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Frankthetank760 39.9K Views
May 7, 2026 4:38 AM

Micro Center: Alienware Aurora Gaming PC: Ultra 9 285K, RTX 5080, 32GB, 2TB

$2,400

$4,900

51% off
+ Free Pickupat Micro Center
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Deal Details
Select Micro Center Stores have Dell Alienware Aurora ACT1250 Gaming Desktop (DACT1250-9338BL) as configured below on sale for $2399.99. Select free store pickup where stock permits.

Thanks to Community Member Frankthetank760 for sharing this deal.

Specs:
  • Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (24-Core, 76MB Total Cache, 3.7GHz to 5.7GHz) Processor
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Graphics
  • 2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Solid State Drive (SSD)
  • 32 GB Dual Channel DDR5 (2 x 16 GB) 5200 MT/s Memory
  • 1000W Platinum Rated PSU, 240m Liquid-Cooled CPU & Clear Side Panel
  • Killer E3100G Network
  • 2x2 Intel Wi-Fi 7 802.11be + Bluetooth 5.4
  • Microsoft Windows 11 Home
  • Ports:
    • Front:
      • 1x USB 3.2 (Gen 2 Type-C)
      • 3x USB 3.2 (Gen 1 Type-A)
      • 1x Headphone/Microphone Combo
    • Back:
      • 2x USB 2.0 (Type-A)
      • 2x USB 3.2 (Gen 1 Type-A)
      • 1x USB 3.2 (Gen 2 Type-C)
      • 1x USB 4.0 (Gen 3 Type-C)
      • 1x HDMI
      • 3x DisplayPort
      • 1x LAN RJ-45
      • 2x Audio
      • 1x Digital Audio

Editor's Notes

Written by Nate650 | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that this deal is $500 less (17.2% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $2899.99 at the time of this posting.
  • About this product:
    • Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 100 Micro Center customer reviews.
    • 1 Year Limited/Onsite Warranty
    • Manufacturer product page
  • Additional notes:

Original Post

Written by Frankthetank760
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Select Micro Center Stores have Dell Alienware Aurora ACT1250 Gaming Desktop (DACT1250-9338BL) as configured below on sale for $2399.99. Select free store pickup where stock permits.

Thanks to Community Member Frankthetank760 for sharing this deal.

Specs:
  • Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (24-Core, 76MB Total Cache, 3.7GHz to 5.7GHz) Processor
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Graphics
  • 2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Solid State Drive (SSD)
  • 32 GB Dual Channel DDR5 (2 x 16 GB) 5200 MT/s Memory
  • 1000W Platinum Rated PSU, 240m Liquid-Cooled CPU & Clear Side Panel
  • Killer E3100G Network
  • 2x2 Intel Wi-Fi 7 802.11be + Bluetooth 5.4
  • Microsoft Windows 11 Home
  • Ports:
    • Front:
      • 1x USB 3.2 (Gen 2 Type-C)
      • 3x USB 3.2 (Gen 1 Type-A)
      • 1x Headphone/Microphone Combo
    • Back:
      • 2x USB 2.0 (Type-A)
      • 2x USB 3.2 (Gen 1 Type-A)
      • 1x USB 3.2 (Gen 2 Type-C)
      • 1x USB 4.0 (Gen 3 Type-C)
      • 1x HDMI
      • 3x DisplayPort
      • 1x LAN RJ-45
      • 2x Audio
      • 1x Digital Audio

Editor's Notes

Written by Nate650 | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that this deal is $500 less (17.2% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $2899.99 at the time of this posting.
  • About this product:
    • Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 100 Micro Center customer reviews.
    • 1 Year Limited/Onsite Warranty
    • Manufacturer product page
  • Additional notes:

Original Post

Written by Frankthetank760

Community Voting

Deal Score
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Why are you downvoting this deal?

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Top Comments

psyctto
16.6KComments
3KReputation
man it's sad this is a "deal" these days...

