Valve may have delayed its Steam Machine platform until sometime next year, but that isn't stopping Alienware from releasing the ultra-compact console it unveiled back in January at CES . Instead of Valve's open-source operating system and Steam Controller, Alienware's Alpha console will ship as a Windows 8.1-based system that boots directly into its own custom interface, delivering living room gaming experiences and the entire breadth of Steam's PC catalog — not simply games ported to Linux.

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The Alienware Alpha retains the same design as the 8" x 8" square box we first showed you in January, with exception to the absence of the Steam logo on the corner. It still comes equipped with USB 3.0 ports, optical audio out, an external power supply, an ethernet port, and both HDMI in and out — though Alienware's plans for it are still unclear. What's new, however, is what's inside.The entry-level configuration for the Alienware Alpha will start with an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GBs of RAM, 500GB of HDD storage, and a custom GTX-class Nvidia GPU based upon the Maxwell architecture with 2GBs of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM. When pressed on a relative performance comparison for the chip, Alienware representatives were reluctant to liken it to anything currently in Nvidia's processor range because of its unique combination of power, low-energy consumption, and heat profile. As a result, the system runs with very little noise under load and is capable of producing 1080p, 60 frames-per-second gaming experiences for most titles at high to maxed out specs. But for those that want to spring for extra performance can upgrade to Core i5 and i7 CPUs, up to 8GBs of RAM, and 2TBs of storage.While the user interface isn't quite camera ready, Alienware gave me a first look at its current build along with gameplay demos of Bro Force and Dark Souls 2 running on the Alpha.What's important about the interface is that, just like Steam OS, Alienware has designed it to completely forego traditional desktop views, booting directly to the controller-friendly UI and providing direct access to core system functions and your entire Steam library via big picture mode. While certainly beefier than Valve's Linux-based OS, Alienware says its custom Windows solution is designed for efficiency and minimizes unnecessary processing drain by disabling nonessential software and functions. In my hands-on session, the system started from a cold boot faster than both the PS4 and Xbox One, and returned from a suspended low-power mode almost instantaneously.The current build is basic and not all that pretty, but it performs as advertised — working solely by controller navigation and negating the trappings of Microsoft's mouse and keyboard-centric desktop. Most importantly, Alienware says this is just the beginning. It's considering a variety of designs and new feature sets.However, Alienware isn't limiting people to its own UI. From a fresh boot, players will be able to launch into either the custom interface or into desktop mode. The capacity to choose your entry point is helpful, because at launch, the Alpha will be Steam-centric and won't offer access to Origin, Uplay, or other solo launchers. Alienware is working to bring other services into the fold, but for now, players will need the traditional desktop view to launch games distributed through other platforms. But as the largest digital retailer for PC games and the preferred platform for millions of PC gamers, it's not like there's a shortage of content on Steam.As far as gameplay is concerned, the Alienware Alpha is a true console experience with PC-quality performance. While a demo of Bro Force showcased how the Alpha is a capable multiplayer machine, allowing me and two others to play using a combination of wireless Xbox 360 controllers and a wired Xbox One gamepad, Dark Souls 2 offered a glimpse of how it handles more taxing AAA titles. With maxed out settings outputting to a 1600x900 PC monitor, the Alienware Alpha ran smoothly at 60 frames-per-second and above without any slowdown or degradation.The Alienware Alpha will arrive in holiday of 2014 with an entry price of $549.99 and ship in the base configuration noted above along with a wireless Xbox 360 controller and USB transmitter. When Valve's Steam OS arrives, the Alpha will also be compatible with Valve's Steam Controller via built-in wireless connectivity.Although there's clearly much work to be done, Alienware's Alpha console already shows incredible promise, besting Microsoft and Sony's current-gen consoles in performance but preserving a simplified controller-friendly UI and unbridled access to Steam's full library of games. And, best of all, bundled with a controller you'll actually enjoy using.

Scott Lowe is IGN's resident tech expert and first-person shooter fanatic. You can follow him on Twitter at @ScottLowe