

This will double your memory bandwidth, and it's a bit off that it's otherwise sold with the weaker solitary stick.

In the customization options, you can choose to change that single stick of 16GB RAM to a pair of 8GB DDR modules, running at the same speed and total capacity, for free. The memory issue is something you must be aware of when buying Alienware products. Our favorite setup, boasting the Core i5 11600KF and RTX 3060 Ti GPU, only comes with a 256GB SSD, and is sold with a single 16GB RAM stick of DDR4 by default. While the actual configs Alienware offers are great starting points, as with the Ryzen Edition, it's absolutely worth digging around in the customization options when it comes to picking the right rig for you.
2018 BEST GAMING PC CASE 1080P
That gives you a range of Alienware gaming machines from reasonably affordable 1080p gaming right up to blistering 4K workload-smashing performance, and the Alienware AIO cooling system will help keep the cozy interior of the case at a reasonable temperature, too. Alienware also offers eight discrete configurations on its site, from low-end gaming rigs sporting the GTX 1650 Super and Core i5 11400F, all the way up to RTX 3090 gaming monsters. Like the Aurora R10 Ryzen Edition, Alienware offers the choice of both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, but you have to dig into the customization options if you want to pick from either the Radeon RX 6800 XT or RX 6900 XT cards. The latest Aurora R12 uses the same compact design as its R9 and R10 forebears and gives the current Intel 11th Gen processors and Nvidia RTX 30-series GPUs a home in Alienware's classic chassis. While the extra-terrestrial styling may not appeal to everyone, the performance of Alienware's Aurora R12 gaming PCs remains undeniable. They're awkward to dig into if you want to start upgrading yourself, and you will soon see why they don't offer tempered glass side panels yet once you look inside.īut as a starter machine, the Alienware Aurora R10 will not do you wrong. And given the general component drought right now, that you can bag an all-AMD Alienware machine with just a few months lead time is pretty great.
2018 BEST GAMING PC CASE UPGRADE
The Aurora cases are not necessarily the easiest to upgrade due to their bespoke design.
2018 BEST GAMING PC CASE WINDOWS
Something with a 256GB SSD in 2022 is not going to get you much change out of having Windows 11 and Forza Horizon 5 installed at the same time.Īlienware is offering both the dark and light chassis options for the current lineup, and however you feel about the design, it does certainly make for a striking machine. That's expensive, however, and there aren't options to, say, either have one 8GB stick or two 4GB sticks. You should definitely take a look at the configuration options, because the lowest spec option only comes with a single stick of DDR4 memory, which will halve the available bandwidth compared to running a pair of them, even at the same capacity. The selection starts with the GTX 1660 Super and a 6-core RX 5600X, going all the way up to the mighty GeForce RTX 3090 (opens in new tab) and the monstrous 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 9 5950X (opens in new tab). There are currently 11 different configurations on offer, though you can dig in and customize before you buy if you would prefer a different CPU or GPU or more SSD capacity. Best gaming PCsĪnd where old AMD chips couldn't keep pace with Intel when it comes to gaming, the current Ryzen range absolutely can, especially when paired with one of the latest AMD or Nvidia graphics cards. There's something for everyone on this list, from budget to high-end. That's why we tested systems that give you the best framerate-per dollar value at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Your future gaming PC has got to have the best graphics cards (opens in new tab) and best CPU for gaming (opens in new tab) that fits under your budget. Imagine playing Elden Ring (opens in new tab) on a brand new gaming PC with a GeForce RTX 3080 by the end of the workweek. If you can't wait, places like iBuyPower offer same-day shipping on its stock of RDY prebuilt systems (opens in new tab). When ordering a prebuilt PC, keep an eye on lead times some retailers have customers wait at least three to four weeks before shipping out customized PCs. These system builders also offer pretty generous warranties that cover parts and labor if anything goes wrong with your rig. So even if you are on the hunt for an RTX 3080 (opens in new tab), you might be better off buying a prebuilt and stripping it for spare parts. While it can be the more expensive route, system builders like Alienware, Lenovo, HP, and Origin have better odds of securing hard-to-find GPUs and CPUs than the average consumer during these lean times.
