The Beginning

Alienware a household name in computer hardware, known for high performance, high quality and a unique branding that has set them apart from their competition. Right now their products are amongst some of the most recognisable and sought after on the market. The spates of awards they have won for excellence are a testament to their continual high standards and ability to cater for a demanding customer base. They have expanded from their single office to be a truly global company, selling their products direct across the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. All of these factors make Alienware an elite company that are known and respected as the best of the best for gamers.

Of course it wasn't always like this and to arrive at where they are now has taken a thirteen year long journey. Nelson Gonzalez and Alex Aguila had $10,000 in their pockets and an idea to start a business that would sell high end machines for the gaming market. They had everything riding on it, Alex having quit his job and emptied his bank account to make the idea a reality. But it was a vision that not everyone shared, especially at a time when other companies were looking to make cheaper machines for mass marketing purposes. There were times when doubts started to creep in. As Alex himself put it: "I was there and all the walls were black ... and the phones were sitting there and not ringing. And I'm thinking, 'What did I do?'"

Alex Aguila

The Vision

The story behind the vision is one that stems from both being enthusiastic gamers and is something that anyone who has gamed will be able to relate to. Both had noticed that they were continually upgrading their PCs to be able to handle the latest releases and they wondered just how possible it would be to create computers that would deliver such performance that they would remain cutting edge for a lot longer than the average machine. They were passionate about gaming and wanted to make machines that would do the games they loved, and that others loved, justice.

Coupled with that was the fact they made sure that the foundations of the company were based on a set of ideals and values that they held above all other things. At the heart of this manifesto was “perform work with uncompromising ethics”. And so they did, always looking to ensure that their products were ahead of the curve but without sacrificing any of these beliefs along the way. It was this unwavering faith in these core values that continued to drive Alienware forward, even at times when others could not see what they were working towards achieving.

Even in the early years Alienware pushed the boundaries and became quickly known for their innovations in all areas of performance related to gaming. It wasn’t just a case of delivering the best graphical capabilities, or introducing improved sound that changed the way gamers could approach their games. Developing ideas that appealed to themselves as enthusiastic gamers they even revolutionised where and when people could indulge the gamer within. The Area 51m was the first notebook computer powerful enough to play system intensive games and brought “gaming on the go” to a new generation of players.

Alienware goes global

The high performance gaming equipment that Alienware were specialising in was initially not considered to be anything other than “niche” and was not something that other major manufacturers had given much consideration to. Yet as word of mouth spread and attitudes started to change it was only a matter of time before they had gone from being seen as out on the periphery to being recognised as innovators in their field. With an already loyal customer base that was growing daily they were already well on their way to proving so many of the doubters wrong. It was in 2002 they could expand even further, opening their EMEA – Europe, Middle East and Africa – headquarters, which was based in Athlone, Ireland. It was the beginning of an expansion that continues to this day.

As they started to grow and become successful they wanted to retain the personal connection to their customers and ensure they could still offer the same level of customer service that they always had. That was something that was increasingly difficult given the large influx of customers that were now purchasing their products. As part of looking forward they opened up a contact centre that was even larger than what they needed, based in Costa Rica. This was to guarantee that they could deliver the same level of service and individual focus that they could when they first started. Currently that office now employs three hundred staff, having grown ten-fold from the initial thirty that started working there when it first opened.

It was also in 2002 when they brought in their patented “Alien Autopsy” method of service. It is a data gathering tool that makes relaying information to the Alienware staff easier for the customer, but is also incredibly detailed having over 30,000 fields of data that help them identify any issues, no matter how specific. It also provides quick and effective answers for dealing with even the most seemingly complex issues, providing a fast and efficient service for those who require assistance. This has been at the heart of the many awards that the company have won for their excellence in the field of customer service.

At this point they are considered the experts on manufacturing personal computers for gaming and their products were highly sort after by gamers in the know. But it wasn’t just gamers that were required such high-end performance and the company’s insistence on quality brought them admirers and business from seemingly unlikely sources. In 2005 they agreed an exclusive contract with the U.S. Army to provide computers for the purposes of military mission simulations and simulation based planning.

Alienware do business with Dell

After their success had caught the eye of Dell, one of the biggest names in the industry, they decided to act and bring the Alienware brand into the fold, opening up the potential for what they could achieve as they moved forward and providing them with the scope to reach the next level of their goals. In 2006 Dell made their move and bought the brand with them still delivering the same standard they always have and helped them to go from strength to strength. The two remained as distinct entities, each with their own clear identity and focus, but both with the same objectives.

As of June 1st there have been big changes. The Dell XPS range and the instantly identifiable Alienware machines will be merging into one range of products, bringing the best of both worlds together under the Alienware name. The range will boast everything that is synonymous with both brands and will provide gamers with more choice, more performance and more power than ever before.

Do these changes mean that you can expect anything different from Alienware? Not at all. The products are the same technology focused, high calibre and top quality ones they always have been. Nor is there a radical shift away from the core values that made the company what it is today. They still remain on their website for everyone to see. They remain unchanged since the company was founded and they are at the heart of everything that they do. The merger widens their reach and enables them to focus on continuing their proud traditions of both excellence and innovation. As such, those who have already been enjoying the best of the best will continue to do so and there will be plenty more to come from both Alienware and Dell in the near future. They remain very much in touch with their roots and have vowed to stay true to their humble beginnings in the way they approach things. As Nelson Gonzalez assures "We're a bunch of nerds and geeks at heart.”