Alienware Aurora R13 vs. Alienware Aurora R3

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R13.jpg case front and back pannel

Alienware_Aurora_R3.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Mid Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen12 i3/i5/i7/i9;	Intel Gen2 i3/i5/i7;
Chipset	Z690	P67
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 3090	GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR4-4400	DIMM DDR3-1333/1866
RAM slots	4	4
RAM speed	4400 MT/s	1866 MT/s
RAM max	128 GB	32 GB
USB ports	(5x) USB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.2 Type C;	(5x) USB 3.0 Type A; (8x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	N/A	N/A
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;
Optional ports	N.A.	N.A.
SATA ports	3	4
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 5.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);	N.A.
Drive bays	3.25in;	(4x) 3.25in; (3x) 5.25in;
PSU	460/750 W	525/875 W
Weight	16.05 kg (35.38 lb)	22.09 kg (48.7 lb)
Released	2021	2011
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 R13 and Alienware Aurora R3

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Alienware Aurora R13 which was released in 2021. The Alienware Aurora R3 is older and entered production in 2011.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

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 Alienware Aurora R13 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R3 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 Alienware Aurora R13 is using the faster 4400 MT/s RAM. The Alienware Aurora R3 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1866 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Alienware Aurora R13 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Alienware Aurora R3 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Alienware Aurora R3 has 13 USB ports. The Alienware Aurora R13 is inferior in this regard and packs 12 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Alienware Aurora R13, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Alienware Aurora R3 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.

Nowadays, almost every new computer comes equipped with a DisplayPort. However, none of the devices being compared here has one. Don't worry though, DisplayPort adapters are very cheap and you can get virtually 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 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 R3 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Alienware Aurora R13 has 3 slot(s).

If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the Alienware Aurora R13. Sadly, the Alienware Aurora R3 has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.

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 Alienware Aurora R13 comes with a decent 750 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R3 has a more powerful one rated at 875 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.