AfterDawn: News

New Alienware gaming PC runs on Ubuntu

Dell has unveiled their Linux version of the Alienware X51 slimline desktop PC, running on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

The console has base specs of a 3.3GHz dual-core Core i3-3220, 6GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 645 GPU with 1GB of GDDR5 RAM. That model will cost you $599.



At the high-end, you can upgrade to a Core i7, 8GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 660 with 1.5GB of RAM for $1,049.

As a "slim" model, the PC is 12.5 inches high, 12.5 inches long and 3.74 inches wide.

By moving to Linux, you can save $100 off the base model compared to the Windows 7 equivalent.

Dell says you can play 90 games with the gaming PC, thanks to Steam for Linux, which is a disappointing number compared to the almost 2000 games available for Windows PCs.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 6 Apr 2013 20:46

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• 12 comments

• ivan_gorrion (unverified)

  Wait, both you and Dell are aware that there are more ways to play games besides Steam right? The Fedora games spin had over a hundred games on it. Shouldn't be too difficult to find them. And then people seem to forget about Desura although if it has any games Steam doesn't I wouldn't know. I would think it'd make sense for Dell to have both pre-installed along with PlayOnLinux. Should allow quite a bit more games to be installed. A link to humble bundle too.
  
  Also what's with your disappointment? Those two thousand games came out for Windows overnight? Give it some time, be patient. I think it's great that from no Steam to Steam 90 games came out. Maybe more came out when Steam first came out for Windows don't know that can't be what you meant though seeing as Wikipedia says there are over 1860 games now. Well, whatever I'm not much of a gamer anyway.

  7.4.2013 01:34 #1

• aldan

  it aint alienware anymore.its just a dell.
  

  7.4.2013 02:29 #2

• KillerBug

  The disappointment is not the number of games but the games themselves. After all, a linux box can run DOS games with a little work, and that alone is thousands of games. That, and the crummy specs that are beaten by a laptop that costs less.
  

  
  

  7.4.2013 05:12 #3

• KSib

  I think the point is, if you're going to buy a gaming pc and only run ubuntu then there's something wrong with your brain. Linux has a disappointing number of games to warrant such a purchase

  7.4.2013 10:37 #4

• Bozobub

  Well, the Alienware line IS overpriced, but you can quit being so agog at the "Linux gaming PC", people. Any user appreciates a more powerful system, and a gaming rig has that power in spades; you don't actually have to use it for *games*.

  7.4.2013 11:15 #5

• Mrguss

  As of December 2012: Steam have 1860+ games available and 54M active user accounts.
  As of January 2013: 6.6M concurrent players and has an estimated around 60% share of the digital distribution market for video games.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_%28video_games%29
  

  +5000

  7.4.2013 15:18 #6

• kanaske

  i tried steam on linux it only listed one available game.
  

  8.4.2013 05:12 #7

• Qliphah

  Umm at last count the windows I use has literally millions of games. Or are you refering to 8 and it's gimped OS that reset windows and now has a few 1000 apps in total?
  

  8.4.2013 09:40 #8

• Picazzo

  One word.....POOOP!
  I'll stick with my bad ass gaming rig TYVM '-)

  8.4.2013 10:13 #9

• omendata

  With Linux I would have thought the price would be less - i wonder how much more profit they are making without installing windows.
  hmmmm

  8.4.2013 21:52 #10

• Jemborg

  Originally posted by omendata: With Linux I would have thought the price would be less - i wonder how much more profit they are making without installing windows.
  hmmmm I don't believe Doze is that expensive for OEMs.
  
  I'm wondering if it's to compete with the Xi3 modular computer systems that Steam are collaborating with to make the "Piston" or "Steam Box" which is also meant to run on Linux... which indicates a lot more games are coming out on Linux via Steam.
  
  
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  8.4.2013 22:35 #11

• omendata

  Yeah looks like the better os will finally win.
  With Windows 8 a flop will this be the end for msfot in the os arena.
  
  

  8.4.2013 23:10 #12