Dell Dimension 4400: Back in Black
Written: May 30 '02 (Updated May 30 '02)
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Pros: Lightning-quick processor; ordering was a snap; superfast delivery; looks cool
Cons: 'Value' hard drive; not sure i love Win XP; mouse could be better
The Bottom Line: I am very pleased with my purchase. It's a fast, high-quality, easy to use machine with a pleasing look and feel.
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| s_trimble's Full Review: Dell Dimension 4400 (A-D0314) PC Desktop |
It was time for a new computer. My last one, also a Dell, was about five years old, had a 500-mhz Pentium III, and was still working well. Yet it was showing its age. It was running out of hard drive space, had no network card for broadband access, and ran some newer applications slowly. I could have spent a little money to upgrade it, but I'm not exactly a wizard. So I sprang for a new one. And I'm glad I did.
I researched both of the major direct computer retailers: Dell and Gateway. In most ways they are comparable, but the week I was looking, I saw that Dell had a better deal. Dell was offering a free CD-RW drive with purchase, as well as a 17-in. monitor, compared with Gateway's 15-in. Both retailers offered a similar processor, similar cases and options, but for some reason, I have a more favorable impression of Dell's computers, possibly because I'm a past customer.
ORDERING
Ordering the computer online was a breeze. You are first presented with an overall choice of computer types, with the Dimension 4400 (midrange home/home office PC) being featured prominently. You are then directed to customize your machine, allowing you to change your processor, hard drive, CD drive, monitor, speakers, etc. Many options are available, nearly all of which carry a higher cost than the standard configuration.
I chose the 1.7 Gig Pentium 4, 20-Gig Value Hard drive (not a choice I'd make again; I don't even think they offer it anymore on their midrange PCs. It refers to the speed at which it retrieves information, and the difference is noticeable. Go with the higher-priced drive), CD-RW drive (a free upgrade from the standard CD-ROM drive), 17-in monitor (another free upgrade), digital sound card, network card, upgraded speakers with subwoofer, Win XP Home OS, and 16Mb video card (in retrospect, I would have gone with the 32 or 64 meg varieties).
Dell also offers a financing program, and I went for it. It's basically a car loan for your PC, a car loan with a very high interest rate. However, the payments work out to about $36 a month, and I prefer to pay small amounts monthly rather than shell out a large amount of cash up front. Probably not a smart thing to do, but what the hey--the banks have to make money too, right?
Anyway, checkout was a snap, and my computer was on its way. Less than a week later, I had three big boxes delivered to my door.
SETUP
Dell was thoughtful enough to provide a large card detailing the simple setup procedure. It was quite easy. Unbox everything, plug in the cords to their color-coordinated inputs, plug the power cords in, and turn it on. It took me about 15 minutes to unbox everything and set it up. Not too shabby.
Then, Windows XP begins its setup procedure. This is about a 15 minute process, as it asks you for various information about yourself for registration purposes, sets up your preferences, and sets up your ISP. I had chosen the 6-month free DellNet by MSN service (AOL is also an option; I hate the browser), and it initialized my modem and setup my service.
The setup process complete, I was ready to roll.
PERFORMANCE
This computer is fast. It logs on in about seven seconds, which is faster than any computer I've ever used. Installing and opening programs is quick and easy, usually with no lag to speak of. Games run excellently, though I've only run X-Wing Alliance on it so far. That game certainly isn't enough to tax the system. I've got some more demanding games (Like Civ III and Black & White on order, so stay tuned for updates on how well it runs them). Other applications, like Word, Works, Outlook, IE Explorer, and the like all run smoothly, even when all opened together.
Win XP is a pretty good operating system, but it's a little cartoony for my tastes. I prefer a more utilitarian look to the buttons and interfaces, but everything seems fairly intuitive, and it seems stable. I suppose it's a minor nitpick, but visually I prefer 2000 or even NT. However, the wallpaper is pretty cool; I've got an island scene up and it looks quite good.
I recently go broadband Internet access (see separate review on Verizon Online DSL), and it really complements this machine. Web pages load smoothly and quickly, and as soon as the machine gets information to process, it's up on the screen. Sending and receiving e-mail is blazing fast. I recommend anyone with a machine this powerful get broadband--it's almost like owning a handicapped machine with anything less.
The CD-RW drive works excellently. I have burned several CD-Rs, and the included Roxio's Easy CD Creator software made doing so quick and simple. The interface is intuitive, and the drive itself burned a 16-track CD in less than three minutes. The quality of the burned CDs is excellent (of course, limited by the source material).
One small complaint: The MS Intellimouse seems to be deteriorating already. I have trouble moving the pointer from left to right sometimes, and the computer is less than a month old. A little bit higher quality there would have been appreciated.
LOOK AND FEEL
The computer has a really cool charcoal-gray color to it, which I think is snazzy. All components are this color, including speakers (and subwoofer), monitor, and keyboard, making for a consistent image. The front of the tower has a silverish panel that opens up to reveal two USB ports. It all makes for an appealing look.
The monitor has excellent resolution. The 15.9 in. viewable image is plenty big, and everything shows up crystal clear. The visuals on streaming video or games are stellar. Visually, I have absolutely no complaints.
Likewise, the sound is excellent. I listened to a CD and the speakers and subwoofer sounded as good as my stereo. The subwoofer really adds something, but even without it, the two small speakers provide good midrange and treble sounds. The sound is not tinny by any means, even with the subwoofer turned off.
OVERALL OPINION
I am very pleased with my purchase. It's a fast, high-quality, easy to use machine with a pleasing look and feel. It was a little pricey, but with the finance plan, the payments are more than manageable.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1000
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
s_trimble
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Member: Stephen Trimble
Location: West Chester, PA
Reviews written: 127
Trusted by: 95 members
About Me:
I'm back to my roots, writing business newsletters for Progressive Business Publications.
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