Alienware is making their own console - Nintendo Switch edition

[vertexwindi]

I'm mostly surprised Alienware still exists. All they make is overpriced PCs that blink a lot.

 

[Dom Cruise]

I like the cleverness of the name.

 

[Orkeosaurus]

As cute as "UFO" is for a mobile device Alienware system its kind of rendered obsolete by the fact you can already stream your Steam library to pretty much every device in the house now.

The detachable controllers seems like it's heading into patent infringement too.

 

[DragoonSierra]

This doent look legal...

depends on the patents

 

[GethN7]

I suspect the Switch like controllers will be the biggest trademark/patent problem. While the idea of the design mostly draws from the same well as most portable gaming system since the original PSP, they could get into serious trouble ripping off the specific gimmicks of the Switch, which I'm quite sure are patented.

Otherwise, it would pass most tests of legal muster.

As for viability, game systems live and die but what they can promise off the bat. The PSP started out decent but trailed off in the competition after awhile, and Vita went belly-up because support for new games tapered off pretty fast. If this system offers nothing you couldn't get done just as well if not better than other alternatives, it will be the Ouya 2.0.

 

[Trans Fat 41g]

I think being able to switch from portable to stationary is going to be the (still far off) future for games consoles at some point even if there isn't a "Switch Killer" right away. There's just no reason to ignore this concept as modular portable consumer tech is bouncing back and forth between "niche" and "lol who".

Serviceability is a whole other rabbit hole though as far as obstacles are concerned.

 

[Tealeaf]

Just make it with an Ayymd APU inside and it’ll do the job

 

[BillyGoat2]

If its anything like their laptops which cant into heat distribution, I expect it to stutter with overheating within about 30 minutes of gameplay and then ultimately kill itself within a year of playing current/last gen PC games.

 

[whatever I feel like]

The detach mechanism looks different to me, Switch controllers slide down while this looks like it snaps out, patent-wise that is a significant difference.

Its a concept meant to turn heads, not something thats actually going to launch, and in that sense it looks to have worked.

 

[אΩ+1]

One thing I wonder about it how how you're supposed to use it as a computer when it doesn't have a keyboard and the windows 10 frontend isn't controller driven.

 

[DeadwastePrime]

i'd like to see a keyboard attachment made for this unless they plan on people using wireless keyboards/mice for using it

 

[Pissmaster]

It's been two years, the Dell Alienware UFO concept is nowhere to be found - Gaming Nexus

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Spoiler: article from a year ago because I completely forgot about this thing

It's been two years, the Dell Alienware UFO concept is nowhere to be found​

by: John - posted: 1/7/2022 6:02:00 PM
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It's been two years since we've seen the Dell Alienware UFO concept that caused a lot of buzz at CES 2020. It was their concept of a PC handheld that took a Switch approach with removable controls and a stand to prop up the display. It was really slick and something that a lot of people seem to want.

Fast forward two years later and not a peep about it. And that's crazy because we've had a few of these form factors from other companies and Valve's coming out with the Steam Deck next month.

​

Dell had a few years lead on Valve and in some ways, their concept has things that I like over the Steam Deck. For starters, the removable controllers allow for you to game in multiple ways, either by holding the entire unit close to you or using a table and playing with the screen set somewhere while you have the controllers in your hand.

It has a kickstand so you can set it the display upright and use it at a comfortable angle. Just like the Switch, you can place it on a flat surface and not have to rely on something external to keep it up.

The Steam Deck has neither of these and the pre-sale reserverations sold like gangbusters.

And just like the Switch, you could dock it and play games on a bigscreen TV. It was going to be a great portable gaming PC and after two years, silence.

There's the AYA Neo, GPD Win devices, OnexPlayer and upcoming Steam Deck, but Dell with all their resources and lead time wasn't able to get one to market. It's disappointing really as you can see small players being able to push their products to market, yet one of the largest PC producers sit idlely by as the others gobble up the market share in PC portable gaming.

The demand is there as seen by the reception of the Steam Deck announcement and pre-purchase event crashing their website. As with many things at CES that showed a lot of promise, the Dell Alienware UFO concept looks to be another one of those If Only products to not make it past the show floor.

I'm sure everyone at Dell is committing sudoku after shitcanning this, and then watching the Steam Deck become the biggest thing in video games.

 

[ZMOT]

I'm sure everyone at Dell is committing sudoku after shitcanning this, and then watching the Steam Deck become the biggest thing in video games.

depends, steam deck doesn't really make money (pretty sure it's heavily subsidized), wouldn't make much sense for dell unless they want to go into running their own store to get a cut of the software sales OR price it accordingly to make a profit, which would probably put it at a pricepoint that's way too high for most people. don't forget it would have to compete with the steam deck, what's the point in spending money if you hardly won't make any?