If you want a big-brand gaming PC, then there are few better options than Alienware. This Dell-owned brand has a hard-earned reputation for building powerful and eye-catching gaming PCs, and its Ryzen Edition combines AMD and Nvidia hardware to deliver incredible pace. The Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 uses AMD processors, and it deploys the underlying R10 design of this desktop.
It’s always important to consider the specification when you buy a PC like this – it’s a significant investment that’ll power your gaming for years. Beyond that, though, it’s also vital to think about the design, the customer service, and the aftercare options available too. We’ve tackled the components to pick the best and worst choices for different tasks, and looked through Dell’s website to evaluate the support options and user reviews – so we can see if people are really happy with their choices. We're confident that this is one of the best home computers you can buy right now, so read on to find out why.
If you want a Dell, but don't need a gaming PC, consider the Dell Inspiron range instead.
Alienware Aurora Ryzen R10: Specs
The Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 is ideal for people who want to play games and tackle tough content-creation workloads, and Alienware machines are suitable for people who want a bold, powerful system with minimal fuss and good warranty and support options.
However, consider buying from a local builder if you want to tinker and upgrade your PC. Machines built locally tend to have cases with more features and easier internal access, and they usually have longer and more accommodating warranties when it comes to upgrading. You typically have a wider choice of components, too.
As the name suggests, the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition relies on AMD’s superb Zen 3 processors. A Zen 3 chip is an excellent choice for everyday tasks like web-browsing and running work software. AMD’s silicon particularly excels when handling more challenging work, like photo- or video-editing and design. For these kinds of multi-threaded tasks, AMD’s chips are better than Intel’s equivalents.
AMD’s processors are almost as quick as Intel’s chips in games, too. So, while Intel CPUs squeak ahead here, AMD’s chips remain excellent.
The most affordable Alienware includes an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, which is an excellent everyday chip that’ll also handle mainstream photo editing. If you spend more, you can get the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 or 5800X. Both can tackle photo and video work with ease, making them great options for high-end computing.
In some territories, the Alienware comes with Ryzen 9 5900 and 5950X processors. These are beasts, with twelve and sixteen cores, and they’re fantastic for high-end content-creation, design, and modelling – better than anything Intel offers at this price. They’re not cheap, though, and they’re overkill for many users.
Most Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition machines use Nvidia graphics cards. The most affordable Nvidia-based desktop uses the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which is ideal for 1080p gaming and esports. Spend more, and you can get the RTX 3070 and RTX 3080: the first card is top-notch for higher refresh rates and widescreens, while the latter is an ideal 4K gaming card.
We wouldn’t recommend the AMD Radeon RX 5300 card used in the cheapest Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition PC – it’s old, weak, and will only cope with modest 1080p and esports games. The RTX 3060 Ti is faster and has a longer lifespan.
Most Alienware machines use 8GB or 16GB of memory – the former is the bare minimum for gaming, while you’ll want the latter for content-creation.
SSDs with capacities between 512GB and 2TB are on offer in most of these machines, although some use slow hard drives that we’d avoid. Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 internet and Killer Ethernet complete the specification.
The five Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition rigs are all customisable. You can pick different processors, case colours, memory and storage configurations, and upgraded networking hardware. We’d recommend 32GB of memory if you’re buying this PC for challenging content-creation tasks and upgrading beyond a 512GB SSD if you play lots of games as they’re taking up more and more space these days.
Alienware Aurora Ryzen R10: Design
Alienware’s systems have a reputation for bold physical design, and the Aurora Ryzen Edition is no different. This machine has an oval façade with a central pillar that holds the power button, USB ports and headphone jack, and loads of RGB LEDs.
Those lights can be configured to any colour and synchronised with other devices using the Alienware Command Centre application. The rig is also available in black and white shades.
It looks imposing and build quality is rock-solid, but be aware that the Alienware weighs 40 lbs and is nearly 20” tall, so it’s not small or subtle.
As usual, the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition has a practical but modest interior. It’s tool-free, and the power supply swings outwards so you can access the rest of the components.
