Dell is hands down one of the most trusted technology companies of all time. The brand name comes with tech-savvies’ seal of approval. But does Alienware Aurora R7 live up to the expectation when it comes to pro gaming? Our Alienware Aurora R7 review will surely help you conclude whether or not it is worth your hard-earned money.
Why Should You Buy It?
- Easily upgradable
- Powerful hardware
- Attractive design
- Strong FPU and CPU performance
- Convenient port layout
- VR-ready
Why Shouldn’t You Buy It?
- Can seem a little too bulky
- A more pricy option than building your gaming PC
Specifications
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | ||
| Height | 472.5 mm (18.60 in) | |
| Width | 212 mm (8.34 in) | |
| Depth | 360.50 mm (14.19 in) | |
| Weight | 14.62 kg (32.23 lb) | |
| SYSTEM INFORMATION | ||
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i5/i5k
8th Generation Intel Core i7/i7k | |
| Chipset | Intel Z370 chipset | |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | ||
| Operating system supported | Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit | |
| MEMORY | ||
| Slots | Four DIMM sockets | |
| Type | DDR4 | |
| Configurations | Per slot | 4GB/8GB/16GB |
| Total memory | 4GB/8GB/16GB/32GB/64GB | |
| PORTS AND CONNECTORS | ||
| Back panel: | ||
| Network | One RJ45 port | |
| USB | Six USB 2.0 ports
Three USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports One USB 3.1 Gen 2 port One USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port | |
| Audio | Audio input/microphone port, Optical S/PDIF port, Coaxial S/PDIF port, Front L/R surround line-out port, Side L/R surround port, Rear L/R surround port, Center/subwoofer LFE surround port, and Line-in port | |
| Video | One DisplayPort – optional | |
| Front panel: | ||
| USB | Three USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports
One USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port | |
| Audio | One audio output/headphone port (supports 2 channel audio)
One audio input/microphone port | |
| GRAPHICS | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (11GB GDDR5X) | |
| CAMERA | None | |
| POWER | Alienware 850 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply + High-Performance Liquid Cooling |
Design
The Aurora R7 might not be as well-equipped and fancy as many other gaming PCs, especially those at a higher price point, but is it has a design that is impressive and looks great. With a more bare-boned sleek design with customizable LED lighting on either side of the CPU and the iconic Alienware logo power button on the front, the Alienware R7 looks smart and stylish.
With dimensions that measure 18.6 x 14.2 x 8.35 inches W x D x H, the unit is bulkier than many other comparative offerings. Still, despite its bigger measurements, the unit is easy to carry around using the convenient top handle with a weight of 14.81kg.
The design incorporates ample airflow sources, including a large exhaust unit on the top of the machine, and a pair of air intakes on the front and right side keeps the unit cool.
The design allows for remarkable accessibility with a tool-less upgradeable chassis design that features a tool-less and is easily upgradable. The power supply is easily accessible from the right-side by taking off the lid with a simple pull of the lever in the back.
Furthermore, you can access the remainder of the hardware by removing the power supply, but the only trick to it is undoing two switches that hold the PSU in place. There are also three easy to remove expansion slot covers. However, the back lid is a letdown, which is hard to secure.
Performance
If we talk about the overall performance Alienware Aurora review, then according to our experience, Aurora R7 offers a promising performance, no matter if it is the gaming performance or everyday multitasking. Our 8th-Gen Core i7-8700K 32GB RAM Aurora R7 outperformed several other competitor gaming PC with its impressive 24,212 scores on the Geekbench 4 performance tests.
We were also impressed by its data transfer rate as the Aurora R7 512GB SSD transferred approx. 5GB of data within a remarkable 13 seconds timeframe at an outstanding 383.2 MBps transfer rate.
If we talk about the gaming and VR performance, the Aurora R7 outshined the competitors yet again with no lags in FHD graphically rich gaming session. With all settings maxed out and at 1080p gaming, we received an impressive 85.8 per second score. We also tested 4K and surprising the Aurora R7 proved its worth yet again with a reasonable 27 fps score.
The StreamVR Performance Test result showed an impressive score of 11. Thus, Alienware Aurora R7 does not only prove to be an excellent option for FHD and 4K gaming, but you can also enjoy an excellent VR performance as this powerful gaming PC is ready for high-fidelity virtual reality. So, when it comes to performance, the price of Alienware Aurora R7 is entirely justifiable.
Technology
The brand has ensured that the Alienware Aurora R7 is visually appealing and technologically advanced. Let’s go over the Alienware Aurora R7’s technological features:
Processor: There’s not much fresh here. Most people are familiar with Intel’s i7-8700 8th Generation Coffee Lake chip. This one has six cores plus Hyperthreading for a total of 12 Logical. It has a starting frequency of 3.2 GHz with a turbo boost frequency of 4.6 GHz. TDP is 65W, with a total cache of 12 MB. It also includes onboard graphics in a UHD 630 style. With all of the latest updates, the most recent processor enables a stunning resolution and exceptional frame rates.
RAM: My system comes with 28 GB of RAM that runs at 2666 Mhz. The motherboard utilized supports up to 64GB at 2933MHz. Faster RAM can be used with the newer Aurora R8.
