After shedding the Steam system, the small Alienware Alpha has transformed into a dream console

Alienware Alpha R2

The first Alpha console from Alienware was the spokesperson for the Steam Machine project. A well-known gaming company produced a top-notch console paired with the gaming platform loved by many players—there’s no reason not to love it, right?

Well, you’re wrong! There really are some! Steam OS is a Linux-based operating system that suffers from poor game compatibility, and players have reported that the Steam OS is slower than Windows when playing games. The previous generation of Alpha only offered a single GPU, simply described as ‘Geforce GTX GPU’, which did not meet the needs of many PC gamers.

Now the Alpha returns with the GTX960 and a sixth-generation Intel Core processor, with improvements in appearance. The configuration we tested is the Intel Core i7-6700T with 8GB of memory and the aforementioned GTX960, along with a 1TB mechanical hard drive. Now that the Alienware X51 has officially retired and SteamOS has been replaced by Windows, will this Alpha shine?

Size mattersComparison of Alienware Alpha R2 and Apple SE

One-handed grasp image

While the internal configuration has dramatically changed, the appearance has not expanded at all. The Alpha is still a square box with a single slanted edge at the front corner. It is noticeably much smaller than other controllers of the same generation, measuring only 8 inches on each side, and its compact design allows it to sit next to the TV at home like an ordinary television or audio device.

This is an Alienware product, which means standard RGB LED backlighting, present on the Alienware logo and power button, as well as on the slanted edge at the front corner. Users can set these according to their preferences using the accompanying software.

Overall, the appearance configuration meets the standards of Dell’s gaming brand. It overcomes the cheap plastic feel that most small machines have.

Layout: Compact, but very neat

Disassembling the Alpha is very simple. There are only 4 screws covering its interior, and with a little thought, you can find a way to open it. Inside, the components are secured by a metal frame. Exposing the memory card means removing the CPU fan cover, and thanks to the tool-free clips designed by Alpha, this process is very convenient.Back view

Once the cover is removed, we can see a heat sink covering the CPU. Removing the heat sink reveals a standard processor chip, which can be upgraded to any LGA1151 (of course, considering the size of the Alpha, you shouldn’t be silly enough to want to stuff a Core i7-6700K in there).

The hard drive is on the back and is secured by a set of four screws. Unfortunately, the common hard drives used by Alienware do not extend to the GPU, which is the only component bound to the motherboard.

Regardless, we must give credit to Alienware for its neat and organized layout; the GPU upgradeability in such a small machine is rare.

An astonishingly fast processor

Core i7-6700T is the heart of the console we are testing. It is a quad-core processor with Hyper-Threading, a 2.8GHz base clock, and a 3.6GHz turbo boost. The only thing to note is its limited 35-watt thermal design power (TDP). For reference, the full-power Core i7-6700 has a 3.4GHz base clock and a 65-watt TDP. The Core i7-6700K has a base clock of 4GHz and a TDP of 91 watts. In high-performance scenarios, especially during long-duration tests, the Alpha’s limits become quite apparent.GeekBench single-core and dual-core scores

Decompression test

4K conversion test

Surprisingly, the Alpha R2 performed excellently in most tests, even holding its own against the non-overclocked Core i7-6700K from iBuyPower Revolt 2, which is a better processor.

In the GeekBench test, it can be seen that its single-core speed struggles, but it has no issues with well-threaded loads, matching the scores of iBuyPower. It took only 6 seconds longer than Revolt 2 and Razer Blade to convert a 4K movie trailer, both of which use Core i7-6700K and Core i7-6700HQ, respectively.

The small, low-power sixth-generation Core CPU used in the Alpha performed above our expectations.

Graphics performance: So far so good

The previous generation Alpha used a GPU simply described as ‘GTX GPU 2GB GDDR5’. This was not very detailed, leaving many users frustrated who wanted to clarify their computer’s specifications. This time, Alienware has used a real GTX 960 with 4GB of memory.

FireStrike GPU score

3DMark Sky Diver score

The performance of the machine’s chip is within a certain margin of error quite close to the GTX 960 of the X51, which is good news considering its custom structure. It is on par with the GTX 970M of the 2016 Razer Blade, narrowly winning in Sky Diver but falling slightly short in the more challenging Fire Strike test.

This indicates that the Alpha should have similar performance to the X51, including the Razer Blade. We have become accustomed to these systems performing excellently at 1080p, including their performance drop under increased resolutions.

Game testing begins^^

The boring part ends here, now it’s game time! It should have superior gaming performance compared to its predecessor. Fallout 4 average frame rate (1080P full effects)Battlefield 4 average frame rate (1080P full effects)Crysis 3 average frame rate (1080P ultra high)Counter-Strike: Global Offensive average frame rate (1080P high effects)

The test results are basically on the same level as the X51, which is very impressive considering its size. At 1080p resolution, the system reached the frame rate limit while running Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) at medium settings, basically on par with the 2016 Razer Blade.

The performance in Fallout 4 is also similar, reaching 54 frames per second at 1080p and maximum settings. This is close to a perfect score for AAA games today, once again tying with the X51.

The upgraded Alienware Alpha has made significant strides for itself. Its performance is unprecedented, and Windows 10 will please a large number of PC gamers.

Alpha brings clear skies after the rain

While offering great value for money, the Alpha is also not something that can be assembled at home. Some systems like the X51 and even Chronos can be assembled by civilian high-end enthusiasts at home. The Alpha R2, however, cannot be copied by unofficial means, from its metal shell to its internal parts. Its custom GPU and cooling solution are beyond the reach of even the top-end assembly players.

The new Alpha’s performance improvements make up for its cooling and noise issues. Its highlight is its small size, and its performance at 1080p is satisfactory.

In conclusion

If you like this Alienware product, you can order it from the S1 Alienware eSports club!