Gaming PCs enable you to play the most demanding and stunning games in the largest and most attractive format imaginable. These PCs also have some of the most expensive price tags on the market. That is why Dell has created the Alienware brand of computers for professional gamers all around the world. These Aurora models may be customized in any way you choose, allowing you to mix and match components, and are widely regarded as some of the greatest gaming PCs available.
At the moment, Alienware offers three different PC models. Previous versions include the Aurora R11, which uses Intel’s newest 10th generation CPUs, and the Aurora R10, which is an AMD equivalent. The most recent model, the Alienware Aurora R12 RTX 30-series gaming PCs, features the most up-to-date graphics cards and CPUs, making them some of the best Alienware gaming PCs I’ve ever seen.
Three of these Aurora lines may be modified to your liking, allowing you to mix and match components, which means it’s worth noting the stats we provided, as well as the fact that it’s simple to understand why these machines are regarded as some of the finest gaming PCs.
Today we’ll compare Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12 and try to find the right gaming PC for you. So stay tuned and read the whole review.
Comparison of Specs: Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12
Brief Description
Alienware Aurora R10
The Aurora ryzen edition R10 updates Alienware in 2021 and provides high-end gamer with AMD’s newest Ryzen 5000 power silicon, however it will not appeal to everyone with its plastic build.
Pros
- Excellent all-around performance
- Competitively priced
- Factory-customizable
- Plenty of ports
- Best case design on the market
- Impressive Performance
- Alienware suite of software
Cons
- Noisy cooling fans
- PCIe 3.0, not 4.0, solid-state drives
- Weird design
Alienware Aurora R11
The Alienware Aurora R11 is a highly adjustable gaming desktop with a distinctive appearance, and our super-powerful setup can achieve top-charting results.
Pros
- Can be configured affordably or with cutting-edge components
- Capable of over 100 fps at 4K
- Bold, modern case design
- Stunning aesthetic
- Great performance
- Easy to upgrade
- Powerful hardware
- Good for both gaming and productivity
Cons
- Plastic case with covered, restricted interior a tough sell compared to cheaper alternatives
- Expensive
- PCIe 3.0, not 4.0, solid-state drives
Alienware Aurora R12
The Alienware Aurora R12 makes a great use of Nvidia’s newest graphics to provide incredible performance, as well as superb build quality and support.
Pros
- Superb Nvidia graphics cards
- Intel processors are good for gaming
- Impressive support and service options
- Cool and unique looking case
- Relatively quick system performance
- Lots of I/O ports
- Tool-less access design
- PCIe 4.0 solid-state drives
Cons
- Thermal performance due to the case
- Loud fans
- Single channel Ram
Detailed Comparison: Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12
Design and Build quality
Alienware Aurora R10
Okay, I’ll admit it. the Alienware Aurora R10 is an unattractive machine. It resembles a Dyson bladeless fan, which is not an aesthetic that appeals to me in a gaming computer. However, if it’s your thing, there’s no denying it sticks out, and its distinctive style will no doubt appeal to some.
The fact that you just have to loosen one of the screws to remove both the left and top panels is a major plus. Pull the side-cover release clasp away from the case, and there you have it! The left panel is simple to remove. Then you only need to apply a little more power to remove the top.
The disadvantage is that because the case design does not allow for front-facing fans, space for fans must be created within the case. It’s difficult to get inside and modify any components without removing the entire case since the PSU cage is halfway up the case instead of at the bottom like other cases. The PCIe slot four, which is utilized for a sound card or internal capture card, is the only item you can readily reach.
Alienware Aurora R11
The physical design of the Alienware Aurora R11 is one of its most remarkable features. The Aurora R11 features an oval face and a rounded chassis, similar to a flattened egg, rather than a boxy rectangle. It’s futuristic and unique, and it’s a lot more interesting to talk about than “here’s a black box full of components.”
The rectangular tower that becomes larger towards the back remains, as does the black shell on the front that holds the iconic RGB ring. In the Alienware Command Center, you may change the illumination. Maybe I’m just a sucker for tiny form factor PCs, but I’d like to see the Aurora shed some pounds, slim down, and become more compact.
The case has a tool-less access design (which isn’t actually true because you’ll need a screwdriver to remove at least one key screw) that swings the PSU outward, allowing simple access to the motherboard and components.
Alienware Aurora R12
The Alienware Aurora R12 and its predecessor, the R11, share a lot of the same design features.
On the right side of the Lunar Light edition, a stencilled aurora logo is artistically tilted downward, complimented by a horizontal Alienware logo that is very stylish and has a vivid and attention-grabbing glow.
Soft-edged hexagon vents with offset and staggered edges cover the other side. The body is shaped like a wedge, with a wider and taller back end that then extends forward aerodynamically into a smaller and shorter front end.
