Dell Studio Desktop Review

Dell constantly innovates with its products to bring out gem of products. Dell Studio is latest product to be let lose from Dell warehouse recently, but does it fit into the above criteria? Well that’s exactly what we are going to do in this review. So without wasting time, lets jump in.

Dell Studio specifications :

• Processor : Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.3 GHz
• Memory : 4GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard drive : 640GB, 7200 rpm
• Graphics card : 256 MB ATI Radeon HD 3650
• Optical drive : Dual-layer DVD burner
• Networking : Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n wireless
• TV Tuner : Included
• OS : WIndows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit)
• Approx. price : $1200

The Dell Studio packs in a powerful Intel Core 2 Quad processor along with huge storage capacity coupled with loads of RAM. The graphics card is good enough for mid-level gaming. It comes loaded with 64-bit version of Windows Vista to fully utilise all the RAM. Also a TV tuner is a welcome addition as it is not usually present in systems.

Dell has gone a step ahead with networking by including wireless 802.11n standard which is slowly becoming the standard on new devices. But sadly the absence of Blu-ray drive and a mid-level graphics card are its two major weak points. The motherboard supports upto 8GB of RAM, if you wish to upgrade in future.

A mid-level graphics card is bound to disappoint gamers and keep them away from this system. The gaming performance as expected is just above average. Blu-ray drive is included as an upgrade but costs a bomb, while HP offers it half the price for its systems.

The design of the system isn’t attractive as its simple and has no frills. Also the wireless antenna from the PCI expansion card makes it look clunky as it is attached by a think cable. The USB receiver for infrared is external which adds to clutter. HDMI port is a life-saver if you want to connect it to a HDTV.

Dell has a custom application that resembles OS X-style icon manager that sits on top of Vista desktop. The performance of the desktop is great when it comes to multimedia tasks. Gaming performance as already discussed is lack lustre due to the graphics card. Dell has standard 1-year parts and labor warranty along with on on-site warranty.

Pros :

• Quad core processor
• Huge storage capacity
• 64-bit OS
• On-site warranty
• Good multimedia performance

Cons :

• Non-attractive design
• Clunky accessories
• Average gaming performance
• Expensive Blu-ray upgrade

Final Thoughts

The Dell Studio Desktop has a powerful processor,loads of RAM and storage capacity but fails to impress. Its average graphics card and clunky design are major disappointments. The desktop does not offer anything innovative and hence fails to impress. Its just another average desktop.

My Rating : 2.5/5