WHAT A (stupid) TIME TO BE ALIVE!!!
Go to Comment
dealmashuguna
3.9KComments
220Reputation
Need the amex dell deal(s) to come back!
Go to Comment
Finzez
44Comments
18Reputation
Bought this on a Woot deal back in November for $1900 shipped. I really like it. Added another ssd and it does everything I need it to.
Go to Comment

Community Reviews

Alienware Aurora pairs an Intel Ultra 9 285K with an RTX 5080, so the strongest appeal is high-end gaming and workstation performance in a compact prebuilt. The 5080 is called a big upgrade, and the CPU is described as especially strong for productivity, rendering, and AI tasks. The main knocks are Alienware proprietary motherboard, case, and PSU parts, limited ventilation, and only two RAM slots, which makes future upgrades less flexible. Past prices around $1,900 to $2,100 also make the current tag feel steep, especially against cheaper Micro Center and Costco alternatives.

  • The machine has been described as a great workstation CPU for productivity and AI tasks.

    quantumcipherCheapskate27

  • Some buyers report enjoying the PC even when they paid less than the current price.

    anguyen94112rbraden

  • The system can meet everyday needs after adding an extra SSD.

    Finzez

  • The build can be a strong gaming option when paired with the right CPU performance characteristics.

    quantumcipher

  • Alienware proprietary motherboard, case, and PSU components can limit upgrade and repair options.

    sippingbirdsippingbird

  • The $2399.99 price can be viewed as overpriced due to an estimated AI premium and rapid depreciation concerns.

    koge811PeterO

  • The lack of ventilation on these Alienware systems can be a concern for sustained use.

    UniqueDirt6305

  • Upgrading from 32GB to 64GB may require discarding the existing 32GB if there are only two RAM slots.

    doldiboldi

Common Questions (4)

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

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66 Comments

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May 9, 2026 1:55 AM
532 Comments
Joined Nov 2010
mycardsonMay 9, 2026 1:55 AM
532 Comments
Quote from dealmashuguna View quoted comment :
Need the amex dell deal(s) to come back!
But Dell has inflated the price a lot. The same config goes over $3500 on Dell.
Last December Dell did offer good price, combining with Amex offer and cashback. I grabbed a 5070Ti gig below $1000.
Pro
May 9, 2026 9:41 AM
3.5K Comments
Joined Nov 2010
Elon69
Pro
May 9, 2026 9:41 AM
3.5K Comments
Quote from mycardson View quoted comment :
But Dell has inflated the price a lot. The same config goes over $3500 on Dell.
Last December Dell did offer good price, combining with Amex offer and cashback. I grabbed a 5070Ti gig below $1000.

Last year everyone got better prices before the ram and nvme pricing went to the moon
May 9, 2026 11:35 AM
532 Comments
Joined Nov 2010
mycardsonMay 9, 2026 11:35 AM
532 Comments
Delete.
1
May 9, 2026 2:48 PM
1.3K Comments
Joined Jun 2011
Cheapskate27May 9, 2026 2:48 PM
1.3K Comments
Quote from BlueLightSpcial View quoted comment :
Do you mean it was better when my 386 PC was 2k from Sears?
Back when everything was still Great.
May 9, 2026 2:52 PM
1.3K Comments
Joined Jun 2011
Cheapskate27May 9, 2026 2:52 PM
1.3K Comments
Quote from koge811 View quoted comment :
Is this even a deal price performance? Without the ai bubble premium if not keep sitting out. Not worth upgrading anything until ai bubble crash and burns. Real Depreciation of ai fang stonks starting to hit. Not on accounting books for stonk quarter but they realizing it only lasts 2-3 yrs before upgrading. Woops. Let's see how long ai bubble lasts before they use up assets and need to buy even more worthless child depreciating 33% per yr
So anyway encourage everyone to sit out anything chip it technology unless really need it to punish the AI bubble companies let them have it. Also do not pay for ai if u can help it largely useless anyway. Even ai tells us it's over priced.


Ai says: analyzing the deal with ai lmao
The real value of this build to a gamer is only around $1,700, meaning the current price includes a $700 "AI tax" on top of a rapidly depreciating asset
This isn't WallStreetBets. Maybe you should go buy a Micron put?
Personally, I'm in the long trade. Bought RAM and GPU. Making the trend my friend.
1
May 9, 2026 2:57 PM
1.3K Comments
Joined Jun 2011
Cheapskate27May 9, 2026 2:57 PM
1.3K Comments
Quote from koge811 View quoted comment :
Stop being weak all chips are over priced due to AI bubble let them have it and walk away.
In the next 6 months, the prices will continue to rise. The AI companies can't meet the insatiable demand for compute right now. It's not the dotcom bubble - there is real demand here. And you can't just flip a switch and turn on a new factory overnight. If you need to upgrade, you might want to consider biting the bullet. This train isn't stopping until 2028. Prices will drop 30-40% then, when new factories go online, but only after they've gone up another 60-70%. Just watch...
May 9, 2026 3:02 PM
1.3K Comments
Joined Jun 2011
Cheapskate27May 9, 2026 3:02 PM
1.3K Comments
Quote from quantumcipher View quoted comment :

I suspect you were trolling or don't know what you're talking about. Performance wise, which cpu is faster depends on the use case.

If you're using it for productivity, work purposes or rendering, more cores would be to your advantage.

However if you're a gamer the 9800X3D will be significantly faster due to having more cache, 3d v-chache, and faster single-core performance which is what most games depend on.
Not sure why you're getting downvoted. You nailed it. This is a great workstation CPU, and also better equipped for AI tasks. But if you're a gamer, x3d is where it's at. Whatver, you can lead a horse to water...
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May 9, 2026 6:53 PM
8 Comments
Joined Jan 2011
doldiboldiMay 9, 2026 6:53 PM
8 Comments
Quote from sttlesks View quoted comment :
I still regret not getting the costco 5080 deal when I could.
If it had 4 ram slots I would have bought it but moving from 32 to 64 on that Costco one requires throwing out the 32
1
Pro
May 9, 2026 10:34 PM
165 Comments
Joined Aug 2016
sippingbird
Pro
May 9, 2026 10:34 PM
165 Comments
I have a hard time justfiying buying an Alienware due to some of the parts being proprietary. The Costco 5080 deal was better. So this is from MC and I just looked and found this on the MC site: https://www.microcenter.com/produ...-gaming-pc
This is way better deal IMHO. Better CPU, faster RAM, more maintanable.
May 9, 2026 10:47 PM
1.4K Comments
Joined Aug 2011
luvbooxMay 9, 2026 10:47 PM
1.4K Comments
Quote from Cheapskate27 View quoted comment :
Not sure why you're getting downvoted. You nailed it. This is a great workstation CPU, and also better equipped for AI tasks. But if you're a gamer, x3d is where it's at. Whatver, you can lead a horse to water...
It's ok, more gaming CPUs for us.
May 9, 2026 11:23 PM
76 Comments
Joined Nov 2013
OrangeshotMay 9, 2026 11:23 PM
76 Comments
I bought this model late last year with all the cash back and point ~ 1900. This is crazy.
May 9, 2026 11:48 PM
826 Comments
Joined Nov 2010
liqwickedMay 9, 2026 11:48 PM
826 Comments
Quote from BlueLightSpcial View quoted comment :
Do you mean it was better when my 386 PC was 2k from Sears?
486 was a game changer, and things got a lot better after pentium 1000 hz lol
May 10, 2026 1:19 AM
259 Comments
Joined Jun 2016
hotwheels12345May 10, 2026 1:19 AM
259 Comments
Pretty sure this was cheaper by $200 a week ago. The open boxes are the same price still.
May 10, 2026 8:54 AM
69 Comments
Joined Nov 2021
PurpleKite103May 10, 2026 8:54 AM
69 Comments
Probably stick to powerspec
1

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May 10, 2026 1:10 PM
306 Comments
Joined Jul 2014
lc49May 10, 2026 1:10 PM
306 Comments
Quote from Cheapskate27 View quoted comment :
In the next 6 months, the prices will continue to rise. The AI companies can't meet the insatiable demand for compute right now. It's not the dotcom bubble - there is real demand here. And you can't just flip a switch and turn on a new factory overnight. If you need to upgrade, you might want to consider biting the bullet. This train isn't stopping until 2028. Prices will drop 30-40% then, when new factories go online, but only after they've gone up another 60-70%. Just watch...
Prices will never drop again...

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