The Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop serves as an affordable prebuilt option for PC gaming enthusiasts seeking simplicity without extensive tinkering. Priced starting at $1,299, it mirrors the Dell Tower Plus in design but adds distinctive Alienware aesthetics. Reviewers highlight its upgrade potential and solid 1080p performance, though future CPU upgrades may be limited.
Alienware, a Dell subsidiary, targets budget-conscious gamers with the Aurora Gaming Desktop, which emphasizes ease of entry into PC gaming. The system features a custom case with a Tron-like light ring around front intake fans and honeycomb perforations on the side panel glass. The power button is styled as an alien head, enhancing its gaming appeal.
Internally, it uses an Intel Z890 Alienware motherboard with two DIMM slots for memory and two PCIe 5 M.2 slots for SSDs. While the motherboard fits standard ATX or Micro-ATX boards, proprietary connectors complicate swaps. The Intel CPU limits long-term upgrades, unlike AMD options that support the same socket across generations. However, users can easily access and upgrade the graphics card, RAM, M.2 storage, and Wi-Fi card. A 3.5-inch SATA drive bay and an extra fan spot add flexibility, with tidy cable management throughout.
The reviewed unit includes an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU, with configurable options like the RTX 5060 Ti, 5070 Ti, or 5080. A $30 upgrade to 120-mm liquid cooling keeps temperatures at a maximum of 82 degrees Celsius during stress tests, supported by RGB fans for intake and exhaust. Front ports include a headphone jack, three 5-Gbps USB-A ports, and a 10-Gbps USB-C port, while the rear offers a 20-Gbps USB4 port, Ethernet, and more.
Starting at $1,299, the base model packs an RTX 5060 Ti, 32 GB of Kingston Fury RAM, a 1-TB M.2 SSD, and a 500-watt power supply. Upgrading to a 1,000-watt PSU for $150 is recommended for future GPU enhancements. Performance trails typical RTX 5070 benchmarks by about 5 percent in 3DMark Steel Nomad, excelling at 1080p gaming—such as 71 fps in Cyberpunk 2077's Ray Tracing Ultra preset without DLSS. It handles titles like Black Myth: Wukong adequately at max settings, though frame rates may dip below 60 fps, improvable via settings adjustments.
Overall, the Aurora delivers reliable value, particularly on sale for around $1,500, balancing aesthetics, upgradability, and performance for casual gamers.