I’m now not simply a $three,000 computer type of guy. But while Alienware offered to permit me to overview the new Aurora R8 with an Intel 9th gen processor and Nvidia RTX 2080 pics, I speedy have become one.
Normally I’d advise saving your self a grand via constructing your personal machine – however that’s now not for all of us. In truth, as someone with a -year-antique infant at home, the chances of me constructing a new gaming PC each time soon are slender to none. But it’s tax season within the US, and that means a number of us have a bit of greater cake to spend.
If you’re a severe gamer geek searching out an upgrade, however, you’re not interested in constructing out a new device, keep analyzing.
The Aurora R8 – within the configuration I tested – is a monster. It’s a great revel in for individuals who don’t do loading monitors. It’s so powerful that I observed myself oddly frustrated by using my incapability to crush it. Every time I overview a machine, I want to see how a good deal it takes to lavatory it down.
After chewing via each recreation I owned at the very best settings (GTA V, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Battlefield V, and many others.) and commencing half a dozen apps straight away (consisting of Chrome with approximately 20 tabs open), I needed to throw in the towel. I felt like Ivan Drago in “Rocky IV” whilst he realizes that Balboa is more difficult than a “piece of metal.” You win Aurora R8. I can’t locate your breaking point.
But, I understand mine is placed at once in my pockets. As mentioned above, the review unit I examined cost $3,064.99 — (Edit: In the time considering our overview unit turned into despatched out this configuration has dropped to $2,774.Ninety nine) at Dell’s website. You can get one starting at $895, but you’re no longer getting the same machine.
Specifications:
CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 512GB SSD, 2TB tough power
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
Weight: 14.Five kg (32 Lbs)
Dimensions: 18.6 x 14.1 x 8.3 inches
Before we move any deeper into the nuts-and-bolts of the R8, let’s take a second to speak about Alienware’s approach to aesthetic design: it’s weird. That’s a great component although, due to the fact Alienware’s constantly bucked the fame-quo. I don’t hate the manner this oddly fashioned mid-length tower seems (primarily because it’s jaw-droppingly powerful for this kind of small footprint). Thanks to its diminutive MicroATX motherboard, the R8 is Alienware’s smallest computer helping dual GPUs.
But clever LED lights doesn’t make up for the reality that this is any other black/grey piece of gear sucking the ambient mild out of my workplace. I know my dream of getting all of my devices in electric powered-green is a ways-fetched, but are we able to at the least get mild-gray?
Enough about the seems. Let’s talk about who this pace-demon is for. You can do loads on this tower – the combination of processor, RAM, and snapshots make it best for layout or other expert functions. But allow’s be sincere: this is a device for gaming. And it’s there the R8 shines notably different structures I’ve used.
The Alienware Aurora R8 is a quite suitable answer for pretty much any gamer, but it may not be the quality solution for each gamer inside the configuration I reviewed. The critical query is: do you propose on gaming in 4K? There are loads more that go into it (does the RTX series of pictures cards truly assist in terms of video games that aren’t optimized to take gain of its real-time ray-tracing capabilities?), but mine enjoy with it tells me that in case you’re no longer the use of it for 4K, it’s in all likelihood greater low-budget to get one with a GTX 1080 internal for some quid less.
To that end, after gambling GTA V with the settings maxed out and getting greater than 30FPS in glorious 4K (about ninety five-ish in 1080), I can say I’m absolutely hooked. I’m a $3,000 laptop sort of guy now, due to the fact I’ve tasted the champagne up here in pleasant.
The white glove treatment extends to the case. The R8 has a nice variety of ports that need to paintings for all but the maximum USB-needy setups out there. The ahead facing USB and USB-C ports have been good enough for VR use (handiest the HDMI cable needed to go within the returned) and best for my everyday desires.
The diverse configurations available run the gamut from structures for gaming novices, to the beast of a system that I examined. But one critical attention, no matter how tons you spend, is that the R8 is one in all Alienware‘s maximum upgradeable desktops. There’s room for growth.
There are – as constantly – a few things I didn’t like approximately this laptop. For starters, while the fanatics all kick in on the identical time it appears like a helicopter is descending to your area. If loudness is a consideration for you: keep in mind this one of the loudest.
Also, the little stand that clips into the lowest of the tower at its rear is made from shoddy, fragile plastic. It buckled once I attempted to slide the PC, so now I’ve got to boost it entirely off my table to readjust its position. This isn’t a minor quibble: the tower housing a $three,000 computer shouldn’t have reasonably-priced ft.
Those troubles aside, it’s easy to advise this R8 construct with Intel ninth gen processor and RTX 2080 snapshots. You don’t ought to fiddle together with your snapshots settings to squeeze overall performance out of it – just set it to the max and move to play your games the manner they had been intended to be performed. You’ll probably come upon some games that’ll deliver this laptop a few relative problems, however, they’ll be few and a long way along.