Alienware Aurora R4 vs. Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R4.jpg case front and back pannel

Dell_OptiPlex_Tower_7010_2023.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen3&4 i3/i5/i7;	Intel Gen 12&13 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium
Chipset	X79	Q6701
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Super	GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR3-1333/1866	DIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	1866 MT/s	3200 MT/s
RAM max	32 GB	64 GB
USB ports	USB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;	(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;
Video ports	N/A	Display Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;	RJ45(2.5GHz); Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional ports	N.A.	HDMI 2.1/Displayport/VGA; Serial
SATA ports	3	3
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;	PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slots	N.A.	M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays	(4x) 3.25in; (4x) 2.5in; (2x) 5.25in;	3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU	525/875 W	180/300 W
Weight	20.41 kg (45.00 lbs)	6.52 kg (14.32 lb)
Released	2012	2023
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 R4 and Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 which was released in 2023. The Alienware Aurora R4 is older and entered production in 2012.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware Aurora R4 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 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 Tower 7010 2023 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R4 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Alienware Aurora R4 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 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 Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Alienware Aurora R4 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1866 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Alienware Aurora R4 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 has 8 USB ports. The Alienware Aurora R4 is inferior in this regard and packs 5 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R4 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

The Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 comes with an HDMI port, while the Alienware Aurora R4 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 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023. Sadly, the Alienware Aurora R4 has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.

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 Tower 7010 2023 comes with a decent 300 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R4 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.