Dell Dimension 4700 (Pentium 4 3GHz, 512MB RAM, 160GB HDD, XP Home)
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CNET Editors' Review
The good: The Intel 915G chipset offers many architectural improvements; new integrated Intel graphics deliver acceptable frame rates; open 16X PCIe slot allows for addition of a graphics card; excellent 17-inch LCD.
The bad: Onboard graphics chip leeches system memory; only one graphics card offered; case can't accommodate a media-card reader.
The bottom line: Dell's new mainstream Dimension 4700 is an affordable, forward-looking PC that's well suited for the home or the small office.
Review: More than just a minitower for the masses, Dell's new Dimension 4700, boasts a slew of new technology that should keep it happily humming atop your desk for years to come. The Dimension 4700 is built on Intel's forward-looking 915G Express chipset and features DDR2 memory and the PCI Express (PCIe) expansion-card interface. Prices for this midrange PC start at less than $1,000 and can climb higher than $4,000 when you begin selecting upgrade options. Our $1,496 test system included a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 530 processor, 512MB of DDR2 memory, a spacious Serial ATA ... Expand full review
More than just a minitower for the masses, Dell's new Dimension 4700, boasts a slew of new technology that should keep it happily humming atop your desk for years to come. The Dimension 4700 is built on Intel's forward-looking 915G Express chipset and features DDR2 memory and the PCI Express (PCIe) expansion-card interface. Prices for this midrange PC start at less than $1,000 and can climb higher than $4,000 when you begin selecting upgrade options. Our $1,496 test system included a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 530 processor, 512MB of DDR2 memory, a spacious Serial ATA 160GB hard drive, and a crisp 17-inch LCD. Gamers and power users looking for a midrange bargain will want to add a graphics card after purchase; our test system relied on Intel's new integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 900 chip, and Dell offers but one graphics card, ATI's low-end Radeon X300 SE. For most mainstream users, however, the Dimension 4700 is an attractive proposition for basic home and business tasks.The Dell Dimension 4700 uses the same minitower chassis as the Dimension 4600, Dell's mainstream home PC. Although it would be too harsh to call the case ugly, the bland black-and-gray design that we've seen for the past few years doesn't exactly cry out to be placed at the center of attention. Fortunately, since it measures 15 by 7 by 17 inches (H, W, D), this inconspicuous computer lends itself to easy placement under a desk.
If you plan to get your hands inside the box, you'll appreciate the rear-panel latch that lets you remove the side panel faster than you can with any other system. With a minitower case, however, you'll find the interior a bit cramped. For example, the placement of the hard drive is less than convenient. The two 3.5-inch drive cages are positioned so that the drives sit upright and are stacked on top of each other, so you can't simply slide the drives out; you need to unscrew and remove each cage entirely. Home users who might not regularly crack the case open won't care too much, but this cumbersome process won't go over well in a small-business environment if--for the purposes of security, adding more storage space, or easy maintenance--quick removal is a necessity.
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915G Express chipset. Even without dedicated graphics and sound cards, the Dimension 4700 delivers all of the features necessary if you're using it for day-to-day home computing or in a small-business setting. And with four DIMM slots (two of which were unoccupied in our test system), plus support for PCIe graphics and faster Pentium 4 processors, the Dimension 4700 can become an even more powerful system down the road with a few component upgrades.
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915G Express chipset, our Dimension 4700 review unit featured an Intel Pentium 4 530 CPU (clocked at 3.0GHz), 512MB of new DDR2 PC3200 system memory, and Intel's new integrated graphics solution--dubbed Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 900. All of these new parts offer improved performance over that of their predecessors, and considering that Dell bundles the Dimension 4700 with a generous 160GB hard drive and a quality, 17-inch LCD monitor, you get a lot of PC for only $1,500. Even more exciting: because the 915G Express chipset supports the new PCI Express expansion cards, you can transform the Dimension 4700 from a utilitarian workaday computer into a powerful PC for gaming, home entertainment, or other advanced functions.
