Alienware X51 R3 vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51_R3.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M83_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmall GamingMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;
ChipsetZ170Q85
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-2133DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots24
RAM speed2133 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.1 Type A(4x)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; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional portsN.A.Parallel; Serial; (2x) PS2; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;2.5in; 2.5/3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU180/240/330 WTFX 280 W
Weight5.49 kg (12.10 lbs7.8 kg (17.20 lb)
Released20152013
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 R3 and Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Alienware X51 R3 which was released in 2015. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware X51 R3 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower 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 R3 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower has 4 RAM slots while the Alienware X51 R3 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 X51 R3 is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 32 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Alienware X51 R3, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower comes with 2 ports, while the Alienware X51 R3 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower 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 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Alienware X51 R3 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 X51 R3, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tower comes with a decent 280 Watt PSU, but the Alienware X51 R3 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_R3_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M83_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout