BusinessWeek Logo
Alien Invasion

Alienware

Alien Invasion

Alienware Area-51 ALX system
Around $7,000


As Apple's sleek laptops and desktops started grabbing consumers' attention in the mid-2000s, Dell also started to pay attention to design. In 2006, Dell acquired Alienware, creator of eye-catching computers for hard-core gamers (seen here), to add more design-driven products to its portfolio.