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Customer reviews

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars with 110 reviews

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95%
would recommend
to a friend

Customers are saying

Customers express satisfaction with the Alpha Desktop's performance and compact size, frequently praising its ease of use and good graphics. Many appreciate the affordability of the system, although some users mention that the hard drive speed could be improved and that the system may get warm during extended use. The small form factor is a recurring positive point, making it suitable for various applications. While some users suggest RAM upgrades for optimal performance, the overall experience is largely positive.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 110 reviews
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics, Performance, Ram

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Overall amazing experience

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I went in store to purchase the base model when it was on sale. Add on the gift cards and rewards and I had and you could consider it as a Black Friday deal. The unit shipped to the store the next week, but was DOA. Luckily, I was able to exchange it at another BB location that had it in stock. On to the actual review: The computer itself has an amazingly small form factor. Definitely smaller than any current gen console and small form-factor computer. I'm not a hardcore gamer, so I initially bought it for the windows license to use Office for school. The console aspect was a nice bonus for me. It comes with AlphaUI, which is perfect for all your media needs. If you add the right stuff to it, you'll realize how much more value this little thing has. I decided to try out Steam to see its gaming capabilities and this thing packs a decent punch. NBA 2K15 ran well and the graphics look amazing, though the fans did crank up an audible notch. Other older games ran beautiful and smooth without putting the fan on overdrive. For the casual gamer, this exceeded my expectations. Like others mentioned, you should definitely switch out the 500gb HDD for and SSD and add another stick of ram (I put in an extra 4gb) and this thing will fly. There are YouTube videos that will show you how to do it. You don't need to switch anything out if you're just using it for windows, but it is well worth it to do so. Overall, I'm satisfied with the base model I bought, and the upgrades made me like this machine even more.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance, Size
    Cons mentioned:
    Hard drive

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Little Power House

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought this instead of a XBOne or a PS4 because I wanted to have access to the wide variety of PC games. This little machine just rocks - it's able to play most recent vintage PC games at a high to very high graphics setting. The PC games themselves are very inexpensive compared to the console counterparts (I recently bought all three Bioshock games for about $10). Depending upon the game, the performance of the games meet or exceed that of either of the consoles. It comes with a XBox360 controller and on certain PC games that support the XBox controller, you'd be hard pressed to think that you are gaming on anything other than a console. The size of the machine is about half of that of the consoles and is quiet - which is a plus because I keep this on keyboard shelf at my desk. It's not one of those big machines you keep on the floor and will not get in the way. While this makes an excellent mid-level gaming machine, it also doubles as a Window 8.1 machine, so I am able to run MS Office and virtually any other PC programs out there. One word of warning - the standard spinning drive that come with the system is horrible. Get a SSD to replace it and watch the system fly!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics, Performance, Processor speed

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    great for pc gaming

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I read many reviews before purchasing the i3 version of the Alienware Alpha. My expensive gaming laptop died (Asus G73) and I needed a cheap replacement fast. The price was right. I added a 480gb SSD and 16gb of memory and this little PC really does a fantastic job. Switching to Windows 10 was simple. I do plan on upgrading the processor at some point but am in no hurry. I can run most current games at High or Medium which definitely looks superior to the Xbox One/PS4 versions. (I know because I have both). So, if your new to PC gaming or just want to spend less, this would be a great PC for you. Also, you can find most PC games at a fraction of the cost of Console versions.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Size
    Cons mentioned:
    Hard drive

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Excellent Entry-Level Gaming PC

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    My search for a computer that could handle light to moderate gaming led me to consider several options, with the most intriguing being the Alienware Alpha. For years Alienware has made very pricey high-end gaming machines, but fairly recently introduced the Alpha family of PCs. As an entry-level gaming PC, the Alpha is surprisingly capable and powerful. It runs most of my games at solid frame rates at 720p and 1080p. It is practically silent, and takes up very little room - great for a dorm room, home office, or as a living room PC or HTPC. It's fully functional as a regular Windows 8.1 PC, and runs Office applications and other programs with ease. I'm extremely impressed by the power packed inside this diminutive PC. My only complaints (which frankly aren't that bad considering the price point of this machine) are that the included 4 Gb of RAM and the 5400 rpm hard disk drive definitely limit its performance. I've prepared a video illustrating how to upgrade the Alienware Alpha with more RAM and a solid state drive; with these simple upgrades, the Alienware Alpha becomes much more powerful: https://youtu.be/ug6I1AT9hj8 Pros: compact, quiet, comes with Xbox 360 controller, surprisingly powerful Cons: only 4 GB of RAM, 5400 rpm HDD, no keyboard or mouse

