Alienware Alpha

33 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
usability (20)
price (14)
size (12)
reliability (5)
design (5)

Negative

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 33 reviews of Alienware Alpha. The average rating for this product is 3.6/5, compared to an average rating of 4.1/5 for other Desktops for all reviews. Opinions about the reliability and design are generally positive. The size and price are also appreciated, whereas there are some mixed views about the usability.

price, size, design, reliability

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Desktops the Alienware Alpha is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 91/100 = Excellent quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 33 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

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Showing 25 review(s)

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Showing 1 - 10 of 25 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (8)

Expert review by (engadget.com)

Alienware Alpha review: almost the Steam Machine you're looking for

If you absolutely have to have a Steam Machineright now, you're not going to do better than the Alienware Alpha. Still, it's a mere stepping stone towards bigger, better and more complete PC game consoles.

Alpha UI creates a solid console illusion ; Custom gamepad drivers solve most mouse and keyboard problems ; Makes it easy to play PC games on a TV

Painfully long load times ; Overprotective console mode blocks some games from running ; Driver issues can cause trouble with some titles

The Alpha does a lot of things right. It's a small, compact gaming PC that fits into your entertainment center. It uses a combination of custom launchers and mouse-emulation to give users an experience analogous to that of a traditional game console...

Dec, 2014

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Expert review by (cnet.com)

Alienware Alpha Desktop

The premise, as first pitched nearly two years ago, is promising: What if you could buy a new type of gaming console that had the guts of a PC, a pre-established library of 1,000 games, a tried-and-true interface already beloved by hard-core gamers and...

The Alienware Steam Machine brings Valve's Steam OS concept to life at an affordable price. It has a larger launch library than any living room console and it includes the unique new Steam Controller.

Steam OS is locked out of a vast majority of the Steam game library, including nearly every hot new PC game. The controller has a deep learning curve, and will never be the best choice for some games. The more capable Windows version of this hardware...

There are many ways to put PC games on a living room TV, and the Alienware Steam Machine is one of the most ambitious. Like all new console launches, there are rocky patches, but the biggest hurdle may be proving why Steam OS is a better choice than...

Nov, 2015

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Expert review by : Joel Santo Domingo (pcmag.com)

Alienware Alpha

Although it's a good budget-price gaming rig, the Alienware Alpha isn't the Steam Machine you've been waiting for.

Solid gaming performance. Good connectivity. 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Includes wireless Xbox 360 controller. Compact chassis.

Loading games is more difficult than on a gaming console. GPU can't be upgraded. Lacks DVI and VGA ports. No keyboard or mouse included.

Overall, the Alienware Alpha gaming PC shows some promise. Its performance is top notch for the price, and whenever Steam finally releases the Steam Machine/Steam OS, you'll be in a good position to install it. However, as an overall gaming system,...

Dec, 2014

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Expert review by : Dan Ackerman (cnet.com)

The Alienware Alpha is a PC that thinks like a game console

This small living-room gaming PC is packed with great ideas but really feels like an alpha-level product.

The compact Alienware Alpha plays a huge library of PC games in a living-room-friendly format, and it works with a standard Xbox 360 controller.

It's built around the Steam gaming platform, so it's harder to use for PC games purchased elsewhere. The custom UI is slow and clunky, and the base configuration is underpowered for long-term use.

The bold Alienware Alpha makes good on many parts of its promise to meld the gaming PC and living room game console, but there are still too many rough edges to make this a true console killer.

Dec, 2014

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Expert review by (cnet.com)

Alienware Alpha DKCWA02

That PC-alternative platform was going to be the big PC gaming story of the year, with a large lineup of living-room-friendly devices that ran Steam OS, a simplified operating system for running the Steam game store and app, and a unique controller...

The compact Alienware Alpha plays a huge library of PC games in a living-room-friendly format, and it works with a standard Xbox 360 controller.

It's built around the Steam gaming platform, so it's harder to use for PC games purchased elsewhere. The custom UI is slow and clunky, and the base configuration is underpowered for long-term use.

The bold Alienware Alpha makes good on many parts of its promise to meld the gaming PC and living room game console, but there are still too many rough edges to make this a true console killer.

Dec, 2014

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Expert review by : Tim Schiesser (techspot.com)

Alienware Alpha Review

The Alienware Alpha is a compact living room gaming PC that suits the gamer wanting better graphics, frame rates, and resolutions on a more consistent basis. On top of this, you get the advantages of gaming on a PC, such as a massive game library,...

Decent performance provides consistent 1080p gaming in a great form factor. It's a PC running Steam, so you get a massive game library. Entry-level model is good value.

5,400RPM hard drive is a big performance bottleneck. Doesn't handle non-Steam games elegantly. Upgrades aren't as great value.

The Alienware Alpha is a good first attempt at the perfect living room gaming PC. The form factor is ideal for this sort of system: compact with a good selection of ports, adjustable RGB LED lighting, and decent cooling with a touch of upgradeability....

Dec, 2014

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Expert review by : Sherri L. Smith (tomsguide.com)

Alienware Alpha Review

If you like the idea of a PC that provides a gaming-console-like UI and you don't need the highest level of performance, get the Alienware Alpha. If you just want a traditional gaming desktop, consider more expensive options such as the Alienware X51.

Small, portable design ; Runs quiet when gaming ; Growing game library has more than 3,500 titles ; Solid graphics performance

More expensive than traditional game consoles ; Entering text in console mode is tedious ; Slow hard drive ; Takes too long to boot Alpha UI

Combining the UI of a gaming console with the power of a PC, the Alienware Alpha is a force to be reckoned with.

Nov, 2014

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Expert review by : Sean Hollister (gizmodo.com)

Alienware Alpha Review: Close, But No Game Console

The Alienware Alpha sounds awesome. It's smaller and more powerful than the PS4 and Xbox One. It doubles as an actual Windows PC! But be warned: it's not as easy to use as a game console, not as foolproof. It's not nearly the slam dunk I was hoping it...

Nov, 2014

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Expert review by : Mike Jennings (trustedreviews.com)

Alienware Alpha

Valve created headlines when it previewed a wave of Steam-powered PCs to take on consoles, but the scheme was postponed, with hardware manufacturers left in the lurch. That hasn't stopped Alienware launching its latest desktop. The Alpha was announced...

Smaller, lighter and as smart as the consoles ; Matches the consoles for gaming power ; Xbox 360 controller included ; Dedicated Alienware UI

Can’t upgrade GPU ; More expensive than consoles ; Entry-level CPU and RAM limits performance

Feb, 2015

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Expert review by : Joe Osborne (techradar.com)

Alienware Alpha review

The best case for Steam Machines yet

Stylish, compact design ; HDMI in support ; Decent performance ; Windows-free experience ; Upgradeable

No GPU upgrade ; Easily outpriced ; No Origin, Uplay support ; Rough UI

With or without Valve, the Steam Machines are coming. And with the Alienware Alpha, Dell is one of the first – and arguably the strongest – of the hopeful PC-based game consoles to grace us with its glow … literally.

Feb, 2015

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