Does the Alienware x51 with gtx 660 have any competitors?

[alex2718]

Hey guys in need of a new computer for some gaming lots of video encoding for my iPad and dvds but am really tight on space. The smallest pc i can find is the alienware x51 that now features a gtx 660 and that i saw in a microsoft store today( a little taller than a xbox). my real question though is there anything that competes with the x51. I'm looking at the one for $1049.00 so something under $1100.

Thanks for the help

 

[Norrec69]

Hey guys in need of a new computer for some gaming lots of video encoding for my iPad and dvds but am really tight on space. The smallest pc i can find is the alienware x51 that now features a gtx 660 and that i saw in a microsoft store today( a little taller than a xbox). my real question though is there anything that competes with the x51. I'm looking at the one for $1049.00 so something under $1100.

Thanks for the help

The x51 is pretty unique. Nothing can beat it in the price for how small and powerful it is. Simply put theres nothing that small that even comes close to the power. The Falcon Northwest Tiki is much more expensive and a little bigger, it doesnt compete with the x51. I'd recommend getting the x51.

I have the one with the gtx 555, so I would be jealous if you got the one with the gtx 660. Its 2 times more powerful than my gpu yet uses less energy.

 

[lordxarus]

If you want to build one you would save money and also you could make it as small as it comes but if you dont feel comfortable doing that its a good choice and very up gradable

 

[lordxarus]

Norrec is right that is a nice card

 

[alex2718]

The x51 is pretty unique. Nothing can beat it in the price for how small and powerful it is. Simply put theres nothing that small that even comes close to the power. The Falcon Northwest Tiki is much more expensive and a little bigger, it doesnt compete with the x51. I'd recommend getting the x51.

I have the one with the gtx 555, so I would be jealous if you got the one with the gtx 660. Its 2 times more powerful than my gpu yet uses less energy.

Since your a owner of one how would you comment on the airflow any overheating issues?

 

[alex2718]

And too how about wireless signal?

 

[Norrec69]

The wireless is good for being in the same room of the router. I get 2-3 bars in my bedroom.

I havent had any heating problems. Gtx 660 should be even cooler.

 

[sabot00]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2406536,00.asp

Better in every aspect: design, support, quality, performance, but much more expensive.

I realize that this is way out of your price range, but the point of this was to show that really unique and quality builds exist from little-known manufacturers, I would definitely search around more.

In another mini-ITX build, not quite as slim as the X51/Tiki, Origin's Chronos is also very small.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6104/origin-chronos-review-the-ultimate-lan-box

 

[Norrec69]

Tiki is in no competition with Alienware x51. Tiki is bigger, and it can only be stood up. It costs a lot more. The design is nowhere near as good as the x51.

 

[ronmccord]

Tiki is in no competition with Alienware x51. Tiki is bigger, and it can only be stood up. It costs a lot more. The design is nowhere near as good as the x51.

I would take offense with your comment but since you own one you are biased. The only design of the x51 that is better then the Tiki is price. The x51 has an external brick, Tiki internal which is 450 watts vs 330 for alienware. Therefore the X51 is limited to a 660 graphics card which is mid level. The Tiki was designed over a year and was designed to dissipate heat and noise. It is two times more powerful and faster then the x51 when equipped with the Gtx 680, benchmarks are 3 times faster when equipped with the 550 card/x51. Lets see support, Alienware you will talk to someone in the phillipines who neither owns and x51 and is reading off a screen. Support for Falcon is 3 years parts and lifetime service, alienware you have to pay for the 3 years and after the 3 is up keep paying!. Construction, no comparison, rolled steel for the Tiki, liquid cooling, granite stand, it has been described as beautiful by reviews. The X51 is plastic, with a bicycle fender used as a light and a cheap plastic alienware figure on the front. Not something you would use at work for sure or with quality equipment. Now if you configured the x51 to its maximum with support and everything it would be 1500 bucs, and the tiki can be configured in its base for roughly the same, a little more. Spend 700 more bucs and you can build a alienware x51 crushing machine or regular desktop crusher.
Now if you only can spend 1000 bucs the Alienware is not a bad deal, I would go over to avadirect.com and you can build a similar machine with a bigger case, if you want the small case Alienware and Tiki only way to go. Now before you shout hater. I have one dell laptop and two Alienware Laptops!!! I am in the market for my first sff desktop and Tiki is at the top of the list, I have researched every sff computer there is. Also hot is the new Sg09 case and bitfenix is not bad also

 

