Alienware Aurora R4 vs. HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R4.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G3_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen3&4 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetX79Q270
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333/1866DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots44
RAM speed1866 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsN/A(2x) DisplayPort:
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsN.A.DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;
SATA ports32
PCI slots(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x4 (open ended);
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays(4x) 3.25in; (4x) 2.5in; (2x) 5.25in;2.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU525/875 W180 W
Weight20.41 kg (45.00 lbs)4.53 kg (9.99 lb)
Released20122017
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 Aurora R4 and HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF which was released in 2017. The Alienware Aurora R4 is older and entered production in 2012.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF 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

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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The Alienware Aurora R4 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1866 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Alienware Aurora R4 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF has 11 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.

Unfortunately, only the HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R4 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 Aurora R4 is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF has 2 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF. 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF comes with a decent 180 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 layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G3_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout