card based on a cut down GK104 that the 660 Ti and 670 are based on NOT the GK106 card the retail GTX 660 is based on.

Feast you eyes on this:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-660-geforce-gtx-650-benchmark,3297-16.html

I have no problem recommending an Alienware PC if that's what you want. They may be pricey, but they have excellent finish and build quality.

There should be no need to replace the video card, because for the almost $400 you will pay for a GTX 670, you won't get much better performance. For 1080 gaming, the 660 (in whatever flavor) is almost perfect.

Higher resolution gaming would require something better.

Dry
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
bemused_fred

bemused_fred

Honorable
Feb 18, 2012
519
0
11,010
OP: What price range do you have? Guessing from your alienware components, I'm guessing about £1000. I'm also guessing that you don't want to build your PC at all. Furthermore, I'm guessing that you need to buy a monitor, operating system, keyboard and mouse, etc. With that in mind, I recommend the following build:

The PC itself:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sedatech-Ultimate-i5-3570-4x3-4Ghz-1000Gb/dp/B005FWWPSI/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1368625011&sr=1-2&keywords=gaming+PC+HD+7950
This has an I5 (which is all you need for gaming), 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and a HD 7950 card, which is signifcantly more powerful than the GTX 660.
You will, however, also need windows. Fortunately, it won't be the horrific windows 8 that alienware forces down your throat
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-software-intended-builders/dp/B004Q0PT3I/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_1
In terms of monitor, I'd recommend this 1080P IPS beauty. It looks like it's on sale at the moment, so I'd nab it ASAP
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-S22B150-21-5-inch-Widescreen/dp/B006Z5GGN4/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1368625241&sr=1-1&keywords=1080p+IPS+monitor
In terms of keyboard and mouse, here's a cheap and generic, but very highly rated pair for just a tenner
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Genius-KB-C210-PS-Keyboard/dp/B000Y7WMJ6/ref=sr_1_15?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1368625290&sr=1-15&keywords=UK+keyboard+and+mouse
And just for fun, here's a headset and some speakers thrown in.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-980-000513-Z120-Stereo-Speakers/dp/B00544XKK4/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1368625351&sr=1-1&keywords=speakers
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-OEM-860-Stereo-Headset/dp/B0013NPWWE/ref=sr_1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1368625370&sr=1-3&keywords=PC+headset
Hope this is helpful!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SquiDi7

SquiDi7

Honorable
Apr 21, 2013
140
0
10,680
i already got keyboard mouse and monitor sooo, and i have order it so its kind a too and im living in Denmark. So everything is is overpriced.
Could i upgrade to maybe a gtx 680? or a hd raedon card? :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SquiDi7

SquiDi7

Honorable
Apr 21, 2013
140
0
10,680
And everybody that said that Alienware is overpriced, it isnt true, ive tried to find all that stuff there is in the Alienware x51 and compared the prices, and it isnt so overpriced (in my country) :)
Maybe a bit but only 50£...................
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DryCreamer

DryCreamer

Distinguished
Jan 18, 2012
464
0
18,810


well, the GTX 680 is physically larger (maybe a half inch? the 680 is 10" long and the 660 OEM uses the 670 PCB board) than 660 OEM in the x51, and while they both have 2 6-pin connectors, the 680 draws 195W power while the 660 only draw ~ 140-150.

Alienware specs those power supplies to fit their build BUT I have seen people upgrade them. I would make sure the PSU in the Alienware is at least 550W at has at least 25-27 amps on the 12V but it should be 'ok' if the 680 will fit.

Dry
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DryCreamer

DryCreamer

Distinguished
Jan 18, 2012
464
0
18,810


that might be kind of tight :/ I was running an SLI setup that need 750W on a 650W PSU and sometimes it wouldn't boot up, because boot is technically when a GPU draws the most power, unless you're running some kind of 100% benchmark.

Dry
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DryCreamer

DryCreamer

Distinguished
Jan 18, 2012
464
0
18,810
to my knowledge all the Radeon GPUs use WAY more power than the Nvidia, the 680 uses 195W while the 7950 uses 220W, so if you think about it, you are getting ALMOST GTX 670 performance in a 330W package, that's really a killer deal and that's the real value of what Alienware designs.

Dry
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DryCreamer

DryCreamer

Distinguished
Jan 18, 2012
464
0
18,810
I don't think that's true, when I factor in my assumed costs you can't build a PC that's twice as good. you might be able to pick up a better video card for the same price, but when you factor in the fact that the AW is small, and has excellent customer service and warranty terms. You can't have both of those things and have it cost half as much.

Alienwares are good computers, the new ones at least, and they are competitively priced. the people who say they are way overpriced have usually never owned one, or don't understand how to build a comparable computer.

Yes, you can build an i5 computer with a GTX 660 for 30% less an than an alienware, but that doesn't factor in that Windows costs money and it also doesn't factor in that you'd have to use a cheap crappy case and a power supply, which is be HUGE.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom