Do It All Right on Your Desktop
Written: Jan 09 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great System
Cons: Doesn't Stay State of the Art Forever
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| BedrockTime's Full Review: Dell Dimension XPS T600 w/DVD |
So You Want a Desktop Computer
The Dell Dimension w/DVD is an excellent desktop computer. I would recommend this line of computers although not necessarily this specific model. The main reason for schizophrenic rating is that when I started using this computer it was a high end, extremely fast (at 600mz) comparable to other computers, with a relatively large amount of disk space 8.0gb, also at the time the DVD player was pretty new gadget to have on your computer. So at the time if you wanted to be state of the art this was the computer to get. Today it is towards the lower end of computers on the market. Nevertheless I would still choose to get a Dell Dimension if I were going to choose a new computer today with comparable features.
What do you want out of your Desktop?
People want different things out of their desktops. Some people just want to type in Word and surf the web. If that is your only use then you’re buying too much computer in the Dell Dimension. There are Web PCs that you can get for a much more inexpensive price. In fact some are free with the purchase Internet service. Companies such as www.peoplepc.com are a good place to look. However if you truly want a multitasking, fast, workhorse computer, with great customer support then you have found it in the Dell Dimension.
System
Well it is important to note that when I bought this system it was relatively fast at 600mz, 64mb ram. It came with ample storage space with a 8.0gb hard drive. The computer was pretty cutting edge with a DVD player, and came loaded with Microsoft Office. I do recommend all of these things at a minimum if you are buying a Dell Dimension today. I would recommend a faster processing speed if you can afford it. Also if you can possibly afford to upgrade to a 256mb ram do it. 128mb ram is getting to be the cutoff point these days with 64mb ram as the absolute floor. This makes such a big difference in the speed of your computer it is amazing.
Some people are very conscientious and look for an easy way of backing up important documents. If you are thinking about a zip drive for this purpose I would recommend getting the DVD/CD-write instead. It would be just as easy to back up your documents on a CD as with the Zip Drive. Although they don’t come with the backup software available with the zip, you can accomplish the same goal and use inexpensive CDs instead of zip drive disks.
Monitor
A Dell Dimension computer has a very serviceable monitor; you won’t be disappointed unless you are looking for a big screen TV or a flat-screen monitor. Personally as long as I don’t have a malfunction I usually don’t care about the monitor. I think that you can spend a lot of extra money and not get a lot back in return. That being said the flat screen monitor does look pretty cool and I would take it if you gave it to me.
Features
The great thing about added features to the Dell Dimension is that you can get as little or as much as you want. Dell makes it very easy to upgrade to the basic system when you are buying your machine. You can upgrade virtually every aspect of the machine. What you should not is that the basic machine will still meet your needs. The only think that I got that was top of the line was speakers and DVD drive, and so those are the only added features that I can really talk about. If you yourself are more adventuresome and wish to upgrade I would recommend the Harmon/kardon HK-595 Surrond Sound with subwoofer. These speakers will make watching a DVD on your desktop as good as going to the movies. Although some have been calling for it, Dell hasn’t yet added an option for popcorn maker on the Dimension.
Gaming
Although some may want to upgrade to a high-end video card this is not necessary in most cases. I never had any problem playing any game I wanted. That being said I’m not a gamer and as some kids these days are primarily concerned with being able to play their game as fast as is humanly possible this is probably not the best system for it. I must emphasis that the Dell Dimension series is designed to meet your specific needs. You can upgrade or add what you need in this area, however this is not necessarily where you would start if having a great gaming computer was your goal in the first place.
Support
Dell’s support is very well regarded and has won numerous awards. However as I haven’t had any problems I have had no need for the support and therefore can’t comment on it personally. However if you do need it the Dell Dimension comes with 1-Year On-Site Service. You can upgrade to 1-Year Next Business Day or 3-Year On-Site Service, this will cost you a little bit more, but will give some peace of mind to the worry-warts among you.
Overall
This is an incredibly great machine. It accomplishes all the things you want out of a desktop computer and more. This machine is the standard that all desktops should shoot for. If you are in the market for a desktop I highly recommend this monster just make sure and get the somewhat updated speed and memory requirements.
Recommended:
Yes
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
BedrockTime
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Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Reviews written: 34
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
Eclectic mix of reviews and opinions
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