The front has three full-size USB 3.1 ports, a Type-C connector, and two headphone jacks. At the back, there are six USB 2.0 ports, four USB 3.2 connectors, and one Type-C slot, so there’s loads of connectivity.
The Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition includes a keyboard and mouse. They’re acceptable for basic use, but they’re entry-level bits of kit. If you want to enjoy gaming, you’ll upgrade quickly.
Alienware Aurora Ryzen R10 desktop vs laptop
Alienware got its start in desktops, but Dell’s gaming arm is also one of the most prominent players in the world of gaming laptops.
There are three key Alienware laptops. The m15 R4 is a 15.6-inch machine with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000-series graphics and Intel processors, and the m17 R4 is the 17.3-inch version. Then there’s the Area-51m R2, which is a larger laptop with more powerful specifications and overclocking ability.
There are pros and cons to gaming laptops. The inclusion of a screen, keyboard, and trackpad makes them more portable than a desktop gaming setup, and it also means a gaming laptop can fit into a smaller space than a gaming machine and a display, which is ideal in a smaller room.
The tight thermal confines mean laptop components aren’t as fast as those in a PC, and their screens are smaller than desktop displays. Their keyboards and mice don’t compare to good gaming units, and they generally have poor battery life.
Desktops have their pros and cons, too. They’re the fastest and most accessible option when it comes to performance and upgrading, but they’re larger and heavier than laptops, and you’ve got to spend extra cash on displays and peripherals.
Ultimately, it comes down to how the new hardware will fit into your lifestyle.
Alienware Aurora Ryzen R10: User reviews
At the time of writing, the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 has 2,357 reviews with an average score of 4.4 out of 5 stars – and more than 2,000 of those reviews give the machine scores of 4 and 5 stars.
The reviews highlight some of the key pros and cons of this Alienware desktop. Many customers are happy with the machine’s reliability and performance, and people praise the system’s build quality and aesthetics. However, some reviews highlighted the rig's noise level, although that’s less of an issue if you’re going to be playing with sizeable speakers or a headset.
Alienware Aurora Ryzen R10: Customer service
The Dell support section is well-organised and has an extensive amount of information to help solve PC issues. You’re able to see your system’s specifications quickly, and the knowledge base and forums offer helpful articles and suggestions.
The Dell SupportAssist application checks your PC for issues and helps with driver updates, and it can run several different tests to diagnose problems.
Beyond these key support options, Dell’s website has links to drivers, updates, parts and accessories, a complete list of manuals and video tutorials. It’s possible to contact Dell using live chat, email, and phone.
As standard, the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 includes a one-year hardware warranty with on-site service and remote diagnosis.
The Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 includes a month of Dell Premium support. This service provides hardware support, on-site repairs at home, school, and work, and better support. After the packaged month, the subscription costs $9.99 per month, and accidental damage cover is available at $49 per year. The most comprehensive support choice is Premium Support Plus, which provides all of the options above alongside accidental damage cover, parental controls, and antivirus. That service costs $17.99 per month.
Should you buy the Alienware Aurora Ryzen R10?
The Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 is one of the most impressive Alienware desktop PCs, but it’s not for everyone. If you want to play high-end games and tackle tough work on the same PC, then the combination of AMD processors and Nvidia graphics cards make this the best choice.
Impressive support options and a large, robust, and good-looking case bolster the powerful internals. There are reasonable customisation possibilities, too.
If you want to play games rather than get work done, though, then an Intel-based machine will be better. Also bear in mind that you’ll get more customisation and a better case if you search out a local PC builder rather than a big company like Dell.
Which R10 spec should you choose?
If you want to game at 4K, then pick Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics. And if you're going to tackle demanding content creation tasks, you should seek out the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X. If your PC needs to take on high-end, professional workloads, then the Ryzen 9 5900-series CPUs are a better bet.
We would opt for at least 16GB of memory – and double that for high-end workloads – and a 1TB SSD will be the best way to combine storage capacity and speed.
In terms of the more affordable specifications, systems with RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 3070 graphics cards are great for mainstream gaming, but the entry-level rig pairs the decent Ryzen 5 5600X processor with weak AMD Radeon RX 5300 graphics, so we’d instantly swap that GPU for an RTX 3060 Ti.
