Dell to end its World of Warcraft computer line
by Daniel Whitcomb 
May 13th 2008 at 2:00PM
The website still doesn't mention anything about the phase out, but it seems likely it'll be pulled soon. the $2999 price tag still seems a bit steep to me, but it's probably better than than the initial $4500 price tag, and better than the price that would probably be asked for any versions that might appear on various auction sites once Dell officially discontinues it.
We don't know for sure if the Laptop sold well, since Dell doesn't release sales information, but according to the article, the main object of this phase-out is to bolster the flagging Alienware line, which has lost much of it's luster since being purchased by Dell. Whatever the reason, the laptop is going bye-bye, so if you want it, go and get it. But you better hurry, because it may not last.
[Thanks for the tip, Surely!]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, News items, Hardware
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Wesley May 13th 2008 2:06PM
I play wow on the Macbook Pro that I got for under $2000 and it plays perfectly. I easily get over 60 fps and over 120 latency. Well enough for me to enjoy the game without spending 3 to 4 grand!
Charlie Taylor May 13th 2008 4:11PM
You do realize that not only does latency have very little do with the computer, but that you want it to be low. Latency is a measurement of the time it takes a signal to be sent from your computer and back from Blizzard's servers.
My 3 year old G5 gets 30 fps (i bought the crappy card >.
Wesley May 13th 2008 4:19PM
Yea, all I know though is that I the machine I had before I got my pro gave me like 11fps and some awful latency. I probably would be happy with anything after that lol
Badger May 13th 2008 2:12PM
Ah! Sweet validation ... I definitely saw this coming the minute they announced the exorbitantly gouged prices on these machines.
Naix May 13th 2008 2:18PM
I am sure the 3 people who bought this laptop are very happy with their purchase.
Tim May 13th 2008 2:23PM
Why by a computer that says World of Warcraft on it for a high price when you can buy a cheaper computer with all the same parts?
PeeWee May 13th 2008 3:12PM
Because it doesn't say World of Warcraft on them.
native May 13th 2008 2:29PM
O RLY?
Surely May 13th 2008 2:44PM
I just can't fathom why they were stealing their own lunch, as it were, by competing with a subsidiary in the first place.
Jagoex May 13th 2008 2:30PM
Alienware and "low-cost" have never gone hand-in-hand, so something has got to give.
Dell is basically re-branding their XPS line under the guise of low-end Alienware models. I believe I read that the first "low-cost" system would see a release later this month.
So much for keeping Dell's nose out of Alienware's business.
http://jagoex.blogspot.com
Badger May 13th 2008 2:41PM
Jago: Keep in mind that Dell's level of customer satisfaction and appeal has fallen through the floor over the last few years. They are *desperate* to come up with something to attract new customers, so they're flailing around like idiots, trying to come up with some new money-making scheme. Personally, I think that they should just stop relying on Mahmoud, Aziz, and all the other cheap half-assed support staff they hired overseas, and get back to making a good product with good service, domestically.
Terrant May 13th 2008 2:45PM
Badger, there are plenty of Americans with names like Mahmoud and Aziz.
Arturis May 13th 2008 2:56PM
Though very few named Badger
David(Postal) May 13th 2008 3:10PM
Well now Dell is getting rid of its XPS line and they will be concentrating on Alienware, which is quite unfortunate.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/12/dell-dropping-xps-focusing-on-alienware/
Badger May 13th 2008 8:25PM
Sorry, Terrant, the joke was in bad taste. I apologize.
Despite the slight slur on my part, however, my point was that the massive overseas outsourcing has not been the money-saving gesture that Dell hoped it would be. The horrific drop in training and support expenses has instead resulted in a significant drop in their profits, not to mention the more abstract measure(s) of their quality of customer support.
Liel May 13th 2008 2:45PM
@Badger
Minus the internet negativity and flat out BS plus a dose of racsim you mention they topped HP this year as the number one computer supplier in the US.
Badger May 13th 2008 8:31PM
Again, I apologize for the potentially offensive comment.
However, my point was that their lack of attention to their own support services has resulted in a rapidly growing level of customer dissatisfaction that is beginning to cut into their profits - and no, that observation was not pulled from thin air; the statistic was cited in both a Reuters article and a Forbes article I read while at work a few days ago. (I've lost the links ... Doh.)
They might still be churning out computers the way that Johnson & Johnson churns out crateloads of Band-Aids, but there are an awful lot of consumers who aren't hesitating to bad-mouth the quality of their products and services any longer.
I have had personal experience with this, in fact, when I was a Lab Manager in the Academic Computing department at my alma mater. The Labs used 90% Dell and 10% Apple products, and were equipped for several thousand students. Guess which machines were the easiest to work with, and the easiest for which to seek support.
Kotathalas May 14th 2008 12:55PM
I have to chime in here on this one. I in fact have a DELL XPS 1710, and I can't think of a worse product on the market for playing WoW. I have had to have them replace the video card (Nvidia GForce 7900) twice and it's still not able to play WoW without seizing up when changing zones. And you can forget ever getting into Shatt, it freezes up long before it loads up any other players. There pops up an error msg about not being able to "read" the memory, and Dell wants nothing to do with it. I have spent whole days being passed around the whole of Bangalore (India) from their support, to their out-of-warrenty support, to their tech support... no one at DELL ever seems to want to take a real approach at fixing a problem that I, and many other XPS owners, have come across. XPS is not a system for playing MMO's on at all, and should never be toted as such.
Liel May 14th 2008 1:14PM
I have a Dell XPS 1710 that I bought two years ago and it plays Wow great but I went back to a XPS desktop a few months ago because it was showing its age with newer games. The default resolution being really high made it look awful if I lowered the default resolution.
popkin May 13th 2008 2:54PM
Hmmm, looks like you still get all the extra stuff (laptop bag, beta key, CE pets, books, card game packs, soundtrack, ect) with the laptop. At least, the page linked in the article says you still get extras.