As a long-time member of gaming and overclocking forums, I‘ve lusted after the legendary Alienware Area-51 desktop for years. The Area-51 phrase represents the pinnacle of performance in Alienware‘s gaming PC lineup.
The Area-51 Threadripper Edition takes this pedigree to the extreme, leveraging AMD‘s blisteringly fast Ryzen Threadripper processors to deliver no-compromise 4K gaming and content creation capabilities. I recently had the opportunity to purchase a configured Threadripper Area-51 system. Here I chronicle my real-world experience living with this beastly machine on a daily basis:
Overview of the Area 51 Threadripper System
Alienware originally launched Ryzen Threadripper-based Area-51 desktops in July 2017. I purchased my system in March 2021 for $3,999 directly from Dell‘s website. This configuration included an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X 32-core CPU and Nvidia RTX 3090 graphics card.
Alienware Area-51 Threadripper Key Specs:
| Component | My Configuration |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Threadrippper 3970X (32-core, 64-threads) |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 |
| Memory | 64GB (4x16GB) DDR4 3200Mhz |
| Storage | 1TB NVMe SSD + 2TB HDD |
| Power Supply | 1200 watt |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
I opted for maximum performance and expansion capability to future-proof my system. The key draw remains that ryzen Threadripper CPU with an astounding 32 cores and 64 threads. This amount of multi-threaded horsepower obliterates comparable mainstream processors.
Living with the Area-51: Performance and Experience
I use my Area-51 Threadripper system daily for a mix of high-refresh 4K gaming, live streaming, video editing and 3D modeling with Blender. Here is an overview of how well this beastly desktop performs across these workloads:
Gaming @ 4K 120FPS
The RTX 3090 tears through demanding modern titles like Cyberpunk 2077 at max settings. I average around 90-100 FPS at native 4K resolution with all ray tracing effects enabled. Performance exceeds my high-refresh monitor‘s capabilities. Only the most hardcore enthusiasts are likely to demand more GPU power.
Gaming Benchmark Results @ 4K
| Game Title | Avg FPS @ 4K |
|---|---|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 130 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 108 |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 88 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 93 |
Source: Tom‘s Hardware RTX 3090 review
Smooth Streaming Performance
I regularly stream my gameplay sessions to Twitch at 1080p 60FPS using OBS while gaming simultaneously. The 32-core Threadripper CPU easily keeps up with encoding video streams while I play without any noticeable performance penalty or input lag.
Based on PcWorld testing, the Threadripper can encode x264 video 3 times quicker than a mainstream 8-core Ryzen 7 5800X. This also beats out competing Intel Core i9-10980XE processors.
Video Editing and 3D Modeling
I create gaming highlight and tutorial content edited in Adobe Premiere Pro. On my older system, rendering a 10 minute 4K video would take 45+ minutes. Now with the Threadripper, final exports complete in under 10 minutes!
The story repeats when I use Blender to render a complex 3D sculpture. The Scene that took 3 hours on my past desktop now completes in just over 30 minutes. This speed up lets me experiment more freely and not lose focus while waiting for previews.
In general you want the fastest storage, memory and processors possible for serious content creation. The Area 51 Threadripper delivers all of this in spades.
Everyday Use Experience
You may wonder whether this powerhouse overkill for mundane computing tasks. The answer is yes, but that extra overhead means the system stays snappy and responsive no matter what I throw at it.
The Area-51 boots from cold to Windows desktop in under 10 seconds thanks to NVMe storage. I can have dozens of browser tabs open, be rendering a Blender model, downloading games from Steam, and chatting on Discord without any slowdown thanks to all those CPU cores.
Of course, with great power comes a greater electric bill. Even idle at the desktop, my Area-51 Threadripper rig consumes over 100 watts of power based on software monitoring. Under full load while gaming, total system power draw exceeds 650 watts.
Thankfully I configured a 80 Plus Gold PSU that operates efficiently across loading ranges. And I don‘t pay the electricity bills in my current living situation!
Final Impressions: Well Worth the Investment
I‘ve lusted after owning an Area-51 desktop for almost 15 years. After spending the past two years with the Threadripper Edition, I can safely say this system delivers on all fronts. The performance exceeds my wildest expectations – I‘m still finding new ways to exploit all those CPU cores.
Gaming has never felt more immersive thanks to unwavering high framerates in 4K. Content creation that once felt like painful chores now give me instant previews and feedback. Frankly the sheer speed of this machine sparks newfound creativity.
That‘s not to say there aren‘t downsides though. This is definitely overkill for anyone but the most demanding power users. It requires abundant desk space to support its massive triangular frame. Upgradability is also limited on the current X399 platform.
However, if you live and breathe PC gaming and performance like I do, the Area-51 Threadripper Edition will almost certainly satisfy. There is simply no more epic prebuilt gaming PC on the market over five years since this system‘s launch. Alienware still proudly assembles the Area-51 line within the United States as well.
While the Area-51 Threadripper commands a hearty premium, I have zero doubt this investment will continue delivering record-breaking and joyful performance for many years to come. It‘s a centerpiece of my gaming room I enjoy showing off nearly as playing on. Truly an iconic system for the ages.
Let me know if you have any other questions about living with this absolute beast of a rig!
