Dell Alienware Aurora R8 Gaming Desktop

Dell Alienware Aurora R8 Gaming Desktop 

Dell Alienware Aurora R8 Gaming Desktop with / 28" 4K Ultra HD Monitor/Wireless Keyboard and Mouse 

Product description


Description: "Stay at the top of the game with this Alienware Aurora R8 desktop computer. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX1080 graphics card produces rapid frame rates and smooth visuals, while the 16GB of RAM ensure seamless operations. 4K UHD Monitor: See all of your photo's details during editing. Video game levels look amazing. The large screen allows you to have multiple windows open at once to get more work done.

Operating system: Windows 10 Home

Processor: Intel Core i7-8700 Quad-Core Processor 3.2GHz up to 4.6 GHz

Memory: 16GB DDR4 Memory

Hard drive: 1T HDD Hard drive

Ports: 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1 x USB 3.1, 5 x USB 3.0 (2 with charger), 6 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 4 x DisplayPort, 1 x VGA, 1 x Headphone output, 1 x LAN (10/100/1000), 2 x Microphone input

Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW

Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 with 8GB GDDR5 VRAM

Audio: Alienware Audio, Realtek High Defenition with Creative X-Fi

Wireless connectivity: 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0

Includes: Wireless Combo Keyboard and Mouse,Samsung 28 QLED 4K Ultra HD Monitor

Dimensions(inches): 18.6" x 14.19" x 8.35"

Weight(pounds): 26.2 pounds

Intel® Core™ i7 9700K

Windows 10 Home Plus Single Language

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 8GB GDDR6 (OC Ready)

16GB Single Channel HyperX™ FURY DDR4 XMP at 2933MHz

256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (Storage)

Powered by Intel® Core™ i7 9700K, Windows 10 Home Plus Single Language, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080 OC with 8GB GDDR6 & 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

(Boot) + 1TB.

Intel® Core™ i7 9700K (8-Core/8-Thread, 12MB Cache, Overclocked up to 4.6GHz across all cores)

Windows 10 Home Plus Single Language, English

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 8GB GDDR6 (OC Ready)


16GB Single Channel HyperX™ FURY DDR4 XMP at 2933MHz


256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (Storage)

Microsoft®Office 30 Day Trial


McAfee® LiveSafe™ 12 month Subscription


Alienware Standard USB 2.0 Keyboard (English)


Wired Optical Mouse


Front
1x Headphone 1/8" Port
1x Microphone 1/8" Port
3x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 (two are enabled for charging)
1x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Type-C™

Rear
1x SPDIF Digital Output (Coax)
1x SPDIF Digital Output (TOSLINK)
1x RJ-45 Killer Gigabit Ethernet
5x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 (two are enabled for charging)
1x Display Port
1x SuperSpeed 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-C™
1x SuperSpeed 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-A
1x Rear L/R surround
3x SuperSpeed USB 3.0

Tray load DVD Drive (Reads and Writes to DVD/CD)

4 DIMMS


Height: 18.6" (472.52mm) x Depth: 14.19" (360.5mm) x Width: 8.35" (212mm)
Average Weight: 32.67 lbs (14.819 kg)i
Volume: 28.22L (The space occupied by the external surfaces of the chassis)


AlienFX Lighting Zones
3 unique programmable zones with up to 20 distinct colors providing over 8 thousand lighting combinations

Bluetooth
Bluetooth 4.1

Chipset
Intel® Z370 Express Chipset

Color Options
Epic Silver

Form Factor
Micro ATX motherboard, Mid-Tower desktop

Software
Alienware Command Center
AlienFX™ exclusive lighting controls
AlienFusion advanced power management controls
AlienAdrenaline featuring:
- Game Mode custom game and application launcher
- Accelerator performance optimizer
- In-game and system Performance Monitoring
Thermal Controls

Thermal
Alienware™ Low-Profile Smart Cooling Heatsink Solution
Alienware™ High Performance Liquid Cooling


Killer 1535 802.11ac 2x2 WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1


Power Supply
Alienware™ 460 Watt Power Supply
Alienware™ 850 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply

Dell Alienware Aurora R8 Gaming Desktop with / 28" 4K Ultra HD Monitor/Wireless Keyboard and Mouse 

OPERATING SYSTEM

With Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro – Break down boundaries and immerse yourself in the game with graphics more realistic than ever before thanks to the multi-thread scaling capabilities of the new API DirectX 12.

VR-READY FOR TODAY AND BEYOND.

