Acer Veriton M2630g vs. Alienware Aurora R3

Comparison and Differences

Acer_Veriton_M2630g.jpg case front and back pannelAlienware_Aurora_R3.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMid Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; PentiumIntel Gen2 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetH81P67
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMUDIMM DDR3-1600DIMM DDR3-1333/1866
RAM slots44
RAM speed1600 MT/s1866 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 2.0(5x) USB 3.0 Type A; (8x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDVI; VGAN/A
Other portsRJ45; (2x) Mic, Speaker; Line in; Line out; PS/2 ports; SerialRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;
Optional portsCard reader; USB-A 3.0; Parallel; SerialN.A.
SATA ports44
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCI(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(4x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25 inch(4x) 3.25in; (3x) 5.25in;
PSU300 W525/875 W
Weight7.00 kg (15.40 lb)22.09 kg (48.7 lb)
Released20132011
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 Acer Veriton M2630g and Alienware Aurora R3

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton M2630g which was released in 2013. The Alienware Aurora R3 is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware Aurora R3 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Acer Veriton M2630g 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 Acer Veriton M2630g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R3 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

The Alienware Aurora R3 is using the faster 1866 MT/s RAM. The Acer Veriton M2630g 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

In total the Alienware Aurora R3 has 13 USB ports. The Acer Veriton M2630g is inferior in this regard and packs 6 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.

Nowadays, almost every new computer comes equipped with a DisplayPort. However, none of the devices being compared here has one. Don't worry though, DisplayPort adapters are very cheap and you can get virtually 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 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 4 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Alienware Aurora R3, nor the Acer Veriton M2630g 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 Acer Veriton M2630g comes with a decent 300 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R3 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.

Motherboard

Acer_Veriton_M2630g_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutAlienware_Aurora_R3_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout