Alien Autopsy: We Look Inside the Alienware X51
Alien Autopsy: We Look Inside the Alienware X51
Posted 01/18/2012 at 2:07pm
| by Gordon Mah Ung
51
Comments
Print
Deep inside the smallest, most powerful gaming rig…ever?
Besides chocolate and coconut, oil and water, gaming and small form factor usually don’t mix. That’s something Alienware is hoping to fix with its new incredibly small X51 box.
Maximum PC got to dig around inside an X51 unit to see how the company managed to get desktop parts into such a miniature machine and even check out the Nvidia’s top secret Optimus technology too.
Alienware had two targets in designing the new X51 desktop: make it small and make it powerful. The Alienware box is slightly bigger than a generation 1 Xbox 360 console and it’s very reminiscent of business-class small form factor machines. There’s a big difference with the X51 though: It has some juice.
Alienware designers told us with this size of desktop, mobile parts are often used to keep the thermals and size down but because most gamers like to upgrade, the company said it based the X51 on desktop components. Inside is a Mini-ITX motherboard using the H61 chipset and a standard LGA1155 socket with the most powerful being an Intel Core i7-2600. Why no K chip? Alienware said the H61 makes overclocking out of the question so there’s no need to pay for an unlocked processor. The board features two standard DDR3 DIMM slots in dual-channel mode and a Mini PCI Express Card slot. The Mini PCI Express Card slot will be outfitted with an 802.11n chip but since it’s a standard slot, will take any card. The motherboard itself is an industry standard MiniITX size and could theoretically be upgraded but the I/O shield of the machine is built into the rear plane of the machine so swapping out a motherboard would seem to require Dremelling out the I/O shield area to fit any new board.
To get more hardware inside the box, Alienware had to move from the typical small, loud and hot internal PSU to an external brick. Two options will be available: A 240 Watt brick or a 340 Watt brick. The brick plugs into the rear of the box and AC/DC conversion is done inside the machine on a board in front of the motherboard.
For storage, the X51 will mount a full size 3.5-inch desktop drive, and a slot-fed DVD burner or optional Blu-ray combo drive. There’s no mount for a 2.5-inch SSD or mobile drive but Alienware designers said they expect those interested in SSDs to remove the 3.5-inch drive and use a bracket to mount up to 2.5-inch SSDs. Knowing this would be an option, Alienware said they intentionally put three SATA ports on the motherboard. The real magic though is the GPU support. Two configurations will be available at launch: A GeForce GTX 555 or a GeForce GTX 545. These are not specially designed cards with custom coolers either—these are off the shelf cards. Alienware said gamers universally want the option to upgrade cards down the road so it made sure the unit could function with off the shelf cards.
The company said it believes it’s possible to run up to a GeForce GTX 580 based on the power and thermal capabilities but it has not qualified the box for it. We only saw two standard six-pin power plugs so don’t pin your hopes on anything that requires insane amount of power. Realistically, Alienware said it expects GeForce GTX 560 Ti-level of graphics as a near term upgrade. Keep in mind that as vendors introduce newer GPUs, the power requirements usually go down for mid-range cards so it’s not implausible to get GeForce GTX 580 performance later this year with the power needs of a GeForce GTX 560 Ti.
All X51s will also come with Nvidia’s long awaited, secret Optimus technology. Optimus lets you seamlessly switch between discrete and the integrated Sandy Bridge graphics. It was actually backdoor announced by board makers when the original Z68 chipset came out last Spring but was quickly denied by Nvidia. Now nearly a year later, Optimus for desktop is finally ready. Configuring Optimus seems fairly easy and straightforward, too. Just go into the Nvidia control panel, select "Manage 3D Settings" and then you’re given an option to let Optimus automagically select what to run on by looking at the 3D workload or manually select the integrated graphics or discrete graphics.
Since gamers like bling, Alienware added a dash of that with its trademark lighting on various places around the case. Like the laptop and Aurora, the X51 lets you change the color of the LEDs on the case and the keyboard and mouse using the AFX lighting applet. To show you how much thought the designers put into the box, the signature Alienware head on the front of the box can be rotated to match the orientation of the box.
We'll get a box in for review when we can, but we can say that the X51 is an impressive amount of hardware in a small box. We've seen high-end graphics, even up to GTX 580 cards in small form factor rigs before, but they're generally pretty bulky. That Alienware can stuff a 150-watt GPU into a box the size of a business-class small form factor is pretty damn amazing. To be honest, this isn't the first attempt at a small, thin gaming box. Hewlett-Packard's (Voodoo's) Firebird made a run at it with its Firebird machine, back in 2009.
