Alienware Unveils New Aurora Desktop to Celebrate 25th Anniversary

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Image: Alienware

Alienware is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a new Aurora desktop. As part of the anniversary, Alienware will be hosting a commemorative event later today on its Twitch channel. Alienware introduced the liquid-cooled Aurora ALX R1 in 2004 and has made many revisions to it since, leading up to the R12 in 2021.

Image: Alienware

Detailed specifications for the new Aurora have not been revealed, but the desktop emphasizes improved airflow, decreased noise, and a smaller footprint. The internal chassis has been decreased by half and a removable right panel allows greater access to cable management. There’s an optional clear side panel and removable rear dust cover. Cooling options include up to 4x 120mm cooling fans, and liquid cooling is an option as well. It will be available in Black (Dark side of the moon) or White (Lunar Light). More details on the new Aurora will be released later this fall.

CHAPTER 1: Where Form Follows Function

In 2021, you’ve seen us make some radical upgrades to our Alienware family. From unveiling the world’s first gaming laptop designed in collaboration with CHERRY MX to debuting the brand-new X-Series family — our thinnest 15″ and 17″ laptops to date. While our laptop portfolio has received a massive overhaul, you may have begun to wonder what lies ahead for our beloved Alienware Aurora desktop. Let your mind at ease because we have an answer.

While the above graphics likely tipped you off to some easily noticeable exterior advancements, we’re going to walk you down the designer’s journey which began as a redesign from the inside-out. But why did they start here? Simply stated, the genesis of Alienware desktops is our customer feedback. The new Alienware Aurora debuts an open-air design that reorganizes its inner components to promote better accessibility, greater airflow, improved acoustics, and cleaner cable management–enriching the gaming experience in every possible way.

This new open-air design increases internal chassis volume by a whopping 50% without significantly expanding the overall footprint of the chassis1. The result is more efficient total airflow and reduced acoustic profile that provides gamers with a more enjoyable daily experience. All while providing a 5% increase in graphics performance2.

CHAPTER 2: Thoughtful Thermals and Awesome Acoustics

Let’s dial-in on airflow for a second, because freeing up all this space is a gamechanger, but it doesn’t directly equate to better airflow. That’s where a robust new thermal design comes into picture. Now supporting up to four 120mm fans and liquid cooling options, the new Aurora takes full advantage of the open-air design to keep your rig performing cooler through the most-intense gaming sessions.

The Aurora answers the call for higher airflow efficiency by intaking cool air through the honeycomb-shaped airways on the front of the desktop moving it across the motherboard and performance components before evacuating it out the backside of the chassis.

By now you’ve heard us mention improvements to acoustics a few times, but that seems a bit hard to believe after hearing the big improvements we’ve made to our thermal architecture. So, what gives? Well it’s made possible partly by our increased chassis volume and partly by an idea that might seem counter-intuitive: more fans working efficiently can help a desktop stay not just cooler, but quieter. Gen-over-gen, the new Aurora is up to 16% quieter at idle, up to 9% quieter during CPU intensive tasks, and up to 15% quieter during overclocking3. The end result for gamers means that during quiet character conversations and other mellow scenarios, you’ll stay focused on what’s happening on the screen, undeterred by the muted symphony operating inside the chassis.

CHAPTER 3: Where the Soul meets Body

Panning outwards toward the exterior of the chassis, our inside-out design journey finds its way to the grand finale. Expressive curves and an iconic sculpted shape reveal a 360 design that makes the new Aurora look fantastic from all angles on both Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon color options.

For the first time, Alienware is offering an optional transparent left-side panel that provides a window for gamers to gaze inside and admire a dark new motherboard illuminated by up to eight unique zones of AlienFX customizable lighting. Also new is an optional, magnetic, cable cover that neatly stows cables and conceals ports on the rear side. (Fun fact: we designed this with esports in mind, as athletes’ systems are often viewed from the back during broadcasts.)

All the way around, the powerful machine was carefully crafted so it looks just as good from the rear as it does from the front. And finally, our new chassis also allows the opposite right-side door to be removed with cable management features intended to mechanically and thermally isolate the wires from areas where airflow is crucial. All of which combine to make this our most accessible desktop to date with tool-less entry from each angle.

CHAPTER 4: Join Alienware and Special Guests Live on Twitch

Celebrate with us today at 2pm CT/3pm ET on Twitch.tv/Alienware as we commemorate the last 25 years! Join our Alienware Hive, PUBG Influencers, and our community in team based PUBG play, watch Trisha Hershberger, AlienwareHive member and host, join me in unveiling our new Aurora, and dance the day away with a 25 year Alienware musical tribute with Morgan Page, Grammy nominated producer and EDM artist. Don’t miss it!

Source: Dell (via PR Newswire)

Peter Brosdahl
As a child of the 70’s I was part of the many who became enthralled by the video arcade invasion of the 1980’s. Saving money from various odd jobs I purchased my first computer from a friend of my dad, a used Atari 400, around 1982. Eventually it would end up being a lifelong passion of upgrading and modifying equipment that, of course, led into a career in IT support.

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