Steam Machines News: Alienware to Release New Versions of Console Annually

While not much is known about Alienware's plan for its new home Steam Machines console, a new interview revals that the manufacturer is planning to release new versions of the machine every year.

Frank Azor, the general manager of Alienware, spoke to TrustedReviews (via PCR) and explained the reasoning behind the move. Azor stated that the technology in their Steam Machine will be locked into place without much room for upgrading, so the company will put out new models every year.

"Lifecycle wise, consoles update every five, six, seven years, we will be updating our Steam Machines every year. There will be no customization options - you can't really update it. The platform will continue to evolve as the games become more resource intensive...If you actually want to customize your Alienware Steam Machine, maybe change your graphics card out or put in a new CPU, you would be better off with the standard Alienware X51. This particular product is restricted in its upgrade options," Azor told Trusted Reviews. 

This means users who want the Alienware Steam Machine will have to constantly buy new versions of the console if they want to be able to use the top specs available on the market, rather than just buying new parts and upgrading the existing machine. This makes the Alienware machine more like traditional consoles. If users want a more customizable Steam Machine they will have to look elsewhere unless they want to spend hundreds on new consoles every year. However, considering many Steam Machine makers have announced their consoles will cost over a thousand dollars, it may still be cheaper to buy Alienware's version instead of investing in a more expensive unit that can be upgraded every year.

It is unclear exactly when the Alienware Steam Machine will be launched, but the company stated that they have a goal of September 2014 for the console's release date. The company has yet to reveal the specs for the new console, but of course, no Steam Machine manufacturer has announced what hardware will be in their own versions of the machines yet. Alienware has yet to announce a price for the upcoming console, only offering that its Steam Machine's price will be similar to current console prices.