While interesting and truly silent, the Firebird's use of mobile CPUs and SLI'ed mobile GPUs was a big turn off to gamers. We weren't overly joyed with the Firebird, but we did think that it was a glimpse of one possible future for desktop gaming. Alienware's X51 pretty much cements that: PC gaming is truly getting smaller and cheaper.
Two configuations will be offered, with the cheapest being $699 for a box with a Core i3, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB drive, and a GeForce GTX 545.
Alienware X51 Inside and Out
More like this
KarbonKopy
January 25, 2012 at 7:10am
Does this have a UEFI BIOS? I was curious if you could toss a 3 TB boot drive on this beast for maximum storage....that would be pretty damn spiffy. Look forward to seeing the review Gordon. Any ideas when they might send in a rig for review and benchmarking?
This would be a pretty good HTPC too....
gordonung
January 25, 2012 at 5:19pm
You know, I didn't look at the BIOS but I'm almost certain it's a UEFI. I cannot imagine a modern box shipping without UEFI these days. We'll see when we finally get one. I'm quite interested in seeing how big of a GPU I can put in it.
KarbonKopy
January 26, 2012 at 10:51am
I would totally agree I couldn't see it not having UEFI either, but figured you weren't able to get in depth with it quite yet. Would love to see it with a 3 TB drive and a monster GPU! Have fun in the lab! :)
StigtriX
January 21, 2012 at 1:34pm
Just wait for the intel Ivy Bridge line to be implemented. The CPUs draw less power, produce less heat and have about 20% better overall performance compared to good ol' Sandy. Put a SSD inside it too, and you have more head space for a GPU upgrade ;)A nVIDIA GTX 570 is not unrealistic and well worth a try, just remember to get a version with better cooling than the original version. The GAINWARD GeForce GTX 570 GLH Edition has very good performance and has quiter fans and stays cooler than the reference card from nVIDIA.
That's what I will do! I'm tired of my big tower. It takes too much space and has the devil himself inside the GPU - I have the notorious nVIDIA GTX 480, and it is really hot and loud(yes, a bad choice - I bought it when it was new). Luckily, I live in Norway, so if I get more problems with my PC, I can send it back and get my money back! *cross fingers for problems*
imagonex
January 20, 2012 at 5:23pm
This thing is going to sell. I think we'll see the move to more compact, practical and powerful systems in the years to come. Pity they didn't slap in a GTX580 in there. That would totally kick some silicon bootay! I assume some of the component choices were due to marketing results and supplier issues. I think if they get more than enough custome feedback they'll crank-up the horsepower on the next generation. Heck, if some case manufacturers out there can come up with something like this with a decent PSU for the top graphics card and CPU out there, I'll buy it. If the board has USB3 or eSATA output, one can just slap an outboard drive box and Bob's you uncle! Hope DELL is reading this. Hope DELL reads Gordon's stuff. Hopefully, Gordon becomes CEO of DELL. MOOOOHAHAHA! Today MAXIMUMPC! Tomorrow the world!! Cue: Gordon petting white chinchilla cat.
Jogrady96
January 20, 2012 at 10:56am
Sorry this might sound like a nooby question but on their american site it is $1500ish fully upgraded but on the australian it is $2300ish and I am confused at how that conversion of price work if someone could explain it would be much appreciated.Especially since the austalian doller is higher in currency at the moment and has been for quite a bit now.
mattatooski
January 19, 2012 at 4:41pm
I do like the look of that case. It would look very nice sitting next to my tv. I would like to transplant my HTPC into that case.
koldplay
January 19, 2012 at 1:13pm
Hi,
Does anyone know if the external power brick can be replaced with a 220v one to work in europe? Or would that AC/DC conversion board also need to be changed?
Thanks.
LatiosXT
January 19, 2012 at 8:12am
"Automagically". Gordon, you are awesome.
Also, has Optimus for desktops probably been the reason why there hasn't been a WHQL driver update from NVIDIA in months?
gordonung
January 19, 2012 at 8:00pm
It's hard to say. I'll ask NV next time we have a briefing with them but WHQL drivers usually move pretty slowly anyway.
xeones
January 19, 2012 at 4:30am
Gaming on a laptop doesn't work very well. I mean, not the kind of games I like to play. Not talking angry birds here.
For work, sometimes I have to be away overseas for a few weeks at a time. The X51, 22"lcd, keyboard/mouse, and 3d vision kit could all fit in a hard plastic case not much bigger than the backpack I carry around with me now.
I've tried buying "gaming laptops" before. You end up paying thousands of dollars for disappointing performance. Really. This thing might actually be the thing that lets me play TOR on the road.
