If you're hoping to buy a pre-built system with an AMD Threadripper processor tucked inside, an Alienware will be the only option among major OEMs. Dell managed to convince AMD to shun competitors such as HP and Lenovo through the remainder of 2017.
"Dell will be the exclusive OEM launch partner to deliver AMD Ryzen Threadripper pre-built systems to market and the high-end 16-core processor will be factory-overclocked across all cores," Dell says.
While Dell and its Alienware division are getting first dibs on Threadripper among bulk OEMs, the exclusive agreement only applies to bulk OEMs, PCWorld reports. Boutique gaming PC vendors will have access to AMD's Threadripper lineup at the same time, as will DIY builders.
Dell's Alienware Area-51 will feature AMD's flagship 16-core/32-thread Threadripper processor, and what amounts to the first confirmation of a specific lower-end variant, Dell said a 12-core Threadripper CPU will also be an option.
Alienware Area-51 Threadripper Edition PCs will come factory overclocked across all cores. They will also feature up to 64GB of DDR4-2933 RAM, up to 1TB of M.2 SSD storage, and up to multiple GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics cards in SLI or Radeon RX 480 GPUs in Crossfire.
Dell says these PCs will be available to order on July 27. Hopefully that means consumers will have access to Threadripper CPUs at the same time.
For those who prefer to roll with Intel, Dell will also offer Alienware Area-51 configurations with up to a Core i9 processor inside. Buyers will be able to choose between an Intel 6-core Core i7-7800X, 8-core Core i9-7820X, and 10-core Core i9-7900X. Higher core counts (up to 18 cores) will not be available because they do not come out until later this year.
Alieware Area-51 feature Core X-series processors will arrive on August 22. Pricing has not yet been announced for any of the upcoming configurations.
