Alienware Aurora R9 vs. Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R9.jpg case front and back pannel

Dell_OptiPlex_3090_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen9 i3/i5/i7/i9;	Intel Gen 10 i3/i5/i7/i9; Pentium
Chipset	Z370	Q470
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 2080 Ti	GeForce GTX 1650
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2666/3000	DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	3000 MT/s	2666 MT/s
RAM max	64 GB	64 GB
USB ports	(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;	(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;
Video ports	DisplayPort 1.4;	Display Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;	RJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional ports	N.A.	HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA;
SATA ports	4	3
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;	PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slots	M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2242/2260/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe);	M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 9.5mm; U.2	3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU	460/850 W	260 W
Weight	14.82 kg (32.67 lb)	6.50 kg (14.33 lb)
Released	2018	2021
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 R9 and Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower which was released in 2021. The Alienware Aurora R9 is older and entered production in 2018.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware Aurora R9 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3090 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 Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R9 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Alienware Aurora R9 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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 R9 is using the faster 3000 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s. 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 Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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. What is nice about the Alienware Aurora R9, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3090 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 Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower comes with 2 ports, while the Alienware Aurora R9 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 3090 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 Alienware Aurora R9 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower has 3 slot(s).

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

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower comes with a decent 260 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R9 has a more powerful one rated at 850 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.