The new HTC Vive and Oculus-certified Aurora was engineered to exceed today’s virtual reality requirements and was designed to create the most efficient use of space. The top of the system provides a natural place to rest your VR headset when not in use, and with a conveniently placed handle located near the top, you can organize all your wires in one place, running them to the back of the system and out of the way. With 15 USB ports, this system is more than ready to handle everything needed to attach your VR headset. And with convenient tool-less access, it offers easy upgradeability for the next wave of VR.

EVOLVED, INSIDE AND OUT.

The Alienware Aurora features a meticulous, zero-fat design and is the first of its kind to offer tool-less upgrades to graphics cards, hard drives and memory.

Designed to keep cool: Inspired by the thermal ergonomics of the Area-51, the Aurora provides optimal air intake on the front and right panels and an exhaust fan on top for maximum airflow and cooling of internal components.

Packed with power: The Aurora is Alienware’s smallest mid tower gaming desktop ever to offer liquid cooling.

PRO-LEVEL GAMING STARTS HERE.

Competitive gamers and professional esports teams around the globe leverage the power of Alienware to compete at the highest level. As one of the most successful squads in the world, Team Liquid maintains its lead by designating Alienware as the team’s official gaming PCs, monitors, keyboards and mice.

Alienware machines also put the power behind competitive gaming tournaments, like ELEAGUE and ESL, because the best gamers in the world expect gear engineered with the unmatched performance and design only Alienware can deliver.

ENGINEERED FOR THE FUTURE.

Innovative, tool-less access: A uniquely designed PSU swing-arm keeps graphics and expansion cards safely secured and easy to upgrade – along with memory modules and up to 5 storage drives – thanks to tool-less accessibility.

Iconic & quiet design: Customizable AlienFX lighting gives the Aurora a distinct, dynamic look and its whisper-quiet operation allows you to get lost in the game without noisy distractions.

*Liquid cooling is optional.

UNCOMPROMISING PERFORMANCE.

Engineered to overclock: The Alienware Aurora was designed to fully support custom upgrades, including factory overclocking on available 9th Gen processor options across all cores. The Intel® Core i9-9900K processor brings 8 cores overclocked to 4.7GHz and supports up to 32GB of DDR4 at 3200MHz. The 9900K is also enabled with a 5.0GHz maximum Turbo Boost speed to offer greater performance to single-threaded applications.

Stunning graphics capabilities: Tested and benchmarked at UHD 4K resolutions and beyond in games and synthetic benchmarks, the Aurora offers brilliant resolution and exceptional frame rates, featuring options like the NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080.

High-speed and hardcore: Maximize gaming performance and capacity with up to 5 solid-state drives using a mix of 1x PCIe NVMe SSD and 4x SSDs.

Killer™ Wireless: The Killer 1535 includes our ExtremeRange™ Technology with two external 5GHz signal amplifiers to improve your performance at longer distances. The External Power Amplifier and the Low Noise Amplifier work together to increase and maximize your WiFi range and to amplify your wireless signals so they cut through the noise to deliver your data as quickly as possible. The Killer E2500’s Lag and Latency Reduction Technology accelerates your highest priority network traffic, such as your game, and makes sure that it never has to wait behind less important traffic.

GET DEEPER THAN EVER BEFORE.

Reengineered to support up to dual 300W graphics cards (600W total graphics power), the Alienware Aurora now features more dedicated graphics power than any previous model.

CALIBRATE YOUR CONTROLS


Now you have control over your hardware and software environments. A single interface transforms your Windows PC into an enhanced gaming environment tailored just the way you like it.

VIEW ALL YOUR GAMES IN ONE PLACE


Get quick and easy access to your entire gaming catalog and fine-tune settings for each title. Create unique profiles for any game in the library and maintain those preferences as you switches between games.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR LIGHTING WITH ALIENFX


Configure themes, macros and peripheral settings. Assign your themes to games for a truly personal gaming experience. Select from up to 16.8 million colors, predefined animation effects, and brightness controls.

PORTS & SLOTS

Front Ports
1. (1x) Headphone 1/8" Port | 2. (1x) Microphone 1/8" Port | 3. (1x) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Type-C™ | 4. (3x) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 (two are enabled for charging)

Rear Ports
1. (1x) SPDIF Digital Output (Coax) | 2. (1x) SPDIF Digital Output (TOSLINK) | 3. (1x) RJ-45 Killer Gigabit Ethernet | 4. (5x) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 (two are enabled for charging) | 5. (1x) Display Port | 6. (1x) SuperSpeed 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-C™ | 6. (1x) SuperSpeed 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-A | 7. (1x) Rear L/R surround | 8. (3x) SuperSpeed USB 3.0


DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT

1. Height: 472.52mm (18.6) | 2. Depth: 360.5mm (14.19) | 3. Width: 212mm (8.35) | Average Weight: 14.819 kg (32.67 lbs*)



ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR ALIENWARE AURORA.