[Norrec69]

I would take offense with your comment but since you own one you are biased. The only design of the x51 that is better then the Tiki is price. The x51 has an external brick, Tiki internal which is 450 watts vs 330 for alienware. Therefore the X51 is limited to a 660 graphics card which is mid level. The Tiki was designed over a year and was designed to dissipate heat and noise. It is two times more powerful and faster then the x51 when equipped with the Gtx 680, benchmarks are 3 times faster when equipped with the 550 card/x51. Lets see support, Alienware you will talk to someone in the phillipines who neither owns and x51 and is reading off a screen. Support for Falcon is 3 years parts and lifetime service, alienware you have to pay for the 3 years and after the 3 is up keep paying!. Construction, no comparison, rolled steel for the Tiki, liquid cooling, granite stand, it has been described as beautiful by reviews. The X51 is plastic, with a bicycle fender used as a light and a cheap plastic alienware figure on the front. Not something you would use at work for sure or with quality equipment. Now if you configured the x51 to its maximum with support and everything it would be 1500 bucs, and the tiki can be configured in its base for roughly the same, a little more. Spend 700 more bucs and you can build a alienware x51 crushing machine or regular desktop crusher.
Now if you only can spend 1000 bucs the Alienware is not a bad deal, I would go over to avadirect.com and you can build a similar machine with a bigger case, if you want the small case Alienware and Tiki only way to go. Now before you shout hater. I have one dell laptop and two Alienware Laptops!!! I am in the market for my first sff desktop and Tiki is at the top of the list, I have researched every sff computer there is. Also hot is the new Sg09 case and bitfenix is not bad also

Tiki costs so much more. You could buy the x51 then in a year buy a better gpu than the gtx 680 and put it in there. You'd still be paying much less than the Tiki.

I like the plastic look on the x51's case. Where the support for Alienware is located isnt going to make a difference. The lights on the x51 are good. Works with Alienfx and all that jazz. You cant put the Tiki in as many places because you can lay it down.

 

[ronmccord]

Tiki costs so much more. You could buy the x51 then in a year buy a better gpu than the gtx 680 and put it in there. You'd still be paying much less than the Tiki.

I like the plastic look on the x51's case. Where the support for Alienware is located isnt going to make a difference. The lights on the x51 are good. Works with Alienfx and all that jazz. You cant put the Tiki in as many places because you can lay it down.

I just noticed the X51 quietly added 256 ssd as an option which makes it finally competitive. I like that you can lay the X51 also, however remember it only has an external 330 watt power supply. Its major weakness is that you can't add a stronger gpu later like a gtx 680. Actually though I bet that future cards two years from now will be more powerful and yet less power so perhaps the 330 watt external will let you change to a future card in a couple of years. I think just better to look at it as a 3 year case you trash. In 3 years will be so much better options I am hoping for an external video card that lets you take your laptop with you and game anywhere and not be a huge brick. Then you can have a 14 inch laptop with a 680 gtx or stronger down the road. Will make Desktop systems obsolete.

 

[LARPingFetus]

I just noticed the X51 quietly added 256 ssd as an option which makes it finally competitive. I like that you can lay the X51 also, however remember it only has an external 330 watt power supply. Its major weakness is that you can't add a stronger gpu later like a gtx 680. Actually though I bet that future cards two years from now will be more powerful and yet less power so perhaps the 330 watt external will let you change to a future card in a couple of years. I think just better to look at it as a 3 year case you trash. In 3 years will be so much better options I am hoping for an external video card that lets you take your laptop with you and game anywhere and not be a huge brick. Then you can have a 14 inch laptop with a 680 gtx or stronger down the road. Will make Desktop systems obsolete.

Actually the x51 can run any GPU you want. All you have to do is get a 500w(or something in that range) PSU and use that to run ONLY the GPU. Pretty much 2 external PSU. It kind of defeats the small form factor tho, but worth it

 

[xcrzyaznbo1]

Hey guys in need of a new computer for some gaming lots of video encoding for my iPad and dvds but am really tight on space. The smallest pc i can find is the alienware x51 that now features a gtx 660 and that i saw in a microsoft store today( a little taller than a xbox). my real question though is there anything that competes with the x51. I'm looking at the one for $1049.00 so something under $1100.

Thanks for the help

Hi im just wondering where you live? particularly which microsoft store did you see it at? The one here in California in Costa Mesa only has the X51 with the GTX55 originally 1299 now 999, but i would prefer the GTX 660 if they ever have it.