Dell's Alienware Acquisition... and Apple

ITWeek and others are reporting that Dell has acquired PC maker Alienware. Alienware is a maker of high-end gaming and multimedia PC systems and will reportedly continue to operate as an independent subsidiary.

Alienware specialises in high performance computers that differentiate themselves through design. Dell, meanwhile, has become synonymous with basic, inexpensive boxes.

An early blog post hinting at the deal from Voodoo PC's president suggested that Apple's recent entry into the Intel computer market has increased pressure on Dell to differentiate themselves:

With the recent Intel/Apple relationship its clear that 15% (or whatever) of the consumer space for Dell may not be enough. Apple is likely to go to 8% with the help of Intel over the next year or so. The PC gaming market is threatening Dells perceived technology leadership and ultimately the consumer space. The Alienware brand is cooler than Dell, and perhaps a likely candidate for Dell to take over based on size alone.

Meanwhile, early benchmarks of the MacBook Pro running Windows XP showed that the MacBook Pro performed very well compared to other Core Duo PCs.