Alienware Aurora R4 vs. Dell OptiPlex 5080M

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R4.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_5080M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen3&4 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Pentium
ChipsetX79Q470
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333/1866SODIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots42
RAM speed1866 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;USB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0;
Video portsN/A(2x) Display Port 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsN.A.HDMI2.0b/DP1.4/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial; Serial+PS2; (2x) WiFi antenna;
SATA ports31
PCI slots(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays(4x) 3.25in; (4x) 2.5in; (2x) 5.25in;2.5in
PSU525/875 W90/130 W
Weight20.41 kg (45.00 lbs)1.38 kg (3.04 lb)
Released20122020
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 OptiPlex 5080M

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5080M which was released in 2020. The Alienware Aurora R4 is older and entered production in 2012.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5080M 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 OptiPlex 5080M 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 OptiPlex 5080M 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 OptiPlex 5080M is using the faster 2933 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 Dell OptiPlex 5080M 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 Dell OptiPlex 5080M 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. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5080M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Alienware Aurora R4 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 OptiPlex 5080M 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 Dell OptiPlex 5080M has 1 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 OptiPlex 5080M. 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 OptiPlex 5080M comes with a decent 130 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_OptiPlex_5080M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout