specialguy
Banned
they should be pretty close.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Alienware X51 thread of 2.56TFLOPS comfy couch gaming at 180W in a console size box
- Thread starter Chittagong
- Start date
- Status
they should be pretty close.
BarrelMakingPenguin
Member
So I'm about to order one of these in the coming weeks. I'm planning on using it with my TV...do I need to have anything special if I'm only going to use it with a TV? Or will just a standard HDMI cable suffice?
Chittagong
Gold Member
a standard HDMI will do just fine. Although it would do the system justice to have surround speakers of some sort in your setup, too. Or good headphones.
My core i3-2100 with an ATi 5670 1GB (It's that old that it still has the ATi name instead of AMD) maxes out Sleeping Dogs at 1440x900 with 2xAA so I assume that this will be fine at 1080p with no AA. (you don't need AA at comfy couch distance)
You need a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable.
thechristoph
Sir!
I've already got a the 555 model, but this seems like a nice upgrade. Do they offer a way to get the card as an upgrade? I'd rather get an OEM card rather than a consumer card, as it's guaranteed to fit...
Marty Chinn
Member
No, it has standard HDMI out.
Forgot about the motherboard's HDMI out. I was thinking of the GTX 555's mini-HDMI out.
I won one of these in a raffle. Anyone having any solutions with replacing the default 3.5" HDD with 2x 2.5" drives (one SSD and one HDD). I bought a dual 2.5" to 3.5" adapter, but it doesn't line up with the SATA connector. Plus, I thought there was an extra SATA connection somewhere?
ShinobiFist
Banned
Perfectly fine my dude.
ShinobiFist
Banned
And that's with the stock 555. Good stuff. The uploader said, it runs at 40-55 max settings and 20-25 while recording. It's a good time to get this bad boys now(Due to the 660 card now)I was going to get one in late June, but other plans came up. Should be getting one by labor day week. HYPE!
It's buried somewhere, I didn't find it when I was swapping in my SSD (i7 3770 model).
I ended up using the 2.5" caddy my OCZ SSD came with and used two existing holes to screw it into the Dell slot-in caddy. Then I unscrewed the power cable hinge under the case fan (requires a little wiggle work to get it out from under the fan without damaging it) and plugged it in. End result, SSD attached with 2 screws into the slot-in caddy that's then secured with a screw in to the external casing with the power cable is not attached to the case any more.
I put the 3.5" drive in an external USB 3 case.
Marty Chinn
Member
What? Why would you do that instead of just using the integrated? It's setup that the GPU passes through to the integrated and that it will switch depending on usage.
It's buried somewhere, I didn't find it when I was swapping in my SSD (i7 3770 model).
I ended up using the 2.5" caddy my OCZ SSD came with and used two existing holes to screw it into the Dell slot-in caddy. Then I unscrewed the power cable hinge under the case fan (requires a little wiggle work to get it out from under the fan without damaging it) and plugged it in. End result, SSD attached with 2 screws into the slot-in caddy that's then secured with a screw in to the external casing with the power cable is not attached to the case any more.
I put the 3.5" drive in an external USB 3 case.
Thanks! I found these guides too so linking them in case someone else finds them useful:
http://alienwarearena.com/forums/topic/12910/hardware/hidi-1-alienware-x51-ssd-installation/
http://www.alienwarearena.com/forum...hidi-2-alienware-x51-dual-drive-installation/
http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19450393/20110860.aspx
Did not know this. How should I set my computer up if I want to do dual monitors (one computer monitor and one HDTV mainly for XBMC/video playback)? Does this work?
Integrated graphics's HDMI port to my computer monitor, and a DVI -> HDMI adapter to run HDMI to the TV (I don't have a miniHDMI adapter currently and I'm going to get a spare DVI -> HDMI adapter from my brother). Will I be able to get audio over HDMI for the TV this way too or do I need something else?
I don't knwo about that. I did it through the HDMI and planetside ran like shit. I did it through the dvi and it ran smooth as butter.
