The Alienware Aurora R9 desktop gaming PC is a potent machine featuring Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 graphics and 9th generation Intel Core i7 processors. It has all the power required to handle practically everything you throw at it, and it is housed in an exquisite Alienware casing with factory-installed liquid cooling. It most definitely deserves the title of greatest gaming PC.
Performance
The 9th generation Intel Core i7-9700K chipset, which is installed in the Aurora R9 and completely upgradeable, has been overclocked to 4.6GHz across all 8 cores. To keep things cool, the Computer is built with a liquid cooling system. This is coupled with a potent Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super graphics card with 8GB GDDR6 memory and 16GB dual-channel DDR4 memory. A 2TB 7200rpm hard drive and a 256GB SSD give you a ton of storage space as well. Take a look at the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme Gaming PC if this is too much for you.
Design: Divisive sci-fi style
For the great majority of their devices, Alienware’s design may best be summed up as “polarizing.” Since the beginning of the company, some people have been drawn to its sci-fi and alien-like aesthetics, while those who appreciate clean lines and basic style have always veered away.
The Aurora’s tower design has evolved significantly between models, but the R9 maintains this potentially divisive design with its overall appearance. In essence, what we’re saying is that you either adore the Aurora or you detest it.
The R9 has a massive air intake along the front that tapers from rear to front and is shaped somewhat like a future oblong jet engine. Currently, it is available in two colors: grey and white. The R9 is quite huge and bulky as a result of this design decision, while being promoted as more of a mid-tower case. It’s heavy and weighs almost 40 pounds (the exact weight will vary based on the hardware you choose), so don’t expect to move it around much.
The R9’s sole RGB lighting is located along this front intake; more expensive models also come with an RGB “Alienware” on the right side. When powered on, this slim flat panel changes fluidly between various tones (a nice touch for those who don’t love RGB plastered everywhere, but not enough for those who love RGB everything).
The recognizable Alienware logo (also RGB) is located directly at the top of the panel and cleverly serves as the desktop’s power button. Three Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port, a headphone/line out port, and a microphone/line in port are all located below this. They are positioned in such a way that consumers may readily access more ports than they could possibly require for connecting to their tower.
Moving on to the top and sides of the casing, it’s interesting that the R9 doesn’t follow the current fashion for adding a glass or plastic window pane so users can see the insides of their PCs. But, not everyone likes this appearance either. The right side features a huge Alienware label near the back, while the top and sides are just fitted with a few air vents for circulation.
With its bare metal design, the new Aurora model’s rear isn’t the most appealing, but this isn’t very significant because you’re probably never going to see it. The back houses all of your connections for displays, power, speakers, USBs, and more. The number of ports back here is enormous; for a complete breakdown, see the specs tab on this page. These are all easily accessible and rather typical for a desktop PC because they are arranged in a vertical I/O shield.
The new R9 from Alienware has a very upgradeable interior that makes it simple for users to take apart for access to different parts. Although it’s a little crowded inside, the clever design that allows the power supply unit to swing out to the side when the casing is opened makes it easier to reach the motherboard and all of its components. Although the tight fit inside the case makes us a little apprehensive about airflow, it does provide you the option to upgrade hardware in the future if you so want.
Gaming
Your gaming performance is reliant on the hardware your Aurora has, much like how well you perform in routine chores. It depends on how much performance you’re prepared to pay for whether you want to go all the way up to a massive gaming system with a GTX 2080 or all the way down to our small base model with a GTX 1650.
Performance for our R9 with a modest 1650 GPU will outperform that of then-current entry-level gaming consoles like a Nintendo Switch, PS4, or Xbox One. If you wish to upgrade to 2K or 4K resolutions, keep in mind that it’s practically limited to 1080p gaming because it won’t be able to deliver enough performance.
We used a variety of games to test the Aurora, ranging from smaller independent releases to more popular AAA games, all of which have quite different optimization requirements. To make sure this accessory wouldn’t slow down the System, we chose a 1080p Viewsonic display capable of 144Hz for our monitor.
Now for the exams. Secondly, using the recommended settings, we tracked the average frames per second (fps) on some larger games, including Gears 5, Battlefield V, and PUBG. The R9 was surprisingly capable for such hardware-demanding games, typically averaging 60–70 frames per second. Although it isn’t spectacular, this is reliable and performs better than the performance of a device like an XB1. Adaptive synchronization technology on our monitor prevented us from noticing any significant tearing or stutters.
This specific R9 model was more than capable with indie games or those less GPU-intensive, such as Terraria, League of Legends, and World of Warcraft, easily achieving frame rates of over 100 FPS and even occasionally reaching the maximum 144Hz of our display. If you want to save some money and don’t require the greatest graphical settings or the most recent AAA games, this Aurora is a respectable choice.
Aside from FPS, the game load times were noticeably slower than on my SSD-equipped Machine. With an SSD, loading onto planets and zones in Destiny 2 only takes a few seconds, but this HDD R9 felt like it took twice as long or more, which is comparable to what you’d experience with any current-gen gaming console (they all have HDDs).
Get the greatest model you can buy within your spending limits and bear in mind how you intend to use your PC when making your decision. Your gaming performance in comparison to the Aurora depends on your hardware, peripherals, and network speeds if you’re playing an online game.
Pricing and accessibility
Naturally, such degree of excellence comes with a fair price. The pricing of an Alienware Aurora R9 ranges from $747.99 (£899 in the UK) for entry-level Core i5 configurations to $4,157 (£3,999 in the UK) for an extreme build. In Australia, the base configuration includes a Core i7 CPU and costs AU$2,124.
In other words, it takes up where the Aurora R8 left off and carries on where it left off (into the distance and over county lines, in the case of the i9-9900K Geforce 2080 TI version).
This gaming device may be customized to meet your needs, and it is affordable for a range of budgets. It has a wide range of possibilities going forward as a result.
Even though it’s typically less expensive to build a Computer yourself, the R9 is a perfect illustration of why this isn’t always the best option. As shown by its design, you get intelligent engineering along with necessary components and 100% less bother.
