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Alienware announces Quad CrossFire machine
New ALX system offers two Radeon HD 3870X2 cards for quad-GPU power, but only if you can afford it
Space age PC maker Alienware has just announced a new line of ALX machines that feature four Radeon HD 3870 GPUs in CrossFire configuration. The ALX CrossFireX comes with two 1GB Radeon HD 3870 X2 cards, giving you a total of 2GB of graphics memory.
As the machine uses two X2 cards, rather than four single cards, Alienware has also bypassed the need to use AMD’s Phenom-based Spider platform. As such, the ALX CrossFireX uses a Core 2 Quad CPU. However, with 2GB of memory just for the graphics card, this is a configuration only for 64-bit operating systems, as a 32-bit OS can only address a total of 4GB of memory, and that includes the system and graphics memory.
AMD recently enabled Quad-CrossFire (or CrossFireX, as it’s officially known) in its latest Catalyst 8.3 drivers, and Alienware clearly reckons it has some potential. The company’s senior vice president, Brian Joyce, described the ALX CrossFireX as ‘our most sophisticated desktop system,’ and said that ‘adding the awesome power of a quad graphics solution like CrossFireX to the ALX desktop is just one more way Alienware strives to deliver the world’sbest PC gaming experience.’
It’s not cheap, though. Alienware says that the ALX CrossFireX will start at £3,557 inc VAT and delivery. Alienware plans to set up a site with the details here, although it wasn’t live at the time that we wrote this story.
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Alienware have always built quality machines. And they have always come with a price. However, i cant understand the pricing here. Whos the target customer? Millionaires or idiots? Im glad ATI's been chosen but still, this is just stupid.
Comment by Ben_Facer at 3:33pm 11th March 2008
Why do people think a GTX is better than a 3870x2. Last time I checked, a 3870x2 beats an Ultra in most benchmarks. Even in some games that are 'nvidia the way it's meant to be played' games. Also everybody thinks SLI is better than Crossfire, but I gathered from what I've read that crossfire is quite a bit more scalable in most games. SLI is like a 25% increase in performance most of the time...
Comment by RedHotsRule549 at 2:11pm 10th March 2008
.....and that's just a starting price! Are they mad? Is anyone mad enough to buy it? Don't get me wrong I love PC gaming but to spend three and a half grand to play a game is beyond belief.
Comment by pveater at 8:09am 10th March 2008
The day Crossfire becomes good and can play crysis with out overheating or requiring a nuclear power plant, the day i will finally turn to ati
Comment by Lightning_Pete at 9:47pm 8th March 2008
don't dell compete in the whole cool of the the counter pc (1 gtx will match a 3870x2 so 3 would be well much better but then you would have to take the crappy nvidia mobo) so ATI crossfire dont have to be better than SLI equivalents or even as good as nvidia have shot them selves in the foot here triple sli but no ddr 3 support so maybe there on to something with quad crossfire.
Comment by Cool_CR at 9:14pm 8th March 2008
People seem to forget that, and hence it explains the price, and the specs.
Comment by Rkiver at 10:18am 7th March 2008
Are they serious? ...............nearly thought they were serious there! LOL
Comment by VIOLAT1ON at 9:42am 7th March 2008
Your paying for a shit ugly box and a badge, thats all
Comment by DasReich4 at 6:53am 7th March 2008
ATI are well back... but its a compltelt different story for AMD... just because the two are combined dont confuse them
Comment by NikoBellic at 6:16am 7th March 2008
At Novatech they sell a machine with all the best and latest parts in triple SLI for £2000. Thats Three GTX Graphic cards with all the trimings for around £2000. But on the other hand it's good to see that ATI hasn't completely disappeard.
Comment by marcus at 11:40pm 6th March 2008
you would think that ATI graphics are in the lead now... with alienware making they're highest powered pc ATI based
Comment by smiler_16 at 10:56pm 6th March 2008
did they come up with that price? even if you stick a Quad extreme in there, along side those 3870X2s on a nice motherboard with some good ram, you wont be getting much past £2250. so a load of extra cash for an ugly case and a screen? i can't wait for the day that people will realise that they can build better for cheaper. and £1500 for a
Comment by rickykemp at 6:47pm 6th March 2008
Sorry, Custom PC comments are now closed.
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