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N3RD_01 35.8K Views
Dec 3, 2025 4:24 PM

Dell EDU: Alienware Aurora Desktop: Ultra 7 265F, RTX 5080, 16GB DDR5, 1TB SSD

$1,575

$2,480

36% off
+ Free Shippingat Dell Technologies
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Deal Details
Dell has for EDU Accounts: Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop (ACT1250), as configured below, on sale for $1574.99 (discount appears at checkout). Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member N3RD_01 for sharing this deal.

Note: You must create/sign in with a verified EDU account; active Military, First Responders, and Healthcare accounts may also qualify for this discount.

Specs:
  • Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (20-Core, 66MB Total Cache, 1.8GHz to 5.3GHz) Processor
  • 16GB Dual Channel DDR5 Memory (2x 8GB - Green) 5200 MT/s
  • 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Solid State Drive (SSD)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Graphics
  • 1000W Platinum Rated PSU, Clear Door & 240mm Liquid Cooler
  • Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) 802.11ax Wireless LAN and Bluetooth
  • Dell Wired Keyboard (KB216, Black) + Dell Wired Mouse (MS116, Black)
  • Windows 11 Home
  • Inputs:
    • Front:
      • 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports
      • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) port with PowerShare technology
      • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port with PowerShare technology
    • Rear:
      • 1x USB4 (20 Gbps) Type-C port with Power Delivery
      • 2x 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports
      • 2x USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) ports with SmartPower
      • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port
      • RJ45 Ethernet port

Editor's Notes

Written by Nate650 | Staff

Original Post

Written by N3RD_01
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Dell has for EDU Accounts: Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop (ACT1250), as configured below, on sale for $1574.99 (discount appears at checkout). Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member N3RD_01 for sharing this deal.

Note: You must create/sign in with a verified EDU account; active Military, First Responders, and Healthcare accounts may also qualify for this discount.

Specs:
  • Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (20-Core, 66MB Total Cache, 1.8GHz to 5.3GHz) Processor
  • 16GB Dual Channel DDR5 Memory (2x 8GB - Green) 5200 MT/s
  • 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Solid State Drive (SSD)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Graphics
  • 1000W Platinum Rated PSU, Clear Door & 240mm Liquid Cooler
  • Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) 802.11ax Wireless LAN and Bluetooth
  • Dell Wired Keyboard (KB216, Black) + Dell Wired Mouse (MS116, Black)
  • Windows 11 Home
  • Inputs:
    • Front:
      • 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports
      • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) port with PowerShare technology
      • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port with PowerShare technology
    • Rear:
      • 1x USB4 (20 Gbps) Type-C port with Power Delivery
      • 2x 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports
      • 2x USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) ports with SmartPower
      • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port
      • RJ45 Ethernet port

Editor's Notes

Written by Nate650 | Staff

Original Post

Written by N3RD_01

Community Voting

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Top Comments

rsplatpc
84Comments
26Reputation
$50 more to upgrade to 32gb
Go to Comment

Community Reviews

The Alienware Aurora stands out as a compact RTX 5080 gaming desktop with an Ultra 7 265F, fast DDR5, and SSD options that can make the price feel strong for the hardware. The best value points are the 5080 configuration, the 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD upgrades, and occasional stackable savings from AmEx, PayPal Pay in 4 cashback, ID.me, or employer discounts. The main concerns are Alienware's proprietary motherboard, power supply, and case, which can make future upgrades or repairs harder. Pricing also moved around during the thread, with some checkout totals landing much higher than the headline deal. A strong spec sheet, but the upgrade path and final cart price matter.

Common Questions (4)

  • The Aurora ACT1250 has 2 RAM slots, and the base 16GB configuration is 2x8GB. Upgrading later means replacing both modules, so moving to 32GB or 64GB requires buying a matched pair.

    rsplatpcflatlightWudafucshackrock

  • A 5080 build with 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD is described as a strong value, with one configured total around $1,809.64 shipped with tax and another around $1,480 before tax after upgrades. The main caution is Alienware's proprietary motherboard, PSU, and case, which can make future repairs and upgrades more expensive.

    rsplatpcgotaudiSumDuudOmegadeal2000

  • For gaming and general use, the RTX 5080 is the stronger pick, while 64GB RAM is mainly useful for heavy 4K video editing or 3D modeling. Because the Aurora has only 2 RAM slots, upgrading later means replacing both sticks, so RAM capacity matters if you expect to need more soon.

    WudafucrsplatpcDJRobNMflatlight

  • The price can reportedly be reduced further with an AmEx Spend $500, Get $100 credit offer and PayPal Pay in 4 cashback. PayPal's limited-time 20% cashback offer is capped at $250 and is found in the PayPal app's Rewards section.

