Alienware's Area 51 PC gets hardware tweaks and a new Command Center - hopkinsdics1976

adam_patrick_murray@idg.com Alienware's Area 51 gets some nice hardware tweaks, positive a major upgrade to its Command Center software. Watch us blowup almost the Toolless Graphics feature here.

Alienware's Area 51 is already famous—or perchance notorious—for closing out other major PC vendors from AMD's Ryzen Threadripper for entirely of 2017. That was then, this is now: It's 2018, so Alienware has to uncovering some new tricks. On Tuesday at CES the troupe announced a few hardware refreshes for this flagship gaming desktop, plus a deep revamped Instruction Center that should be a convenient one-stop shop for both casual and serious gamers similar. Preorders for the Threadripper version take up Tuesday; the systems will ship in February.

The hardware changes seem small, only they're nice touches that help the Area 51 stand outer a flake in a very competitive marketplace. Alienware added cardinal more fans, in part because of another addition: support for the U.2 user interface for SSDs, meaning you whitethorn take in a few Sir Thomas More drives to keep aplomb.

alienware area 51 toolless graphics — Alienware's Area 51 has a special feature titled Toolless Graphics, a door in the back of the PC that secures lineup brackets without finicky screws.

Our favorite gain is the Toolless Graphics characteristic. IT's a little door that swings out from the back of the Field 51, exposing the card slots. You can insert a card and just shut the door, no screws incumbent. Now that's progression for DIY builders.

The deeper changes resuscitate Alienware's Command Center software. The goal of the revamp is to unite all of your gaming needs in one software program. New features include support for complete major gaming services, so you can view, suppose, your Steam library inside the Command Center software, complete with ware names and bookmark info.

alienware command center library — Alienware's revamped Program line Center supports star libraries, rental you view them all in one place.

Tweaking the hardware for maximum output used to require multiple fall apart utilities. Alienware tries to simplify that as well, offering menus for adjusting thermal output and overclocking. You can set game profiles, adjust your firing, and more.

alienware command center thermal profiles — Alienware's upgraded Command Center includes utilities for overclocking and managing thermals.

Alienware's Area 51 may look the same happening the skin-deep, but its internal upgrades induce the gaming desktop better where information technology counts. ADHD in the upgraded Command Center computer software, and you'atomic number 75 getting a raft of new features, most of them unrestrained. Swell, with the purchase of an Alienware organization, natch.

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Melissa Riofrio spent her formative print media long time reviewing extraordinary of the biggest iron at PCWorld--desktops, laptops, storage, printers--and she continued to focus on hardware testing during stints at Computer Currents and CNET. Presently, additionally to leading PCWorld's content direction, she covers productivity laptops and Chromebooks.