Intel's new 12th Gen Alder Lake processors are finally here. They're based on the new Intel 7 technology node and have the latest hybrid architecture to offer a mix of both performance and efficiency x86 cores. These new processors will power the next generation of Intel builds, and a lot of announcements are on their way. In fact, Dell already has some prebuilt XPS desktop and Alienware Aurora gaming PCs ready for you. Yes, Dell has updated its XPS desktop and Alienware Aurora gaming PCs with Intel's new 12th Gen Alder Lake processors to become one of the first OEMs to dole out PCs based on the new chips.

Dell XPS Desktop

A silver Dell XPS dekstop sitting on a wooden desk next to a curved monitor

Dell has given a facelift to its XPS desktop and it's going back to its roots with a larger chassis. The company says the new chassis has improved airflow and liquid cooling options for longer sustained performance. Well, we don't mind the larger chassis for better cooling because the new XPS desktop lineup boasts some serious specs. You get three processor options to choose from - a 10 core Intel Core i5-12600K, a 12 core i7-12700K or the monstrous 16 core i9-12900K.

The new XPS desktops are built on the Z690 platform and use new DDR5 memory for better speeds. You can configure these PCs to have up to 128GB of memory and Dell says the new memory chips are up to 50% faster than the DDR4 chips used in last year's desktops. For graphics, the base model uses an Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU but you can splurge some serious money to get the fully decked out system with either an RTX 3090 or the Radeon RX 6900XT GPU. Storage starts at a 1TB SATA hard drive, but you can get hybrid storage with both SATA HDD and NVMe M.2 SSDs or just the M.2 drive alone.

Dell XPS desktop in silver and black colors

We like how Dell is giving plenty of customization options for the internals, allowing customers to tweak most of what's inside to their liking and budget. From mid-range to high-end Intel CPUs to high-performance GPUs, there's something for everyone. There are no AMD versions of this new machine, although that might change in the future. Also, depending on how powerful the internals are, Dell will include either a 460W bronze or a 750W platinum PSU to keep things ticking.

Other noteworthy features include Intel's Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1675 (2x2) 802.11ax WiFi, Killer E3100G Ethernet, and Bluetooth 5.2. You also get a ton of ports and additional expansion slots for upgrades. All the internals are packed in a 27.1L chassis with a big air intake and a realigned front I/O panel. The new PCs will be available in Night Sky or all-aluminum Platinum Silver variants.

Alienware Aurora gaming PCs

Alienware Aurora front and back angled views

Alienware announced new Aurora gaming PCs a few days back to mark its 25th anniversary, but the announcement focused exclusively on the new design, instead of specs. Now, the company has given us a detailed look at the specs sheet, which includes both the Intel-powered Aurora R13 and the AMD-powered Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 gaming PCs. You can configure the Aurora R13 with either an Intel Core i5-12600K, a Core i7-12700K or an i9-12900K. Alienware also gives you an option to choose the KF version of these CPUs, which are essentially the same as the standard ones minus the integrated GPUs.

Alienware is using a custom Z690-based motherboard for the Aurora R13. It has three PCIe slots and up to 128GB dual-channel DDR5 memory. You can either go with a standard NVMe M.2 SSD or spend more for the dual-drive non-RAID configurations for storage. When it comes to the graphics card, it supports up to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 or AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT GPUs. And depending on the graphics card you opt for, Alienware will include either a 460W or a 750W power supply. We're looking at the same set of networking features for these PCs that we saw on the Dell XPS desktop. But what's new here is the addition of a RGB lights, of course.

An alienware desktop PC with red colored RGB lights inside the chassis

Those leaning towards an AMD-powered build can go for the Aurora Ryzen Edition R14 desktop. These machines swap out the Intel Alder Lake chips for AMD's Ryzen 5000 chips. Notably, they also use DDR4 XMP RAM on a B550 motherboard.

Pricing and Availability

The new Dell XPS desktop starts at $920. The Alienware Aurora R13 and the Aurora Ryzen Edition R14, on the other hand, starts at $1,480 and $1,250 respectively. The final price of each PC will vary based on the configuration and you'll see it on the website during checkout. Both Alienware Aurora R13 and the Ryzen Edition R14 will be available starting today but the Dell XPS desktop arrives later this fall.