Alienware Aurora R16 review 2024: great performance

Since I just got the Aurora R16 in August, I’ve had a chance to learn more about its features and see how well it works for myself. Intel’s cutting-edge 14th-generation Raptor Lake Refresh chips have been added to this pre-built powerhouse, which is a welcoming improvement from when it was first released. Though the 14th-generation CPUs may be similar to the 13th-generation CPUs in some ways, the Aurora R16 is now more affordable thanks to this hardware change. The small increase in CPU speed is especially exciting because it means better frame rates in games that use a lot of CPU power. This is a big plus for gamers who often run into CPU bottlenecks.

However, it’s important to note that the Aurora R16 has some problems that come with being a standard prebuilt PC, even though it’s a good gaming PC overall. After a careful analysis of a top-level hardware setup, it became clear that the system wasn’t quite performing at its best. End users can tweak some settings to make the Aurora R16 work better, but it still can’t quite compare to a PC built with off-the-shelf parts that costs about the same.

Even with these problems, the Aurora R16 still manages to provide a great game experience. There are some benefits to the fact that it is a customized prebuilt instead of a normal prebuilt using standard hardware. Even though it might not fully close the performance gap, the customized approach has its own unique charm that makes the whole gaming experience better.

Alienware Aurora R16 Specification

Not only does the Alienware Aurora R16 have a security design that is boxy in style, but it is also small enough to be placed on a desk. Alienware continues to use proprietary components, which makes it tough to update in the prospective future. This is despite the fact that the system maintains a reasonable pricing point.

Alienware Aurora R16 review: Design

The biggest difference between this model and the last is how the Alienware Aurora R16 looks from the outside. No longer does it look like a sci-fi spaceship; now it looks more like a regular computer. It’s still the same amount of space inside the case, but the surface is 40% smaller at 25.2 litres. All of this means that the Aurora R16 looks more like a desktop PC than the ones that came before it.

It’s square, but the sides are rounded. They still use the alien theme, like moving the oval RGB light from their computers to the left side of the front panel to make room for air flow. This Aurora is different from the others because it only comes in “basalt” black. At 18.05 x 16.5 x 7.76 inches, the new size is much easier to fit on a desk than the old one.

With the new design, Alienware says the desktop is 20% quieter and runs 7% cooler. It is also smaller. I could still hear the noise when I played our Metro Exodus stress test, where the fans were clearly spinning the whole time. On some models, the left side has a clear window and the RGB light ring that can also be used as an air vent. That oval shape on the back of the case should light up, even though it faces away from you most of the time. It would look cool. I also noticed that the PC doesn’t have any lighting inside; the only RGB lighting inside the frame comes from the fan on the back.

Alienware Aurora R16 review: Performance

Because it’s so good at gaming, the Aurora R16 can also handle less demanding computer chores like work, watching videos, and surfing the web. Even though there were more than 30 tabs open, the PC didn’t seem to slow down at all. It goes without saying that this PC can handle almost anything, as our tests in the lab showed. Our library of tests showed that the Aurora R16 did very well in all of them.

But it’s not as fast as the other gaming PCs we tested it against. For example, the more expensive Chronos V3 that we reviewed earlier this year did better in CPU tests, file transfer speeds, and video editing. This makes sense since its CPU and GPU are a little better than our R16’s. We also put the Aurora R16 through tests that measure how well it does things like creating graphics (3DMark), editing photos and videos, and more. It did very well on all of them.

As with the last set of tests, the PCs we used to measure the Aurora R16 did better on and 3DMark. These machines have better scores because their graphics cards are stronger, but the Aurora R16 with an RTX 4070 isn’t totally behind, even if it may have trouble getting the same scores as its competitors in 3DMark’s ray tracing test.

Alienware Aurora R16 review: Software

The fact that the Aurora R16 does not come with a substantial quantity of software is one of the favorable characteristics of this product. However, the package just includes Windows 11 and a few software from Dell and Alienware. Other than that, there is not much else included. My Alienware, Alienware Customer Connect, and Alienware Update were all applications that I never gave more than a cursory glance to throughout the period that I was attempting to use them.

You will not make use of these applications very frequently, if at all. You will not use them frequently at all. Especially if you prefer to keep an eye on and control things like system cooling, changing the RGB lighting, making system overclock profiles, and other things, you will most likely choose the version of the Alienware Command Centre program that has been improved.

This is because the enhanced version allows you to do all of these things. The functionality of the new Alienware Command Centre was far less complicated as compared to the earlier versions. Those who take pleasure in fiddling with things can choose from a wide variety of approaches to personalize and customize them in order to make them their own.

Alienware Aurora R16 review: Gaming and Graphics

For our first test, we used an Intel Core i7-13700F processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid-state drive. We’re adding a Core i9-14900KF, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, 32GB of RAM, and two 1TB SSDs to this review to make it more powerful. It was fun to play Control on the cheaper Aurora R16. Control is still one of my favourite PC games from the last few years.

The game ran very well at 2560 x 1440 with DLSS on and the high grade and high ray tracing presets chosen. The game ran at 82 to 91 frames per second while I dodged Hiss troops in a computer lab in the communications department of the Oldest House. I started a fire, which I put out by throwing office supplies with a kinetic charge. The game ran closer to 98 frames per second when you were exploring.

When I played the game on my 14th Gen/RTX 4090, it always ran over 100 frames per second and sometimes as fast as 120 frames per second while I explored the Oldest House. It ran between 106 and 114 frames per second in battle. In our tests, the Aurora with an RTX 4070 processor always came in the middle of its main competitors. These aren’t really straight comparisons; they’re just a way to show how the Aurora is different from other products on the market. You may notice that the 4070 passed in 4K, but the 4060 did not always; you would need to lower the settings.

Alienware Aurora R16 review: Ports and Upgradeability

Alienware still uses a motherboard that is only available from them, which makes it very hard to make big upgrades in the future. Most people who buy a pre-built PC just want something that will run their games. However, people who use it as a stepping stone to a bigger hobby won’t be able to use new processors in this PC once the Intel LGA1700 socket becomes obsolete. Alienware has given many reasons for the way its boards are made over the years.

The ports are on the top and bottom, and the I/O board is screwed on, which gets rid of some lines. That might help Alienware build the PC, but it won’t help it in the future. While Alienware does like to brag about how well its boards handle 12-phase power, I don’t blame it. The four ports on the front are set in a small cutout. They have a headphone jack (3.5 mm), two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.

The ports on the back are mostly connected to the motherboard. There are four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB Type-C ports (one Gen 2 and the other Gen 2×2), an Ethernet port, and the normal audio, microphone, and SPDIF ports.

Final Words

It’s amazing and exciting that Alienware has added the Aurora R16 to their line of game PCs. I’m excited to talk about this desktop’s features and performance because I had a great time using it. The R16’s sleek, small, and attractive chassis makes it look even better. I’ve used it in a number of different work settings because of how sleek and classy it looks. Its careful planning makes it a desktop that works well and looks good in its environment.

The R16 is unique because it lets you customise its parts in many ways. From what I’ve seen, putting together a machine with strong parts was simple and fun. Because customers can change how the system works, they can get the speed they need for games, making content, and other demanding tasks. Alienware’s commitment to making great game computers is shown by the R16’s cutting-edge cooling technology.

Alienware Aurora R16 review: The Good and Bad

An exciting new era for the Alienware brand has begun with the release of the Aurora R16 gaming desktop. The inside and exterior design has been updated, which results in a more silent operation, increased speed, and a wider appeal.

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