Alienware Aurora R13 vs. Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R13.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_5090_MT.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen12 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetZ690Q570
Dedicated GPU *GeForce RTX 3090GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-4400DIMM DDR4-2666/2933/3200
RAM slots44
RAM speed4400 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max128 GB128 GB
USB ports(5x) USB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.2 Type C;USB 3.1 Type C; (x5) USB-A 3.0; (x4) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsN/A(4x) Display Port 1.4; (x3) HDMI 2.0b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsN.A.VGA /DisplayPort 1.4/HDMI 2.0b/USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port Alt-mode; SD Card;
SATA ports34
PCI slots(x2) PCIe 5.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 4.0 x4; (x2) PCIe x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.25in;(x2) 3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU460/750 W260/300/360 W
Weight16.05 kg (35.38 lb)7.24 kg (15.95 lb)
Released20212021
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 R13 and Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT and the Alienware Aurora R13, were released during the same year - 2021.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware Aurora R13 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT 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 Alienware Aurora R13 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT 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 Alienware Aurora R13 is using the faster 4400 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3200 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 128 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 Alienware Aurora R13 has 12 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT is inferior in this regard and packs 10 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. It's great that both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. But if you need maximum connectivity, go with the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT as it has 3 USB3.1 ports (the Alienware Aurora R13 has 2).

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT has a DisplayPort. The Alienware Aurora R13 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

The Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the Alienware Aurora R13 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 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 Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Alienware Aurora R13 has 3 slot(s).

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

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 5090 MT comes with a decent 360 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R13 has a more powerful one rated at 750 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_R13_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_5090_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout