Alienware Alpha review: almost the Steam Machine you're looking for

It's hard to describe the Alienware Alpha. On the surface, it's a small-form gaming PC, custom-built from laptop components to fit in your entertainment center. But it wassupposed to be a frontrunner in a new category of gaming devices. It isn't. Valve's Steam Machine initiative was delayed past its original launch window, leaving manufacturers like Dell to fend for themselves in a market that doesn't exist yet. It's a weird, awkward place to be in, but here we are, testing the Alienware Alpha: a Steam Machine before its time. The question is: Can one of the biggest names in PC gaming succeed where others have failed?

The Alienware Alpha is simple, small and almost boring to look at -- a subdued black box that won't draw an iota of attention to your entrainment center. There's a little flair, of course: The machine's power button is formed in the shape of the signature Alienware logo and one of the machine's front corners is bisected at a sharp angle. An LED glows around the perimeter of the cut. It won't stand out in a bright room, but it's enough to let you know the device is turned on. It's nice.

There are only two USB ports lingering on the device's front, but folks hurting for connections can find two more on the machine's back edge and, oddly, an extra USB input hidden behind a panel on the Alpha's undercarriage. The compartment is large enough to conceal most wireless mouse and keyboard dongles (as well as any thumb drive), but sadly, it's far too small to contain the Alpha's included wireless Xbox 360 Controller adapter.

The usual assortment of ports fills out the back: HDMI, Ethernet, power and even an optical audio output, though I was surprised to find a second HDMI socket there as well. It's not uncommon for desktop PCs or laptops to have multiple monitor outputs, but what purpose could a dual-monitor setup serve in my entertainment center? None, as it turns out: That's actually an HDMI passthrough input that can be activated through the Alpha's menu system. Basically, it lets you pipe another device in your entertainment center through Alienware's unit to save space on TV inputs. It's not necessary, but it's a nice touch nonetheless.