Alienware Area 51 R5 vs. Alienware X51 R3

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Area_51_R5.jpg case front and back pannelAlienware_X51_R3.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerSmall Gaming
CPU optionsIntel Gen7&9&10 Core X-seriesIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetX299 PCHZ170
Dedicated GPU *GeForce RTX 3090GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/3200DIMM DDR3-2133
RAM slots42
RAM speed3200 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB ports(9x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A;(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.1 Type A
Video portsN/AHDMI 1.4b;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical; Card Reader;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports43
PCI slots(x3) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x8; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x2, NVMe);N.A.
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; (x3) 3.25in;(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;
PSU850/1500 W180/240/330 W
Weight28 kg (61.73 lbs)5.49 kg (12.10 lbs
Released20152015
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 Area 51 R5 and Alienware X51 R3

Both computers, the Alienware X51 R3 and the Alienware Area 51 R5, were released during the same year - 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware X51 R3 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Alienware Area 51 R5 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 Area 51 R5 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware X51 R3 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Alienware Area 51 R5 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 Area 51 R5 is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Alienware X51 R3 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Alienware Area 51 R5 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Alienware X51 R3 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 Alienware Area 51 R5 has 13 USB ports. The Alienware X51 R3 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. 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 Alienware X51 R3 has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Area 51 R5 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 Area 51 R5 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Alienware X51 R3 has 3 slot(s).

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 Alienware Area 51 R5. Sadly, the Alienware X51 R3 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 Alienware X51 R3 comes with a decent 330 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Area 51 R5 has a more powerful one rated at 1500 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_Area_51_R5_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutAlienware_X51_R3_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout