*By Christian Smith* The Consumer Electronics Show isn't just a massive display case for the latest in consumer tech ー it's also the site of new partnerships. This year, CES marked, among other milestones in tech, a new partnership between gaming hardware maker Alienware and "League of Legends" developer Riot Games, a union that was a year in the making, according to the general manager at Dell's gaming arm, Alienware. "It actually started here a year ago," Frank Azor told Cheddar at the Las Vegas conference on Wednesday. "That's where we first met." The Dell-owned gaming company will become the esports league's official competition PC and display partner. Alienware will also provide full hardware support for "League of Legends"' two premier leagues ー the LCS and the LEC ー for their spring and summer seasons. Gaming has become big business for Dell and Alienware, with annual revenue topping $3 billion. Alienware also launched a new gaming laptop at CES ー the Area-51m ー which Azor said packs serious punch for a notebook. "It's basically a desktop computer like our Alienware Aurora, but in a notebook form," Azor said. "We threw everything in the kitchen sink at this thing." The Area-51m allows users to upgrade the 17-inch laptop's hard drive and graphics package, so they can keep up with the latest advancements in video game technology. The power comes with a price: $2,549, to be exact. The Area-51m will go on sale Jan. 29. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/dells-alienware-launches-new-gaming-laptop-with-the-power-of-a-desktop).

Share:
More In Business
A US tariff exemption for small orders ends Friday. It’s a big deal.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Load More