Alienware is on good track but what AMD needs to do is to create a cheap affordable closed mini STEAMBOX with AMD APU in it, in cooperation with Valve, which will be updated on the same cadence as AMD APU releases.

-This will be a good PC-like Console alternative.

-It will showcase APU's power and strengthen AMD's hand.

-It will run a completely different OS (steamOS) not reliant on Windows or Intel.

-It will be backward compatible with a good deal of Steam library back and forward.

-Fixed hardware should make it very to address for developers to provide a console experience.

-Regular updates should be in the Ipad fashion. Although there is a new machine each year, the old ones are phased out only gradually. Ipad 2 is still good for most apps although ipad 4 will give you better performance. Yet both machines are still as user friendly as possible.

-Fixed hardware will also give AMD to stand out and utilize Mantle and other unique features better and more commonly (on Nextgen Consoles, as well as Windows PCs)

-Steambox can also double as a linux PC. Some portion of the resources (RAM and HD) can be dedicated to PC use, so the user can actually enjoy a console like experience and regular Linux simultaneously.

-The machine should not be sold at loss. This way, the initial slowdown wouldn't matter, and the machine will have plenty of time to buildup momentum. A $399 price point is more than feasible for such a machine.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/gaming-alienware-steam-box-machine,25819.html#xtor=RSS-998

Sorry, no upgrading possible on this gaming rig.

Isn't one of the points of having a Steam Machine the ability to upgrade the device when needed? That doesn't seem to be the case with Dell-owned Alienware who will instead release a new model each year. Switching out the CPU or graphics card seems to be out of the question.

"There will be some configuration options when you purchase it, maybe you can get a faster CPU, maybe some more memory something like that," said Frank Azor, Alienware's General Manager. "If you actually want to customize your Alienware Steam Machine, maybe change your graphics card out or put in a new CPU, you would be better off with the standard Alienware X51. This particular product is restricted in its upgrade options."

Valve formally introduced Steam Machines earlier this month during CES 2014, revealing a list of 14 partners that will produce a wide range of Steam Machine form factors including palm-sized to full-blown gaming monsters with price tags up in the $2,000s. As seen over the last several weeks, Alienware's model will be similar in shape and price to Microsoft's new Xbox One.

"Lifecycle wise, consoles update every five, six, seven years, we will be updating our Steam Machines every year," Azor said in an interview.

Last week, Alienware announced that its first-generation Steam Machine will launch in September. We don't really know anything about the specs save for it's using an Intel "Haswell" processor and a Nvidia GPU. Pictures reveal two USB 2.0 ports on the front, two more on the back as well as HDMI output and an Ethernet port, and two exhaust vents.

"There will be no customization options, you can't really update it," he said. "The platform will continue to evolve as the games become more resource intensive."

Hardware refreshes each year may be out of the question for many gamers, but at least Alienware isn't waiting for half a decade to release a new unit. Then again, it could be cheaper to just purchase a new Steam Machine rather than forking out the same amount on a new processor and graphics card. We'll have a better picture once we get more information about what's inside the Alienware Steam Machine later on.