(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/04/ubuntux51.png) (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/05/alienware-x51-ubuntu/)
While the Alienware X51 (http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/alienware-x51-gaming-pc-we-go-hands-on-at-the-london-launch-eve) has been slated by Valve (http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/09/eyes-on-with-valves-steambox-prototypes/) as a currently available Steambox (http://engadget.com/tag/steambox), consumers still have to get rid of that pesky Windows to install the Linux-driven platform. As we've seen with the Razer Edge (http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/razer-edge-review/), a Windows 8-powered gaming system just doesn't work well for living rooms because it still needs an interface that's not a game controller. Fortunately, that barrier is slowly evaporating as the Dell-owned commodity is now providing Ubuntu as an OS option for the X51, paving the way for easier Steambox modification in the future.
It'll come with Linux-friendly drivers from NVIDIA right out of the box, and you can of course install Steam for Linux (http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/14/steam-client-ubuntu-official-release/) on it from the get-go. As a reminder, the X51 is available in Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 models, and can be upgraded to 8GB of RAM with 1TB of storage, with either a NVIDIA GeForce GT545 or a GTX 555 card. Features include HDMI 1.4, eight USB ports (six are 2.0 while two are 3.0), digital 7.1 surround sound, on-board WiFi and gigabit Ethernet. Pricing for the base Ubuntu model is $599, which is about $100 less than its Windows counterpart.
Filed under: Desktops (http://www.engadget.com/category/desktops/), Gaming (http://www.engadget.com/category/gaming/)
Comments (http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/05/alienware-x51-ubuntu/#comments)
Source: Alienware (http://www.alienware.com/ubuntu/), Dell Community Blog (http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/direct2dell/b/direct2dell/archive/2013/04/05/ubuntu-os-now-an-option-on-alienware-x51.aspx)
Via: Engadget