14 DAY TRIAL // Advanced Micro Devices has just unveiled a complete platform portfolio for new desktops and, most importantly, laptops, marking the company's return to a segment that has been mostly owned by Intel for quite some time now. As such, it makes sense for PC makers to take the same opportunity to unleash various ultrathins, netbooks and desktops based on the new chips and chipsets. Acer can be said to have made the first move, having unleashed the first netbook based on AMD's new mobile CPU. Dell, of course, will not lag behind, which is why it put together a PC of its own.
Dell decided to stick to the desktop segment, which is why it presented the Studio XPS 7100. This computer is based on AMD's VISION technology and combines the performance of AMD's latest central processors (including Athlon and Phenom quad-core and six-core chips) with very high memory, storage and graphics capabilities.
To be more specific, the selected quad-core or six-core chip is backed up by an impressive DDR3 memory capacity of up to 16GB and a storage space of up to 4TB. The integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 will make short work of most multimedia files and should even handle most older generation games. Of course, consumers will be able to simply add a DirectX 11-capable discrete card if they want their system gaming-ready. Unfortunately, true enthusiasts may be disappointed to hear that the HD 5970 is not available as an option. The HD 5870 should still be able to handle most tasks, though.
Other specifications of the Dell Studio XPS 7100 include a DVD or Blu-ray drive, USB 3.0 connectivity, a 460W power supply, a media card reader, support for SATA 6Gbps and an HDMI output. The machine will reportedly start selling later today, at a starting price of $696.