Alienware is best known for its beefy gaming laptops and preconfigured desktop rigs, but at CES 2020, the company showed off a wild new prototype, the Concept UFO. It’s a full Windows 10 gaming PC, shrunken down into a form factor very similar to a Nintendo Switch — complete with detachable controllers and a dock to hook it up to a TV or monitor.
The Concept UFO consists of four pieces: there’s a main “head” unit, which has an eight-inch, 1200p display; the battery; and all the processing and graphic hardware. There are two controllers, which attach through an enjoyably solid magnetic rail system. And there’s a “hub” unit that’s similar to the Joy-Con controller grip, which allows the two separate controller halves to combine into a single controller for playing either on the head unit (which, like the Switch, has a built-in kickstand) or on a connected monitor.
USB-C ports are located on both the top and bottom of the Concept UFO, which can be used to both charge the device and connect it to an external monitor. Given that the Concept UFO runs regular Windows 10, you can also use those ports to connect a mouse and keyboard for use as a regular PC.
The entire thing weighs just under two pounds, which is more than three times what the Switch weighs, but it was comfortable enough to hold in my limited time with it. The entire thing looks very Alienware-y, too, with white plastic, hexagon accents, and sharp angles everywhere.
The prototype I got to try out was surprisingly functional, with working demos of a variety of games, including Rocket League, F1 2019, and Mortal Kombat 11. Obviously, they’re not the best graphics ever seen for any of these games, but gameplay was smooth and lag free, and looked far better than comparable ports on a Switch.
The Concept UFO runs a custom launcher on top of Windows 10, but the underlying software is still standard Windows: launching a game like Rocket League actually brings up the usual Steam launch dialog.
And it’s there that the potential of Concept UFO lies. The Nintendo Switch has seen great success simply by taking existing console games — like Skyrim, The Witcher 3, or Overwatch — and offering them in a portable form factor that can be played anywhere. But those games still require developers to port them over, and often result in graphical downgrades or poor performance (not to mention the requirement to buy them again).
A truly portable Windows gaming PC, though, could offer the same library of games that a regular gaming laptop or computer could, which is an intriguing concept.
Obviously, the devil is in the details here. Alienware refused to talk about any of the hardware powering the Concept UFO, so we don’t have a great idea of what kind of specs are on offer here or what caliber of game it can run. (It’s worth noting that most of the games I was able to try were less demanding titles from a processing perspective.) Battery life is another major question mark: the Switch already measures time away from an outlet in scant hours, and it’s hard to imagine the Concept UFO would fare any better, given the increased graphical demands. Cooling is a big factor, too — even just playing Rocket League, the Concept UFO’s fans were already flying, and they’re not quiet, either.
There’s no confirmation that Alienware will ever turn Concept UFO into an actual product. Right now, the prototype is just that: a prototype. But even in this early stage, it’s a bold vision of what the future of PC gaming could one day look like. Even if this exact hardware doesn’t come to market, I’m excited to see where Alienware (and the rest of the industry) takes this idea next.
Comments
I don’t need much in the way of power, just let me stream from my Steam desktop and I’m happy (which, of course, this thing can do so long as it runs Steam, but making it also able to play some games makes it somewhat costlier.)
I’d kill to be able to stream from my desktop to my Switch.
By MosquitoControl on 01.06.20 5:05pm
Now there’s an idea. In fact, I have been waiting for the day Wii U quality streaming over Bluetooth becomes the norm. Yes, the Wii U itself was a half-baked idea, but that streaming tech, I want it everywhere.
By Dark Jaguar on 01.06.20 5:07pm
The Wii U just used an updated version of Miracast I believe.
By ench on 01.06.20 5:16pm
You can do that with pretty much any windows tablet and a controller. There are a few options that clamp onto the sides similar to a Switch.
By ench on 01.06.20 5:14pm
Yep, that’s a switch alright.
Only that one’s going for somewhere between one and two grand.
It’ll be interesting to see how it fares.
By Dark Jaguar on 01.06.20 5:06pm
I’m sure it will only cost a measly $1,899.
By Ayepecks on 01.06.20 5:10pm
Perhaps, and for some people, it’ll be worth it!
Considering they won’t be making a profit off of locked-in game sales like the Switch, Alienware needs to make money on the sale of the device itself. Nintendo can afford to sell the Switch at cost because they’ll be making all their money on software.
By Winklemeier on 01.06.20 5:12pm
I’m glad a multibillion-dollar corporation has someone thinking of them! You’re so sweet! I, personally, prefer to think of any potential purchase I make in terms of my own cost-benefit.
By Ayepecks on 01.06.20 5:59pm
Strange response. He’s not looking out for Alienware. He’s simply stating that the hardware will probably cost more since Alienware can’t make money on software sales, which is what Nintendo’s strategy is. Take a chill pill.
By Doctor Ferdinand on 01.06.20 6:09pm
Strange response. No one expects a company to give a product away or take a loss. Nowhere did my comment imply as much. My comment did take aim at Alienware’s historical pricing as well as the pricing of this type of device in general. Take a chill pill.
By Ayepecks on 01.06.20 9:31pm
i can’t even. i just can’t.
deep sigh
By fxspec06 on 01.09.20 3:21am
Trying to rationalize your proposed cost, nothing more. I’d not expect it to cost more than $1000 if there’s a chance for it to sell. Perhaps if it’s a streaming companion device to a beefy Alienware gaming PC or laptop, they won’t have to worry about GPU or processor as much. Of course, you’re not playing this on the train if that’s the case. I guess we’ll see what happens in the next year or so.
By Winklemeier on 01.06.20 7:31pm
If it could run WOW, Heroes of the Storm, or League, I’d be sold in a second.
By QuakerOatmeal on 01.06.20 5:15pm
I bet you can already un those on OneMix2S + ipega-pg9083s or LattePanda Alpha, supports e-gpu too.
Here’s my toys.
Home: xb1x.
Office: xb1OG.
In the air, on a bullet train: Surface or Alienware.
In a coffee shop: Surface or OneMix2s, my Xbox Handheld.
On a train during commute: Xbox Handheld.
Lunch or coffee break in company’s canteen: Xbox Handheld.
By Hirox. on 01.07.20 12:30pm
At these high price points it seems better to just get unlimited data and stream to your phone. xCloud, etc… already works on 4G/LTE networks. Game streaming apps need to come to the Switch.
By templarian on 01.06.20 5:22pm
Unlimited isn’t cheap, and as we’ve already seen with xCloud and Stadia you’re at the mercy of the 4G/LTE network. At least this device has the potential to work offline (i.e. in a subway)
By TrueMad on 01.06.20 10:27pm
I want this just for the emulation possibilities
By Zaitt on 01.06.20 6:09pm
There are a lot of DIY stuff out there where you can make your own for a lot less then this will cost. If you have the skills.. which is why I have not done it yet. But it’s tempting to try.
By TK-093 on 01.06.20 6:55pm
Eh. I made my own version of something like this about 3yrs ago and it ended up costing about $800 in parts not to mention labor. https://www.instagram.com/p/BYW5p2SjI5J/
Curious if AW will sell these at a loss if/when they come out.
By soboglue on 01.06.20 8:36pm
Doubtful. Like others have mentioned, there’s no store lock-in like consoles have. As such, there’s really no incentive to sell it at cost even if it did come to market. Even if it does come to market, it’s not going to be cheap.
By Pr1v1t on 01.06.20 8:49pm
I keep tabs periodically checking for a beefier GPD win 3.
Heck if they can strap thunderbolt-3 eGPU Support to one of those things I’m basically done with desktops.
By tacothursday on 01.06.20 6:22pm
Add Stadia and xCloud, and it would be a day one purchase for me.
By cakebatter on 01.06.20 6:38pm
This will never see the light of day…it’s just a pet project for them.
By nStyle on 01.06.20 7:33pm
but it looks slick as hell – they did a great job for pet project.
By Winklemeier on 01.06.20 7:34pm
It’s there for the same reason half of the stuff at CES is: to gauge interest and create buzz. Whether or not they decide to seriously pursue it depends in large part on whether the media exposure creates demand and hype … assuming they can make it into a viable product at a given target price point.
Yes, companies make stuff just to show off at CES, but they’re ALWAYS looking to see if there’s a market, even for the more out-there tech. They don’t innovate just for the hell of it. They want to turn some of those experiments into some serious cash.
By Pr1v1t on 01.06.20 8:53pm