Alienware Aurora R12 vs. Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R12.jpg case front and back pannel

Dell_OptiPlex_Tower_Plus_7020_2024.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen11 i3/i5/i7/i9;	Intel Gen 12&13&14 i3/i5/i7/i9
Chipset	Z490	Q670
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 3090	GeForce RTX 4060
RAM	DIMM DDR4-3200/3400	DIMM DDR5-4400
RAM slots	4	4
RAM speed	3400 MT/s	4400 MT/s
RAM max	128 GB	128 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; (2x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2
Video ports	N/A	(3x) Display Port 1.4a;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;	RJ45(2.5GHz); Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional ports	DisplayPort	HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C 3.1; Serial port; SD-card slot
SATA ports	4	4
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;	PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI-32;
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);	M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in;	(x2) 3.5in
PSU	550/1000 W	260/500 W
Weight	17.80 kg (39.24 lb)	9.63 kg (21.24 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 Tower Plus 7020 2024

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 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 Alienware Aurora R12 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 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 Tower Plus 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

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

The Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 is using the faster 4400 MT/s RAM. The Alienware Aurora R12 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3400 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 128 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Alienware Aurora R12 has 15 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 is inferior in this regard and packs 10 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. It's great that both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. But if you need maximum connectivity, go with the Alienware Aurora R12 as it has 3 USB3.1 ports (the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 2).

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 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.

None of the models has an HDMI port. If your monitor supports only the HDMI interface, you will need to buy an adapter. Such adapters are cheap so nothing to worry about.

SATA slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 4 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 1 M.2 slots while the Alienware Aurora R12 comes with just 1.

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 Tower Plus 7020 2024 comes with a decent 500 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.