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics, Performance
    Cons mentioned:
    Heat

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Could be a good choice

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought this product from Best Buy online as an opened-box product to save about $47 from original price. The website stated product was in "excellent condition" and "was used as a display item prior putting on sale". The shipping was faster and I finally received it. However, the unit had too many scratches and dent at the corner. Although i was disappionted, I still gave it a try. The loading took sometimes and every time you rebooted the system, it took long time. The unit got warm and hot little fast compared to the other desktop. Other than that, once you got into the window, it runs great. We can choose options to run it as a game console or a computer window mode. The unit itself looks great as well. Because it was getting heat so fast and too many scratches for a little saving, I returned it to best buy. BestBuy customer service was excellent and gladly accepted it. I would purchase a brand new one next time and never buy opened-box online again because you can't physically see the item.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Ram, Size

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Please Read--Unit has its purpose

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought this unit to go along with my powerful gaming PC due to it's size. I wanted something very small that also does no look to out of the normal. The Alpha left as stock is slow and unusable IMO. First thing I did was use the Alienware Respawn software to make a bootable USB flash drive. I then installed a 240GB PNY SSD also bought from Best buy. I then installed a i3-4170 which is 3.7GHZ vs the stock 2.9GHZ. The temps run a bit hotter but never exceed 80C max is 100C. Upgraded the ram to 8gb of dual channel Gskill ram. With the mods installed I have no issue running Payday 2 at max settings @ 1080p at around 50+ FPS. This PC upgraded does not have to many issues running new games at medium settings @ 1080p Please know what you are buying before you expect to much out of it. I picked this Alpha up on sale so my total cost with upgrades was $500.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Awesome machine for the price!

    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Games it comes with: Steam: Awesomenauts, Magicka/Wizard Wars, Anomaly Warzone Earth, Metro:Last Light, Payday2, and Strike suit Zero. Games I have ran: Batman Arkham City, Blades of Time, Call of Juarez Gunslinger, Duke Nukem Forever, The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim, Just Cause 2, Jedi Academy, Republic Commando, Force Unleashed, Crysis 1-3, Dead Space 1-3, Medal of Honor Assault with Mission packs, Medal of Honor, Airborne, Warffighter, Battlefield 3, Mass Effect 3, Dark Forces in DosBox, Splinter Cell Convection/Black List, Quake3, Unreal Tournament, and UT3. WEI match my HPE-180t with GTX660. Had to get a wireless keyboard/mouse and after Upgrade to Windows 10, went to Dell/Nvidia and installed all the updates. Paid $437, I did not upgrade any hardware.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance, Ram, Size

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Excellent HTPC

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I wanted to replace my aging desktop tower with a smaller,sleeker computer. This computer (when it was on sale for 400), was much cheaper than even I could build for. It's a fantastic deal at that price. I threw in a 500 GB SSD and another 4 GB of ram and this thing flies. It handles all games I've played fluidly and runs my plex server no problem. This thing is as fast as my previous AMD Phenom X4 while sipping only 1/12 the power.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Ram, Size

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    It is a great small computer

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    For an i3 cpu based system it fully meets my expectation for speed. To honest I'm using the system as a HTPC and have not tried for gaming. It is a nice small form factor, quiet and fits in nicely with family room a/v equipment. I did purchase a 4 GB memory module to bring up to 8 GB of RAM just in case. The memory was cheap. The system boots quickly but I might upgrade HD to a SSD some time in future to make it even quicker. Very happy with my purchase. I was contemplating a NUC but this Alpha was so much cheaper and faster.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance, Size

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great Product for the Price!

