Customer Ratings & Reviews

It was time to upgrade from my old custom built PC. Taking the dive from the other processor manufacturer to Intel. It had gotten to the point I relied more on my laptop than the desktop that became the house server. Let me get this out of the way. IF you are looking for something to do spreadsheets and light surfing, or even major surfing...save this bad boy for someone who wants to use it appropriately. GAMING! This bad boy is a beast. Liquid cooled. NVIDIA GTX 1080. 16 GB Ram. Gigabyte networking. A/C Wireless. As a certain Star Trek officer would say. Oh MY! Every game I have thrown at it, with max graphics, has been smooth as butter. 200 FPS is overkill on Rocket League, it takes time to adjust to the frame rate, for anyone who plays, you know you get use to the frame rate and how it affects your play. Project Cars, you feel like you are in the car. Simply intoxicating. Gary's Mod, over 200 FPS. Too smooth for that sandbox. This is easily the best prebuilt PC on the market for the dollar in my mind. Dell/Alienware did not skimp on anything. Accessories are well above and beyond what I expected as a toss in in the box. For me, I was shocked to find a mouse and keyboard in the box. I used them long enougfh to test them, but the keyboard has nice travel and feel of a Dell multimedia keyboard. The mouse is a legit mouse, but almost feels like a rebranded shined up Dell mouse. Don't take the Dell keyboard and mouse reference to mean they are bad, just something I am use to from years in IT. Afterall, Alienware is now a Dell brand. A premium brand, definitely. Bloatware is there, but most of the Alien branded actually serves a purpose. The bloatgames are almost a joke. Disney Magic Kindoms and Bubble Witch preinstalled made me laugh. Those are great tests of the hardware. Now for the only drawback. Windows. Occasionally it gets stuck in sleep or "blue" screens on me. I thought BSOD was a thing of the past. I am still digging into the cause, I think another product (virus scanner) is causing the issue. I am still trouble shooting. But it is so rare that I can not complain much. It may be my USB switch also. Overall, this is a really nice gaming rig. Liquid cooling makes for a nice silent rig. Build quality is top rate. It is heavy, once again thanks to the cooling. If you are looking for a smooth quality gaming rig, hit buy now. Adding some specs that might interest you going in. Some System Information specs to throw at you. OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Home Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700 CPU @ 3.20GHz, 3192 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s) Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB Adapter Type GeForce GTX 1080, NVIDIA compatible Adapter RAM (1,048,576) bytes Adapter Type Intel(R) UHD Graphics Family, Intel Corporation compatible Adapter RAM 1.00 GB (1,073,741,824 bytes) Product Type Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter Product Type Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller

I used an Intel i5 gaming computer before with a GTX 1060. While I was mostly impressed with the performance of many games in their basic settings, I was never satisfied enough when I pushed them to higher settings. With this Alienware Aurora R7 and GTX 1080, I have not found any game that could not perform to my highest expectation, even at 60fps or higher. Oculus Rift performed incredibly well on it. As smooth as VR should be. I only noticed artifacts in one game and even so, I found out it was a software issue with the game itself. I felt totally immersed and could easily forget it was not the real world. Until now, my previous experience with VR was often disappointing because the constant hiccups that reminded me it was just a computer-generated world. Not anymore. If you edit video frequently, you know that power is never enough, but this beast can handle video editing much better than any computer I have ever used. That includes iMac’s although I must admit that I haven’t used one of those recently. I not only tested with gaming and video editing software, but also with 3DMark Sky Diver and Cinebench and both showed hard-to-beat scores. Personally, I had only two complaints. One is that it came with only 16 GB of RAM. I say ONLY because a powerful desktop such as this deserves at least 32 GB. The good news is that it can be easily upgraded. The other complaint which is also easily fixed is that it comes with a 2TB Hard Drive instead of an SSD drive. Yes, I agree that Intel Octane really speeds up the Hard Drives but it’s still not the same as an SSD. My solution was to order a 512 GB SDD drive and use the Hard Disk Drive as a secondary option. Unfortunately, Intel Octane only speeds up an HDD if it is used as the primary drive. Still, I doubt I will notice much of a difference after installing the SSD. As for upgrading, there is a lot of internal space for that. If you still think you need more graphics speed and have the cash to spend, you can add a second GTX 1080. And thank you Dell for all the USB 3 ports. You definitely need those many ports, especially with Oculus Rift which takes at least 3 of those right off that bat. It is also very silent. During extreme gaming I could hear the fans but it was not overly noisy. During normal use and with games that are easier on the CPU and graphics, I could barely hear anything. For my personal taste, it has an attractive design and I like the power button and side lights..

