14 DAY TRIAL // Dell revealed yesterday their new compact desktop suite suggestively called XPS One. The "One" has been promoted as a deluxe computer and was referred to as an "Object D' Envy" in the additional marketing materials. The computer's slick design has been matched with high-end hardware that resulted in a state-of-the-art computer. It seems that the all-in-one desktop concept, previously associated to names such as Gateway One and Apple iMac, has been redefined.
Dell has announced the availability of the XPS one in four configurations, optimized for specific usage: the Essential One, the Music One, the Performance One, and the Entertainment One. Each configuration is delivered with a 20-inch widescreen display, a mouse and a keyboard.
The display hides the computer's internals: a 2.33-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 processor, 802.11n wireless adapter, 2GB of RAM memory and at least 250 GB of hard disk space, an ATI Radeon HD 2400 card as well as a built-in TV tuner, to name just the common components of the One series. The Music One features wireless headphones, while the Entertainment One comes with a Blu-ray DVD Burner and an ATI Radeon HD 2400 Pro graphics card with 256MB of memory.
Even the do-it-yourself adepts are satisfied with the model, as a back panel that slides open when you place the unit face down gives access to the serviceable components inside. In case a hardware update is necessary, the user can gain quick access to the common components such as RAM cards, hard-disk or the mobile PCI express video card.
Apart from the fact that the system doesn't take up all the desktop space, another feature worth mentioning is the cable-less architecture, courtesy of the wireless architecture usage. Both the mouse and the keyboard use wireless connectivity, and courtesy of the 802.11n wireless adapter, access to the Internet is achieved the same way. The built-in webcam offers a 2-megapixel resolution and features overlay effects that allow the less-grumpy users to decorate their faces with elf ears or other preset effects. The blue camera led warns the user when the camera is live.
Dell's XPS One is one of the most successfully designed all-in-one computers, both in terms of appearance and performance. The $2,500 price tag, however, keeps it away from the average consumer.