Marty Chinn
Member
You can do this and it depends on how you plan to have sound setup. I would honestly go HDMI from integrated to your TV if you plan to use that for XBMC, and then output from your dedicated GPU to your monitor for games.
Look up NVIDIA Optimus. The X51 is the first desktop to incorporate it. I was sad to see it go when I upgraded my graphics card to an ATI based one because it used to work and I was working specifically off the integrated card just fine.
Marty Chinn
Member
Buy!!!
Solo Act
Member
Something similarly priced but with the option of a GTX 680 is available from a company that I would trust much more than Dell. I know the topic is about the X51, but I suppose I'm commenting more for the Steam Big Picture discussion that is starting up here.
http://www.maingear.com/custom/sff/xcube/index.php
http://www.maingear.com/custom/sff/xcube/index.php
To be fair, HTPC cases like that are a dime a dozen. The X51 truly is unique (don't own one, but I can appreciate an elegant design when I see one).
Apocryphon
Member
I've had my X51 for a few weeks now. Installed SSD alongside the original HDD and swapped out the graphics card for a 660ti. I have an EVGA 670 on the way, but I'm not sure whether it's going in this or my desktop. I'm a tad concerned about power draw and heat.
Here it is on my desk alongside my M17x R4...
I've been pretty impressed all round really. It's my 4th Alienware machine and it has the same solid build quality and pleasing aesthetic I've come to expect from the brand. For a small form-factor desktop or a HTPC, these things are perfect. Some people might prefer to self-build, and that's fine, and some people might think Alienware's look garish, and that's fine too.
They may not be the best bang for buck machine out there but there's clearly a large market for these kind of machines and Alienware's success with the X51 can only be a good thing as it'll lead to increased competition.
Before I pulled the trigger on this machine I considered building a machine myself using the Thermaltake Armor A30 case...
And I considered buying from Falcon Northwest. I probably would have if they still sold the gorgeous Fragbox...
...but they don't. They're in the process of updating it with a new design and are encouraging people to buy the Tiki instead...
I did nearly buy it, and even though I'm happy with the X51, I can't say that I no longer want one. I'm holding out to see what the new Fragbox is like though and then one of them will find a home in my living room
So yeah, while there are plenty of alternatives to the X51, the ones that are as sleek cost the same kind of money or more. Alienware offered shuttle PC's years ago, but they never took off. Since then they've done massive monstrous towers. Now that the size of these small form factor cases isn't a limitation of the kinds of components that can go in them, offering a machine in this class was a really smart idea.
Here it is on my desk alongside my M17x R4...
I've been pretty impressed all round really. It's my 4th Alienware machine and it has the same solid build quality and pleasing aesthetic I've come to expect from the brand. For a small form-factor desktop or a HTPC, these things are perfect. Some people might prefer to self-build, and that's fine, and some people might think Alienware's look garish, and that's fine too.
They may not be the best bang for buck machine out there but there's clearly a large market for these kind of machines and Alienware's success with the X51 can only be a good thing as it'll lead to increased competition.
Before I pulled the trigger on this machine I considered building a machine myself using the Thermaltake Armor A30 case...
And I considered buying from Falcon Northwest. I probably would have if they still sold the gorgeous Fragbox...
...but they don't. They're in the process of updating it with a new design and are encouraging people to buy the Tiki instead...
I did nearly buy it, and even though I'm happy with the X51, I can't say that I no longer want one. I'm holding out to see what the new Fragbox is like though and then one of them will find a home in my living room
So yeah, while there are plenty of alternatives to the X51, the ones that are as sleek cost the same kind of money or more. Alienware offered shuttle PC's years ago, but they never took off. Since then they've done massive monstrous towers. Now that the size of these small form factor cases isn't a limitation of the kinds of components that can go in them, offering a machine in this class was a really smart idea.
bob_arctor
Tough_Smooth
Just got my X51 today for my 40th bday! Still haven't unpacked. Couple of quick questions: are there any specific tweaking guides out there? And more importantly, what's the best card I can upgrade to that doesn't require that much re-arranging wires etc.? I got the "Free Xbox" deal X51 so they lock you into taking the 545 but I made sure to cop the 330w power supply. And lastly, how will the 545 run Dark Souls? I won't be able to do much of anything cuz I still have to order my monitor--going with an Asus VH236H.