The front end is my favorite feature, especially on the lunar light model. This gleaming ring is even more beautiful in person. Alienware’s design staff is one of the company’s strongest assets. Their performance came in second place.
There are several problems with these Aurora PCs. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, yet others may find it uninteresting. Traditional towers also provide additional space and upgrade opportunities. Moreover, the Aurora is over 40 pounds and 20 inches tall, despite its rock-solid build. You might not have a lot of room behind your computer desk.
Aurora has a brilliant concept, but it struggles to strike the right balance between delivering something that’s fantastic for one-time pre-built purchases while still allowing for future customization.
Winner: Alienware Aurora R12 and R11
Features and Components: Processor
Alienware Aurora R10
In this construction and PC range, the components speak for themselves. The AMD CPU sets the tone for the rest of the system. The Ryzen 7 3700X is the brain of the review build I received; an eight-core, 3.6GHz mid-range CPU that doesn’t scream value for money within this nearly-£2k chassis, but it performs the job well.
If you want to spend an additional £400/$400+, you may upgrade to the Ryzen 9 3950X thanks to the customisation possibilities.
Alienware Aurora R11
Slowdown isn’t a notion the R11 knows, thanks to an 8-core, overclockable Intel i9 10900F processor, 32GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200Mhz, and a 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD system drive. Alienware added a bespoke water-cooling AIO to keep the i9 running at peak performance.
It reached 85°C under the most intense sustained load, although it stayed in the low 70s for more common situations like gaming and productivity tasks. In my experience, there was never a time when the CPU was throttled.
Comparison: Alienware Aurora R11 vs R10
Alienware is now offering two competitive PC builds: the Aurora R11, which uses Intel’s newest 10th generation CPUs, and the Aurora Ryzen R10, which is an AMD version.
In terms of pure performance, the Ryzen 5600x outperforms the Intel i5 11400f by roughly 5% to 10% on CPU benchmarks. I believe that is the superior chip. Aside than gaming, the Ryzen 5000 series might improve multitasking performance. Though the i5 11400 is the cheaper chip in this comparison, I believe the Ryzen 5000 series is the king of CPUs right now, both in terms of affordability and performance. In this situation, I believe the GPU (6800 XT) will be the limit for gaming performance rather than the CPU.
In a perfect world, AMD’s Smart Access Memory technology, which exists between AMD Ryzen 5000-level CPUs and AMD Radeon RX 6000-series GPUs, would make the Ryzen 5600x CPU + 6800 XT GPU pair even better.
The main difference between R10 and R11 is that an R11 return allows an Originator to rectify the underlying issue and submit a new Entry without having to seek a new authorisation. Alienware Aurora R10 features a much superior CPU in terms of performance.
Alienware Aurora R12
This machine is different from the AMD-powered Aurora Ryzen Edition in that it has Nvidia graphics cards and Intel CPUs.
Intel 11th Generation CPUs are used in the Aurora R12. Intel CPUs are preferred over AMD counterparts if you’re primarily searching for a PC to play games on. In addition to gaming, AMD’s Ryzen CPUs are superior in image and video editing, design work, and productivity multitasking. The same can be said for streaming, with Ryzen Processors delivering excellent results. Intel isn’t bad in certain aspects, but AMD is far better.
The entry-level Aurora R12’s Intel Core i5-11400F CPU is excellent for 1080p and 1440p gaming as well as everyday multitasking, such as running Office programs and several browser tabs.
If you’re a die-hard Intel fan, the Core i7-11700F and Core i7-11700KF are capable of handling content-creation and streaming applications. They’re also excellent options for supporting a 4K gaming system. The most powerful Aurora R12 PCs feature Intel Core i9-11900F and Core i9-11900KF processors, enabling for high-end gaming and multimedia creation. AMD processors, on the other hand, are more productive than comparable Intel ones.
However, if you are also looking for some monitor for your PS5, then this article might grab you for a bit.
Comparison: Alienware Aurora R11 vs R12
The difference appears to be between processors from the 10th and 11th generations. The Aurora R11 CPU has 10 cores, but the Aurora R12 CPU has just eight. The Aurora R12 CPU has 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes, which are approved for discrete graphics (x16) and PCIe storage.
Winner: Alienware Aurora R12 and R10
Features and Components: Graphics Card
Alienware Aurora R10
The graphics card on this system, the RTX 2070 Super, is where it really shines. This is the 2070 high-end version, in just three cards 2080 and the Titan RTX in the 20 series.
While the 30-series cards will be released later this year, the 2070 Super will remain one of the best cards on the market and a fantastic power-to-price tag value provider, as seen by all of the games I tried. You should anticipate games to run at 1080p and 60 frames per second or higher, which is more than adequate for most casual gamers and bodes well for those who prefer 1440p gaming.
