Alienware Aurora R3 vs. Alienware X51 R2

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R3.jpg case front and back pannel

Alienware_X51_R2.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Small Gaming
CPU options	Intel Gen2 i3/i5/i7;	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;
Chipset	P67	H87
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Super	GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR3-1333/1866	DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	1866 MT/s	1600 MT/s
RAM max	32 GB	16 GB
USB ports	(5x) USB 3.0 Type A; (8x) USB-A 2.0;	(6x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	N/A	HDMI 1.4b;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;
Optional ports	N.A.	N.A.
SATA ports	4	3
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;	PCIe 3.0 x16;
M.2 slots	N.A.	N.A.
Drive bays	(4x) 3.25in; (3x) 5.25in;	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;
PSU	525/875 W	240/330 W
Weight	22.09 kg (48.7 lb)	5.49 kgs (12.10 lbs)
Released	2011	2013
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 R3 and Alienware X51 R2

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Alienware X51 R2 which was released in 2013. The Alienware Aurora R3 is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware X51 R2 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Alienware Aurora R3 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 Alienware X51 R2 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

The Alienware Aurora R3 has 4 RAM slots while the Alienware X51 R2 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 Alienware Aurora R3 is using the faster 1866 MT/s RAM. The Alienware X51 R2 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Alienware Aurora R3 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Alienware X51 R2 can do a bit less at max 16 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 X51 R2 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. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, only the Alienware X51 R2 has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R3 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 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 X51 R2 has 3 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Alienware Aurora R3, nor the Alienware X51 R2 has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 X51 R2 comes with a decent 330 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.