Aurora R4, upgrades, compatibility issues?

Well first, I would definitely upgrade your bootable C-Drive to a 2.5inch SATA-3/600 SSD. Since the Aurora-R4 is UEFI, you might even be able to install a NVMe-SSD onto a PCIe-Addin card (and it will actually boot and be even-faster).

Memory at 8gb (or 16gb) is fine.

I put a MSI Gaming-X Nvidia GTX-1070 into my Aurora-R1 and I was able to play Fallout-4 (and eventually 
Fallout-76 and many others) at 1200p with high-effects. Mine has the 875w power-supply.

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General-Read-Only/Recommended-NVIDIA-graphics-cards-for-Alienware-Aurora-R1-2009/td-p/5590861

I have an Aurora-R6 now, but the Aurora-R1 is our living-room now. Its now our HTPC for Kodi (movie and music) and gaming on projector (Steam Big-Picture-Mode with PS4-Controller) ... Forza-4, NFS-HP-Remastered, and the others. Audio also via HDMI to Onkyo amp.

Re: Upgraded specs (depending on compatibility and capacity limits): GeForce RTX 2060, i7-4790, 16 GB, Windows 10, additional TB of storage for 2 TB total

RTX2060 has been validated by 31 users in Aurora R4.  This includes one using same cpu as you i7-3820.  Note all the X79 cpu are old and would bottleneck 2060 significantly.  An older gpu such as GTX 1080 will match the X79 cpu better

vs

vs a perfect match 

R4 is a unique model in Aurora series because it uses HEDT X79 chipset that Dell normally reserved for Area 51.  X79 and LGA2011 socket means R4 can only use X series cpu c/w that socket shown below.  i7-4790 is a mainstream consumer line cpu for lga1150 socket and is thus incompatible w R4 motherboard.  If you want to use i7-4790 you would need to get a microATX Intel 80 or 90 series chipset LGA1150 motherboard to support it, such as XPS 8700 (chipset Z87). 

For gaming upgrade, a faster gpu is the crux.  SSD will help you load Windows 10 and load games faster but does not help improve gaming fps, which is predominantly determined by gpu.

list of user validated cpu in R4

list of user validated gpu in R4

I haven't ruled out getting a new PC yet, it's still an option. I need to do more research yet. There are some pretty good sales out there right now on new ones. 

In all honestly, rather than trying to upgrade I would just get a new one.

By the time you factor in all the pricing for the upgrade components, the issue of making it all work properly, and the chances of pooching something like your motherboard in the process of the upgrade, I would look for holiday deals on a complete new machine.

Thank you so much for the in-depth response! Will most likely go for the i7-4960X / GeForce GTX 1080 combo then. 

Thank you, honestly I will need to google most of those acronyms but this gives me a good starting point.

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@Autobot770 wrote:

 

Current specs: GeForce GTX 760, i7-3820, 8GB RAM, Windows 7, 1TB storage

Upgraded specs (depending on compatibility and capacity limits): GeForce RTX 2060, i7-4790, 16 GB, Windows 10, additional TB of storage for 2 TB total

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Intel i7-3820 is fine (because it's already an i7). Clean the Liquid-Cooler radiator, fans, (and whole insides) but be very careful with it (I would not mess with a re-paste).

You can upgrade to Windows-10 64-bit (likely for free, still) but no further. Not only because Windows-11 needs TPM and a newer processor, but because your last AW-CC is only validated to run on Windows-10.

Personally, I would just do ram (if you feel you must), SSDs and video-card. Any more than that and you should really consider a new computer. 

I've done some thinking on this, and I'm going to hold off on upgrading the processor for now, and focus on upgrading the OS, graphics card, RAM, and storage capacity (can always do the processor later if I feel I need the extra boost). I have more questions:

1) What should I upgrade first, the OS or the hardware?

2) How do I determine what RAM I currently have, so I know what to buy to go from 8GB to 16? (or possibly 24GB, I am considering this now.) System specs say I have either DDR3-1333 PC3-10600, DDR3-1600 PC3-12800, or DDR3-1866 PC3-14900. Also, I read on a different post that you can't just add another 8GB to get to 16GB, you have to discard the old RAM and put in all new RAM, but I don't know if that's true for my PC? Seems to me as long as you install the same type, you shouldn't have to discard the old RAM?

3) How do I upgrade the storage from 1TB to 2TB? Do I just get a second hard drive that matches the first? I am clueless in this area, never upgraded storage capacity before.

1) hardware first. agree it is good idea to upgrade gpu and ram first.

Re: How do I determine what RAM I currently have, so I know what to buy to go from 8GB to 16? (or possibly 24GB, I am considering this now.)

use bios or cpuz to tell you how many memory sticks are installed and the speed, use service tag on Dell support website to view factory spec, or look at the pc yourself.  If you have two sticks, total memory is 8, you have 2x4. Chances are Dell factory installed identical ram in R4 if you have two or four sticks.

Dell oem memory for R4 complete list

2) X79 uses quad channel memory for best bandwidth. It is recommended you upgrade memory to meet quad channel.  Note you cannot do quad channel w 24GB. It has to be 8,16,32.  

Refer to R4 manual: The recommended memory configurations are: matched memory modules installed in DIMM connectors 1 and 2 and another matched memory modules installed in DIMM connectors 3 and 4.

3) add a second 1tb hdd. R4 can support up to 4 hdd.

I just repaired my 80lb paper weight. Burnt out the sli 680s and a 500GB SSD that was in raid0. Formated the other ssd. Threw in a 1080ti w/ sata power adapter and loaded win10 64bit.

This article says gtx1650 super optimal gpu but the 2070 super or 2080 is compatible as well:

https://www.hardware-corner.net/desktop-models/Alienware-Aurora-R4/