Alienware Aurora R11
With a massive 24GB of RAM, the behemoth Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 handled everything I threw at it with comical ease. After all, this is a card intended for 8K gaming, thus 1600p on Ultra settings was a joke to it.
However, for my money, I’d go with an RTX 3080, which would give you almost identical gaming results while saving you a lot of money. However, if you plan to use your computer for heavy creativity tasks such as video editing, animation, or graphics design, the RTX 3090’s 24GB of RAM will provide plenty GPU power for real-time operations.
Alienware Aurora R12
The Alienware Aurora R12 PCs feature the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which is excellent for 1080p gaming and esports titles on 144Hz and 240Hz displays. The RTX 3070 is a more powerful mainstream option that can handle any game in 1080p or 1440p resolution. It also works well in widescreen.
If you’re serious about playing high-end games and having lots of future headroom, the most expensive Aurora models are the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3090. The RTX 3080 supports 4K gaming, while the RTX 3090 is a monster that can handle 4K and 8K gaming, multi-monitor setups, and even the biggest widescreens. It’s a card that looks ahead.
The Aurora R12, on the other hand, has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super graphics card. That card can handle 1080p gaming and esports, but it doesn’t have enough future headroom and doesn’t support ray-tracing.
Features: Storage
Alienware Aurora R10
Let’s have a look at the storage systems now. Two sticks of 8GB Kingston DDR4 RAM make up the rest of this system, which is plenty for a build of this size, but not quite enough for anything more demanding. In the meanwhile, I had to make do with a 256GB SSD for storage.
You can absolutely update this, and if you’re interested in this PC, I’d strongly advise you to do so. However, you’ll have a hard time fitting three AAA games onto that SSD as it is. And you won’t be able to play Call of Duty Modern Warfare on the SSD, which is presently 230 GB in size.
Alienware Aurora R11
To begin, the Alienware Aurora R11 will cost $909 when equipped with an Intel Core i5-10400F processor, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, 8GB of RAM, and a 1TB spinning hard drive — a combination that will not feel as premium as other gaming desktops in its price bracket.
I’m not sure why anybody would sell a desktop tower for over a thousand dollars without at least a 128GB SSD for the operating system, but that’s another topic.
Alienware Aurora R12
Their DDR4 RAM slots are on the right side, and they can hold up to 128GB of RAM.
The entry-level model from Alienware. The Aurora R12 laptops start with 8GB of RAM, but upgrading to 16GB will provide you more gaming and work options. The R12 may also come with 32GB or more of storage, but this is only for work, not for gaming.
On most Aurora R12 PCs, SSDs with sizes ranging from 256GB to 2TB come standard. You’ll need at least 512GB if you want to play a lot of games, with 1TB being the ideal option given the size of today’s titles. The cheapest Aurora has a hard disk, which we do not recommend due to its slow speeds. Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5Gbps Ethernet complete the list of features.
Comparison: Alienware Aurora R11 vs R12
This is also why 128GB DDR4 RAM isn’t supported by the R11. Others who have used the R11 with 128GB have had success; however, I was unable to do so using the same brand and speed as DELL for the 64GB. On the R12, there is a 128 option. I assume they purposefully timed this and separated the BIOS versions.
Winner: Alienware Aurora R12
Components: Ventilation fan
Three Alienware PCs have the same issues with the ventilation fan.
A liquid-cooled CPU’s performance may be superior than that of a conventional CPU. The sound of the ventilation fan has historically been a source of complaint. The fans have to work extra hard to disperse all of that heat. When operating at maximum speed within the CPU’s capabilities range, the fan produced an excessive level of noise of 84dB.
The noise from the fans may disturb you. In game mode, the volume is approximately 65 dB, which isn’t exactly quiet. If you prefer a tranquil gaming experience, this is not the game for you.
Components: Keyboard and Mouse
Let’s get right into discussing the official Alienware Keyboard and Mouse. I should also point out that the quality of the keyboard and mouse, as well as the responsiveness of each component, is outstanding. The RGB lighting is really brilliant and creates an amazing atmosphere. The keys have a delicate, yet firm, and confident feel about them. The spacebar has a tingling and lighter sounds that is a little loose. Aside than that, it’s excellent.
The Alienware command center and customization possibilities were fantastic. Each key may be customized independently. In addition, one of my favorite features is the KeyPress Animations. The physical loudness of the control keyboard is rather amazing. This is an excellent user-friendly keyboard in general. The mouse’s color effects are also quite amazing. They don’t have as many animations as the others, but they do have some great morphing and spectrum effects.
The mouse’s color effects are also quite amazing. They don’t have as many animations as the others, but they do have some great morphing and spectrum effects.
Is the $160 price tag for the keyboard and mouse accurate? Yes. Because you’re spending $3,000 to $4,000 on a laptop, you may as well get a keyboard that fits with it, looks good next to it, and gives you the full Alienware experience.
