Alienware X51 vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny

Comparison and Differences

Alienware_X51.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M93_Tiny.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmall GamingMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetH61Q87
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333SODIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed1333 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max8 GB16 GB
USB ports(2x) USB 3.0 Type A; (6x) USB-A 2.0;(5x)USB-A 3.0;
Video portsHDMIDisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In; S/PDFI optical/analog;RJ45; Headset; Mic;
Optional portsN.A.DisplayPort; USB-A 2.0; Serial; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports41
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16;N.A.
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.25in; 5.25in;2.5in
PSU240/330 W65 W
Weight5.49 kg (12.10 lbs)1.3 kg (2.9 lb)
Released20112013
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 and Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny which was released in 2013. The Alienware X51 is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Alienware X51 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny is using the faster 1600 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny as it has the ability to run 16 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

In total the Alienware X51 has 8 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny 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. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, only the Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny 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.

The Alienware X51 comes with an HDMI port, while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny 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 Alienware X51 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny has 1 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Alienware X51, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M93 Tiny comes with a decent 65 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 layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M93_Tiny_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout