Get the Dimension 4400...
Written: Oct 04 '01 (Updated Jan 31 '02)
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Pros: Inexpensive Pentium 4 PC with many high end options
Cons: Replaced by the Dimension 4400
The Bottom Line: This system will provide relatively good performance and excellent reliability. Power users should look at the Dimension 8200 for the best performance.
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| KarsinTheHutt's Full Review: Dell Dimension 4300 Series |
UPDATE: 1/31/2001: The Dimension 4400 has been out for some time. It is almost exactly the same as the 4300, except it uses PC2100 DDR-SDRAM instead of PC133 SDRAM. I would highly recommend the 4400 over the 4300, as the cost difference is minimal and the 4400 provides much better overall performance in games and other power hungry applications.
Nearly a year after launch, the controversial Intel Pentium 4 processor is just about ready to move from cutting edge systems to less expensive mainstream systems. Dell is one of the first companies to offer a midrange Pentium 4 based system with the release of its new Dimension 4300 series PC.
UPDATE 10/9/2001: PC World has rated the Dell Dimension 4300 as the #1 budget home computer for the month of October, 2001.
Overall, the Dimension is a bizarre mix of both high-end and low-end features. Its performance and stability are quite good however, making the 4300 a worthy successor to the 4100 it replaces. As far as I know, Dell service and support is still top notch in the PC industry.
Technical Specifications
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 Processors 1.5 GHz, 1.6 GHz, and 1.7 GHz.
Chipset: Intel i845
Memory: 128MB to 512MB PC133 SDRAM
Storage: 7200RPM ATA100 drives between 20 and 80 GB,
Drive Bay Options: Dual optical drives for CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, or Combo DVD/CD-RW.
Sound: Premium Soundblaster and Turtle Beach® soundcards and Harmon Kardon speakers with subwoofers for high-quality sound.
Video Card: ATI Rage Ultra, GeForce2 MX, GeForce2 GTS, ATI Radeon, or GeForce3
Other Notable Features: 2 Front mounted USB ports, 2 rear USB ports
A Bizarre Technological Mix:
The Dimension 4300 differs from the 8100 in its type of chipset and memory. Otherwise, the systems are nearly the same in terms of available options and upgrades. While the 8200 uses the expensive i850 chipset and RDRAM memory, the 4300 uses an i845 chipset and less expensive PC133 SDRAM. This lowers the base system cost roughly 18%– however, tests at Tomshardware.com have conclusively demonstrated that systems based around the i845 perform 5-10% slower in business applications and up to 25% slower in games. Why? The answer lies in the bandwidth limitations of SDRAM. The i845 can transfer 1.06 GB of data between its SDRAM and the rest of the system, while the i850 can transfer a whopping 3.2 GB of data between its dual channel RDRAM memory and the rest of the system. This results in a 1.7 GHz P4 system based on the i845 giving performance approximately equal to that of a 1.2 GHz AMD Athlon in normal tasks and only 5-15% better performance in multimedia applications. Most home users would not notice the difference – only gamers and heavy multimedia users would feel the pinch.
But to dismiss the 4300 outright would be a mistake, as raw speed is only one factor in a consumer’s decision to purchase a system. Dell clearly designed the 4300 with user-friendliness in mind. Unlike previous Dell Home systems, it comes equipped with 2 front-mounted USB ports that can come in handy if you have a digital camera or MP3 player with USB connection. A front audio jack also comes in handy for users who frequently use headphones. In terms of physical characteristics, the 4300 is less bulky than the older 8100 because it uses the same 2x 5” bay configuration found in the soon-to-be-discontinued 4100. The slick midnight gray case is also attractive and easy to service.
Conclusion:
Starting at only $900, the Dell Dimension 4300 makes a good system for home and business users who don’t need the overwhelming power of an 8200 system. The 4300 is priced nearly identically to the older Pentium 3 based 4100 series, and offers the same high-end options as the 8200. The only caveat is its use of the i845 chipset, which uses rapidly fading PC133 SDRAM technology. Future versions of the i845 will support newer DDR-SDRAM, (actually, the i845 already supports DDR-SDRAM, but Intel won’t allow board manufacturers to enable this feature) which should result in superb price/performance. The 4300 may be no speed demon, but its no slouch either. All but the most demanding users should find the Dimension 4300 quite satisfactory.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1200
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 31-40
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Epinions.com ID:
KarsinTheHutt
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Member: Karsin Eng
Location: United States of America
Reviews written: 83
Trusted by: 19 members
About Me:
I am a part time computer hobbyist and moderator at forum.thinkpads.com
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