Unconfirmed: Dell buys Alienware

While no word has been officially released from either Dell or Alienware, we heard from a reliable source this morning that the purchase has indeed gone down. Speculation began on March 5 after a by Voodoo PC CEO Rahul Sood. The new source, a contact at a high-end vendor who requested anonymity, claims that two of his company's suppliers confirmed that the deal has been done, and he also claims that his company has received an influx of resumes from Alienware employees.

An Alienware PR representative did not deny the claim but instead forwarded us a prewritten statement from the company that said: "At this time, Alienware will not comment on any speculative stories or rumors concerning Dell and Alienware's association. While we do believe that news stories like this are ultimately a strong positive reinforcement of the Alienware brand and the company's success, we will not comment on speculation or potential future events. As always, Alienware is committed to offering consumers and businesses with the best high-performance, innovative PC products on the market and we remain manically focused on that goal."

Dell did not return calls asking for comment.

Dell has taken a lot of flak in high-end system reviews over the past year or so due to its exclusive use of Intel processors. Alienware, however, currently sells AMD-based systems through its Aurora line of desktops. Owning a subsidiary that sells AMD-based systems could be an easier path for Dell toward reclaiming the performance crown, rather than incorporating Athlons or Semprons into its current Intel-exclusive assembly line. We'll presumably know more when the deal is officially announced, or whenever we learn the specifics of upcoming products.