    OG_KangsterOG_Kangsterfawzi

AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago

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71 Comments

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Dec 5, 2025 1:18 AM
1.4K Comments
Joined Jan 2014
sabryDec 5, 2025 1:18 AM
1.4K Comments
Had similar specs (added 64GB ram and 4TB NVME later) since April, one of the best PCs I've ever owned
Dec 5, 2025 1:44 AM
428 Comments
Joined Jul 2014
SkewbaDec 5, 2025 1:44 AM
428 Comments
Quote from PogChampmonkaS View quoted comment :
Is this 265f any good? Is it worth upgrading cpu?
It's really not great, I cancelled my order the other day after a thorough review. It would have cost me just over $1k after cash back, but that CPU is abysmal compared to AM5 platform and better Intel options.
5
Dec 5, 2025 2:07 AM
4 Comments
Joined Dec 2025
ShrewdRaccoon8646Dec 5, 2025 2:07 AM
4 Comments
Quote from Skewba View quoted comment :
It's really not great, I cancelled my order the other day after a thorough review. It would have cost me just over $1k after cash back, but that CPU is abysmal compared to AM5 platform and better Intel options.
I don't think you actually know what abysmal means.
1
Dec 5, 2025 2:18 AM
714 Comments
Joined Aug 2009
imnobodyDec 5, 2025 2:18 AM
714 Comments
Quote from Skewba View quoted comment :
It's really not great, I cancelled my order the other day after a thorough review. It would have cost me just over $1k after cash back, but that CPU is abysmal compared to AM5 platform and better Intel options.
Intel is heavily discounting their chips for everyone especially OEMs/system integrators for quite a while now as they lost the consumer gaming market due to their inferior chips. Expect them to be cheap until 2027 or later when they're expected to finally put out a competitive gaming chip.
Dec 5, 2025 2:42 AM
4.3K Comments
Joined Feb 2010
SumDuudDec 5, 2025 2:42 AM
4.3K Comments
Quote from OG_Kangster View quoted comment :
PayPal has limited time offer for 20% cashback up to $250 if you use their BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later). I believe I found it under the "Rewards" section within the PayPal app. You would think it was under "Offers" but it wasn't.
I think that'd be enough to get me to bite but I can't find it anywhere, so I guess pass.
Dec 5, 2025 2:45 AM
4.3K Comments
Joined Feb 2010
SumDuudDec 5, 2025 2:45 AM
4.3K Comments
Quote from Skewba View quoted comment :
but that CPU is abysmal compared to AM5 platform and better Intel options.
based on what? Everything I've read about says that it is fine and barely falls behind for strictly gaming comparison to the 7800x3d. "Abysmal" is a crazy statement to make without anything to back it up
1
Dec 5, 2025 2:46 AM
1.4K Comments
Joined Sep 2005
superbaldeDec 5, 2025 2:46 AM
1.4K Comments
Heh, I have no clue why I'm debating getting this when I just finished building a R7-9700 w/ 5070ti after all the black friday madness.
1

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Pro
Dec 5, 2025 3:09 AM
8.5K Comments
Joined Nov 2017
Slick_Drone
Pro
Dec 5, 2025 3:09 AM
8.5K Comments
Quote from fawzi View quoted comment :
yes, created one for each family member and i check which offer is on which card
So it's three separate accounts or three authorized users on one account?
Dec 5, 2025 5:34 AM
1.3K Comments
Joined Nov 2012
skywaytpDec 5, 2025 5:34 AM
1.3K Comments
I plan to purchase this PC for my Dad, just to surf net and check his email.
How much do you think I can get if I have the card removed and sold on ebay?
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5080 16GB GDDR7
1
Pro
Dec 5, 2025 5:55 AM
2.2K Comments
Joined Aug 2014
fawzi
Pro
Dec 5, 2025 5:55 AM
2.2K Comments
Quote from Slick_Drone View quoted comment :
So it's three separate accounts or three authorized users on one account?
3 authorized. Each one will need to create a separate account. Your main account can see all transactions. Also each authorized card have its own cc number
Dec 5, 2025 7:09 AM
496 Comments
Joined Oct 2006
sandersannDec 5, 2025 7:09 AM
496 Comments
Is there a 12-24 hour delay from the time your eligibility is verified until you can see the discount reflected at checkout?
Dec 5, 2025 7:17 AM
284 Comments
Joined Nov 2012
gotaudiDec 5, 2025 7:17 AM
284 Comments
$1800 shipped with a 5080, 32gb of ram and a 2tb m.2 is a phenomenal deal but I can't get myself to do it with proprietary motherboards and power supplie and case.
1
Dec 5, 2025 9:35 AM
635 Comments
Joined Mar 2006
MerconiumDec 5, 2025 9:35 AM
635 Comments
Quote from fawzi View quoted comment :
3 authorized. Each one will need to create a separate account. Your main account can see all transactions. Also each authorized card have its own cc number
You only have one offer on that account, then, FYI, not three.
Dec 5, 2025 3:04 PM
4.3K Comments
Joined Feb 2010
SumDuudDec 5, 2025 3:04 PM
4.3K Comments
Quote from gotaudi View quoted comment :
I can't get myself to do it with proprietary motherboards and power supplie and case.
This really is the biggest issue. I thought the Alienware pcs used ATX variants but confirmed with sales that it is proprietary. I have a Lenovo work station that had a PSU go bad and fry the mobo; replacement parts for those were more than I paid for the machine. I stripped the CPU and RAM and picked up new stuff from newegg to be able to use it for less than Lenovo wanted for the mobo. F the proprietary stuff
2
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Pro
Dec 5, 2025 4:08 PM
2.2K Comments
Joined Aug 2014
fawzi
Pro
Dec 5, 2025 4:08 PM
2.2K Comments
Quote from Merconium View quoted comment :
You only have one offer on that account, then, FYI, not three.
not true. out of the 4 accounts i have 3. not my first time doing this. offer are tied to each account not to the original user.

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