Alienware X51 R3 vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51_R3.jpg case front and back pannelHP_EliteDesk_800_G2_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmall GamingSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetZ170Q170
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-2133DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots24
RAM speed2133 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.1 Type A(8x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4b;(2x) DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsN.A.SD card reader; Serial; Parallel;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 5.25in;2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180/240/330 W200 W
Weight5.49 kg (12.10 lbs7.6 kg (16.7 lb)
Released20152015
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 X51 R3 and HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF

Both computers, the Alienware X51 R3 and the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF, were released during the same year - 2015.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 6 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

The HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF 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.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2133. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF 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 EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF has 10 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 EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF 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 EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Alienware X51 R3 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF 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 slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Alienware X51 R3, nor the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 EliteDesk 800 G2 SFF comes with a decent 200 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_EliteDesk_800_G2_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout