Dell XPS 420

The Good 420
The XPS 420 is the top of the line Dell desktop model for the Indian market. Cramped with features, the XPS 420 is a multimedia powerhouse aimed at gamers, enthusiasts, etc

This new model features a new completely revised chassis. Finished in shiny black plastic, the front panel is a smudge magnet and attracts much dust as well. The side panels finished in brushed aluminium with a big XPS logo scream for attention. One unique thing about the XPS 420 is the presence of small LCD screen on the top (Windows Sideshow) an extension of Vista’s Sidebar. This small LCD can be used for showing small tidbits of information via the sidebar gadgets. New gadgets can be downloaded from Microsoft’s Web site.

The base configuration consists of Intel Quad core Q6600, 2 GB of DDR II 667 MHz, 250 GB hard drive and 8600 GTS graphics card. These components are powerful enough to ensure a high-end rig experience, though we think the 8600 GTS is aging and expect dell to replace it soon with the newer 9600GT card.

The 20-inch LCD monitor comes bundled with the system is breathtaking. The screen is glossy and reproduces crisp images. Movies are fun on this monitor, so is editing photographs and the sheer space on offer will allow you to open two word pages side by side. The LCD also has an embedded 2 MP Web camera, which can be used for chatting, taking photographs and capturing video. The capture quality is good and colours are faithfully reproduced.

There is also an MPEG 2 transcoder with front mounted AV ports, which can be used for importing video from camcorders and encoding it to DivX. The accompanying software, however, isn’t user friendly and requires lot of patience to learn. Additionally, there is the 19-in-one memory card reader with Bluetooth 2.0 module, wireless (Bluetooth) keyboard and mouse and a Hauppauge TV tuner card with remote. Miscellaneous items include micro fibre cloth for wiping the LCD, soft and hard mouse pads and a folder with the necessary manual and CDs all perfectly packed in the box.

The cabinet can be opened without any tools. All it requires is pulling a single latch to release the side panel. On the inside, everything is neatly packed. Since Dell has opted for the BTX form factor, the system requires just one fan to cool itself. The cables and wiring are tied down and routed optimally without affecting the air flow. The single 120-mm fan is placed right after the huge CPU cooler and throws out hot air from the front of the cabinet. Throughout our testing process the system remained cool and quiet. Though the cabinet is tall and the internals are neatly organised, there isn’t much space for future upgrade; just two hard drive slots that’s what you get here.

On the software front, Dell has bundled in Adobe’s Elements Studio package consisting of the Lite version of Photoshop Elements, Premier Elements and SoundBooth CS3. The typical Dell in-house software is present and they provide complete control over every aspect of this beautiful machine.

The XPS 420 performs admirably in all aspects, thanks largely to the powerful hardware that’s under the hood. The Q6600 simply chewed through the test we put it through and has enough grunt to transcode home videos on the fly. Though the 8600 GTS ran through the entire graphics test delivering playable frame rate, we think it’s best to upgrade to a higher card. Dell offers 8800GT in lieu of the 8600GTS and if your pocket permits you should upgrade for better gaming experience. Overall, the system performance is more than satisfactory, despite Vista running on the system, it was responsive with hardly any lag.

Priced at Rs 69,169, we feel the XPS 420 is overpriced considering the weak graphics subsystem. However, it is very difficult to recreate the overall look and feel that the XPS 420 has—the beautiful case, neatly packed interiors, stupendous hardware and the tiny LCD screen on the cabinet! If you have money to blow and appreciate style, then the XPS 420 fits the bill.

Specifications
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2 GB DDRII, 250 GB, Media Xcelerator, 8600 GTS, 20-inch LCD screen with 2 MP Web cam and Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Price: 69,169