Alienware Aurora R4 vs. Dell Inspiron 3470

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R4.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Inspiron_3470.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen3&4 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetX79H370
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333/1866DIMM DDR4-2133/2400
RAM slots42
RAM speed1866 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB portsUSB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsN/AHDMI 1.4; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Card Reader;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports33
PCI slots(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 B-Key (SATA only);
Drive bays(4x) 3.25in; (4x) 2.5in; (2x) 5.25in;(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in;
PSU525/875 W200 W
Weight20.41 kg (45.00 lbs)4.80 kg (10.58 lb)
Released20122019
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* 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 R4 and Dell Inspiron 3470

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Inspiron 3470 which was released in 2019. The Alienware Aurora R4 is older and entered production in 2012.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell Inspiron 3470 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Alienware Aurora R4 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 Dell Inspiron 3470 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware Aurora R4 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Alienware Aurora R4 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Inspiron 3470 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 Dell Inspiron 3470 is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The Alienware Aurora R4 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1866 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 Dell Inspiron 3470 has 6 USB ports. The Alienware Aurora R4 is inferior in this regard and packs 5 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.

The Dell Inspiron 3470 comes with an HDMI port, while the Alienware Aurora R4 does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

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 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 Dell Inspiron 3470. Sadly, the Alienware Aurora R4 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 Dell Inspiron 3470 comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R4 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

Alienware_Aurora_R4_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Inspiron_3470_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout