I've always thought
Dell was good for PC gaming in general, but it is now even more evident to me as they are
reportedly about to put the gist of the XPS program to bed to focus more on the recently acquired boutique Alienware.
Quote:
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We've got some news that'll make a PC gamer or two weep: the Wall St. Journal is reporting that as of next month Dell will be dropping four models of XPS performance PCs to focus solely on pushing Alienware. Certainly no surprise though, we've been waiting for this move since they picked the company up back in 2006. Of course, there will be certain challenges, namely how Dell will keep its Alienware brand separate (read: pristine) -- as its done since the acquisition -- yet be able to offer performance PCs on its site alongside the rest of its machines. It's also unclear what will happen to is XPS line of laptops, since those are big sellers as well, but we'll all have to wait patiently for the bomb to drop before knowing for sure what Dell's cutting and what they're not.
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This is interesting for a few reasons. First off, it is a clear signal that Dell is very impressed with the sales of Alienware, and more specifically, how strong they think the brand is vs the XPS.
Also, it is obvious now that Dell is going to pump more resources into their subsidiary in Miami in the form of marketing and research finances. And that means more goodies, more talking about those goodies and more e-wood to be sported by us gearheads over said goodies.
Though I think that the XPS initiative was a good thing for PC gaming overall, as it surely brought more people into the performance end of the pool than previously were, it is now clear that Dell is cutting back big time in an effort to re-invent their company for the next generation of the PC industry. They could just have easily sold off Alienware, but they didn't. And that's good news
for all our buddies at AW 
"Bounty hunters. We don't need their scum!" -Admiral Firmus Piett
