Alienware Aurora R11 vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R11.jpg case front and back pannel

HP_EliteDesk_800_G8_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mid Tower	Micro
CPU options	Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7/i9;	Intel Gen11 i5/i7/i9;
Chipset	Z490	Q570
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 3090	NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti (custom)
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2933/3400	SODIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	3400 MT/s	3200 MT/s
RAM max	128 GB	128 GB
USB ports	(6x) USB 3.0 Type A; USB 3.0 Type C; (6x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A;	USB-C 3.2; (3x)USB-A 3.1; (3x)USB-A 3.0; (3x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	N/A	(2x) DisplayPort;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;	RJ45; Hdph; Headset; Line-Out; SD card reader
Optional ports	DisplayPort	DP1.4/ HDMI2.0b/ VGA/ USB-C(DP1.4)/ (2x)USB-A 3.0/ LAN/ Thunderbolt3; Serial; PS2;
SATA ports	4	0
PCI slots	(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;	N.A.
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2260/2242 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);	M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4); M.2 2280M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; U.2	2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 9.5mm (slim);
PSU	550/1000 W	90 W
Weight	17.80 kg (39.24 lb)	1.42 kg (3.13 lb)
Released	2020	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 R11 and HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini which was released in 2021. The Alienware Aurora R11 is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Alienware Aurora R11 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R11 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Alienware Aurora R11 has 4 RAM slots while the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini 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 R11 is using the faster 3400 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3200 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 128 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 R11 has 15 USB ports. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 10 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. Both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. This is especially crucial if you are using external drives on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, only the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R11 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

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 R11 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini has 0 slot(s).

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini has 1 M.2 slots while the Alienware Aurora R11 comes with just 1.

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 EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R11 has a more powerful one rated at 1000 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.