Diosjenin
January 18, 2012 at 10:59pm
What exactly is a secret about Optimus? I've had it on my laptop for about fourteen months now.
gordonung
January 19, 2012 at 7:59pm
Well, Optimus has been out for quite some time. Most of us refer to it as Optimus on desktops but nVidia was actually supposed to call it Synergy when it came out on Z68. Despite being told by a few board vendors that Synergy was on the way and was indeed real, nVidia denied that it existed for months. The real reason it didn't come out was likely because Nvidia didn't like the results. But on the X51, it works just fine. You run the HDMI to your Z68/SNB graphics core and the Optimus/Synergy routes it from discrete to the onboard HDMI. When Optimus/Synergy is in action on the onboard, the discrete card spools down. Not completely the way the Radeon HD 7970 is supposed with CrossFire X but still a nice way to save some power.
Diosjenin
January 21, 2012 at 12:58am
Heh. Component makers and their branding. Lord knows they can't just stick with one name for the same tech in different form factors. That would just be too simple. :P
I'm interested to know why the discrete card doesn't power off completely on desktops, because I know it does on laptops. I specifically remember an early Optimus demo where nVidia let the integrated GPU take over, then physically removed the discrete card and put it back in before triggering it again; system kept chugging along without any problem at all.
dgrmouse
January 18, 2012 at 9:46pm
If the device can support a 560TI, it should be a factory option. Doh. Alienware, how far you've fallen.
sandrajustin
January 18, 2012 at 9:26pm
I do, but who doesn't have the space for a double full tower? Under the desk? over the desk? beside the desk? in the other room? choices are endless.credit card application
COMMANDER_COOK
January 18, 2012 at 7:06pm
That rotating badge is nothing new. Even the old fatty PS2s had it.
JohnP
January 18, 2012 at 5:44pm
Sweet looking box but really? As far as I am concerned, these boxes are for the folks who care more about looks than function. Add another 4 inches in depth and 2 inches in width and you could have a regular midtower case with all of its benefits. As for upgrading, the power supply limits pretty much anything you could do to improve it so it might as well be a proprietary box.
HEEEEYYY! Spell checking has FINALLY been turned on the site! It's about time! Thank you.
Slurpy
January 18, 2012 at 11:27pm
I think this is aimed at the people who want a gaming HTPC that will fit in an entertainment center, rather than a desktop replacement.
dakishimesan
January 18, 2012 at 5:25pm
my $760 mac mini:
1. core i5
2. radeon 6630m
3. 4gb
4. 1/4 the size of x51
5. not upgradeable except hdd to ssd which i've done, and thunderbolt gpus, which are going to be real (see MSI box from CES), but expensive as balls.http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MC816LL-Desktop-NEWEST-VERSION/dp/B004YLCN1U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326936230&sr=8-2
x51 $699:
1. i3
2. gtx 545 -- not sure how compares to 6630m, prolly better
3. 4gb
4. 4x the size
5. upgradeablegiven choice now, i would prolly choose x51 for upgradeability if i could hackintosh it.
Danthrax66
January 18, 2012 at 7:01pm
But the mac mini uses the mobile cpu and mobile gpu so it is a lot less powerful.
aferrara50
January 18, 2012 at 7:00pm
I'd personally go for the mac just to browse the internet on my tv. The X51 can't play games at all with a 535/555 in it so it's just a glorified web browsing box. Really irrelevant if it's able to be upgraded since a ~300w psu can't even power 1 half decent gpu (1 flagship)
Slurpy
January 18, 2012 at 11:32pm
Only the power hungriest cards use more than 150W. The PCI-E rail delivers 75W, each 6-pin connector delivers 75W, and an 8pin connector delivers 150W. Most cards are powered just fine off the rail and a single six-pin, so they never draw more than 150. Even high-end cards like a 570 usually just use two sixes, and so draw less than 225W.
aferrara50
January 19, 2012 at 4:16am
It's rated at 219w, so very close, but Nvidia recommends at least a 550w to run it, much more than what comes with the system. Even so with 219w you're leaving that tiny psu to power a 95w cpu plus a harddrive and fans, etc. ~300w psus aren't generally quality enough to keep up such a load for extended periods of time.
gordonung
January 19, 2012 at 8:12pm
There's a 340 watt power brick option as well. I agree that 300 watt PSU's tend to be crap but there's a big difference between what you or and I can get for 300 watts and buying in lots of 1 or 2. Alienware has a bit more leverage and engineering behind it so it can spec a 340 watt brick to hit certain power requiements of a system and not have the PSU's nuke in 18 months. The expansion of the box also keeps the load to a minimum. One of the reason's we've long recommended oversizing your PSU is because it's hard to know what a person is going to run in a box. A box built around a Corsair 800D means the end user could end up running six 15K drives, an overclocked SNB-E and Tri-SLI. On the X51 with its two slots of RAM, single graphics slot and room for one drive, AW can probably predict how hard someone is going to push the box and spec it that way. Since I don't think they want to a class action suit I suspect they did their home work.
aferrara50
January 22, 2012 at 8:00pm
Just curious, but what motherboard would the one in the x51 be most comparable to?
COMMANDER_COOK
January 18, 2012 at 8:26pm
Can't run games with a 555?
My current gaming needs are satisfied with a Core2 Duo @ 2.26Ghz paired with GeForce GT130m (equivalent to a 9500GT desktop card). I can't max anything out and probably can't run any newer high end games like Crysis 2, but it does just fine with Just Cause 2 and the many Source based games I play.
aferrara50
January 19, 2012 at 4:09am
understandable. I just think it shouldn't be marketed as a gaming computer if it doesn't have the power to back it up. If you can't place every game on the market without lag (over 30fps) at 1080p+ then it's not a gaming computer. Maybe an entertainment computer or something else.
gordonung
January 20, 2012 at 3:16pm
I think people have different expectations of an $700-$900 box that fits under your TV though. And one of the AW designers says he plays BG3 with some image tweaks at 1080P res with the $699 model at 34fps+ just fine. That's low for me, but BF3 is a pretty big high bar and let's remember that console's game at 720P res not really native 1080P resolutions.
aferrara50
January 22, 2012 at 7:57pm
very true. Most people that will buy this aren't people that would build their own small form factor htpc/ gaming rig. It should be able to game no problem with settings similar to a console. Seems that it's taking alienware an awful long time to recover back to the quality of it's glory days from before dell acquired it. I think alienware should have taken a similar approach to falcon-nw with the fragbox, only style it in its own unique way.
DasHellMutt
January 18, 2012 at 3:48pm
That rotating badge trick is one that Dell (who still owns Alienware if i'm not mistaken) was doing years ago on small form factor optiplexes. It is a nice touch though.
phoenixjc
January 18, 2012 at 3:21pm
Hey now, chocolate and coconut do mix. It's just sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't.
SeverianSilk
January 18, 2012 at 10:32pm
I, too, would like to raise a complaint about the fact checking on this post. Chocolate and coconut mix to form a wondrous and beautiful miracle that tastebuds dream of. Revise pl0x.
Danthrax66
January 18, 2012 at 7:03pm
You could probably mount this behind a tv sometimes it isn't about whether you have space or not. There are other things you can use that space for and this is probably a lot quieter than your average mid tower build.
aferrara50
January 18, 2012 at 7:02pm
I do, but who doesn't have the space for a double full tower? Under the desk? over the desk? beside the desk? in the other room? choices are endless. The question is... how much do you want to spend on electricity
QuadraQ
January 18, 2012 at 2:55pm
This is going to be a great product for console conversion. It's basically the perfect box for someone who wants to upgrade from their xbox 360 to a full gaming PC with upgrading potential. Just brilliant!
blkpanthr
January 18, 2012 at 6:56pm
and even at mid-range graphics it beats the hell out of a console...
Marthian
January 18, 2012 at 2:38pm
Wow $700 for this? That's pretty cheap as far as I know, even for Alienware. Specs look reminiscent of the ~$600 budget build featured on this website.
Although I'm still sticking to my 560 Ti and 2500k combo.
blkpanthr
January 18, 2012 at 7:00pm
ill bet ya with a nutty heat-pipe apparatus with a rear radiator, you could stuff a 2500k in here, but VRM cooling will become an issue, which i assume is what the tech was really talking about with overclocking being a no-no.
and thank god spell check is working, my spelling is atrocious (no way i could have spelled that properly...lol)
gordonung
January 19, 2012 at 8:03pm
Correct on the VRM cooling. I asked that too and AW says they wanted air moving over the VRMs to keep them from melting. The issue with the 2500K/2600K/2700K is that there's no need for an unlocked processor since the H61 chipset pretty much precludes any hopes of overclocking.
Connect with MaximumPC
Featured Content
We introduce Intel's latest class of tablet killers and review 4 of the first Ultra...
This month's issue
Feature
11 Hardware Hacks
Feature
Overclock Your CPU
How-To
Supercharge Your Smartphone
Build It
A Powerful $830 Rig
Most Commented Articles
Latest Max PC Tweets
- maximumpc: HUD-Sporting "Google Glasses" May Hit Streets This Year http://t.co/TDXjJowZ2 hours 42 min ago
- maximumpc: Nvidia Releases WHQL-Certified 295.73 GeForce Drivers http://t.co/NVMWruHO4 hours 15 min ago
- maximumpc: http://t.co/BVVfRA3B4 hours 16 min ago
