Dell Studio Desktop Computer (Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200, 750GB HDD, 6GB)
When we looked at the customizable version of the Dell Studio Desktop a month ago, we were unimpressed with Dell's effortThis off-the-shelf model is much more compellingAvailable at Best Buy, this $799 PC is faster than its competition, offers more useful features, and it's also better designedAdding a $400 24-inch LCD would also net you a significantly more capable PC for the most part than what you can find from Apple for the same total costYou likely don't need to spend $800 if you just want a PC for basic computingAnd there's not enough computer here to satisfy gamers or professional digital media editorsBut this iteration of the Dell Studio Desktop is perfect for anyone in need of more than a simple budget PC
We weren't overly impressed with the Studio Desktop we reviewed last month, largely because it delivered fewer features than competing systems from Gateway and HP, but at $1,200 it also cost moreThis $799 model actually has better hardware in some cases, with a 750GB hard drive and 6GB of RAM, compared with 640GB and 4GB in the other versionIt also comes with no clunky accessories, which hurt that other model's design rating
At its core, the Studio Desktop represents Dell's standard mainstream workhorse PCYou get little in the way of gaming or living-room-friendly hardware; instead this system provides a solid everyday Vista experienceYou get a speedy-enough Intel quad-core CPU, plenty of RAM and hard-drive space, as well as a basic level of external connectivity and room for modest internal expansion
| Dell Studio Desktop | HP Pavilion Elite m9402f |
| $799 | $819 |
| 2.3GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 | 2.3GHz AMD Phenom X4 9650 |
| 6GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM | 7GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM |
| 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 | 128MB (shared) Nvidia GeForce 6150 SE integrated graphics chip |
| 750GB, 7,200 rpm | 640GB, 7,200rpm |
| dual-layer DVD burner | dual-layer DVD burner |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless |
| Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) | Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) |
You'll likely find the Dell Studio Desktop sitting somewhere on the shelf near the pricier, AMD-powered HP Pavilion Elite m9402f PCCompare the two and while they seem similar, we'd take the Dell's larger hard drive and full-fledged 3D card over the HP's extra GB of RAM and its wireless network adapterWe don't value Wi-Fi in standard desktops as much as we do with all-in-ones and small form factor PCs, and as you'll see in our performance charts, the extra memory can't help the HP outpace the Dell, making the Dell's larger hard drive that much more attractive