When we were in the market for a new computer, I admit we didn't look around too much. We looked at the big brands, the ones we knew were quality from experience. We steered toward Dell because of their stellar reputation in quality and customer service. We configured a system based on the L733r, I made a few adjustments to more suit my needs and budget. I cut a few corners in things that didn't matter to me, such as a high end speaker system (I listen with hifi headphones), and the final cost came to be about $1300 US. That included free second business day shipping (special promotion from Dell). They were also having a promo to upgrade your 17" monitor to a Dell/Sony Trinitron 19" monitor for free! Let me tell you, it is one, if not the best part about this system.

When I got this computer, it was so much nicer to use than my previous Compaq junker. I had cable internet access up and running, and the performance increase is stunning. This is the perfect computer for all around family use, I would have to say that Dell designed this system for that purpose and not many others. While this PC is fast, and better than most or even all in it's price range, it won't be your gateway to fast paced Quake 3 fragfests. It can handle todays games, but the hardware it comes with just can't compare to hardcore gaming machines. Graphic design and rendering programs are also very taxing, and if you plan on using a 3D art creation program with this computer, plan on upgrading the RAM to at least 128mb. Also, in contrast to what a fellow epinions writer pointed out, the onboard video can easily be disabled and a new card can be installed almost as easily as if this were a non-integrated video motherboard. I will explain how I did this shortly. This computer certainly does its job, and for the price, you really can't complain. Especially if you have a problem, you can rely on Dell to guide you through it. Can you say that about some small internet computer dealer? I think not

Upgrades: Do you need them?

Well this all depends on what you use your computer for. If you are buying for the teenager who mainly goes on the internet to talk to friends, check/send email, listen to MP3s, and do schoolwork, this is the perfect computer, maybe the best in its class.
However, if you use your computer for work during the day, and you're a severe game junkie by night, you may want to consider an upgrade, or if you're really bad (if your finding yourself sleeping on the couch because your marriage is suffering), then you may want to consider upgrading this system, or going for something a little higher on the performance spectrum. Now this computer is great for upgrading, I have spent close to $300 on components for my system. The upgrades were worth it and I recommend shelling out the cash for another 64 megs of RAM at least. I have upgraded the CD-ROM to a CD-RW, I bought another 64 megs of RAM (making 128), and I installed a 16mb video card/3D accelerator (3Dfx Voodoo3). The system performance went up as expected, and I would have to say the biggest contributor is the extra RAM. A note to the computer buyer, if you find your aging system becoming too slow to run newer programs, I recommend buying some RAM. Experts say that an extra 32-64, even 128mb of RAM can increase system performance more than a faster processor. Its also a very cheap way to squeeze some life out of that old war horse, delaying the time you have to purchase a new pc, therefore saving money in the long run.

If you plan on upgrading the video, and if you are a power user probably will, here are the steps. Different BIOS versions may not let you do this, contact Dell tech support if you can't follow these steps. And if you don't know how to install a PCI card, you probably wont be needing to upgrade at all = )

First you'll want to install the drivers and software for the new card you plan on putting in. When they are finished installing, shut down the computer and take the case cover off. The proper way to do this can be found in the Dell PC manual. Find the open PCI slot, there should be 3 free slots, but this will vary with the different configurations. I recommend putting the card in the slot closest to the processor and system chipset. Basically just put it in the highest slot from the floor. It won't make much of a difference, probably nothing noticable, but it cant hurt. When this is finished, plug the monitor cable into the new card and turn the PC on. Go into the BIOS screen by hitting Delete at the blue Dell startup logo screen. Go to advanced settings, video, and highlight "Onboard" or "Onboard Video" and change it to PCI. That should be the only other choice anyway. Save changes and exit. Once in windows you should go to the device manager and find your onboard video and disable it. DO NOT REMOVE IT, windows will auto-detect it next time you boot up and will procede to install drivers for it. Just disable it in all hardware profiles. Like I said before, if you do not know how to change settings like this in the device manager, you probably don't need to be upgrading anyway. This is about as far as I can take you, the rest is up to the video card you bought and the specific instructions it provides. Different vid cards may have their own way of installing themselves, so this information may not apply to you. Good luck, and as always, call Dell if you have problems, take advantage of their world famous customer service!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 1200
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 701-800
RAM: 64
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20