Take your Aurora gaming experience to new levels with additional purchases like the 86.36 cm (34) UltraSharp monitor and gaming mouse and keyboard. Look for these great products and more at checkout.

ALIENWARE PRO GAMING KEYBOARD | AW768


Improve your gaming ability with a mechanical gaming keyboard featuring brown switches, 15 programmable macro key functions, on board memory and a zone-based RGB backlight with AlienFX™ technology.

ALIENWARE ELITE GAMING MOUSE | AW959

Count on incredible speed and sensitivity control with a 12,000 DPI optical sensor, redesigned side wings for improved grip, and AlienFX RGB lighting.

ALIENWARE 34 CURVED GAMING MONITOR | AW3418DW


86.36 cm (34) gaming monitor featuring a curved display, WQHD resolution, customizable AlienFX lighting for enhanced gaming action, and NVIDIA® G-Sync™.

PEACE OF MIND COMES STANDARD.

Alien Autopsy comes preinstalled on all new Alienware devices to provide advice and alerts so you'll know about issues before they happen and have tools to fix those issues if they arise. Alienware Respawn offers flexible, automated backup and recovery to ensure your important documents, pictures and media files remain safe. And Dell Support saves time and reduces hassle with valuable warranty information and services.

ALIENWARE WIRELESS GAMING HEADSET | AW988


Lose yourself in the game with virtual 7.1 virtual surround sound, designed for the most dedicated audiophile. Lightweight design with crystal-clear communication and iconic Alienware style.


LOOK FOR THESE ADDITIONAL SERVICES AT CHECKOUT

Alienware Product Support
Your Alienware system includes 1-Year Premium Plus Services (24/7 Technical Support) with additional extensions up to 4 years available.

Includes 1 Year Accidental Damage Services as well.

Enhanced coverage for accidents from a Company you trust. Accidental Damage Service covers electrical surges, screen breaks, liquid spills, accidental drops and falls.”

RATING & REVIEWS

Average Customer Ratings


Overall

★★★★★★★★★★4.4Overall, average rating value is 4.4 of 5.


Features



4.0Features, average rating value is 4 of 5.


Performance



3.8Performance, average rating value is 3.8 of 5.


Value


3.5Value, average rating value is 3.5 of 5.


Quality



3.7Quality, average rating value is 3.7 of 5.


Operating System


4.0Operating System, average rating value is 4 of 5.

Alienware Aurora R8 – Performance

The Alienware Aurora R8 may gloat an impressive spec sheet, but does it offer an equally strong performance? I picked out a number of video games and benchmark tests to discover the desktop’s true muscle.

First off, I assessed the Intel Core i9-9900K processor. Being one of the most powerful consumer CPUs currently available I had high expectations, and the R8 certainly hit those. With a Geekbench 4 single-core result of 5482 and a multi-core score of 27,264 this model of the Aurora R8 is unsurprisingly up there with the very best gaming desktops when it comes to CPU performance.



These figures prove you’re getting top-notch performance. Simultaneously open several tabs in your browser, start watching a video and get stuck in with Photoshop and the Intel Core i9-9900K should still blitz through tasks without flickering. But when it comes to gaming, you could call all this performance power excessive no matter which modern AAA title you throw its way.

To further emphasise the strength of the CPU, the Alienware Aurora R8 also posted a PCMark 10 result of 6938, which is another convincingly crunchy CPU score. Unfortunately we’re unable to compare this result with other gaming desktop PCs as we’ve only recently started using the metric, but I’ll update this section once we have reviewed more gaming desktops.

This model of the Alienware Aurora R8 also offers some of the very best GPU results I’ve seen thanks to the hench Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, posting a 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra result of 7733. This blows away rival desktops such as the MSI Trident X and Asus ROG Strix GL 12CX with respective scores of 6578 and 6172. This isn’t a huge surprise though, given both of those PCs house the lower-specced Nvidia RTX 2080 GPU instead.



Of course, benchmark scores mean very little alone, so I rounded up a few games to see how the Alienware Aurora R8 performs in real-life terms. I made sure to pick both modern GPU-intensive games and titles that were released a few years ago.

The first was Shadow of the Tomb Raider, one of the most visually stunning titles currently available. The Alienware Aurora R8 achieved a result of 52fps here, whereas the MSI Trident X mustered a slightly lower 46fps result. The former looks to be one of the best performing gaming desktops for Shadow of the Tomb Raider, especially when factoring in the Quad HD and Full HD results, coming in at 96fps and 117fps respectively.



