Alienware to Replace XPS

There's been rumors going around that the XPS line is soon to be phased out and that DELL intends to make Alienware it's primary gaming line. We even hear stories of XPS users who wanted their computer replaced because of repeated hardware issues, and got an Alienware model for a replacement instead of an XPS. And in the DELL website, STUDIO and STUDIO XPS are already put in the same category. This is really troubling, but before we make anymore speculations, what is Alienware anyway?

Here's an old Alienware TV ad. Featuring no other Superman!


HISTORY
Established in 1996, Alienware assembles high performance desktops, notebooks, and workstations. According to employees, the Alienware name was chosen because of the founders' fondness for the hit television series The X-Files, hence the theme to their products, with names such as Area-51, Hangar18, m15x, and Aurora.

TARGET MARKET
Alienware was originally established to tap a niche in the high performance game market, which back then was not on the radar of the major PC manufacturers such as Dell. Since high-end hardware was not widely distributed, the company's founders formed an OEM which sold personal computers with the highest performing hardware and settings according to benchmarks. The company products are also differentiated by their science-fiction based designs.

DELL BUYS ALIENWARE
Dell considered buying Alienware since the year 2002, but did not take any action until March 22, 2006, when it agreed to purchase the company...
On June 2, 2009, The M17x was introduced as the First Alienware/Dell branded system. Alienware now represents the premium performance space in Dell’s consumer family of products.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CONCLUSION
As of now we can't say for sure what fate DELL has for Alienware and XPS. It's either they phase out one or the other just like they did with the good 'ol DIMENSION systems or they might just decide to put them both into one category and one support department for both lines. We can only wait and hope they don't make it more difficult to get technical support than it already is.

Would you prefer an XPS or an Alienware?