Alienware X51 R3 vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51_R3.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M82_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small Gaming	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7;	Intel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
Chipset	Z170	Q75
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Super	GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR3-2133	DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots	2	4
RAM speed	2133 MT/s	1600 MT/s
RAM max	32 GB	32 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 ports	HDMI 1.4b;	DisplayPort; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional ports	N.A.	DisplayPort; (2x) PS2; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports	3	4
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16;	PCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; (2x) PCI;
M.2 slots	N.A.	N.A.
Drive bays	(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU	180/240/330 W	ATX 280/450 W
Weight	5.49 kg (12.10 lbs	11 kg (24.25 lb)
Released	2015	2012
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 X51 R3 and Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 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 M82 Tower is older and entered production in 2012.

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 M82 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 M82 Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 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 M82 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 M82 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

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 M82 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 M82 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 Alienware X51 R3 comes with a decent 330 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 450 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.