The new GMA 900 graphics chip is a vast improvement over the previous integrated video chip, Intel Extreme Graphics 2 (see the performance section for our test results). The only problem with the chip, as with any integrated part, is that it needs to share the system memory--as opposed to a graphics card, which comes with its own. Our Dimension 4700 test system contains 512MB of memory, so you shouldn't run into trouble with day-to-day applications used for browsing the Web, sending e-mail, word processing, or working with other productivity software. If you have your eye on Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, you'll definitely want to take advantage of the 16X PCI Express (PCIe) slot and purchase a dedicated graphics card. Dell offers a low-end ATI graphics card on the Dimension 4700's configuration page for an additional $54, but serious gamers will want to shop around for a more powerful option.
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To measure application performance, CNET Labs uses BAPCo's SysMark 2004, an industry-standard benchmark. Using off-the-shelf applications, SysMark measures a desktop's performance using office-productivity applications (such as Microsoft Office and McAfee VirusScan) and Internet-content-creation applications (such as Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver).
3D graphics and gaming performance
The Dell Dimension 4700 is one of the first systems we've tested that uses Intel's new integrated graphics subsystem--the Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 900. With a score of 51 frames per second (fps) on our low-end 1,024x768 Unreal Tournament 2003 benchmark, the Dimension 4700 demonstrates a vast improvement over scores from systems using Intel's older Extreme Graphics 2 solution. By comparison, the similarly configured IBM ThinkCentre S50 uses Extreme Graphics 2 and managed to post only 13.6fps on the same test. If you're a casual gamer, you should be able to play most 3D titles currently on the market, with at least moderate detail settings. If you're looking forward to Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, we recommend upgrading to a PCI Express graphics card, because splitting memory between the core system operation and the graphics chip isn't conducive to smooth frame rates on advanced games.
To measure 3D gaming performance, CNET Labs uses Epic Games' Unreal Tournament 2003, widely used as an industry-standard benchmark. We use Unreal to measure a desktop's performance with the DirectX 8.0 (DX8) interface at a 32-bit color depth and at a resolution of 1,024x768 and 1,600x1,200. Antialiasing and anisotropic filtering are disabled during our 1,024x768 tests, and are set to 4X and 8X, respectively, during our 1,600x1,200 tests. At this color depth and these resolutions, Unreal provides an excellent means of comparing the performance of low-end to high-end graphics subsystems. We report the results of Unreal's Flyby-Antalus test in frames per second (fps).
Performance analysis written by CNET Labs technician David Gussman.
Find out more about how we test desktop systems.
System configurations:
Dell Dimension 4700
Windows XP Home; 3.0EGHz Intel P4; Intel 915G chipset; 512MB DDR2 SDRAM 400MHz; integrated 128MB Intel 915G (shared memory); Maxtor 6Y160M0, 160GB, Serial ATA, 7,200rpm hard drive
HP Compaq Business Desktop dc7100
Windows XP Professional; 3.2EGHz Intel P4; Intel 915G chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; integrated 128MB Intel 915G (shared memory); 80GB Seagate ST380013AS 7,200rpm Serial ATA hard drive.
IBM ThinkCentre S50
Windows XP Professional; 3.0GHz Intel P4; Intel 865G; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; integrated 64MB Intel 865G (shared memory); 40GB Western Digital WD400BB-23FJA0 7,200rpm hard drive.
iBuyPower Back To School PC
Windows XP Home; 3.0EGHz Intel P4; Intel 865PE chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; 128MB Nvidia GeForce FX 5200; 80GB Maxtor 6Y080L0 7,200rpm Serial ATA hard drive.
MPC ClientPro 545
Windows XP Professional; 3.2GHz Intel P4; Intel 875P chipset; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce FX 5700 256MB; two 120GB Seagate ST3120026AS 7,200rpm Serial ATA hard drives; integrated Intel 82801ER SATA RAID controller.Dell didn't write the book on service and support, but you'll probably find its picture on the cover. From the Dimension 4700's huge setup sheet, which simplifies getting the system out of the box and onto your desk, to the user manual with its helpful hints and tips, Dell has practically cornered the market on user-friendly documentation. If you need to leave the paper world behind and have an Internet connection, Dell's Solution Center software whisks you off to its online support site, where you'll find driver downloads, troubleshooting FAQs, and plenty of other support features. The toll-free technical-support number is available 24/7.
The basic one-year parts-and-labor hardware warranty gives you next-day onsite service, although a visit by a technician needs to be approved by a member of Dell's support staff. Also available to home users is a nights-and-weekend package, wherein you can schedule an onsite service call when you're actually home. Business users are promised next-day onsite service. Both home and business users can opt to pay extra for accidental damage protection, onsite installation, and data migration service, including connecting your new PC(s) to your home or office network. Hide Review
If you plan to get your hands inside the box, you'll appreciate the rear-panel latch that lets you remove the side panel faster than you can with any other system. With a minitower case, however, you'll find the interior a bit cramped. For example, the placement of the hard drive is less than convenient. The two 3.5-inch drive cages are positioned so that the drives sit upright and are stacked on top of each other, so you can't simply slide the drives out; you need to unscrew and remove each cage entirely. Home users who might not regularly crack the case open won't care too much, but this cumbersome process won't go over well in a small-business environment if--for the purposes of security, adding more storage space, or easy maintenance--quick removal is a necessity.
The new GMA 900 graphics chip is a vast improvement over the previous integrated video chip, Intel Extreme Graphics 2 (see the performance section for our test results). The only problem with the chip, as with any integrated part, is that it needs to share the system memory--as opposed to a graphics card, which comes with its own. Our Dimension 4700 test system contains 512MB of memory, so you shouldn't run into trouble with day-to-day applications used for browsing the Web, sending e-mail, word processing, or working with other productivity software. If you have your eye on Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, you'll definitely want to take advantage of the 16X PCI Express (PCIe) slot and purchase a dedicated graphics card. Dell offers a low-end ATI graphics card on the Dimension 4700's configuration page for an additional $54, but serious gamers will want to shop around for a more powerful option.
Application performance (Longer bars indicate better performance)
| BAPCo SysMark 2004 rating | SysMark 2004 Internet-content-creation rating | SysMark 2004 office-productivity rating |
iBuyPower Back To School PC (3.0EGHz Intel P4, 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz)
160
192
133
To measure application performance, CNET Labs uses BAPCo's SysMark 2004, an industry-standard benchmark. Using off-the-shelf applications, SysMark measures a desktop's performance using office-productivity applications (such as Microsoft Office and McAfee VirusScan) and Internet-content-creation applications (such as Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver).
3D graphics and gaming performance
The Dell Dimension 4700 is one of the first systems we've tested that uses Intel's new integrated graphics subsystem--the Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 900. With a score of 51 frames per second (fps) on our low-end 1,024x768 Unreal Tournament 2003 benchmark, the Dimension 4700 demonstrates a vast improvement over scores from systems using Intel's older Extreme Graphics 2 solution. By comparison, the similarly configured IBM ThinkCentre S50 uses Extreme Graphics 2 and managed to post only 13.6fps on the same test. If you're a casual gamer, you should be able to play most 3D titles currently on the market, with at least moderate detail settings. If you're looking forward to Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, we recommend upgrading to a PCI Express graphics card, because splitting memory between the core system operation and the graphics chip isn't conducive to smooth frame rates on advanced games.
3D gaming performance (in fps) (Longer bars indicate better performance)
| Unreal Tournament 2003 Flyby-Antalus 1,024x768 |
iBuyPower Back To School PC (Nvidia GeForce FX 5200)
42.2
To measure 3D gaming performance, CNET Labs uses Epic Games' Unreal Tournament 2003, widely used as an industry-standard benchmark. We use Unreal to measure a desktop's performance with the DirectX 8.0 (DX8) interface at a 32-bit color depth and at a resolution of 1,024x768 and 1,600x1,200. Antialiasing and anisotropic filtering are disabled during our 1,024x768 tests, and are set to 4X and 8X, respectively, during our 1,600x1,200 tests. At this color depth and these resolutions, Unreal provides an excellent means of comparing the performance of low-end to high-end graphics subsystems. We report the results of Unreal's Flyby-Antalus test in frames per second (fps).
Performance analysis written by CNET Labs technician David Gussman.
Find out more about how we test desktop systems.
System configurations:
Dell Dimension 4700
Windows XP Home; 3.0EGHz Intel P4; Intel 915G chipset; 512MB DDR2 SDRAM 400MHz; integrated 128MB Intel 915G (shared memory); Maxtor 6Y160M0, 160GB, Serial ATA, 7,200rpm hard drive
HP Compaq Business Desktop dc7100
Windows XP Professional; 3.2EGHz Intel P4; Intel 915G chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; integrated 128MB Intel 915G (shared memory); 80GB Seagate ST380013AS 7,200rpm Serial ATA hard drive.
IBM ThinkCentre S50
Windows XP Professional; 3.0GHz Intel P4; Intel 865G; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; integrated 64MB Intel 865G (shared memory); 40GB Western Digital WD400BB-23FJA0 7,200rpm hard drive.
iBuyPower Back To School PC
Windows XP Home; 3.0EGHz Intel P4; Intel 865PE chipset; 512MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; 128MB Nvidia GeForce FX 5200; 80GB Maxtor 6Y080L0 7,200rpm Serial ATA hard drive.
MPC ClientPro 545
Windows XP Professional; 3.2GHz Intel P4; Intel 875P chipset; 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce FX 5700 256MB; two 120GB Seagate ST3120026AS 7,200rpm Serial ATA hard drives; integrated Intel 82801ER SATA RAID controller.Dell didn't write the book on service and support, but you'll probably find its picture on the cover. From the Dimension 4700's huge setup sheet, which simplifies getting the system out of the box and onto your desk, to the user manual with its helpful hints and tips, Dell has practically cornered the market on user-friendly documentation. If you need to leave the paper world behind and have an Internet connection, Dell's Solution Center software whisks you off to its online support site, where you'll find driver downloads, troubleshooting FAQs, and plenty of other support features. The toll-free technical-support number is available 24/7.
The basic one-year parts-and-labor hardware warranty gives you next-day onsite service, although a visit by a technician needs to be approved by a member of Dell's support staff. Also available to home users is a nights-and-weekend package, wherein you can schedule an onsite service call when you're actually home. Business users are promised next-day onsite service. Both home and business users can opt to pay extra for accidental damage protection, onsite installation, and data migration service, including connecting your new PC(s) to your home or office network. Hide Review
User Reviews
See all user reviewsMost recent user reviews
Showing 3 of 45 reviews
stars
"I am very happy and satisfied with this product." By aspeedyveryspeedy
Pros: The Dimension 4700 is able to multi task and after six years is still as fast as the internet speed
Cons: The Demension 4700 downloads very many updates automatically, using up valuable memory. I didn't learn this for a few years until the memory got low. But that's fixed easily by changing the settings.
Summary: I am happy with my Dimension 4700. It has given me and my family many years and it still runs strong (with regular maintenance of course).
stars
"Reliable Throughout the Years" By dcy11
Pros: Never failed for six years, has been fast enough until last year to handle all my needs. Nice mid size case, nice monitor resolution.
Cons: None Really. A hard drive I put got fired. Discovered 2 years ago it does run hot. Fixed that by adding two fans. Other than that, the original 80 gb HD and all other components still work.
Summary: I have had the Dell Dimension for going on six years now.It's been my primary workstation and it has run flawlessly. last year replaced with Dell Insipron 580 I5. It's still running great and I use it as an internet machine machine, play old PC games. I ... Expand full review
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