Alienware Aurora R12 vs. Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R12.jpg case front and back pannel

Dell_OptiPlex_SFF_7020_2024.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Small
CPU options	Intel Gen11 i3/i5/i7/i9;	Intel Gen 12&13&14 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium
Chipset	Z490	Q670
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 3090	AMD Radeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAM	DIMM DDR4-3200/3400	DIMM DDR5-5600
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	3400 MT/s	5600 MT/s
RAM max	128 GB	64 GB
USB ports	(6x) USB 3.0 Type A; USB 3.0 Type C; (6x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A;	(4x) USB-A 2.0; (3x) USB-A 3.0; USB-C 3.0
Video ports	N/A	Display Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;	RJ45(2.5GHz); Audio
Optional ports	DisplayPort	HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA;
SATA ports	4	2
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);	M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in;	3.5in; 2.5in;
PSU	550/1000 W	180/300 W
Weight	17.80 kg (39.24 lb)	5.38 kg (11.86 lb)
Released	2021	2024
Manual	link	link
Price**	Check Price	Check Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.

Differences between Alienware Aurora R12 and Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 which was released in 2024. The Alienware Aurora R12 is older and entered production in 2021.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Alienware Aurora R12 and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

Usually the newer the generation of the CPU, the better the performance and efficiency is. If your budget allows it, you should go with the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R12 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Alienware Aurora R12 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.

The Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 is using the faster 5600 MT/s RAM. The Alienware Aurora R12 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3400 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Alienware Aurora R12 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 can do a bit less at max 64 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Alienware Aurora R12 has 15 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Alienware Aurora R12, is that it has 3 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R12 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

The Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 comes with an HDMI port, while the Alienware Aurora R12 does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

SATA ports are placed on the system board and it is where you connect your HDD, SSD and Optical Disk Drives. More SATA slots will allow you to have more drives running at the same time. In this regard the Alienware Aurora R12 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 has 2 slot(s).

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

Make sure that the available M.2 slot supports the PCIe (also called NVMe) interface. This is important as there are M.2 slots which support only the inferior SATA III interface. For comparison, the SATA III interface has max speeds of 6Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32Gb/s!

Power Supply

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex SFF 7020 2024 comes with a decent 300 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R12 has a more powerful one rated at 1000 Watts. Choosing either one depends on your specific requirements and use case. Also don't forget that some models might have more than one PSU option - try to always get the most powerful one, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.