Over time, Alienware has constructed up a popularity for constructing massive, highly effective and costly gaming machines, but its Aurora vary of gaming desktops boast compact designs and extra cheap costs – all whereas sustaining Alienware’s hard-won standing within the gaming group. The Alienware Aurora R6 seems to be set to proceed that custom.

The Alienware Aurora R6 sits between Alienware’s Alpha range of inexpensive and compact PCs and the high-end Alienware Area 51. Whereas this places the Aurora R6 within the mid-range of Alienware’s choices, do not be fooled into pondering that is merely a middle-of-the-road gaming machine.

It combines the whole lot we count on from Alienware’s merchandise, together with highly effective parts and an attention-grabbing design – culminating in one of many best gaming PCs you should purchase at the moment. 

Value and availability

As is customary with Alienware gaming desktop PCs, the Aurora R6 is available in varied configurations. The bottom-price model comes with a Seventh-generation Intel Core i5-7400 processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM and an AMD Radeon RX 560 GPU, and prices $799.99 (£849).

In Australia, the bottom specced Aurora R6 is barely totally different, coming with an Intel Core i7-7700 processor, 8GB RAM and an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti for AU$1,799.

In the meantime, on the top quality is a mannequin with an Intel Core i7-7700Ok processor, 64GB of RAM and two GTX 1080 Ti graphics playing cards in SLI. This mannequin is US-only, and prices $three,799.99.

The highest-of-the-line Alienware Aurora R6 within the UK comes with 16GB of RAM and a GTX Titan X graphics card for £2,599. In Australia, the top-end Aurora R6 options just about the identical specs because the UK mannequin, however with a GTX 1080 graphics card, for AU$2,999. All of these costs embody supply.

The model we obtained in for testing sits across the upper-middle of the vary, and comes with an Intel Core i7-7700Ok CPU, 16GB RAM and GTX 1080 Ti. It’s obtainable on the US Dell Store for $2,249.99 (round £1,700, AU$2,800). That actual configuration isn’t obtainable within the UK or Australian Dell retailer, however now we have contacted Dell to seek out out actual costs.

Not solely is there a wide variety of configurations obtainable, you may also improve and alter parts on the web site before you purchase, which provides you an enormous quantity of flexibility for creating an Aurora R6 PC that completely fits your wants and funds.

Sadly, the Alienware Aurora R6 has been discontinued by Dell on the time of this writing. Nonetheless, you possibly can nonetheless discover it on-line. As an illustration, you possibly can decide it up on Amazon in the US for $1,366 (about £1,032, AU$1,846) with a Core i5-7400, GTX 1060 and 8GB of RAM. 

Design

Assume gaming desktop PCs – particularly ones made by Alienware – are big black monoliths that tower above you and dominate your desk? Assume once more – because the Aurora R6 is available in a specially-made mid-tower, which makes it fairly small as gaming desktops go, with a top of 472.52mm, depth of 360.5mm and width of 212mm.

The scale is stored down because of what Alienware describes as its ‘zero-fat design’, which cleverly packs the parts – together with twin GPUs and water cooling should you go for these configurations – right into a intelligent space- saving design that additionally ensures there’s loads of airflow to maintain the parts cool. That is achieved by vents and consumption followers on the entrance and proper of the case, with an exhaust fan pushing scorching air by means of vents located on the highest of the chassis.

It additionally comes with a tool-less design, which ought to in idea make putting in some parts, akin to graphics playing cards, simpler while you wish to improve. It’s a pleasant thought, and our fast peek into the insides of the Aurora R6 revealed a tightly-packed, but nonetheless accessible, vary of parts.

The within structure of the Alienware Aurora R6 is fairly distinctive, with the facility provide mounted to a steel arm that swings out of the case, supplying you with room so as to add parts. Different design concerns, akin to putting the exhausting drives on the backside of the case, are good concepts that helps the Aurora R6 keep its small measurement.

On the entrance of the case are 4 USB three.zero ports, with 4 extra on the rear, together with six USB 2.zero ports and a USB-C port, which provides you a beneficiant quantity of connectivity. You additionally get an Ethernet port, and a three.5mm jack and optical digital out for sound. The video outputs will differ relying on what graphics card comes with the mannequin of Alienware Aurora R6 you purchase.

Whereas the case is moderately restrained looks-wise in comparison with different gaming PCs it nonetheless options RGB LED lighting – a mainstay of gaming merchandise as of late, permitting you to decide on the colours and patterns of lights in and round your PC. 

Alienware’s AlienFX know-how powers the LEDs, and it may be custom-made to react to in-game occasions, in addition to exhibiting strong colours or patterns. On the entire it’s a pleasant setup that provides an additional ingredient of visible pizzazz with out wanting too garish, and the quantity of customization because of the AlienFX software program makes it simple to get the look you need.

Total we have been very impressed with the compact design of the Alienware Aurora R6, which manages to pack some very highly effective parts right into a small and enticing bundle, whereas preserving the whole lot working good and funky. It additionally offers you scope to improve and exchange parts sooner or later.

Keyboard and mouse

In contrast to many different gaming desktops, the Alienware Aurora R6 comes with a keyboard and mouse included, in order that’s two main parts you don’t want to fret about buying individually – you simply want a monitor. And if you have already got a mouse and keyboard that you just couldn’t sport with out… effectively, at the very least you may have some spares.

So far as mice and keyboards go, those included with the Aurora R6 do a strong job, though they’ll’t compete with mechanical keyboards and specially-designed gaming mice. Each are branded with the Alienware emblem, so they give the impression of being the half subsequent to the desktop.