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TheRealMaRS

17 Posts

125860

July 1st, 2014 15:00

Aurora R4, motherboard upgrade? #2

Hi all! I have recently begun looking into upgrading my Aurora R4 ALX, nothing serious yet, but just to get an idea of what I can and can't do, or can and can't buy. 

My current specs are:

Video card - Nvidia GTX690

Processor - Intel Core i7-3820 @3.6 MHz

Motherboard - Alienware 07JNH0

Memory - 32GB

HDD - 1TB WD Blue

HDD - 2TB WD Black

SSD - 120 GB HyperX (Boot drive / OS)

OS - Windows 7 64bit Ultimate

Sound Card - Creative Sound Blaster Z PCIE

Recent 3DMark Fire Strike Score as of 6/11/14 - 9982

My hardware is still very good, I am aware of this, but I'm still just wanting to get an idea of what is possible and what isn't. So to start I would like to ask about motherboards. I know that most people don't need more than a $200 board, but I am very interested in learning to overclock and the possibilities that come with it. So I have started to look at some of the higher end board like the ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition board. Also I am interested in the Gigabyte Black Edition LGA 1150 Intel Z97 board and the EVGA Z97 Classified LGA1150. Now I understand that would also mean I would have to upgrade my processor as well. That I'm not to worried about, because I would also like to upgrade that as well. I am worried though if my ALX case is big enough or wide enough or if there is any kind of complications that would be on the horizon with my water cooling system. Or any complications that I'm not aware of. If you could list them or some things to check into that would be greatly appreciated. My second and final question that relates to the first is when is it time to upgrade to the Z97 Intel processors? Would it be worth upgrading to the i7 4700 class of Intel processors or just wait? 

Thanks in advance.

TheRealMaRS

17 Posts

July 3rd, 2014 11:00

Edit/Update

Since no one can answer my question about those specific motherboards how about I ask a more general question(s). 

1. How do we know which motherboards that can or can not fit inside the Alienware Aurora R4 ALX chassis? Or do most motherboards fit? 

2. Would the water cooling system that I already have fit with most motherboards on the market? If they don't how would I be able to tell?

3. Will upgrading to the new DDR4 processors be necessary this year or within the next 18 months? 

Tesla1856

8 Wizard

 • 

17K Posts

July 3rd, 2014 16:00

Edit/Update

 

 

Since no one can answer my question about those specific motherboards how about I ask a more general question(s). 

 

 

1. How do we know which motherboards that can or can not fit inside the Alienware Aurora R4 ALX chassis? Or do most motherboards fit? 

 

2. Would the water cooling system that I already have fit with most motherboards on the market? If they don't how would I be able to tell?

 

3. Will upgrading to the new DDR4 processors be necessary this year or within the next 18 months? 
 
1. Most mATX Form-Factor boards should fit. However, with after-market board ... MIO-Board might not work right. (search these forums). Without a working MIO-Board and Command-Center ... no lights, louvers, etc. control.
 
2. It should. If not, a similar after-market Asetek clone is only around $100.
 
3. No not really.
 
You might be happier with a custom build with full-sized ATX case. Search "Intel Roadmaps" to see what mainstream and enthusiast hardware platforms are coming (Intel CPU and matching chipsets/motherboards).

TheRealMaRS

17 Posts

July 4th, 2014 11:00

Thanks Tesla for the response. I assume that Alienware will produce future motherboards that owners of past systems can upgrade to in order to keep the same functions that make our Aurora's so great, like AlienFX, Command Center, etc.? If so, how do we go about purchasing one? One of the reasons, other than overclocking that has got me interested in after market motherboards is their aesthetic appeal. To be quite honest, the only complaint I have of R4 is that the mother board looks sort of bland. Also, I purchased mine back in April of 2013, before they added aesthetically pleasing memory DDR3 memory kits and of course that sick looking Alienware symbol on the water cooling system. I would like to purchase those for my rig. Again, I can't seem to find where or how to purchase those at all on the Alienware website or the "Parts & Accessories" on Dell.com's Home Shop page. Personally there needs to be a separate website or at the very least some where for us Alienware owners to go to find the latest offerings from Alienware in terms of parts and accessories.

Alienware-Naomi

1.8K Posts

July 7th, 2014 12:00

Hi TheRealMaRS,

You can send an email to alienhelp@dell.com (for US and Canada only) or contact Technical Support in your region to check these parts are available for sale. 

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