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The Alienware X51 is a brilliant and compact PC which provides a small form factor with a lot of power. This model can be built upon and become a new and progressing line of compact Alienware PCs.
Here are some ideas to make the PC even better:
CPU
Add intel Ivy Bridge CPUs when they arrive. They crave less power, produce less heat and have an improved performance.
GPU
Offer something more powerful than nVIDIA GTX 555. This is not a really powerful GPU and can barely handle new games at high settings. You advertise that it can handle Battlefield 3 @ 30FPS @ 1080p, but unless you're setting every general setting to low, this is not possible. As an avid gamer, I like to play at max settings on my lovely 24''. A step up to a nVIDIA GTX 570 with official modifications from a company like ASUS, Gainward, Zotac etc. (or a custom Alienware solutiuon) would provide a much better performance at a decent temperature.
HDD
I really miss SSD as an option. Less noise, heat and weight are three really positive features that comes along with a SSD - which is also faster and provides a nicer user experience than a HDD.
Ports
I was really disappointed when I learned that the X51 has only two USB 3.0 ports, and that they're on the front of the chassis where I rarely plug in anything, except a USB key now and then. Would it be too much to ask for USB 3.0 only or at least two ports on the back in addition to the ones on the front?
SDHC
I was surprised when I learned that there isn't a SD card slot to be found on the unit. One can buy addons for that, but that takes away from the overall impression of this gorgeous stationary PC. A simple SDHC slot near the USB slots on the front would be a lovely addition.
Sound card
What disappointed me the most with the Alienware X51 was the lack of a dedicated soundcard or a built-in solution with high performance. When I play games, I use high-end headphones, and without a good soundcard the sound is rubbish. Creative have some solutions for buil-in soundcards which are really good. The newest addition is the Creative Sound Core 3D. If you add this, I can as good as guarantee that you will please more gamers and get free PR. Good sound is important for gamers.
>>More about the Creative Sound Core 3D<<
Cooling
I saw the cooling solution of the X51, and while it looks decent, there is room for improvement. A more effective fan could be added and you could also add quality thermal compound or offer it for an added price. I would be willing to pay up to 20$ for added thermal compound because it can mean several degrees in difference when compared to a unit without the paste.
>>Numbers don't lie - a big test of thermal compund<<
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May 7, 2012
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GPU UPDATE 1.0StigtriX Comment Link
Add nVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 as the standeard card and GTX 670 as the higher performance alternative.
The Kepler design draws less power and performes better than the Fermi design and introduces a lot of improvements. If the ALIENWARE X51 R2 comes with a better PSU, it would be wise to experiment with high-end cards such as nVIDIA GTX680 to see if it's doable.
I also think the new model should come with a clearer guide for upgrades so it's less frustrating for computer beginners to find upgrades that are compatible with the system. Add examples from both nVIDIA and AMD with the highest upgrades possible and update the examples when new cards arrive. Just cooperate with the community as many enthusiast will experiment with upgrades and modifications.
PSU UPDATE 1.0
The PSU included in the different models should be the same to prevent misunderstandings when upgrading the systems.
Apr 10, 2012
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StigtriX Comment Link
To add to the cooling and GPU:
- use a combination of copper and graphene for cooling - it's 25% more effective than copper and cheaper!
- use the same solution for the GPU cooling
- add a more effective and quieter CPU fan (don't add the earlier post)
Make the chassis a tad bigger for better airflow. Especially the area where the GPU is stationed should be a bit bigger so it's easier to fit a larger card there without it getting too tight and hot inside the case. The chassis could be 2cm deeper and 2 cm longer without the size becoming a problem.
PSU
The power supply is a bit lacking considering the ALIENWARE X51 is a PC meant for gamers who want to upgrade the GPU later on. I wouldn't mind if the external PSU was chunky because I would hide it anyway. I've seen external 600W PSUs with a small formfactor, so I don't see the problem. If you managed to make your own 600W PSU with an even smaller form factor compared to the ones already out on the market, it would sure impress a lot of people. Since small form factor PCs are becoming more and more popular, just look at HTPCs, it would be an investment.
May 7, 2012 Comment Link
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Very interesting, SergeyN.StigtriX
1) Because of the form factor, there will not be room for more than one harddisk, but DELL could add a port on the back of the unit so you could add a harddisk and hide it to keep things tidy :)
2) This is the major concenr of many buyers, and I think DELL is already working on it as so many have commented upon the matter
3) This won't be a problem, and I think GTX 660 or 670 would be more realistic as the new 28nm Kepler/GF104 design draws less power and performes better than Fermi
Apr 28, 2012 Comment Link
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Posted By: SergeyN
I really like this pc and going to buy it, but not before ivy bridge gets in there. Also, few other thing would be nice (in the order of importance):1. SSD as a secondary drive. I want my OS to be on SSD, and have 1TB drive for other stuff. I'll be searching ways to crank in SSD anyway when I buy it (like swapping it out with a dvd which I never use anyway).
2. Please please please do anything you can to reduce the noise levels at idle and at load. This sort of pc is going to be located in places such as a living room, where something noisy is a no-go.
3. it'd be nice to slightly bump gpu inside to something similiar to GTX560ti.
Apr 10, 2012 Comment Link
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Ahhh... Forgot about that :) Thanks, Cy_J!StigtriX
Apr 10, 2012 Comment Link
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Posted By: CyJ
I changed the title but you should be able to make your other comment an Idea Extension. :)Apr 10, 2012 Comment Link
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I almost forgot: please change the title to "ALIENWARE X51 R2" :)StigtriX
Feb 22, 2012 Comment Link
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StigtriX
Please add this under "Cooling":
A fan like Noctua NF-F12 PMW would be much more effective while keeping the noise to a minimum.
Feb 3, 2012 Comment Link
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Maybe I was too general when talking about the GPU, but the point is that you can't play demanding games with all high settings, and certainly not ultra settings. That's a shame, considering Alienware is a brand made for gamers. The headroom the 330W PSU gives is small, but you could safely add a nVIDIA GTX 560 Ti GPU. However, the headroom is not big enough for a more powerful card. For that to be safe, you would need 500W or more, unless the PSU is extremely effective.StigtriX
I really look forward to an upgrade with intel Ivy Bridge and some improvements. The X51 is in no way a bad product, but it has potential to be even better - amazing, even! ;)
Feb 2, 2012 Comment Link
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Jeff_C
Just to add to the GTX555 area. The GTX555 with GDDR5 in the X51 is actually capable of 50+ frames per second in Battlefield 3 on med-high settings. There are recent reviews like Hot Hardware http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Dell-Alienware-X51-Small-Form-Factor-PC-Gaming-Refined/ that show the amazing prowess of the GTX555 in the system. And as HH points out in their review, with the 330W PSU there is additional "headroom" for more powerful cards so there's certainly more potential in the X51.That said we totally appreciate the input and we are driven to make sure the X51 does not disappoint. Keep the suggestions coming.