Expert Review:
Although Alienware products are sometimes over-priced, the Aurora shows why it is never a good idea to make generalization about any brand of products. The base Alienware Aurora is priced at just $999 – a bargain, really – and comes with a Core i3 processor Radeon HD 5670 graphics card. While this combination is only adequate for many modern games, it is a good starting point.
There are plenty of upgrades available, as well. Switching to a Core i5 quad-core processor and a Radeon HD 5870 graphics card, for example, bumps the price up to a relatively modest $1499. Indeed, it's hard to see why Alienware even needs to offer the Area-51, as the Aurora seems to be a much better value overall.
However, the Aurora isn't perfect. Alienware's customization options are very restrictive compared to competitors, and Alienware's refusal to use brand-name motherboards rand power supplies remains an issue. That's not to say these components are bad, but it would be more comforting if they were known to be from companies with solid reputations for performance and reliability. This flaw knocks down our rating of the Aurora, but you should still consider the system if price is a major concern.
