From PC World: If you can't wait to order a new PC with AMD’s crazy 16-core Threadripper CPU, there’s bad news and good news. The bad news is, Dell subsidiary Alienware announced Monday afternoon that it has secured an exclusive deal for AMD’s high-end chip through the end of the year.
But before you get out your torches and pitchforks, there's also good news here. The exclusive applies only to big-name PC rivals like HP and Lenovo. Smaller boutique gaming PC vendors will be able to build Threadripper systems, and DIY PC builders will have access to it, too.
AMD’s much-hyped Threadripper promises to bring the same tough competition to Intel’s high-end desktop CPUs that its Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 chips did for Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 chips. Alienware’s exclusive is a major coup for the gaming PC company, but it's also certain to anger competing PC makers and their fans.
Alienware said it will use the 16-core variant and lower in its updated Area-51 PC, which can take liquid cooling and run up to three GPUs.
Alienware may have a lock on Threadripper, but Threadripper doesn't have a lock on Alienware. The company said it will also offer Intel’s new 12-core Skylake-X for the Area-51 product line.
AMD officials sidestepped any questions of controversy among other PC makers, instead saying the exclusive with Alienware would help build momentum for the new chip.
The exclusive deal is sure to annoy competitors such as HP and Lenovo, but Alienware said those who roll their own can breathe easy. This exclusive deal won’t block consumers who want to buy the chip and build their own systems.
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