Alienware Aurora R9 vs. Dell XPS 8900

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_Aurora_R9.jpg case front and back pannelDell_XPS_8900.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMid TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen9 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetZ370Z170
Dedicated GPU *GeForce RTX 2080 TiGeForce GTX 1080 Ti
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/3000DIMM DDR4-2133/2400
RAM slots44
RAM speed3000 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(6x) USB 3.0 Type A; (5x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A; USB 3.0 Type C;(4x) USB-A 2.0; (6x) USB 3.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.4;HDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.2;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog; Front, side, center, rare outputs;RJ45; Mic; Headset; Card Reader;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports45
PCI slots(x2) PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe x4;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2242/2260/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe);M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 9.5mm; U.2(3x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU460/850 W460 W
Weight14.82 kg (32.67 lb)13.3 kg (29.32 lb)
Released20182015
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 R9 and Dell XPS 8900

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Alienware Aurora R9 which was released in 2018. The Dell XPS 8900 is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Alienware Aurora R9 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell XPS 8900 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 R9 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell XPS 8900 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 R9 is using the faster 3000 MT/s RAM. The Dell XPS 8900 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 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 R9 has 14 USB ports. The Dell XPS 8900 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. What is nice about the Alienware Aurora R9, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell XPS 8900 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

The Dell XPS 8900 comes with an HDMI port, while the Alienware Aurora R9 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 XPS 8900 is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Alienware Aurora R9 has 4 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 Alienware Aurora R9. Sadly, the Dell XPS 8900 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 XPS 8900 comes with a decent 460 Watt PSU, but the Alienware Aurora R9 has a more powerful one rated at 850 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_R9_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_XPS_8900_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout