Alienware Area51 Threadripper: KitGuru approaches Alienware Area-51 Threadripper Edition

When we looked at Dell’s Alienware Area-51 Threadripper Edition gaming desktop earlier this year, we found that the machine was still technically in pre-production. Although we’ve taken you on a preliminary guided tour of the system, we felt it was too early to look at it through our full review lens. We were still performing an emergency alien brain transplant by replacing the pre-production AMD Threadripper chip that shipped with our system, bringing the machine we had to meet production silicon specifications.

Finally, things have matured with this beastly Threadripper-powered Alienware hardware, and we even used it as a multitasking demonstration tool for our AMD Ryzen Threadripper review and performance review. But Dell’s Alienware team was still putting the finishing touches on the system firmware and some new peripherals that would accompany its latest gaming desktops. That’s why we’re here again today to revisit the Alienware Area-51 Threadripper Edition in what can now be considered its final retail-ready version.

Features of Alienware Area51 Threadripper

Key features of the Alienware Area51 Threadripper prebuilt desktop include:

• Operating System (OS) Windows 10 Home
• Computer AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X (16 cores, 32 MB cache, 3.4 GHz – 4.2 GHz)
• Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
• Memory 32 GB DDR4 RAM (2.667 MHz)
• Storing 2 TB HDD (7,200 RPM) 256 GB SSD
• Motherboard AMD X399
• Power Supply Alienware 1500 watts 80+ Gold
• Blu-ray reader with Optical Drive Tray loading
• I/O Ports (Front) 2x USB 3.1 Information 1 Type-A1x 3.5mm Headset Jack1x USB 3.1 Type C1x SD Postcard Reader1x 3.5mm Mic Jack
• I/O Ports (Rear) 6x USB 3.1 Information 1 Type-A2x USB 2.01x USB 3.1 Information 2 Type-A3x Display Port1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Kind C1x HDMI Port3x 3.5 mm Optical audio output jacks
• Weight 61.73 lb (28 kg)
• Dimensions 10.7” (27.2cm) x 25.2” (56.9cm) x 22.4” (56.9cm)
• Price (2023) $2,049

Design

I wouldn’t describe the Alienware Area51 Threadripper as a compact system. It’s not as big as some system cases (EVGA DG-87), including the renewed Cooler Master Cosmos II. Every aspect of this desktop is important, from its 28 kg (62 lbs) weight to the potential for the hollow chassis to be used as a heat shield in the future.

Every interior element of Space 51 is tilted at an oblique angle for optimum ventilation. This ensures that the GPU’s blower fan and the CPU liquid cooler are directly blocked by the cabinet and pulled in air, respectively.

Cooling System

When heated air exits the back of the device, cool air leaks in from the front and cools the Processor. Even when I ran various tests, the fans made almost no noise due to adequate ventilation. Its fans automatically reduce noise to lower levels, making it quiet for its size.

Connection

Alienware Area51 Threadripper has plenty of ports to meet your connectivity needs.

The many ports are:

1. 1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack
2. 1x 3.5mm Microphone Input
3. 8x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
4. 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A
5. 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C
6. 1x USB 3.1 Type-C
7. 1x SD Card Reader
8. 3x Display Port
9. 1xHDMI Port
10. 2 USB 2.0

However, Thunderbolt 3 cannot remain used with USB-C, preventing it from helping move files between SSD drives. Wireless communications are controlled by Killer products using 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1.

Upgradeability

Alienware Area51 Threadripper can be updated with almost no additional tools. Users release the slots for expansion.

The thumbscrews can be bent for easy release for GPU supporters to update or install a second graphics card. Installing memory and storage devices is easy. In this case, there are also thumbscrews inside the water-cooled brackets.

For those purchasing this generous 1,500-watt PSU, the only thing requiring a screwdriver is replacing the power supply.

Performance

AMD’s high-end Processor in the Alienware Area51 Threadripper can be set to Creative or Gaming Modes. To realize higher in-game frame rates, the latter shut down half of the CPU cores and switched to a more traditional memory access system.

After testing, I discovered that Game Mode improves performance slightly, except for RTS games.

Alienware Area51 Threadripper: Best Upgrades

Time has passed quickly since the release of this computer. While its CPU is still powerful, its graphics card is not as powerful anymore. In addition, better processors surpassing Threadripper in raw performance are now available on the market.

However, upgrading the processor year is unnecessary as it is powerful enough. After 2-3 years? Maybe not.

Therefore, to get the best gaming experience, you need to upgrade this computer if you bought it a few years ago. While its components are future-proofed, the only change it needs is the graphics card. It would help if you also got good peripherals like a gaming monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

So, here are my references for the best upgrades you should become for the Alienware Area 51 Threadripper this day:

Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti (8 GB)

Price: $399

Nvidia’s latest 40 series graphics card is amazing. Although the RTX 4080 is very expensive now, the RTX 4060 Ti will be sufficient for your gaming needs. With this graphics card, you can effortlessly play all the latest and upcoming games at the highest settings. However, you need to do this at 1080p graphics settings. 2k or 4k will get you below 60fps. Check out my Asus TUF Gaming F15 review for a better comparison.

Monitor: Alienware 34” QD-OLED

Price: $799

I recommend purchasing the Alienware 34” QD-OLED gaming monitor if you want the best one. With 2k resolution (3440 x 1440 pixels), 165Hz refresh rate, and 0.1ms answer time, this monitor makes gaming smooth as silk.

But while it may be expensive, its glossy anti-glare coating is worth the price. It’s even better than the MacBook Air M1’s gorgeous Retina display.

Keyboard: Alienware Low Profile RGB Mechanical Keyboard

Price: $129

This should be your choice if you want a solid RGB mechanical keyboard. Since these are the peripherals for the Alienware Area51 Threadripper, I prefer the Alienware peripherals. So, this was an obvious choice as it comes armed with Cherry MX Low Profile Red keys, which is every gamer’s dream.

Mouse: Alienware Wired/Wireless Mouse

Price: $79.99

This Alienware wired/wireless mouse, is the faultless companion to the Low Profile RGB mechanical keyboard above. Featuring the sharp gaming mouse look we all love, this mouse is ideal for headshots on the Alienware Area51 Threadripper. Moreover, you can use it both wired and wireless. Perfect.

Conclusion

A setup like this will remain helpful for gamers who want to get good at Twitch or YouTube flowing and content creation, especially if they are experienced and know what they want to do.

This machine can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, including gaming, footage, streaming, and more, thanks to the multitasking capabilities of the Alienware Area51 Threadripper.

Besides this particular machine, the Area 51 is a flexible desktop computer despite its high cost. This desktop stands out from the rest because of its cooling, which is below average and not very versatile, so it’s worth investigating.