Alienware Aurora R3 vs. Dell OptiPlex 390 MT

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R3.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_390_MT.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen2 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen2 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetP67H61
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333/1866DIMM DDR3-1333
RAM slots42
RAM speed1866 MT/s1333 MT/s
RAM max32 GB8 GB
USB ports(5x) USB 3.0 Type A; (8x) USB-A 2.0;(8x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsN/AHDMI 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports44
PCI slots(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 2.0 x16; (3x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(4x) 3.25in; (3x) 5.25in;(2x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU525/875 W265 W
Weight22.09 kg (48.7 lb)8.87 kg (19.55 lb)
Released20112011
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 Aurora R3 and Dell OptiPlex 390 MT

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 390 MT and the Alienware Aurora R3, were released during the same year - 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware Aurora R3 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 390 MT and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 2 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

The Alienware Aurora R3 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 390 MT 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 Dell OptiPlex 390 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 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 Dell OptiPlex 390 MT can do a bit less at max 8 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 Dell OptiPlex 390 MT 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.

Nowadays, almost every new computer comes equipped with a DisplayPort. However, none of the devices being compared here has one. Don't worry though, DisplayPort adapters are very cheap and you can get virtually any combination of conversion types.

The Dell OptiPlex 390 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the Alienware Aurora R3 does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

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.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 390 MT, nor the Alienware Aurora R3 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 Dell OptiPlex 390 MT comes with a decent 265 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.

Motherboard

Alienware_Aurora_R3_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_390_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout