dell buys alienware

2shoes · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:32 am Post subject: dell buys alienware

MIAMI(AP) Dell Inc., the world's largest computer maker, was long known for cheap, high-quality computers that didn't have much style or cachet among hardcore video gamers.

But Dell took another step to shake up that reputation Wednesday, when it said it would buy Alienware Corp. The company's high-ends PCs are widely acclaimed by gaming fanatics for their fast performance and sleek, UFO-themed looks.

Dell didn't announce terms of the deal, which will help expand its offerings for the lucrative gaming and multimedia market. Dell said Alienware would operate as a wholly owned subsidiary and will keep its brand name and many of its own operations.

Miami-based Alienware was founded in 1996 by Nelson Gonzalez and Alex Aguila, two childhood friends who have built a cult-like following for their PCs that cost an average of about $3,000 to $4,000. They will continue to run the company as a standalone unit of Round Rock, Texas-based Dell.

"This acquisition makes sense because the space that Alienware plays in is a high-growth segment of the PC business. It's also a high-margin segment," IDC analyst Richard Shim said.

One risk though is that hardcore gamers may think that Alienware has lost its street credibility by making a deal with a mainstream player like Dell, he said.

"It'll be interesting to see what Dell does. If they're smart, they'll leave the brand alone. If the brand is tainted in the eyes of gamers, then the acquisition won't live up to its potential," he said.

Alienware is on track to hit $225 million in sales this year, up from $172 million in 2005, according to recent projections by Gonzalez, the privately held company's CEO. Aguila is president.

Dell revamped its XPS line in 2001 to feature high-powered, high-priced computers to better compete with companies like Alienware and Voodoo PC, another niche player. Earlier Wednesday, Dell launched its XPS 600 Renegade system for gamers starting at $9,930 with a flat panel monitor.

"Alienware's products are an excellent complement to Dell's own line of high-performance computers designed for gaming, enthusiast and media content customers," Chairman Michael Dell said in a statement.

"We believe that Alienware will realize significant advantages from Dell's world-class supply chain and operational efficiencies," Gonzalez said in a statement. "They will allow us to continue to satisfy our core customers with the most innovative and highest-performing PCs, and ultimately extend the reach and appeal of the Alienware brand."

Alienware's least expensive laptops and desktops start at around $700, but the top-of-the-line, liquid-cooled ALX models can approach $10,000 when fully tricked out with dual-core processors, hard drives that can store up to a terabyte of data, and state-of-the-art graphics cards.

Its machines cost hundreds of dollars more than similarly configured machines from mainstream manufacturers.

Alienware has branched out a bit by offering some cheaper computers. It also has growing sales of workstations and servers _ not shaped like alien heads _ to corporate and government clients, such as Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army. Gaming PCs, however, still make up 80 percent of sales.

Gonzalez, 40, said he envisioned a big market for souped-up PCs when he developed the idea for Alienware, so named because of his interest in UFOs, science fiction and "The X Files" television series.
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Sparrow wrote:

...if pirates stays on bf1942 i'd hate to see the community grow even smaller, but i know i'll always be around and i hope the rest of you will too!

Special Jimmy wrote:

This mod is rightfully ours, and fuck everyone that stands in our way.

fair winds and following seas, lil shoes 8/3/94-6/23/09

theboomboom · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:48 am Post subject:

Quote:

One risk though is that hardcore gamers may think that Alienware has lost its street credibility by making a deal with a mainstream player like Dell, he said.

How many of us have alienwares?
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firefox_71 · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 3:53 pm Post subject:

pfffffffffffffft, hard-core gamers build their own rig Wink

not pay an outrageous markup to have someone else do it Rolling Eyes

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Wang Chung · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:09 pm Post subject:

USAF.
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Special Jimmy · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject:

I wish I had an alienware. USAF, build me one. NOW.
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Wang Chung wrote:

MikeSty 22: they say Rome wasn't built in a day
MikeSty 22: but they never had the Fucking Cut Throats

Wang Chung · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:47 pm Post subject:

*vomits* Cmon....
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DapperDan

Another article:

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125190,00.asp

The AMD factor is interesting... Cool

Check out the PhysX processor by AGEIA (in Dell's Renegade XPS):

http://physx.ageia.com/footage.html

DD
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theboomboom · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:47 am Post subject:

That physics processor has got me stumped. If everybody doesn't have one, will the game just like not work?
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You do not say that the wheel is fatigued, yet the body is as material as the wheel

DapperDan · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:17 am Post subject:

theboomboom wrote:

That physics processor has got me stumped. If everybody doesn't have one, will the game just like not work?

No. It will work. You just don't see all the eye candy.

DD
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Wang Chung · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

If I'm not mistaken, the game has to be programmed to take advantage of the AGEIA physics processing.
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DapperDan · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:40 pm Post subject:

Wang Chung wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, the game has to be programmed to take advantage of the AGEIA physics processing.

Yes. Correct.

DD
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