Dell and Alienware get jiggy

Conflicting reports are hitting the web this morning about whether or not PC giant Dell has bought up hardcore gaming system builder Alienware.

First off the bat was DesignTechnica, which ran a story saying that the deal "had gone down".

This was followed by a raft of similar reporting, before CNet Australia got hold of a local representative who denied the story.

At least, that's the CNet headline. Nothing in the quotes from the Dell rep actually deny the Alienware deal, they're just merely evasive answers. He questions the reliability of speculation, and suggests that Dell already has great gaming machines, but if you read closely, he never actually says "We're not buying Alienware."

Interesting.

Alienware is seen as a potential takeover target for Dell because of its mindshare in the gaming/enthusiast space. Dell hasn't been able to make its XPS range jive with gamers who see it as the same old lame OEM, despite stunts like Quad SLI and being first to market with X16 SLI motherboards.

We will have to stay tuned this week to see if more news comes out. Will Dell actually stump up the cash for Alienware - or has it already, it's just not talking about it? Tell us what you make of the situation over in the forums.