We were all excited when Alienware announced their Steam Machines, which we all though of being Linux-based and upgradable as PCs. The perfect consoles. However, recent news uncover that Alienware Steam Machines will have the same principle as consoles. And yes, they will not be upgradeable as previously expected.
Alienware has long been known for its high-end gaming PCs and while overpriced in some opinions, the company’s wares have always been fully upgradeable. Frank Azor, Alienware’s general manager said in an interview that “There will be no customization options, you can’t really update it.”
For those that desire the flexibility of self-installed hardware upgrades, Azor suggests getting a more traditional home computer. He specifically points to Alienware’s X51, a small form factor gaming PC, as a potential option. The smaller case places some restrictions on how much an X51 can be upgraded, but the unspoken points comes across clearly enough. The Steam Machines housed in tiny cases that we’ve seen so far appear to be priced competitively with consoles.
This means that Alienware’s Steam Machines are most likely being built with AMD APUs or custom GPU solutions that are hard mounted to the motherboard, much like how Microsoft and Sony are doing with the next-gen consoles. While Steam Machine are largely being appreciated for their upgradeability, Alienware might be losing in the long run with this announcement.
Thank you TweakTown for providing us with this information
