Dell Inspiron 560S Desktop Computer (Intel Pentium Dual Core E5500, 750GB HDD, 4GB)

After so much buildup, you might think that the Dell Dimension C521 would make a more dramatic entrance. It is, after all, one of the first two Dell consumer desktops to include a processor from AMD. But rather than rolling out the new partnership at the top of the desktop market with an unattainable $5,000 gaming PC, Dell has made a wiser move in debuting its AMD boxes as more budget-friendly, day-to-day PCs. The Dimension C521 starts at $359, and our review model costs $1,215 thanks to its various upgrades. At that price, it's competitive performance-wise compared to other systems in its class, but Dell hasn't used the smaller chassis very well here, a problem we also found with Dell's XPS 210. Dell is on the right track design-wise with its XPS 700, in which form serves function. The Dimension C521, however, feels like an uninspired throwback.

First, the basics. Our Dimension C521 came with a 2.4GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+, 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 memory, a 320GB 7,200rpm hard drive, and a half-height 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro graphics card. That's a nearly identical core configuration to that of the XPS 210, and like that Intel Core 2 Duo-based PC, there are few day-to-day tasks the Dimension C521 can't handle. Windows Vista should operate well, although you might need to scale back on the Aero visual effects due to the lower-end graphics card. The current Windows Media Center 2005 operating system, the DVD burner, and the included TV tuner should give you a decent digital entertainment experience, but you can forget about a more powerful sound card, a dedicated video encoder, or even a more powerful graphics card for bolstering video quality and playing games, because the Dimension C521 case isn't large enough to accept full-size expansion cards.

The Dimension C521 measures 15.75 inches tall, 4.5 inches wide, and 14.25 inches deep, making it taller and just slightly wider than the XPS 210 (which is 12.4 by 3.7 by 14.4). Both can accept only half-height expansion cards, but we're more willing to forgive that in the XPS 210 because it's smaller overall. The Dimension C521, on the other hand, takes up only slightly less space than a typical midtower desktop, so we're not really sure what benefit you get from its barely reduced volume. If you want to stick with Dell, the midtower Dimension E521 (the other AMD-based PC Dell announced alongside this one) makes a much better system for adding parts. Velocity Micro and PC Club also make competitive tower-style desktops in this price range, and Apple, WinBook, and others have better space-savers.

At least we can say that Dell chose our review Dimension C521's config wisely. On our performance tests, it hung in alongside the other systems we've reviewed over the past few months that fall within the $999-to-$1,300 price range. Yes, it finished last on a few tests but never by a wide margin, and in general it performed exactly where it should given its specs. We've made it clear in past reviews that Intel's Core 2 Duo chips are superior to AMD's Athlon 64 X2's, but AMD adjusted prices to stay competitive, and by using an Athlon 64 X2 4600+ in this price range, Dell has shown that AMD's chips are still worth considering. We are also satisfied with this system's 3D performance. You won't be able to play the most cutting-edge 3D shooters on the Dimension C521, but it will at least give you a playable experience with the more mainstream titles, such as the Sims 2 and World of Warcraft.

In addition to the aforementioned Dimension C521 configuration, Dell includes a 13-in-1 media card reader and a 17-inch LCD monitor. You can make the typical upgrades to add memory, a larger screen, or various software bundles (our system came with only Microsoft Works), but again, due to the limitations of the case, you can add neither a second internal hard drive nor a second optical drive. We wouldn't expect to find a wireless networking adapter in a larger, budget-to-low-midrange desktop, but we might expect to find one in a smaller PC. No matter how you consider the Dimension C521's case, Dell doesn't offer one here. We slammed the higher-end XPS 210 for lacking internal Wi-Fi, and it's absent in this system, too. But every other vendor of a small-form-factor PC, mainstream or otherwise, makes built-in Wi-Fi available. Combine the absence of wireless networking and the overlarge but still upgrade-limited case, and our opinion is that Dell really needs to reconsider its ideas about the reduced-footprint PC.

We will give Dell credit for innovating in the area of its customer service. It's made great claims about improving support. Though, as with any telephone-based system, human inconsistencies are always possible, Dell's DellConnect service gives its techs a great new tool for troubleshooting problems on a customer's PC. We outlined DellConnect in detail in our review of the XPS 210, but in short, after a small software download, you can grant a Dell technician full access to your computer to fix a problem for you, but you also get full control over the process. The software is user-friendly, and its remote control capabilities save you from having to provide a technician with description of technical difficulties you might not fully understand. Best of all, DellConnect is available with any Dell PC, not just the higher-end XPS customer. Combine that service with Dell's year of parts-and-labor coverage, the warranty upgrade options, and Dell's robust Web site, and in terms of support, it's fair to say that Dell has made steps to improve.

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