6/14/2023 0 Comments Dell gaming desktopsOur decibel meter found the system emits up to 49.3dB at full load, which is just behind the 50.1dB reading we recorded from the punishingly loud Digital Storm Bolt. The X51 alarmed us during its first boot by spinning its fans at maximum for several brief seconds before winding down to its idle pace, which ended up being a warning of things to come. At 1080p and maximum detail, our X51 review unit easily delivered Skyrim’s 60FPS cap at Ultra detail and pumped out over 100 FPS in Borderlands 2 at maximum detail. In-game performance proved more than adequate. ![]() These figures defeat the similar Digital Storm Bolt, which we reviewed with a Core i7-3770K and GTX 660 Ti graphics card. Nvidia’s GTX 670 video card led the X51 to a 3DMark Cloud Gate score of 20,997 and a Fire Strike score of 5,261. This practically ties with the Digital Storm Bolt, and is well ahead of the Acer Predator, but it’s also far behind many high-end gaming desktops including the Falcon Northwest Fragbox, which broke records by scoring 7,107. The general performance test, PCMark, returned a score of 5,934. … A beautifully engineered computer that can’t entirely overcome the fundamental challenges all small gaming PCs face. That being said, they’re still quite good, and certainly more than adequate for games. Both figures are about 15 percent behind the pace set by the Fragbox. Our review unit’s Core i7-4770 is almost identical to that in the Falcon Northwest Fragbox we recently reviewed, but it’s missing an important letter at the end: “K.” That means the X51’s processor can’t be overclocked, which leads to a SiSoft Sandra Processor Arithmetic score of 124.6 and a 7-Zip score of 22,572. Finding parts that fit could be a trial, and the external power supply puts a cap on the wattage components can draw. Even the RAM is wedged tightly between the processor fan and the optical drive. Instead of normal 3.5-inch hard drives, the X51 uses those designed for laptops, and the video card tray in our review unit can’t accommodate anything larger than the GTX 670. Upgradability remains an issue, however, as there’s no excess space or empty bays. Replacing the RAM, video card, or hard drive is no more difficult than it would be in a larger PC. There are few screws to disassemble because many components are held in place partially by clips or by contact with other portions of the enclosure. Though its custom chassis is unusual, we were pleasantly surprised to find it a pleasure to work with. Other videos describe how to remove the hard drive and wireless card. You can remove the side panel and video card within minutes when following these steps. Fortunately, instruction is available Alienware posted a handy disassembly video online. The X51 is almost impossible to open without instruction. Another HDMI port is found on the motherboard, but is not functional with discrete graphics, and Internet connectivity can come through Ethernet or an internal Wi-Fi antenna. The system’s rear port panel offers six more USB (four 3.0, two 2.0), and four video inputs, which include dual DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. This is a blessing since bright LEDs are distracting in a home theater environment. Alienware’s typical design cues, including strange alien text and a LED-lit side vent, are present, but they’re small and dim compared to the company’s other models. ![]() ![]() Aesthetically, the system manages a distinct look without overdoing flash.
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