14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like Dell has another Core i7-enabled desktop computer system, which comes in the form of a new Studio XPS PC. Apparently, the Round Rock, Texas-based PC maker has decided that providing the new, high-performance Intel desktop processors only for its flagship XPS desktop systems would be a certain waste of performance potential. And this is how the more consumer-friendly Studio XPS came to be unleashed on the market, delivering the same Nehalem-based performance potential that you are bound to get with some of the latest high-end desktop gaming rigs.
When initially launched, Dell's Studio lineup was developed as a user-friendly desktop alternative to all those mainstream PCs out there. The Studio lineup is said to provide performance in a small footprint and within a system that is environmentally friendly. However, with the new Studio XPS systems, the company has taken things a step forward, enabling more computing power in a desktop system that is likely to appeal to more mainstream users.
As far as specifications go, the new desktop PC comes to present users with pretty much the same support and features as some of its other Nehalem-based competitors. Dell's Studio XPS has been developed for Intel's new Core i7 processors, providing support for up to 12GB of triple-channel DDR3 memory, which can be combined with the system's massive 1TB of storage space to deliver a maximum level of performance. As regards the graphics, the Studio XPS can be powered by either an ATI Radeon HD 3450 or a more powerful HD 4850 model.
"Intel Core i7 processors represent the next stage in the evolution of desktop performance," says Intel's Director of Marketing for America's Sales and Marketing Group, Doug Parker. "By combining this dramatic technology with the expert engineering of Alienware and XPS systems, Intel and Dell are redefining gamers' expectations for power and efficiency."
Additional features include a 16X DVD writer, the 7.1 channel audio, Gigabit Ethernet and a preinstalled version of Microsoft's Windows Vista Home Premium Edition 64bit SP1. All of the above come with a starting price tag of $949.