Alienware X51 R2 vs. HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51_R2.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G2_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmall GamingSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH87Q150
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots24
RAM speed1600 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(6x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4b;(2x) DisplayPort: VGA
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsN.A.Media card reader (USB 2.0); Serial;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16;PCIe 3.0 x16; (3x) PCIe x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU240/330 W200 W
Weight5.49 kgs (12.10 lbs)6.9 kg (16.7 lb)
Released20132015
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck 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 X51 R2 and HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF which was released in 2015. The Alienware X51 R2 is older and entered production in 2013.

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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware X51 R2 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF is using the faster 2133 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF has 10 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Alienware X51 R2 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF is the better choice.

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 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Alienware X51 R2, nor the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Alienware X51 R2 has a more powerful one rated at 330 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.

Motherboard

Alienware_X51_R2_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G2_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout