Dell recently narrowed its Alienware desktop lineup to the flagship Aurora R16 available with Intel and NVIDIA hardware. Prices start at $1,350 at Dell barring any discounts, and a customization tool allows you to configure your PC to fit your needs and budget.
You can still find slightly older Aurora R15 models for sale with AMD or Intel processors, and they're often available for less money due to their age (and despite having top-notch hardware inside). Based on availability, price, and configuration options, I've collected the three best pre-built Alienware gaming PCs right here.
Recent updates
December 11, 2024: Older Alienware models released before the latest Aurora R16 are sparse, but I did my best to find the lowest prices on the now-discontinued R15 with Intel and AMD hardware. The best option remains the R16, but you do have a couple of alternative routes. — Cale Hunt
The quick list
Best overall
The Aurora R16 is the latest Intel-powered model from Alienware, with up to a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900KF CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU, 64GB of RAM, and 8TB of SSD storage. It has an updated case design with prominent RGB lighting, and it can be liquid-cooled.
Best with AMD
The AMD-based Aurora R15 is still the most recent version with Ryzen CPUs. It features the older, more stylized design, and it's equipped with up to a Ryzen 9 7900X CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4090 or Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU, 128GB of DDR5 RAM, and up to 6TB of storage split between M.2 SSD and SATA HDD.
Value option
The Alienware Aurora R15 with Intel hardware was replaced by the R16, but the older model is still available at some retailers. It's especially enticing if you can find it on sale at a clearance price, just as long as you don't mind the slightly older configuration options and a more aggressive design.
I love to build my own gaming PCs and usually urge people to pick up the hobby, but I understand where and when a pre-built rig makes more sense. If you're shopping for an Alienware PC, I can help you get the right model.
The best Alienware pre-built PCs in 2024
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Best overall
The Alienware Aurora R16 is the latest and greatest pre-built gaming PC on offer from Dell. Announced October 2023, the new Aurora R16 features a redesigned tower with a boxier build, which Dell says improves airflow and lowers noise.
It's also about 40% more compact than the previous design, but it still features prominent AlienFX RGB lighting and a side panel without a cutout for a clear view of performance hardware. If you don't like the aggressive, stylized design of previous Aurora models, this should be a better choice.
There are 12 different configuration options available on Dell's website, including Intel's 14th Gen Core CPUs and either NVIDIA or AMD GPUs. Introductory models with a Core i7-14700F CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD cost about $1,350 before any promotions. Keep in mind that these PCs are prone to sales events.
You can customize a system with up to a Core i9-14900KF CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD, costing about $3,700 before any discounts. There are plenty of stops along the way, and there's even an optional AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU for those who prefer to split between an Intel CPU and AMD graphics.
The chassis has a ton of ports, and you can configure up to a 1,000W PSU with liquid cooling for the CPU. The main drawback here, at least for enthusiasts, is the use of a proprietary PSU and motherboard, which limits how many DIY upgrades can be performed. If you just want a PC that runs your games smoothly with minimal tinkering required, this is the way to go.
Best with AMD
Those who prefer a system centered around an AMD CPU are also taken into account by the likes of the Alienware Aurora R15. The chassis redesign hasn't yet happened on AMD's side, so you're still looking at a much more aggressive design.
The PC has a lot of ports, there's a cutout on the side panel to show off your hardware, and you usually get liquid cooling for the CPU if you're worried about performance. Configuration options are a lot more limited due to Dell officially discontinuing the PC, but you can find models at third-party retailers like Amazon.
At the time of writing, for example, you can pick up a model with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD for about $1,468. Newegg also has a bunch of models for sale, but the Amazon pricing is the best I spotted.
I'm not sure what Dell is planning with its AMD-based Aurora PCs, but I hope they haven't been discontinued permanently. They've traditionally been more affordable than their Intel-based siblings, and more choice is never a bad thing.
Value option
The Aurora R15 with Intel CPUs is Dell's last-gen version of the current R16, with the older design also seen in the AMD-based R15 (with a blue color scheme instead of red). If you're interested in an Intel-based Alienware PC, I recommend checking out the R16 first.
Best Buy was clearing out Aurora R15 stock earlier this year, but that offering has since dried up. At the time of writing the latest update on December 11, the next best offering comes from Amazon. A model with a liquid-cooled Intel Core i7-13700F CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD/1TB HDD costs about $2,200.
That's more than a similar Aurora R16 model from Dell, so unless any other huge discounts pop up, you're better off with the newer PC. Leftover stock is clearly dwindling on this discontinued PC.
How to choose the best Alienware desktop PC for you
Building a great gaming PC from scratch can be daunting for a novice. That's why companies like Dell offer pre-built systems with everything you need to start gaming. The Alienware brand represents the best hardware available from Dell, spanning laptops, accessories, monitors, and, of course, desktop PCs.
While they're not a great option if you prefer a more standard design with parts that can be swapped out and moved across PCs — Dell uses a lot of proprietary hardware and designs in these PCs — those who simply want a system that runs games right out of the box should find something suitable.
Dell has traditionally offered only a handful of pre-built Alienware desktop gaming PCs, but at the moment it's focusing only on the Aurora R16 with redesigned chassis and a wide range of configuration options.
As it stands now, those who want the latest performance hardware should check out the Alienware Aurora R16. Prices start as low as $1,350, even without any discounts, and that price can deliver a quality gaming experience thanks to the Core i7-14700F CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU. Dell has a ton of hardware options available, and you can easily spend thousands on a high-end system with liquid cooling should you have the budget.
If you prefer AMD hardware and don't mind the older, more aggressive tower design, the Aurora R15 is still available in a few places. Amazon offers the best pricing at about $1,468 for a Ryzen 7 7700X CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti GPU. That's a lot of power for the asking price, but stock will continue to thin out and Dell isn't making any new models.
And finally, the Intel-based Aurora R15 is a wild card that you might be able to find at a more affordable price than a comparable R16. It's no longer sold at the Dell website or very many third-party retailers, and the best price I could find at the time of my latest update was $2,200 at Amazon. Unless you can find a big discount, I urge you to opt for the Aurora R16 instead.
What about building your own gaming PC?
Pre-built Alienware PCs are solid options for gamers who don't want the hassle of ordering and putting a bunch of pieces together on their own. They work out of the box, and they're available with a ton of configuration options to help you get the perfect setup.
However, it often doesn't take long after being introduced to the PC gaming world to get the urge to build your own PC. It's a fun (if expensive) hobby that can really deliver a sense of accomplishment, as well as some extra knowledge on how PC parts work together.
Building your own PC can save you money since you aren't paying for someone else to build it (with Dell's premiums jacking the price up), and it'll give you in-depth knowledge of how to upgrade your PC in the future.
If you would like to take the next step and create your own gaming PC, our guide on how to build a PC has a ton of information that can help you get started. You can also check out our picks for the best gaming laptops if you'd like something that you can take everywhere.
