Review on Dell Studio XPS sx8100-1408NBC

It is worth blaming the laptop for fixed configuration and the fact that it will be available only in retail stores. The midrange PC is a good choice if you are looking to replace your old desktop PC. Gamers unfortunately have nothing to do with it as the 3D graphics card is sacrificed for wireless networking but other will be satisfied with the configuration and its price of $899. The midtower chassis remain to be one of the best designs in the market. Its chassis includes curved lines and is glossy black finished giving it a sculptural appearance. The USB ports and the memory card slots which are shifted to the front panel which are now easy to access. The gadget tray depression at the top is conveniently placed as well.

The Dell Studio XPS sx8100-1408NBC’s best competition would be the higher end Asus Essentio CG1330-05 which is priced $80 more. The Asus however includes a faster graphics card and edges out with a better multithreaded performance. If at all the Asus included a wireless networking we would have suggested you not to mind about the sx8100-1408NBC. Gamers however would be tempted towards the Asus as it includes a graphics card.

The Dell’s other best competitors would be the Gateway DX4831-03 and Asus CM5675-07 as all the three includes the Core i5 processor from Intel. Intel with the core processor managed to achieve better clock speeds than the Asus CG1330-05 and HP Pavilion P6540y which included AMD processor. This more clock speed has resulted the Dell with better performance in iTune encoding and Photoshop. But however the system lacked in performance in those tests which depend on core rather than clock speed.

The Dell’s gaming capabilities is however not very bad but reasonable for its price. If you dial down the resolution and image quality, the system will keep up with your demands. The Dell’s power supply is 350 watts which gives an option of adding a power GPU but it is better to go with a midrange card. You however need to get rid of the currently installed GeForce GT 220 in order to install a new one. Other upgradable options include a PCI Express card slot, standard PCI slot and one hard drive bay. Unfortunately, all the RAM slots are occupied.

Connection options include VGA, DVI and HDMI. The HDMI links with the 3D card which means that there are lots of display choices. Audio connection options include the 7.1 analog audio jack, S/PDIF digital audio output. You also get eSATA, FireWire outputs and a handful of USB ports. In power efficiency, the Dell stands right next to the Asus Essentio CM5675-07 but however only by a small difference. On an average, the Asus will cost around $25.37 every year while our Dell is cost $25.42. As you can see, it is not much of a difference. The Asus Essentio CG1330-05 annual power consumption cost is almost double with $48.43 but it is no surprise because it includes a faster 3D card and a six core CPU.

Dell backs up the PC with one year warranty on parts and labor along with free technical support through phone, 24 hours a day. You can download manual and drivers from Dell’s official website. You can also gain more knowledge from the FAQ section in the same web site.

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