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HotHardware’s Asetek and Alienware Aurora R12 Hot Summer Gaming PC giveaway is over. HotHardware named “Paul D” as the winner on August 24, 2021, after the announced August 20 deadline. The prize was an Alienware Aurora R12 gaming desktop with a Core i9-11900F and GeForce RTX 3080.
Who won the HotHardware Aurora R12 giveaway?
HotHardware’s August 24, 2021 winner announcement named “Paul D” and asked him to provide contact details to arrange delivery. The promotion is concluded; it is not an open sweepstakes.
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Read HotHardware’s original giveaway announcement and winner announcement.
What was the prize PC?
The announced prize was a Lunar Light Alienware Aurora R12 gaming desktop. HotHardware described its configuration as:
#1 Best Overall
- POWERHOUSE 8-CORE GAMING PERFORMANCE — Driven by the AMD Ryzen 7 8700F with 8 cores and 16 threads, boosting up to 5.0 GHz for smooth, responsive gameplay and the ability to handle AAA titles, streaming, and background tasks all at once
- NEXT-GEN BLACKWELL ARCHITECTURE — The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is powered by NVIDIA's cutting-edge Blackwell GPU architecture, delivering a massive generational leap in rasterization and ray tracing performance so you can experience your games the way they were meant to be played.
- Simplistic Design: Enjoy the latest generation of Windows 11 Home for your everyday needs. *MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business use.
- Cool While Gaming: In conjunction with an ARGB fan Air Cooler, the Codex R2 features four system cooling fans; three in the front and one in the rear to pull in cool air and push heat out of the PC.
- Turn on the Bright Lights: With the built-in RGB lighting, take your gaming experience to the next level by pressing the MSI LED button to cycle through lighting options. Customize lighting even further with MSI Center software.
- Intel Core i9-11900F, an eight-core processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics
- 32GB of DDR4-3200 memory
- 1TB NVMe SSD boot drive and 2TB hard drive, for 3TB combined storage
- Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 networking
- An Asetek-powered closed-loop all-in-one (AIO) CPU cooler
The winner follow-up repeated the system configuration. These details identify the historical giveaway prize; they do not establish current stock, pricing, or availability of this exact Aurora R12 build.
When did it run, and who could enter?
The original announcement, published August 19, 2021, set August 20, 2021 as the end date and restricted eligibility to residents of the United States and Canada. It described 16 ways to earn entry points, including liking or subscribing to social-media sites and visiting pages. Those entry routes and terms applied to that past promotion only.
Rank #2
- POWERED BY RTX 5070 12GB + RYZEN 7 9700X - The GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7 graphics card pairs with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9700X processor to drive smooth 1440p and 4K gameplay, giving this gaming PC the headroom for modern titles, streaming, and creative work.
- 32GB DDR5 6000MHz MEMORY & 1TB NVMe SSD - 32GB of high-speed DDR5 memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state drive deliver quick load times, smooth multitasking, and generous storage, keeping this prebuilt gaming desktop responsive under heavy workloads.
- BUILT-IN 11.3-INCH Smart DISPLAY - An integrated smart screen shows real-time CPU and GPU temperatures, usage, and weather while you play, adding a distinctive and functional touch to your battlestation.
- 850W 80+ GOLD POWER SUPPLY, 360MM LIQUID COOLING & WiFi 7 - An 850W 80 Plus Gold certified power supply provides stable, efficient power with headroom for future upgrades, while a 360mm AIO liquid cooler, WiFi 7, and an ARGB mid-tower case keep the Ryzen 7 CPU cool and connected in a clean build.
- READY TO PLAY OUT OF THE BOX - Arrives fully assembled and tested with Windows 11 Home pre-installed, so your prebuilt gaming computer is ready to set up in minutes. Assembled in the USA, and backed by a one-year limited warranty and lifetime free technical support.
The announcement also said Canadian winners would be responsible for applicable delivery duties and taxes, and that winners were responsible for applicable taxes on prizes. These were the promotion’s stated terms, not guidance for other giveaways.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWas this a real giveaway, and is it still open?
HotHardware published the promotion announcement and subsequently published a winner announcement naming Paul D. The event ended in August 2021, so there is no entry route for this giveaway now. A search result or old social post referring to the Aurora R12 promotion should be read as historical coverage, not as evidence of a current campaign.
Rank #3
- AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12GB, 32GB DDR5 RGB 4800MHz 16x2 1TB NVMe SSD, WIFI Ready, Windows 11 Home
- Connectivity: 6 x USB 3.1 | 1x RJ-45 Network Ethernet 10/100/1000 | Audio: On board audio
- Special Add-Ons: Tempered Glass RGB Gaming Case | 802.11AC Wi-Fi Included | 16 Color RGB Lighting Case | Free iBuyPower Gaming Keyboard & RGB Gaming Mouse | No Bloatware | AI Workstation PC ready
What does the Asetek connection mean?
Asetek’s role in the announced prize was the PC’s closed-loop AIO CPU cooler. HotHardware’s original article also attributed to Asetek a claim of more than 90% market share in the AIO space, but the announcement did not provide an underlying statistical publication. That figure is therefore an attributed claim, not an independently established statistic here.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- CPU: AMD Ryzen7 5700X (up to 4.6GHz) 8-Core 16-Thread to easily handle multi-line tasks
- Main board: MSI B550M-A PRO motherboard provides reliable performance and stability
- GPU: Geforce RTX 5060 8GB GDDR7 Graphics Cards (Brand may vary) Support DLSS 4 multi frame generation, ray tracing, and Reflex 2 delay optimization
- RAM: 32GB DDR4 3200MHz (16GB*2) SSD: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Power supply: 650W (80plus bronze) certified for energy efficiency and stable performance
Rank #4
- 【POWERFUL PERFORMANCE】 – AMD Ryzen 5 5500 6-Core 12-Thread Desktop Processor (up to 4.2GHz). Effortlessly handle 3A games, 4K video editing, and multitasking.
- 【SMOOTH GAMING】 – Equipped with GeForce RTX 3050 6GB GDDR6 Graphics Card. Experience high-frame-rate 1080P gaming with ray tracing.
- 【FAST & AMPLE STORAGE】 – 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM + 1TB NVMe SSD. Enjoy rapid game loads, quick file transfers, and ample space for your entire library.
- 【KEEP COOL】 – Advanced ARGB air cooling system with multiple fans. Maintains stable performance and low noise even during marathon gaming sessions.
- 【READY TO USE】 – Features built-in Wi-Fi, multiple USB ports, HDMI and DisplayPort (DP) outputs for flexible monitor connectivity. A complete prebuilt gaming computer, plug and play right out of the box.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
