Alienware Aurora R8 vs. Alienware Aurora R9

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R8.jpg case front and back pannel

Alienware_Aurora_R9.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Mid Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7/i9;	Intel Gen9 i3/i5/i7/i9;
Chipset	Z370	Z370
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 2080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2666/3000	DIMM DDR4-2666/3000
RAM slots	4	4
RAM speed	3000 MT/s	3000 MT/s
RAM max	64 GB	64 GB
USB ports	(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (5x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A; USB 3.0 Type C;	(6x) USB 3.0 Type A; (5x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A; USB 3.0 Type C;
Video ports	N/A	DisplayPort 1.4;
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; Front, side, center, rare outputs;
Optional ports	DisplayPort	N.A.
SATA ports	4	4
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;
M.2 slots	M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2242/2260/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe);	M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2242/2260/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe);
Drive bays	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 9.5mm; U.2	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 9.5mm; U.2
PSU	460/850 W	460/850 W
Weight	14.82 kg (32.67 lb)	14.82 kg (32.67 lb)
Released	2018	2018
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 R8 and Alienware Aurora R9

Both computers, the Alienware Aurora R8 and the Alienware Aurora R9, were released during the same year - 2018.

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

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 9 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

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.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 3000. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 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 R9 has 14 USB ports. The Alienware Aurora R8 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. Both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. This is especially crucial if you are using external drives on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, only the Alienware Aurora R9 has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R8 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.

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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 850 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.