I was looking to get another gaming PC to hook up to my new 4K TV and I saw this PC at Best Buy. I always wanted to get a Alienware gaming PC and it happen to be the right PC for me. I bought this PC and I have had it for 2 months and I really love this computer. The specs on this computer is really good and I really love the case with the RGB lights. I did purchase a extra hard drive to put inside just to have extra storage. This PC is fast and some people have talked about how loud the fan is but I have not heard a thing since I've had it. It runs fast, quiet and plays anything I throw at with no problems. If you do get the chance to buy this PC get it !!!

I was very excited to pick up this computer. When I started trying to tweak it a little bit I realized it it doesn’t have the unlocked Intel core I7 And the memory also cannot be adjusted so basically this computer runs how it is out of the box without any way of overclocking it all also the graphics card cannot be tweaked as well. It’s also a generic graphics card no major brand makes it it’s not turbo charged it just runs at low clock speeds. The memory is very cheap and the mother board is very basic. Octaine memory is no we’re near as fast as an SSD. Bloatware is so bad in this PC. I am did up returning this in buying the IBUYPOWER Computer Best Buy sells it has a overclocked 1080 GTX an Intel 8700 K processor much better memory much better motherboard And it has a SSD. So glad I switched.

I finally did it. Decided to buy a PC as I love playing games (primarily on my Xbox One X or my PS4 Pro). I really like this PC. My only wish, I would have researched a bit more and probably would've bought this at Dell (not Best Buy) simply because I wish I would've upgraded to the RTX 2080 graphics card vs the GTX 1080 card. Supposedly the GTX 1080 is a work horse and so far, I'm able to enjoy most of my games in glorious 2160p at over 70-90 fps... but when I try ultra settings or even high settings on 4k games, it just doesn't go above 30-40 fps and that's unfortunate. This PC is great though and as a big time Mac user, I can't believe I am liking Windows 10. So far, so good. IF you're looking for a PC to game, I don't think you can go wrong (except get a better graphics card and a SSD hard drive, two things I wish I could have got at Best Buy with this rig).

I recently purchased this desktop to replace and upgrade my older HP. It has performed as one would expect with it's specs. It runs quiet and I have no over heating issues as of yet. I will suggest to anyone who purchases this to update the Killer Network program and driver. I was having issues with my internet connection being a bit slower and dropping connection. After researching a bit and reading on Killer Networks website I found that the software this desktop came with was not allowing me to update it. I had to uninstall the pre-shipped software and driver and then go to Killer's website and download the latest control center and driver. Overall I am satisfied with my purchase. I would have given it 5 stars if not for it shipping with such outdated software with one of it's selling features.

