Alienware X51 R3 vs. HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51_R3.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G3_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmall GamingMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetZ170Q270
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650
RAMDIMM DDR3-2133DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots24
RAM speed2133 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.1 Type AUSB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4b;(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 ports35
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180/240/330 W180/250 W
Weight5.49 kg (12.10 lbs7.35 kg (16.2 lb)
Released20152017
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 X51 R3 and HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower which was released in 2017. The Alienware X51 R3 is older and entered production in 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower 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 Microtower 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower is using the faster 2400 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower has 11 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. What is nice about the Alienware X51 R3, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower comes with 2 ports, while the Alienware X51 R3 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower is the better choice.

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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower is better equipped as it comes with 5 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower. 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower comes with a decent 250 Watt PSU, but the Alienware X51 R3 has a more powerful one rated at 330 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_X51_R3_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G3_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout