Alienware Aurora R9

Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility

- ALAN DEXTER

WHEN WE FIRST SAW the new Aurora R9, we couldn’t help but be impressed by its styling; but without any sense of scale from those first shots, we envisioned that it was much smaller than it actually is. Knowing it uses a microATX motherboard didn’t help. Essentially, this is a much bigger chassis than you might think. And had it been closer to the likes of the Corsair One in terms of size, we’d be much more eager to reach for our credit cards. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves— there’s still a lot to admire here.

The design is clean and bold, sitting somewhere between an air conditioning unit and a modern console. The light and dark color scheme works well, with the accented lighting loop on the fascia making for a striking-looking PC. The left-hand side panel and top have hexagonal vents cut out to aid airflow, but the Aurora R9 bucks the trend of having glass panels to show off the innards. A brave move, but one that works. This is an understated system. Quite the departure for Alienware. So, it’s a shame the back of the machine is an ugly industrial panel—although, to be fair, you’ll rarely be peering at that once you’ve set it up.