Onto an even more difficult task, the Alienware Aurora R8 performed admirably with Ghost Recon Wildlands. This is one of the most demanding video games we use in testing, so to see the Aurora R8 see an average performance of 42fps in Ultra HD is quite the feat. Again, few gaming desktops have seen results this high, so you really are getting one of the most powerful gaming desktops here thanks to the RTX 2080 Ti graphics card.

The 62fps result in Quad HD and the 72fps score in Full HD also show this desktop PC is stonker of a performer at lower resolutions. Meeting the much-desired 60fps, you’re getting a super-smooth performance here that is crucial for a shooter.



How does the Alienware Aurora R8 perform when faced with games released a couple of years ago? Very well, although you can probably get better value elsewhere. When benchmarking Rise of the Tomb Raider, which was released back in 2015, the Aurora R8 managed an average of 63fps in Ultra HD. The MSI Trident X actually performed a little better here, with an average frame rate of 65fps.

This is a slight surprise considering the Trident X has a weaker RTX 2080 GPU, implying the extra grunt of the Aurora R8’s RTX 2080 Ti only makes a significant difference when running modern AAA games in 4K. If you’ve got a huge backlog of older games or you haven’t made the jump to 4K yet, then you’re better off buying a cheaper computer.



I also attempted to benchmark Dirt Rally on the Aurora R8. However, I encountered an odd issue where the game would crash during the Full HD test. I’m not sure what caused this issue, as it was fine in the 4K and Quad HD tests (seeing results of 96fps and 152fps which are both very respectable). My guess is that it’s either a software glitch or an issue with the drivers. I doubt this is something to be concerned about, but I thought best to mention anyway.

Finally, I used Battlefield 5 to test the Aurora R8’s ray tracing performance. With DXR (DirectX Raytracing) turned on and visual settings cranked up to 4K, the desktop managed a very respectable 50fps. The frame rate here is easily high enough for a smooth performance, despite the 30fps drop compared to when DXR is turned off. Very few desktops are capable of ray tracing, never mind running such high frame rates while DXR is activated.

For those of you who don’t know what ray tracing is, this technology improves the simulation of light and reflections. This means you’ll be able to realistic reflections in puddles, ice, or glass cabinets, contributing to a more immersive environment. It’s worth mentioning that Battlefield 5 is currently the only game to support ray tracing, although the impending Metro Exodus is widely expected to feature it at launch too.

The Alien Aurora R8 is also able to use DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). This technology helps to make video rendering more efficient via artificial intelligence. However, I haven’t been able to test it yet as I’m still waiting for a patch to arrive. I’ll update this section once I get the opportunity.

The optional built-in liquid cooling system ensures the Aurora R8 doesn’t get too toasty when playing strenuous games. The 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra stress test recorded a peak CPU temperature of 74°C while the GPU never surpassed 81°C. Considering the power this machine is packing, this is a decent thermal performance. While audible when working its hardest, the fans never became loud enough to enter the realms of annoying either.

The 512GB SSD and 1TB SATA double act gives users ample storage to save their games to. By separating the two and using an SSD for startup, the Aurora R8 brags terrific read and write speeds of 3567MB/s and 1874MB/s respectively. This means that it shouldn’t take long when accessing or saving files, so you won’t have to spend mind-numbing time staring at loading screens.

Related: Nvidia Ray Tracing
Why buy the Alienware Aurora R8?

The Alienware Aurora R8 is one of best-performing gaming desktops available, showcasing the best consumer graphics card and processor currently available. Of course, this is only going to appeal to those starting their PC build from zilch since it costs a steep  for the whole package.



Surprisingly, this desktop offers fantastic value compared to building your own PC. If you were to buy all the components from Overclockers to match the Aurora R8’s spec sheet, The final figure will almost certainly exceed the Aurora R8’s price, emphasising the great value Dell is offering here.

What’s more, the Alienware Aurora R8 offers generous flexibility for upgrading with added room for a second graphics card or several storage disks. This gives this desktop a huge advantage over rivals such as the MSI Trident X. The Aurora R8’s one-year warranty only sweeten this deal.
Verdict

If you’re starting your build from scratch and fancy the strongest gaming desktop possible, the Alienware Aurora R8 is a fantastic candidate. Not only is this rig capable of 4K, but it’s also able to run the revolutionary ray-tracing tech. My only issue is the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900K is arguably overpowered for gaming, needlessly driving up the price.

With a stylish case, easy upgradability and a plethora of ports, the Alienware Aurora R8 is the complete package in more ways than one.

Dell Alienware Aurora R8 Gaming Desktop with / 28" 4K Ultra HD Monitor/Wireless Keyboard and Mouse 

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