If this were any other PC, I would urge you to save your money. Given that this is an Alienware high-end laptop, you may want to consider replacing the keyboard.
Analyzing the Connectivity
Now we’ll go on to the ports. There are 15 USB ports on these machines. On the front, there are three USB 3.2 ports, as well as a USB C port, a headphone jack, and a microphone jack. On the back, it features two digital audio inputs, a S/PDIF Toslink, a coaxial cable, and an Ethernet connector. There are three USB 2.0 ports above that, one USB 3.2 gen 2 type c port, and two USB 3.2 gen 2 ports below that. The first two ports share power, while the third and fourth are 3.2 gen 1 ports.
Surround sound outputs are located at the bottom of the screen: side, back, and sub outputs. There’s also a microphone jack, as well as a line-in and line-out jack. In addition, there are three display connectors and one HDMI port.
Customization Options
The Aurora R12 and R11, as expected, provide a lot of customization options. If you modify it, you can get a Core i5-11600K CPU, which is a great mainstream choice if you need a bit more power than the i5-11400F can provide.
You can modify AMD graphic cards, as well as memory and storage choices, using the customization options. Second hard drives and SSDs may be added, and you can select between black or white chassis with air or liquid cooling.
In general, the Aurora R12 and R11 have greater customization possibilities than the Alienware Aurora R10.
Best Value
Starting at about $1,050 / £1,100 for a system with an AMD Ryzen 5600X and GTX 1650 Super, the baseline versions are priced similarly to the Intel-based R11 and R12 variants. Those costs, of course, vary greatly depending on the equipment you choose, and may range from around $3,000 / £3,000 for a water-cooled computer with an RTX 3080 and AMD Ryzen 9 5950 to around $3,000 / £3,000 for a water-cooled machine with an RTX 3080 and AMD Ryzen 9 5950.
However, the former version of the R11 now starts at approximately $1,000 / £900, but you might be able to get an earlier specification for as little as $800 / £800 during sales periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday if you’re lucky.
R12, on the other hand, is excessively expensive. It’s possible that some of you have mentioned that it’s pricey. However, the graphics cards you’ll get from this PC nowadays are very certainly the same as the R12. As a consequence, in my opinion, it is still worthwhile. The Alienware R12 is available for $1200 and may be upgraded to $3800.
Still, if you ever want to purchase an Alienware gaming laptop, you’ll have to shell out more than $2500, which is much more than other alternatives. And what do you get in exchange for such a big quantity of money? Features that are essential. If you wish to upgrade to a 1TB SSD or 32GB RAM, for example. You’ll almost certainly have to spend more than $4500.
Affordable Alternative: Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12
HP Omen Obelisk
If you’re thinking about investing in a gaming PC, the HP Omen Obelisk is a formidable contender. Its ultra-modern chassis has a touch of nostalgia as well as the strong, high-end specifications that gaming aficionados expect.
Pros
- Lots of power
- Designer looks.
- Excellent case quality.
- Ready for 4K gaming as configured.
- Removable dust filter.
- Highly upgradable
Cons
- Software offer minimal personalization
- Base model hardly future-proof
Wrapping Up: Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12
The Alienware Aurora PCs are the one for you if you’ve been wondering whether or not to upgrade because you’ve been waiting for components to arrive in what is undoubtedly the best gaming PCs life has to offer right now.
In this Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12 comparison, the R10 may win out in terms of price and CPU. R12, on the other hand, offers additional storage choices and CPU speed that is on par with R10 and even better than R11.
Author’s choice: Alienware R12
I hope that this information will help you in deciding which one to purchase between these amazing gaming PCs.
FAQs: Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12
We hope you liked reading our post and that it addressed any questions or concerns you may have had. If not, the Alienware Aurora R10 vs R11 vs R12 FAQ section should be able to assist. Sorry for the downer conclusion, but don’t worry- we’ve got your back with this helpful FAQ list at the foot of every page.
Is Alienware prone to overheating?
It’s completely natural. If, on the other hand, you’re not doing anything special, such as drawing a picture in Paint, and your computer grows really hot, your fans may be faulty, or it might simply be your computer; Alienware and other gaming systems are notorious for running quite hot.
Is Alienware Aurora R11 better than Alienware Aurora R10?
Aurora R10 features a much higher performing graphics card for showing graphics. The Alienware R10 is less expensive. Aurora R10 is thinner and more compact. R10 has greater SSD storage, while R11 has HDD storage. Overall, the R10 may be a superior PC than its Intel counterpart.
Is Alienware worth the money?
Alienware has earned its deserved spot as the top maker of gaming PCs on the market. The Dell subsidiary produces some of the most powerful gaming laptops on the market, and the high price tag is well worth it. But, for some, the cost of a gaming equipment is prohibitively expensive.
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