Thoughts on Alienware cases?

[Mooshi]

After poking around another thread, I'm curious on the thoughts of using an Alienware chassis with pre-existing hardware. I have no desire to give Dell money for a system with subpar specs for the money, but I do like some of their cases. After searching eBay, I noticed some cases for sale. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR10.TRC1.A0.Xalienware+cas&_nkw=alienware+case&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

What is the general consensus on obtaining an Alienware case and building inside it?

 

Edit: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I could have sworn I posted in the other board..could someone move the thread?

[CoolBeans]

[helping]

but proprietary design

[zombiepixel]

its fine i guess but your giving up good cable management and its not realy that cool in there cause of the lack of flexibility of fans

[piplupgao]

$130 you can get an nzxt phantom (similar style) with some nice fans for that price

[zinton]

Hey man if you like the looks of it then that's up to you, but I know from having a Dell OEM computer that I have upgraded that it is a pain to upgrade. I have dremeled, drilled and painted this case more than I would have liked too. So don't be expecting any normal case features as these are probably built to be 'good enough'.

 

EDIT: Also getting the LED's to work will be a bitch

[BigD1970]

It would have been nice to see a larger scheme of case design with a clear side on it.

[Guest]

But the cases are so sexy... I wish I could build inside one. Only downside is that the LEDs won't work without the motherboard it comes with, and there's no window. Other than that, I would get it

[o0odellero0o]

top active exhaust fins and the lightning are the best. Other...

[whatthe_fuzz]

its so obnoxiously large 

[alpenwasser]

@ALXAndy has one, he seems to be quite happy with it (and AFAIK with the ones

he's owned before).

If you like them and are willing to accept the few proprietary idiosyncrasies

you should be able to build a system with which you'll be very happy.

EDIT: His build here.

[Mooshi]

Haaaaaaa...yeah, some of it is a sacrifice for propitiatory reasons. Was curious of the general communities thoughts. I'd most likely go with a Prodigy M since I have an mAtx board, but that one build that @alpenwasser linked is what got me going "Hmmmmm..." in my head.

[Mooshi]

Accidental double post..uh..Linustechtips are best tech tips? :mellow:

[ALXAndy]

The only thing you have to worry about is getting the lights working.

 

Hats off to Dell as they seem to have become a lot more relaxed about it, but on the older Alienware systems it could be a nightmare. Basically the USB header for the lights has a PIC (programmable interrupt controller) and it used to check the DMI header on your motherboard (DMI is a tag, so under system maker it would say Alienware). If it didn't find it then nothing would work and the hack was quite hard to do (you had to hack your registry).

 

Any way I've had no issues with either the Area 51 I have now or the Aurora I had before it. You may have to look at previous versions of the command center but yeah, Dell have relaxed their stance on it which is nice as you couldn't upgrade before without killing all of the electronics.

[ALXAndy]

its so obnoxiously large 

 

The Aurora is quite small. I need the Area 51 on account of having every single slot in my motherboard occupied.

[supaginge]

they look good but there far to small and expensive for what you get

[catbutts]

I don't like cases that look like bugs.

[MzCatieB]

restricted design... ugly... poor air flow

there all about the looks 

[LogicDeifying]

Just get the Phantom series from NZXT way better IMO.

They look nice of course but like many OEM cases they have horrible cable management capabilities.

[Bertrock Obama]

Alienware... The origin of ugliness... 

[TheSLSAMG]

I think their cases are a bit bloated, but I saw a modded Aurora once. God, it looked good.

[FranBunnyFFXII]

I absolutely loved the post 2008 Alienware look. The M17X R4 case(which is what my laptop is built in) is literally the best looking laptop ive ever seen in my life.

The Aurora looks pretty epic with the ALXing, and the Area 51 phobos is an incredibly massive case that looks like a giant mean monolith from somewhere in the galaxy warning us of future invasion.

I had a lunar shadow aurora case and I sorely miss it. It was a MicroATX sized case inside but with fulltower size outside. Absolutely massive.

however I don't like the new laptops aesthetics at all. kinda upset they changed their form so heavily, but hey as long as its got that alienware warranty not much to contest.

[ALXAndy]

It's just a case. Of metal and plastic, that is all.

 

Why people get their panties in such a big bunch over it is beyond me.

[FranBunnyFFXII]

It's just a case. Of metal and plastic, that is all.

 

Why people get their panties in such a big bunch over it is beyond me.

 

Because Haters are Haters and haters gonna hate and act the fool because you like something they falsely assume they don't like.

Seriously people see the alienware lable and flip their fucking shit. When if they'd just shut the hell up and listen they'd realize "oh they're just another prebuilt"

Dunno why people slam prebuilts so hard, I mean I've even seen tards slam NCIX for their prebuilts crying "OVERPRICED" and im like "shut the hell up you idiot, its a prebuilt, of course its going to cost more you moron."

Prebuilt=not made by you, comes with a special warranty and support service=going to cost a fair bit more.

 

But do people listen NOPE ALIENWARE LETS BASH IT.

 

You'd think that people whom care so much about Specs and Numbers and math and computer related science would actually look at all the facts and realize what they are saying is horribly incorrect, but no, confirmation bias, ignorance, and rumor is apparently stronger than facts, data, and real world user experience.

 

Hey guys, if Alienware sucks, Why have I bought 4 of their systems and absolutely freaking LOVE their systems? Kinda seems odd that everyone whos never owned one goes "alienware sux" but yet a long time owner says "Alienware is freaking awesome."

Doesn't add up does it? Who you going to trust about a product? Someone whos actually owned a few of them? or the idiot who's never even seen one in real life?

I live everyday of my life on Alienware computers and I'm absolutely pleased with every one of them.

That should count for something right?

 

right?

 

 

(TL;DR, stop the prebuilt and alienware hate and bias guys, its not accurate, actual owners say very different from the rumors)