Dell Rolls Out Studio XPS 8000, 9000 Workstations
Intel's Core i5 processor rollout
The two new desktops from Dell, the Studio XPS 8000 and 9000, are built to take advantage of Intel's new processors. Both will apparently be built with the Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, although specs for the 9000 are not currently available.
The XPS 8000 comes standard with the Core i5-750 processor, packing 4 GB of DDR3 memory and 500 GB of storage. The basic model of the desktop comes equipped with an ATI Radeon HD card and integrated 7.1 channel audio.
But once users start to up the horsepower, storage or processor, the prices on the Studio XPS 8000 quickly start to jump. Configuring an XPS 8000 with the Intel Core i7-860 processor raises the price by $170, while selecting the Core i7-870 processor tacks an extra $380 onto the base price.
With that additional price, customers also can further customize the hardware, with the option to select up to 6 GB of DDR3 memory. Storage space also takes a jump up on the XPS 8000 with 640-GB or 1-TB hard drives available. A graphics card update also is available, with customers able to build in the nVidia GeForce GTS240 video card.
But customers who are interested in really upping the horsepower on their machines can choose up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory and up to 1.5 TB of storage space on up to two hard drives simultaneously housed in the machine. The option for a TV tuner, which lets users watch and record HD TV over the air, also is included.
The Dell Studio XPS 8000 can house two optical drives, including a 6x Blu-ray disc burner and 16x DVD+/RW drive.
Intel's new Lynnfield chips are aimed at the mainstream desktop and entry-level server markets. The quad-core, 2.66GHz Core i5-750 is the first sub-$200 processor in Intel's Nehalem-based desktop lineup. When paired with Intel's P55 express chipset, also introduced this week, the initial Core i5 and the first two parts in Intel's Core i7 800 series deliver the advantages of Nehalem at more mainstream price points than previous members of the Nehalem family.
The Dell Studio XPS 8000 desktop starts at $799 and is available now.