NVME Hynix SSD: It is a component that Dell has used in many of their systems. It initially came with my XPS 13 (before We replaced it with a Samsung 970 Pro). Some of the previous ones We’ve had haven’t fared as well, but We were genuinely shocked by the stats on this one. This one is available in bulk packing from Amazon for around $50. Add to that the reality that most companies do not provide high performance for compact drives, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Video Card: There’s a great deal of information available about the 1080 Ti card, so We won’t go into detail now aside from saying that it’s fast. 3584 Cores, 11 Gbps bandwidth, and a power requirement of approximately 250 Watts. This is a serious card.
Chipset: The Intel Z370 wasn’t the most powerful chipset, but it did offer overclocking options and good support for RAID, Optane, and up to 256 PCI-e slots, according to the architecture. The Alienware motherboard can host two huge graphics cards and has power cables dangling to lure you each time you open the housing. Unfortunately, we can’t use the overclocking features because we don’t have the i7-8700K processor.
Software: The standard software complement is installed. General Windows 10 Home installation, complete with all the unnecessary extras. There is also a McAfee installation there. Otherwise, there isn’t much trash software on the system, simply various Alienware and Dell utilities for maintaining the machine’s drivers along with firmware up to date, as well as case illumination control software.
After a few uninstalls, I’m ready to begin installing both the benchmark program and the most recent drivers (as well as Microsoft Windows updates).
Audio: The Killer 1535 Extreme RangeTM Technology amplifies wireless sound over considerably greater distances, providing a more nuanced and immersive audio experience. NVIDIA Surround Technology also provides gamers with an intensive and one-of-a-kind experience.
Cooling: The Aurora R7 is influenced by Area-51 thermal ergonomics, allowing the cabinet to establish a swift and transparent airflow across the front and right panels. An exhaust fan mounted to the top provides for maximum cooling of all internal components. There are also liquid cooling chambers to keep the gear cool.
Is Alienware Aurora R7 Future-Ready?
One of the most important aspects of buying a gaming PC is to ensure whether or not it is future-ready. Aurora R7’s biggest con that it is easily upgradeable, and it offers several ports that make this powerful gaming PC ready for future gadgets.
The USB Type-C port, 3 USB 3.1 ports, headphone and mic jacks in the front allow easy accessibility. With one USB-C port, four USB 3.1 ports, and six USB 2.0 ports – you can conveniently connect an array of USB devices and quick device charge options as well. You also get one HDMI port and three DisplayPort connections at the back.
When it comes to future upgrading options, Alienware Aurora R7 wins the show yet again with its tool-free accessibility; even newbies can easily upgrade the system. The hard drive is easily removable and upgradable to up to 2 TB. You can also conveniently upgrade RAM, GPU, sound card, and other additional components.
Are Alienware Computers Durable?
If computer gaming is your thing, then the chances are that you have already heard about Alienware. Alienware is one of the leading producers of gaming computers, laptops, and peripherals. The brand is trusted and loved for its high-quality gaming PCs that are high performance and fast, Espey when put against CPU intensive games.
But performance doesn’t always mean durability. One would expect that running a setup with high specs for intensive gaming will shorten the lifespan of the PC to a couple of years or so, right?
Fortunately, Alienware computers are quite sturdy, but it depends on a few factors, the price of the system in particular. The lower-end laptops from Alienware have a 3-4 years life expectancy if treated well and maintained regularly.
On the other hand, the expensive and more powerful models are built to last and have a life span of up to 8 years. A rule of thumb for gauging a gaming computer’s durability is how expensive it is. However, the price may not always be the case, as some less costly laptops can outlast experience models. However, the price is a good indicator of a gaming system’s general quality and durability.
Analyzing The Competition
The first challenge of carrying out a competitive analysis of the Alienware Aurora R7 can be complicated since it comes in a variety of configuration choices, as well as the flexibility of building your own computer. However, after thorough research, we were able to narrow down a pre-built gaming system that is comparable to the Aurora R7 in terms of value and specifications – MSI Infinite X.
The different variations and multiple configurations of the Aurora R7 and MSI Infinite X are close to identical spec to spec. For this review we compared Infinite X Intel Core i7-8700K CPU 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card, and dual-channel DDR4-2400 16GB RAM with our Aurora R7, because these two are basically have the same specs, apart from some connection points and ports.
If we compare the designs, Alienware Aurora R7 comes out on top thanks to easy accessibility to different parts, they don’t require tools which reduces hassle. However, the MSI Infinite X features external and internal RGB lights which make the system look much cooler.
Alienware Aurora R7 – Video Review
Final Verdict
We gave Dell Alienware Aurora R7 a fair chance to prove its worth. We thoroughly tested out this powerful pre-built gaming PC’s gaming performance, so did it live up to our expectations?
Well, yes! And no! When it comes to performance and design, Alienware Aurora R7 does stand a solid chance of being an excellent gaming PC for intermediate level and beginner level gamers. Its impressive spec configurations, remarkable upgradable options, tool-less case access, and powerful hardware – make it the best pre-built gaming PC.
However, when you talk about the price that is when the Alienware R7 does not live up to the mark. You can easily build your gaming PC it would most definitely cost a lot less than Alienware Aurora R7.
If you are not a tech-savvy and you are not confident with building your gaming PC, we would highly recommend Alienware R7 to you.
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Abdul Wahab 
