Known as Steam Machines, Valve told us over a twelvemonth ago this was going to be their brand new hardware platform, prepare to arrive onetime in 2022 to rival the new generation game consoles. Only the twelvemonth has come up and gone, and due to several delays on Valve's end, nosotros don't expect to run across the outset Steam Machines until sometime in 2022.

That hasn't stopped a number of companies from launching their own console-similar PC-based systems running Steam in 2022. They're non formally called Steam Machines and they don't run SteamOS, just they are small form factor PCs designed for living room gaming. The most promising of these systems was recently launched, meet the Alienware Alpha.

The Alpha is a meaty living room gaming PC that'south compelling for a number of reasons. At $550 for the entry-level model, the organisation is priced competitively confronting the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Both consoles practise cost $150 less, only the Alpha is a more powerful panel that suits the gamer wanting improve graphics, frame rates, and resolutions on a more consistent basis. On top of this, y'all get the advantages of gaming on a PC, such as a massive game library, cheaper games and the excellent modding community.

Despite its relatively tiny footprint, the Alienware Blastoff doesn't compromise on performance. On the entry-level model (which we've reviewed) y'all become an Intel Cadre i3-4310T CPU, which is a dual-core 35W Haswell-based part clocked at 2.9 GHz with iii MB of L3 cache. This is paired with 4 GB of DDR3L laptop retention clocked at 1600 MHz, and a 500 GB 2.5" SATA bulldoze. Connectivity includes Intel'southward Dual Band Wireless-Air conditioning 3160 1x1 scrap and Bluetooth 4.0, alongside Ethernet and USB 3.0.

The GPU is an interesting story. Alienware says the Nvidia-based core is "custom-built" for the Blastoff, but a quick inspection of the device'south hardware reveals it to be a Maxwell variant of the GeForce GTX 860M. Specifically we're looking at a GM107 GPU core with 640 CUDA cores, a 1029 MHz base clock, and 2 GB of defended GDDR5 memory clocked at 5000 MHz on a 128-chip bus. These specs place the performance just nether the desktop-class Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti.

It'south hard to judge exactly how the internal hardware of the Blastoff compares to the consoles, and then I'll permit the functioning figures in this review speak for themselves.

The unit itself is very compact, significantly smaller than the PlayStation 4 and most other consoles released over the past 10 years. It's virtually like in size to the Nintendo Wii U, though it'south squarer in design (a 200x200mm square) and much more powerful. Alienware has managed to cram a full PC with decent specifications into a compact instance with an efficient cooling solution, which is pretty impressive.

While the meridian edge of the Alpha is flat, the bottom edge is angled to better cooling. Intake vents are constitute effectually the bottom edges of the unit, with blower-style fans funnelling this air out ii sizable vents at the dorsum. Internally in that location are two blowers, i for the GPU and one for the CPU, each with small heatsinks underneath. Y'all couldn't put full-power desktop parts into this machine, but there'due south adequate cooling for what'due south included.

Looking at the internal layout you lot'll find 2 laptop DIMM slots, only ane of which is occupied if you purchase the iv GB model. There's likewise a minor Wi-Fi flake northward of the GPU, and a small-scale heatsink for the motherboard's chipset. Underneath the motherboard and in a relatively easy place to admission is the unmarried two.five" drive bay.

The Alpha's external vanquish is fabricated mostly of plastic: glossy on the sides and matte, with a Y-shaped design, on the front. It's a pretty slick system, mostly due to its size, that will fit in well with about living room entertainment units. The front panel features a pocket-sized Alienware head that doubles as a power button, equally well as an athwart cutout. Both sections are illuminated past RGB LEDs which tin be customized in software, calculation decent highlights to the design.

Port-wise y'all get ii USB 2.0 ports on the front, and two USB 3.0 on the dorsum. The dorsum panel also features Ethernet, HDMI in and out, and a Toslink optical audio out port. Power is provided through a circular ability port, which connects to a sizable power brick rated at 130.65 watts. This gives the Blastoff a maximum ability rating on par with the current generation of consoles.

On the lesser of the Alienware Alpha is a removable section of plastic, underneath which you'll detect a foursquare section and a unmarried USB port. Alienware tells me this area is meant for the Steam Controller's wireless adapter: when the controller is released, you lot'll be able to slot the adapter in hither for a seamless experience. It's nice to run into designers accept fabricated the console forward-compatible in this way.

Alienware has bundled in a wireless Xbox 360 controller. The Xbox 360 controller is one of the most comfy to use, so I like its inclusion over something unfamiliar. It works well with many games available on PC, however its integration into the Blastoff is inelegant. Instead of having an adapter that slots into the bottom of the console, the mesomorphic and proprietary wireless adapter needs to be plugged in to a rear USB port, and and so hidden backside the console.

Not only is this solution less elegant, but information technology as well reduces the amount of gratuitous USB 3.0 ports bachelor to employ, unless you plug the adapter into one of the front USB ii.0 ports. The good news is that the wireless adapter supports up to four controllers at one time, simply like the Xbox 360, meaning you can hands add in some extra controller for split-screen multiplayer or co-op.