Alienware Aurora Star Wars Edition gaming PC

Performance-wise this machine is definitely fast - OK, so it won't do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, but it's still pretty nifty. If Half-Life 2 is your game, you're going to be getting frame rates over 60fps all the way up to 1600 x 1200 with 4x FSAA enabled, although it drops to 56fps once you pile 8x AF on top of that. But to be honest, 1280 x 1024 seems to be the sweet spot, with both 4x FSAA and 8x AF enabled - at this setting you're looking at silky smooth frame rates while still enjoying some sweet image quality enhancements.

However, if you want to enjoy some of those Shader Model 3.0 goodies that Nvidia keeps singing about, it's a slightly different story. Firing up HDR lighting has a serious negative effect on frame rates, and it makes you realise how badly you want SLi, or at least a GeForce 7800GTX in the x16 PCI Express slot. Do yourself a favour and go for the graphics upgrade at point of purchase, you won't be sorry.

Talking of purchase, I guess I have to cover the subject of price at some point, so here goes. Configuring a machine exactly like the one I have here results in the astronomical price of £2715. I'm not going to compare that price to the cost of the base components, because this system really is more than the sum of its parts. However, a similarly specced non-Star Wars Aurora will cost you £200 less, so the artwork and Windows skin don't come cheap.

Ultimately, you either want a super-cool Star Wars computer or you don't, and if you do the extra cash is going to be a small price to pay in order to realise your dream. The guy who's going to buy this machine is a hardcore Star Wars fan who wants a seriously cool machine to show off to all his mates when they come round. For that man, the look on their faces will more than justify the price.

Verdict

The Alienware Aurora Star Wars Edition is a truly stunning computer. It looks fantastic on the outside and the build quality on the inside is nothing short of staggering. The only downside is the price, and it's a pretty major stumbling block. If you're a Star Wars fan and money isn't an issue for you, you're going to jump at the chance to own a PC like this. If it was me, though, I'd go for a standard Aurora and put that £200 premium towards a second GeForce 7800GTX.

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