Summary: The people who shouldn't buy this computer are the same people who would never buy anything from Dell. Also, people who want an RTX 2080ti or higher in their rig at some point should NOT buy this machine (no PCI 3.0 x16 support, only 2.0 x 16) With that said, if you're already considering this machine then you should buy it. gtx1070 and lower for 1080p resolution, and gtx1080 or higher for 1440p resolution. Things you might hate: *Blower fan GPU -unless you want to run that gpu fan at 80% or higher (which is XboxOne X loud), blower fan gpu's will throttle in order to keep their temps below 83-84C. This will cause a sudden intermittent drop in performance, regularly. *M.2 slot is right beneath the GPU's hottest points, can cause m.2 storage to get hot and there is no room for installing m.2 heat sink. *no support for PCIe 3.0 bandwidth, just 2 PCIe 2.0 x16 slots. This isnt good if you plan to upgrade to future graphics cards past RTX models. RTX 2080TI has already showed signs of bottlenecks when used on 8x bandwith (2%-3% loss in performance). Cards that go past 2080TI performance simply should never be used in one of these Aurora R7 machines. *best buy says it comes with "7 SuperSpeed 10Gbs USB 3.1 ports" -NO. It It comes with 2 USB 3.1 ports @ 10Gbs (1 Type A and 1 Type C). It does however come with 7 3.0 5Gbs ports (6 type A, 1 Type C) *This board seems kind of behind the rest of the 270 and 370 boards, both oem and custom. Where is my USB 3.1.2 support (20Gbs)? Asking for thunderbolt 3 would be a reach since only 1 mid tower board that i know if is supporting it out of the box and it literally just came out with the 9th gen chips (asrock mini itx 370) but id have taken no 2.0 ports,half the 3.0 ports and no 3.1 ports for 1 thunderbolt 3 port. *not a good case for open fan style GPU's Things you'll love: *Relatively easy to upgrade *When it's on sale, it's the same cost as building your own. The case looks great. -micro atx board allows for low profile -perfect amount of RGB (less is more for me) *CPU liquid cooling is quiet and efficient. -my 8700 stays around 55C under load on games like COD B04 MAX and PUBG MAX, stays around 45C on CSGO MAX (no vsync) *Front IO is decent, 5Gbs USB C port was a nice touch for down the road. *Storage swap trays are really easy to use. p.s. while m.2 storage IS 3 to 5 times faster than SATA 6Gbs ssd's, my m.2 storage upgrade is my biggest buyers remorse when it comes to upgrades ive done on my Aurora. You're better off adding a SATA 6Gbs ssd and upgrading the optane stick to 32GB or 64GB if/when available. There is basically 0 gain in user experience when using M.2 for gaming. People who are doing CAD or Adobe projects with mega sized files (I.E 10GB or bigger files) will love m.2 If you do upgrade to an M.2 stick for storage, you will need to make sure your Storage controller is set to "AHCI" instead of RAID in the BIOS (F2 on start up) or your M.2 storage wont be mountable/visible.

couldn’t be happier with this purchase.. picked it up a few days go . Been playing Battlefield1 ,PUBG and Rainbow six segie on ultra settings .. fast and the graphics are amazing . If you’re looking for a solid gaming pc this is the one . I bought it for 1700 I think the price went up .. it might even get more expensive. I would pick one asap if you’re in the market for one ..

So I upgraded from a Alienware 17 due to lack of ports on my laptop and I already had all of the other components.. I was not keen on the optane but this stuff works. Its quick and is just like an SSD and the graphics and play are like buttery smooth. I would not second guess another purchase of this in the future.

I must say I was impressed with the boot time on my new pc.it also had the easy setup was very nice. The tower itself looks like a runway model. The LEDs are a nice accent. Upgrades will be easy. The side panel comes off with a quick press of a button. The graphics card, RAM, hard drive, and power supply can all be removed without using any tools. I am looking for VR headset to complete my rig. I am running it on a 32in curved monitor but thinking about a projector.

I bought this computer from a bestbuy near me a few days ago. After doing research and looking at the specs, I realized this seemed like a good gaming computer, as it also relieved me from the stress of building my own. The computer was booted up very fast and nicely. It didn’t take me long to figure everything out, and I was able to download the stuff I wanted with ease. The keyboard and mouse that come with it are meh. I recommend buying a keyboard and mouse specific to gaming. But they are passable for general use. When using the computer for small stuff, such as browsing the internet or checking mail, the computer isn’t silent. There’s noticeable noise of the fans at work. I tried to tone the fans down using the Alienware program but it doesn’t let you go any lower than what I had it at. The sound it makes isnt extremely loud, but it’s there and noticeable. A review I read said it was 35 decibels when idle. When I played a bit of overwatch on it, the computer ran the game very well. I had everything on ultra settings and I was getting 85 fps easily. Never had any lag. My internet connection was very fast. Everything loaded very fast. When gaming, the sound of the fans get even louder. It sounds like a loud heater? Again, not over the top, and probably not a deal breaker or nuisance to most people, but since I’m spending 1400+ dollars for a computer, I wanted it to be quieter. When downloading anything, the fans also get pretty loud for some reason. I have decided that I’m returning it to bestbuy for a refund, as I want a computer that’s quieter.

