Alienware X51 vs. Dell Inspiron 3881

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Inspiron_3881.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmall GamingMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH61H470
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed1333 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max8 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x) USB 3.0 Type A; (6x) USB-A 2.0;(3x) USB 3.0 Type A; USB 3.1 Type C; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMIHDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.4; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Card Reader;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports42
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.25in; 5.25in;3.25in; 9.5mm
PSU240/330 W260 W
Weight5.49 kg (12.10 lbs)6.40 kg (14.11 lb)
Released20112020
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 and Dell Inspiron 3881

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Inspiron 3881 which was released in 2020. The Alienware X51 is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware X51 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Inspiron 3881 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 3881 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Alienware X51 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 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 Dell Inspiron 3881 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Alienware X51 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell Inspiron 3881 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Alienware X51 can do a bit less at max 8 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Dell Inspiron 3881, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Alienware X51 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell Inspiron 3881 has a DisplayPort. The Alienware X51 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

In case your monitor supports HDMI only, you will be happy to hear that both models come with an HDMI port.

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 X51 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Inspiron 3881 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 Dell Inspiron 3881. Sadly, the Alienware X51 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 3881 comes with a decent 260 Watt PSU, but the Alienware X51 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_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Inspiron_3881_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout