Dell System Recommendations

[335Xray]

OK, my last build, which was 4 years ago just took a dump. Likely the MB and I don't really want to build my next box. My laptop (Dell XPSM1530) also had a problem that same evening (last night) and it was nice to just call and be up and running in an hour. I think I want to buy a prebuilt box. I like my XPS and have been able to get very quick support when needed. I can get decent deals from HP through my work so I guess that is an option.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
Internet, MS office, Photoshop, mild video editing, gaming, UT2004 and UT2008, DICOM image manipulation.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
$1600-2000

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
USA

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
None

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

Yes, I have 3 HDs in my current rig that should work just fine. 150GB raptor, 250GB western digital and 300GB maxtor 16mb cache.


7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
Not planning on it, don't think it is very easy with the dell's

8. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Next week or 2


Here are two systems I am thinking about. Both include the top pf the line 24" dell monitor

XPS 630: $1921.50 after all discounts

XPS 630 Intel® Core?2 Q9400 (6MB,2.66GHz, 1333FSB) D1Q940H [224-2684]
Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit VHP61E [330-0283][420-5769][420-8873][420-8874][420-9132]
System Color Black Bezel Chassis BBEZEL [313-6078]
Memory 8GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz (4 DIMM) 8GB84 [311-9801]
Keyboard Dell USB Enhanced Multimedia Keyboard MMK [310-8028]
Monitors 24 inch UltraSharp? 2408WFP Widescreen Digital Flat Panel 2408WFP [320-6593]
Video Card ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB AT4850 [320-7551]
Hard Drive 750GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache 750S [341-6287]
Floppy Drive & Media Reader Dell 19 in 1 Media Reader with Bluetooth BTMCR19 [341-6453]
Mouse Dell Premium Optical USB Mouse PREMOM [310-8650]
Modem 56K PCI Data Fax Modem DFAX [313-4822]
Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0 Multi-Language AAREAD [410-1867]
Optical Drive Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability V16DVRW [313-6080][420-8152]
Sound Cards Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio IS [313-2758]
Speakers No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system) N [313-6138]
Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed) Microsoft Works 9.0 XWRK9 [420-8103]
Security Software McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 24-months MC924M [410-1800]
Warranty & Service 2Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis S222OS [412-0360][902-0931][950-3338][960-8700][980-7181][985-7920][989-2477][989-2478]
Datasafe No DataSafe NODTSF [988-1189]
Dial-Up Internet Access No ISP requested NISP [412-0148]
LABELS Windows Vista? Premium VPD [310-8626]
DataSafe Online Backup Receive an E-mail for your Dell Remote Access

XPS Studio: $1949 after all discounts

Studio XPS Studio XPS 435MTH [224-3607]
Operation System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit VHP61E [330-2980][420-6436][420-8873][421-0084][463-2282]
Processors Intel® Core?i7-920 Processor(8MB L2 Cache, 2.66GHz) MI7920 [311-9770]
Memory 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz - 6 DIMMs 8G1066D [311-9901]
Keyboard Dell USB Consumer Multimedia Keyboard MMK [330-0915]
Monitor 24 inch Ultrasharp? 2408WFP Digital Flat Panel 2408WFP [320-7716]
Video Card 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850 AT4850 [320-7704]
Hard Drives 750GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache 750S [341-8394]
Floppy Drive or Media Card Reader No Floppy Drive or Media Reader Included NFD [341-8496]
Mouse Dell Laser Mouse 6BTNLM [330-1158]
Network Card Integrated 10/1000 Ethernet IE [430-3347]
Modem (External) No Modem Option N [313-3607]
Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0 Multi-Language AAREAD [410-1867]
Optical Drives Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability 16DVDRW [313-7182][420-8152]
Sound Card Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio IS [313-7186]
Speaker No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system) N [313-4514]
Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed) No Productivity software pre-installed MSONO [412-1397]
Security Software McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 15-months VMCAF1Y [410-1184]
Hardware Support Services 2Yr Ltd HW WRTY, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis, 24x7 Phone Support S222OS [412-0360][902-0931][950-3338][960-8700][985-7631][991-7130][992-9668][992-9687]
Service 1 Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year DOB2GB [420-9518][988-0099][988-7707]
Labels Windows Vista? Premium VPD [310-8626]
Dell Remote Access Receive an E-mail for your Dell Remote Access DRAEM [467-7316]
Bluetooth Options 19 in 1 Media Card Reader

Thoughts, recommendations?



Thanks,
Mike

 

[DSF]

A 4850 is a bit weak for 24" if you like to crank the settings way up, or if you intend to go for a long time without replacing the video card.

It's interesting that the systems are so close in price, as the second one would cost you considerably more to build on your own than the first would.

 

[335Xray]

Its interesting that the studio (which is in theory the lower end model) has the i7 and the DDR3 memory, but has a 350W powersupply which I just found out and the XPS 630 has a 750 watt PS.

The HD 4850 512MB was the only card availible on the studio XPS.

 

[Ichigo]

For what you need, yes, that's fine.

I'm sure the Crysis-addicted members will moan about the 4850 in a $2000 machine, though.

 

[DSF]

Originally posted by: 335Xray
Its interesting that the studio (which is in theory the lower end model) has the i7 and the DDR3 memory, but has a 350W powersupply which I just found out and the XPS 630 has a 750 watt PS.

The HD 4850 512MB was the only card availible on the studio XPS.

350W is cutting it extremely close with a 4850, plus the hard drives you intend to add. Are you sure they don't upgrade the PSU if you go with that video card?

 

[335Xray]

Originally posted by: DSF

Originally posted by: 335Xray
Its interesting that the studio (which is in theory the lower end model) has the i7 and the DDR3 memory, but has a 350W powersupply which I just found out and the XPS 630 has a 750 watt PS.

The HD 4850 512MB was the only card availible on the studio XPS.

350W is cutting it extremely close with a 4850, plus the hard drives you intend to add. Are you sure they don't upgrade the PSU if you go with that video card?

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. 350watts is pretty darn wimpy now days.

I was probably going to go with the XPS 630 with a 750 W PS for the future and was thinking of upgrading to the ATI Radeon 3870X2 1024MB GDDR3 card for ~$250.

Do you think that is a better choice?

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[jterrell]

Originally posted by: 335Xray

Originally posted by: DSF

Originally posted by: 335Xray
Its interesting that the studio (which is in theory the lower end model) has the i7 and the DDR3 memory, but has a 350W powersupply which I just found out and the XPS 630 has a 750 watt PS.

The HD 4850 512MB was the only card availible on the studio XPS.

350W is cutting it extremely close with a 4850, plus the hard drives you intend to add. Are you sure they don't upgrade the PSU if you go with that video card?

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. 350watts is pretty darn wimpy now days.

I was probably going to go with the XPS 630 with a 750 W PS for the future and was thinking of upgrading to the ATI Radeon 3870X2 1024MB GDDR3 card for ~$250.

Do you think that is a better choice?

Thanks again,
Mike

yes!

but I'd just build ... you knew that was coming right

 

[335Xray]

Originally posted by: jterrell

Originally posted by: 335Xray

Originally posted by: DSF

Originally posted by: 335Xray
Its interesting that the studio (which is in theory the lower end model) has the i7 and the DDR3 memory, but has a 350W powersupply which I just found out and the XPS 630 has a 750 watt PS.

The HD 4850 512MB was the only card availible on the studio XPS.

350W is cutting it extremely close with a 4850, plus the hard drives you intend to add. Are you sure they don't upgrade the PSU if you go with that video card?

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. 350watts is pretty darn wimpy now days.

I was probably going to go with the XPS 630 with a 750 W PS for the future and was thinking of upgrading to the ATI Radeon 3870X2 1024MB GDDR3 card for ~$250.

Do you think that is a better choice?

Thanks again,
Mike

yes!

but I'd just build ... you knew that was coming right

Yup! Ok....I'll bite, if I was going to do that, what MB would you recommend if I was going to go with a silimar Q9400 CPU?

 

[DSF]

A basic P45 motherboard.