When you spend over $1,000 on a desktop, there is absolutely no reason for manufacturers to not include a SSD. No matter what optimization they say they did with the default SATA, it’s super slow. Fortunately I had a 500GB SSD to use as my boot drive and it made a world of difference. Just like any Alienware, the design is cool, can even change the light colors. It has two expansion bays for SSD. There are a ton of USB ports, even the new standards. I don’t game on this and I got it as a media server. I would have given this beast 5 stars had it came with a SSD. So, Dell and Alienware, stop skimping!

I loved every minute I spent on this. The was able to do my schoolwork without hiccup.

I bought the Alienware Aurora R7 to replace my 3 year old desktop. It's obviously a huge improvement as would any computer that's 3 years newer. When it comes to gaming, I usually play strategy (e.g. Civilization) so I don't need anything too powerful. Main reason I purchase this was because it was on sale via price-match. Overall, good computer and meets my needs.

This is my first gaming pc and I absolutely love it because it does so much with ease and runs everything I throw at it I would buy this over and over again if you are thinking about it just know this pc will blow you away especially if you are a beginner like me good luck with your pc search but if I was you no need to look any further

All I can say is how awesome, quick response and powerful it is! I've had many computers through the years and I will never purchase anything but Alienware! :) Worth every penny!

Was looking for a step up from my daily-driver PC...kept coming back to this Aurora R7 desktop. Sure, it's not cheap but the bang-for-the-buck calculation was convincing. It's a good config that includes water-cooling & a DVD drive. I'm absolutely thrilled with the performance. I was unsure of the Intel Optane 16GB "cache" for the drive having gone to SSDs in my other boxes but it runs well. There is an occasional lag when accessing the drive but it's minimal and I can definitely live with it. I've had BSOD issues and have re-imaged a few times, seriously considered returning the box due to this reliability issue but reading on-line guided me toward the Killer wireless drivers as the culprit. So, I don't use wireless. NO problems. I'll get a fix in place later. For now, I'm enjoying a fast, powerful capable box. If the config fits your needs, give this one a serious look.

Out the box was downloading and playing PUBG with in a hour. (averaging around 120 FPS)So setup is pretty easy and seamless. This PC is PERFECT for VR. It has 4 USB 3.0 ports in the back. Great for setting up a 3 sensor setup. Games look and run great in VR. This system will easily handle anything you throw at it game wise. So put to rest any concerns you have about it not being able to run games. Arma3 feels good on ultra. However i dont have a 4k monitor so i cant really say anything about that. But im pretty sure you wont have any problems.

If you are going to buy this computer as is, and never update the RAM, Power Supply, or add a second graphics card, this computer will work just fine, and you will be happy. The Intel Optane Memory is a joke, while you get great read speeds, try saving a file over 1GB (go ahead and cook a pizza, you will have time). The power supply is located in the middle of the unit, the air flow they claim doesn't happen because your case basically has everything jammed into the smallest space available. Good luck getting more RAM...you can only get RAM from Dell, and you have better chances of winning the lottery than you do of them having RAM for sale. Go ahead and try to buy some before you buy this, you won't even find an option for R7 RAM online, you have to call them and talk to about 20 people to get something done. If you want to add a second graphic card, well again you are hosed because first you need a larger power supply, so again you have to pull teeth and go through their sales department. And even though power supplies with nice cabling systems have been around for years, they still use the power supplies that have ALL the cables and more needed to run your machine, and they are stuffed into the center of the case.

The Good - This R7 desktop was a great purchase for my son and he absolutely loves it. It actually plays FN on Twitch at over 300FPS! What kid would not love that!? Now the bad - AW keeps revising their software and it will kill your lighting, AlienFX graphics etc. Read their DELL Community forums first and track their progress from users on FB. I switched from Crapple to AW when I just purchased the 17R5 laptop, hoping I would have solved many issues with editing...but honestly, I wish I would have stayed with Crapple now. Arg.