New ITX chassis out (Soon). Talk about an X51 killer.
It is the S3 Chassis designed by NFC who before this, focused on commissioned scratch builds.
Probably should be cross posted in here since it's far and away the best looking OEM solution. I could see how some people could possibly not like the big mesh holes, but it's clearly the closest anyone has gotten to the X51 case.
Chittagong
Gold Member
very flexible, in my opinion. I could not believe it would fit and run the 7870, but it did really well. and it was a nearly top of the line card.
Hmmmm, new offer with i5 3450 and GTX 660. This is a very very capable gaming rig for that price and form-factor.
My only gripe would be the lack of SSD but I can live without that.
I'm very tempted. 1049 Euros on my side. I was juggling with several other possibilities on the mini-ITX camp and my last bet was on i5 3750k with 8 Gb RAM, GTX 670 and SSD 128 + HDD 2To BUT...it's 450 euros to shelve above the X51 AND the mini-Itx wouldn't fit in the rack below the television (by about 2 centimeters, couldn't find a decent mini-ITX that could welcome a proper gaming rig with smaller dimensions, it would have to remain hidden in the shelf and loose on the floor when in-use).
Knowing that I'm currently gaming on a laptop (I7 740QM 4Gb Ram and Geforce 445m), both rigs would show tremendous progression. and both would fit my gaming needs (I can also easily move them "on-the-go" to replace my desktop rig...an aging E8400 with 4Gb and 460GTX).
What to do...450 Euros for a more beefy but less friendly rig or Alienware?
Edit : ok, ordered the X51 with the GTX 660, should be more than sufficient for my gaming needs.
My only gripe would be the lack of SSD but I can live without that.
I'm very tempted. 1049 Euros on my side. I was juggling with several other possibilities on the mini-ITX camp and my last bet was on i5 3750k with 8 Gb RAM, GTX 670 and SSD 128 + HDD 2To BUT...it's 450 euros to shelve above the X51 AND the mini-Itx wouldn't fit in the rack below the television (by about 2 centimeters, couldn't find a decent mini-ITX that could welcome a proper gaming rig with smaller dimensions, it would have to remain hidden in the shelf and loose on the floor when in-use).
Knowing that I'm currently gaming on a laptop (I7 740QM 4Gb Ram and Geforce 445m), both rigs would show tremendous progression. and both would fit my gaming needs (I can also easily move them "on-the-go" to replace my desktop rig...an aging E8400 with 4Gb and 460GTX).
What to do...450 Euros for a more beefy but less friendly rig or Alienware?
Edit : ok, ordered the X51 with the GTX 660, should be more than sufficient for my gaming needs.
SlaughterX
Banned
Good to see that the price of these things have come down significantly in the past months. Anyway a couple of my friends are interested in a HTPC and this looks like it would be right up their alley.
In the tech specs section of this page it says that you can upgrade the optical drive to a Blu-Ray ROM. but when I go to customize the computer on the Dell site there is no option of changing the optical drive. I am guessing since this is such a low profile computer that you can't (or at least, you would have a hard time) upgrading the optical drive yourself with a standard PC sized drive, or am I wrong? I'd much rather buy a BR burner off NewEgg for $100 or less anyway...
In the tech specs section of this page it says that you can upgrade the optical drive to a Blu-Ray ROM. but when I go to customize the computer on the Dell site there is no option of changing the optical drive. I am guessing since this is such a low profile computer that you can't (or at least, you would have a hard time) upgrading the optical drive yourself with a standard PC sized drive, or am I wrong? I'd much rather buy a BR burner off NewEgg for $100 or less anyway...
