Until
quite recently, the only way a person could work for Alienware was if they were
a gamer.
The PC
manufacturer proclaims, proudly, that their machines were “by the gamer, for the
gamer.”
When
the company was formed in 1996, the goal was to build the systems that would
optimize games for the avid PC gamer. The systems Alienware built were unique in
look and powerhouses that enabled game players to get the most from their
products. The systems always featured top of the line CPUs and video cards.
Consider the company to be a trailblazer in building systems that are primarily
for gamers first, but also sport the specs to be coveted for other
applications.
But
Alienware is not about to rest on their laurels. Get ready for the next
generation of PCs. One of the main things that may slow down gameplay of
hardcore gamers is the time it takes to render complex scenes. That is about to
change.
At the
Electronic Entertainment Exposition (E3) in Los Angeles, the company revealed
the next generation of PCs. Video Array and X2 is an exclusive system which will
enhance the performance of graphics intensive applications.
In a
nutshell, it is two video cards installed in the same unit and working in
concert to render the images one sees on the screen. One card will render the
upper half of a screen, while the second card renders the lower half of the
monitor. The result, although not a firm figure according to Brian Joyce, the
Director of Marketing for Alienware, is an increase in rendering time of 50
percent.
Let’s
break that down into some real-time examples as to what that will mean to the
gamer. You are in a huge battle in a massively multiplayer persistent-world
game. The screen is filled with hundreds of players all fighting. That much
movement puts a strain on your card, which is trying to render the evolving
action. The result is what is commonly known as lag.
Enter
the parallel graphics system. If the top half of the screen in a little less
populated, you can adjust the ratio of screen that each of the video cards
handles, but basically you will have two cards processing the information after
splitting the work. The result is the scene will be rendered faster and players
will have the information faster and be able to respond faster.
Will
this provide an edge? You bet it will.
Ever
play a game where you could not have the screen resolution turned all the way
up, as well as the texturing features? The answer to that likely is yes. With
dual video cards, you should be able to crank up all the video features and
totally enjoy all the nuances of the graphics designed into the game.
“If
only 1 or 2 percent of the people who play the games see everything the
developers put into it, that is a shame,” said Joyce.
The new
array will be part of Alienware’s new ALX sub-brand, a highly customizable PC
system that includes factory overclocked hardware, an ultra-quiet water-cooling
sytem, eight gigabytes of DDR memory and the ability to upgrade the video cards
with over-the-counter cards.
Videogamers, as well as those for whom rendering times are a major issue, should
be salivating. This news – while it should have host of technical applications –
is throwing the door wide open for developers to create more incredible graphics
experiences without having to worry about bogging down machines in rendering
times.
So the
big question is when will this all become available. The answer to that is soon.
Alienware will be marketing the system in the U.S. in either third or fourth
quarter of this year.
