9 Hot Gaming PCs From Alienware, Falcon, Others
When it comes to gaming, the right PC makes all the difference. Here's a look at nine must-have desktops and laptops from Acer, Alienware, Falcon, and more.
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Gaming enthusiasts are a breed apart compared to your average PC user, requiring massive amounts of storage space, processing power, advanced graphics, and sophisticated cooling and fan systems that can sometimes seem more suited to an interplanetary spacecraft than a personal computer.
Though companies such as Apple and HP offer their customers a fair amount of customization, manufacturers of gaming PCs, including Falcon Northwest (which has been in business for decades) and Alienware (which was acquired by Dell), know their audience wants multiple options. These include added features such as overclocking (the process of forcing a computer or hardware component to operate faster than the manufacturer-specified clock frequency) and liquid cooling technologies.
Custom computer maker Maingear even developed a new way of structuring internal components to promote cooler running temperatures under load and less work for the system fans, which leads to quieter operation and increases overclocking and performance potential.
[Read about the best PCs for Windows 10.]
Aside from all the advanced technology running under the casing, the PC's envelope in and of itself is often the target for custom design. DayGlo paint colors and clear panels set into advanced metals give their owners -- and their envious friends -- a chance to take a look into all that sophisticated hardware powering their digital adventures.
Companies such as Falcon provide custom airbrushed paint jobs on their cases, while Acer's recently released Predator C6 is something you'd more likely see in Batman's arsenal of weapons than in a fanboy's man cave.
Not all these are tower-block behemoths. A growing number of manufacturers are making gaming PCs with plenty of processing power jammed into compact frames. Alienware even makes a portable graphics amplifier.
With all this in mind, InformationWeek took a look at nine gaming PCs and notebooks built for blowing the doors off today's most graphics-hungry games.
Powered by the latest 6th generation Intel Core i7-6700K processors, the Predator G6-710 delivers maximum power by utilizing the potential of the Intel core, the latest Windows 10 operating system, and 64GB of DDR4 dual-channel memory. The casing allows for a bi-directional inflow of air to enable IceTunnel cooling. This also helps house the expansion slots.
Before turning the page, here are a few more details on the G6. The armor-like shell, crafted to look the part of an unstoppable fighting machine, protects Nvida's GeForce GTX 980 with ultra high-definition display capabilities, while a front-facing Acer easy-swap expansion bay offers up to 12TB additional storage space. Also included is Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5 with new user interface and customizable personal sound profile.
Looking more like a traditional game console than a gaming PC, the X51 features a 4th generation Intel Core i7-4790K processor with Turbo Boost. With the free Windows 10 upgrade, users can stream Xbox One games to a Windows 10 PC, laptop, or tablet, including the X51.
The team making these custom gaming computers starts with a MSI Z170 PC Mate ATX motherboard, Intel Quad Core i5-6600K unlocked processor, and Xidax Extreme DDR4 2400MHz memory, as well as a Corsair CX500 power supply. As a bonus, each PC Xidax build comes with the company's own lifetime parts and service guarantee, which means if your hard drive blows up in 10 years, you're covered.
The custom PC builders at Falcon have been producing the Mach 5 series since 1992, with the latest edition featuring Intel Core i7-5000 Series and Xeon on X99 chipset processors, as well as six internal hard-drive bays and five external optical-drive bays. Liquid cooling, overclocking, custom paint, and custom artwork round out the package.
When you want to take some serious gaming power on the road, Falcon's DRX isn't so much a notebook as it is a miniaturized tower PC. It features Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M graphics, an Intel 4th generation Core-i7 desktop class processor, and a 17.3-inch full HD display with G-Sync technology.
Aside from the powerful internal components available -- Windows 10 Pro, Intel Core i7-5930K processor, standard liquid CPU cooling, 8GB DDR3-2400 memory, and Nvidia Quadro K4000 3GB graphics -- the iBUYPOWER Pro series allows users to customize additional components such as LED fan lighting and flashy cases that give users a literal window into the PC's components.
Not to be outdone by Falcon, Alienware also makes a line of gaming notebooks with overclocked Intel processors, optional Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M graphics, a 17-inch screen, aerospace-inspired carbon-fiber-filled surfaces, and up to 16GB of memory. The flagship model, which starts at a whopping $2,749.99, will get you a full HD touch-screen display.
Featuring Maingear's VRTX (vertical exhaust) cooling technology, the Shift employs a vertical heat stack design to dissipate heat out the top of the chassis, not the back. Gamers have a wide variety of motherboard and graphics options, as well as custom cases and numerous optical drive configurations.
Though technically note a gaming PC in its own right, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier Step lets you up your graphics performance with support for a full-length, double-wide desktop graphics card and connects to your notebook with a single cable enabling the PCI-Express graphics card connection, as well as your four USB 3.0 ports.
Though technically note a gaming PC in its own right, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier Step lets you up your graphics performance with support for a full-length, double-wide desktop graphics card and connects to your notebook with a single cable enabling the PCI-Express graphics card connection, as well as your four USB 3.0 ports.
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