Marty Chinn
Member
Dell is weird about their customize option. Depending on which preconfig model you select will determine which options you can choose from. So certain models don't give you the option to change the optical drive and it makes no sense. You can upgrade it on your own however. You won't use a standard one, but a slim sized drive which are pretty common.
Marty Chinn
Member
I do that for my own, but when I get them from Netflix, I don't want to rip them to watch a rental.
bob_arctor
Tough_Smooth
Had to bump this with a question:
I upgraded my Nvidia drivers last night off their site but after doing so Optimus had been disabled on my X51--this was a huge problem because I was running via HDMI so basically my X51 was stuck using integrated since it acted as if my gpu wasn't connected (even though it showed as enabled and working properly). Ultimately I just rolled back to my previous drivers and was fine but is there a solution to this?
I upgraded my Nvidia drivers last night off their site but after doing so Optimus had been disabled on my X51--this was a huge problem because I was running via HDMI so basically my X51 was stuck using integrated since it acted as if my gpu wasn't connected (even though it showed as enabled and working properly). Ultimately I just rolled back to my previous drivers and was fine but is there a solution to this?
Diseased Yak
Gold Member
I got my X15 on 9/27 and have been loving it ever since. Dishonored, X-COM, and Borderlands 2 all look amazing via it on my Samsung 55" 8000 series tv.
Specs I got:
i7-3770 3.4ghz
16GB RAM
GTX 660
2TB hdd
330w psu
Runs fairly quiet, I can't hear it from inside my home theater cabinet, and heat isn't an issue as the cabinet I use has ventilation fans.
Overall I'm super happy with my purchase, and my main gaming rig in the other room has sat dormant since I got the X15. It's too nice to just kick back on the couch and play.
Specs I got:
i7-3770 3.4ghz
16GB RAM
GTX 660
2TB hdd
330w psu
Runs fairly quiet, I can't hear it from inside my home theater cabinet, and heat isn't an issue as the cabinet I use has ventilation fans.
Overall I'm super happy with my purchase, and my main gaming rig in the other room has sat dormant since I got the X15. It's too nice to just kick back on the couch and play.
Damn son, that is EXACTLY what I want to do with this thing. Hook it up to the 50" plasma and kick back on the couch. I'm tired of playing games that look like shit on the console. Are you able to play most games on high-max settings?
diffusionx
Gold Member
I have the earlier X51 (with i7 and GTX 555, though I'm looking to upgrade that in the near future) and yes, I run the games I've played at high settings. They look great.
Using a PC today to run these games is like using a Ferrari to go to the supermarket. They are massively overpowered for the task. It won't be like that for too much longer so we might as well enjoy it.
With a 555 you probably don't use 1080p or FSAA or stable 60FPS in most games. It's like a coitus interuptus with a beautiful women.
Chittagong
Gold Member
My X51 is perfect for XCOM. Not only does the game run a locked 60FPS maxed out, but the colour of the lights of the console automatically change to match the XCOM logo colour when I launch the game. Even though strategy games aren't really lookers, the image quality is still quite nice.
Added some pics to the OP.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 1080P, all settings maxed out, locked at 60FPS
Added some pics to the OP.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 1080P, all settings maxed out, locked at 60FPS
Tobiasboon
Member
It's not too bad, you get the typical Dell crap iirc (the backup stuff, burning stuff etc) that can be easily uninstalled, probably a free trial of some anti-virus software (i think it's Trend Micro) and then the Alienware Command Centre stuff which you will need to change the lights etc.
Unfortunately I missed the boat on the GTX 660 version but I had already upgraded another PC to a GTX 660 which fitted but because it isn't an exhaust version (it's the Windforce X2 iirc) the case fans got really loud under load so I'm now back on my Silverstone SG05 instead and the X51 is just sitting there not being used (I whipped out the CPU and memory for another build, waste not want not!). :-(
Bit of a shame and I will probably end up using it for a media PC somewhere else but the SG05 is just so much better for temperatures and therefore much, much quieter.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked