CNET editors' review
- CNET editors' rating: stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/16/2009
Dell's fixed-configuration Studio XPS-122B is essentially a showcase for Intel's relatively new Core i7 desktop processors. This $999 Dell provides all of the features we expect to find at this price, as well as very aggressive multitasking and multithreaded application performance. The Studio XPS-122B has few frills, but anyone looking for raw computing power will be more than satisfied with this off-the-shelf Dell.
Like other tower desktops we've reviewed lately, the Studio XPS's case is serviceable and attractive enough. You might not show it off for its looks, but the glossy black plastic exterior won't detract from your decor, either. The front panel has the standard pair of optical drive bays (one empty, one with a DVD burner). Underneath them, a small door slides down to reveal the media card reader, audio ports, a FireWire input, and four USB ports.
| Dell Studio XPS-122B | Velocity Micro Edge Z5 | |
| Price | $999 | $999 |
| CPU | 2.67GHz Intel Core i7 920 | 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 |
| Memory | 4GB 1,066MHz DDR3 SDRAM | 4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM |
| Graphics | 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850 | 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850 |
| Hard drives | 640GB, 7,200rpm | 750GB, 7,200rpm |
| Optical drive | dual-layer DVD burner | dual-layer DVD burner |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
| Operating system | Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) | Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) |
We could have matched the Dell directly against several other desktops in this price range, but we've chosen the custom-built Velocity Micro Edge Z5 because of the exact price match. Dell's plastic exterior looks a little cheap compared with the Edge Z5's all-metal case, and the Velocity Micro system also has a beefier 550-watt power supply-- the Dell only has a 350-watt supply. That means you could reasonably put a higher-end 3D card in the Velocity Micro system if you decide to upgrade down the road. The Studio XPS-122B will likely limit you to midrange 3D cards and lower.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Rendering Multiple CPUs | |
Rendering Single CPU |
Velocity Micro has the clear edge in its case and its future-mindedness, but the performance picture is less clear. The two systems are virtually tied on our Photoshop test, but they trade wins across the rest of our benchmarks. Velocity Micro pulls ahead on our iTunes test, likely because of its faster core CPU speed. However, the Dell is a better multitasker, rivaling even the 20-inch iMac, a multitasking champ in its own right. The Dell's Core i7 chip also helps it speed ahead on our Cinebench test. Thus, if you frequently use more than one program at a time, or if you use an application you know will use multiple CPU cores, the Dell ends up being best option out of several PCs in its price range.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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1,920x1,200 | |
1,280x1,024 |
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