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Alienware Alpha is a great little computer for gaming and normal computer, and at it's price point you can't beat it! I have the Alpha hooked up to my main T.V. and I love using the xbox controller to play Battlefield 4! Overall, it's a great computer for the price and it is very compact as well.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    First Alienware, and it won't be my last

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I purchased this PC for my father to use not only because of the price, but its capability compared to other PCs I researched such as Dell, HP, Samsung, Asus, and Acer. Out of all of those, this stood out the most with the most bang for the buck. Also, this is a mini-PC that my father can use and it wouldn't take up a lot of space since he hooked it up to the 46" tv monitor. It's has a sleek design and has enough usb slots to do the necessary functions such as plugging in a wireless mouse, wireless keyboard, printer, and portable hard drive. I think this is an excellent investment for anyone who wants to purchase it. Also, it dropped down in price for a while to $430 from its original $500, so that was a great deal. No issues as of yet!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Cons mentioned:
    Hard drive

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Alienware product

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    There was only one to choose from and this was the only one on the shelf that I saw. My son and I wanted this. It doesn't have enough memory/hard drive space but otherwise, we really enjoy playing games on it. It is easy to use and fun.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance
    Cons mentioned:
    Hard drive

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great little machine for gaming

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Easy to set up, I knew before I ordered it that the hard drive would be too slow, so replaced it with an SSD. Easy replacement. Great performance, though some slowdowns in my heavily modded games. Performance was what I expected.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Awesome Little Machine

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I purchased two of these while they were on sale for about $400 (for myself and fiancee). I don't think I could've built a comparable PC for what I paid. I'm play LoL, Diablo 3, and Hearthstone regularly and everything is playing on high settings. I've ran the Borderland series on high as well. Everything runs 60+fps (LoL runs around 120+). It's a great buy if you get it on sale.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Ram

    Rated 3 out of 5 stars

    Good for what it is...just not for me

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I took a chance on the Alpha because I want to break into PC gaming but don't know the 1st thing about building my own setup. The Nvidia 860m makes it great for the most current video games around medium to high settings and the package comes with a 360 controller and a software disc with wireless receiver to make it a pretty decent game pad. My only complaints are the dual core I3 processor makes computing really slow, and Number 2 the Graphics Card in it is incapable of being upgraded so in a few years as graphics continue to get better this thing will be quickly outdated and won't run more current games that well. If you aren't big into PC gaming and only do it occasionally and are looking for a compact Desktop then this will work for you. The RAM, Hard Drive, and CPU can all be upgraded so if you have the components already by all means. I returned this because I wanted to get something better for current gaming not because it's shorty or bad my ONLY advice is if you are looking to get one of these spend the extra money for the model with the I5 processor totally worth it. Thank You

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics, Processor speed
    Cons mentioned:
    Heat

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Pretty good

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Nice design,small,fast,doing all the jobs .I had HP slimline pavilion tower for 7 years .was happy with it until fan started making noise,comp gets hot dangerously .Power supply burned few times.Then i discovered this small machine with no fan ,nice design ,fast.I am happy.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance
    Cons mentioned:
    Hard drive

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Best entry level gaming PC at a great price!

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought the base version of Alienware Alpha and was completely blown away with its performance. Most recently released games play just fine on high. However, the load times and basic functions can be slow at times due to the 5400 RPM hard drive. I replaced it with a 250GB Samsung SSD 850 EVO and the performance increases a thousand times!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great product!

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought this item as an "Open Box" item but at a great price! Though I think the previous owner might have downloaded something on it that makes it a little slow, it is a fantastic product compared to the new Steamboxes coming out this year (2015).

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Ram

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great computer/Game console

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I bought the i3 and upgraded to ssd and 4gb more of memory. This machine works great and fast. It's capable of playing any pc games and also serves as a desktop. Great job Alienware

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Ram

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Very Capable

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This machine is very capable if you do it correct. I was going to get the higher processor models until I read the reviews. To get the most out of these machines, you must replace the HDD with an SSD, and increase the RAM to at least 8GB, but 16GB is great. I returned it due to only needing a laptop because I didn't have a permanent setup area. Other than that, this machine is perfect for an entry level gaming PC.

    I would recommend this to a friend
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