Dell releases new VR-ready Alienware notebook series

The latest 13, 15 and 17-inch Alienware notebooks are the first in the company's history to come VR-ready out of the box and the first to run desktop-class NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-Series graphics processors. For many consumers none of these things will make a difference to their daily digital lives, but for the discerning PC gamers gathered at PAX West Seattle where these notebooks are making their global debut, it's another story, entirely.

"Gaming is in a time of renaissance right now; awesome games and development, amazing resolutions and technology, plus the pure excitement around VR experiences -- it's an incredible driving force," said Frank Azor, general manager of Alienware and XPS, Dell. And it's the range-topping 17-inch model that is likely to cause the most excitement among the gaming community. As well as being noticeably thinner than the flagship it replaces, it also comes with some very clever features, such as an eye-tracking camera and an app called Overwolf that records where users are looking when they're gaming and providing coaching if they're missing details in complex gaming situations.

This system also enables the computer to power down or dim its lights when the user looks up or away from the screen. And this is on top of Windows ‘Hello', the feature that allows you to unlock a computer with your face as a password. However, both the 17 and 15-inch models can be configured with quad-core Core i7 chips, up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage plus two battery choices -- 68 Watt-Hour or 99 Watt-hour for serious play when away from a power outlet.

To handle the heat that desktop-class hardware generates, the notebook chassis has been reengineered with magnesium, aluminum and copper for lightness, strength and for avoiding a literal meltdown.  The keyboards have also been overhauled for even faster responsiveness, less key travel and the ability to hit any number of keys simultaneously -- a crucial feature in complex games -- and know that the computer has individually registered each strike.

Alienware is yet to offer many details on the smaller, 13-inch notebook that is coming in November when it officially goes on sale -- the bigger devices will be available to order from September 30 -- but all three will work with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual Reality headsets.