Author Topic: Dell XPS's  (Read 417 times)

Offline LePaul

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Dell XPS's
« on: November 30, 2007, 12:48:16 AM »
Anyone have one of the Dell gaming rigs?

Feedback?  I have a coworker eyeing one that prices out to about $2400 once he's tweaked it with 4gb of RAM.  No Vista, opting for XP install.

I'm sure you can build your own for less...and in years past, I'd suggest it.  But darn it, laziness and a full warranty is nice  :)

Just wondering if these are pretty solid rigs or just cheaply made disasters waiting to happen.

Offline Wingnutt

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2007, 12:56:23 AM »
4gb DDR800 ram, athlon X2 6000+ badass mobo , badass Geforce card..  a setup capable of running the dogpiss out of anything on the market..

still way less than the XPS..  less than HALF... just build it yourself.


the company I work for (Suddenlink, a national MSO) is partnered with DELL, so I can get anything from them at an employee discount, and even then the prices are just.. absurd.. in the highest order, highway robbery on par with Alienware...

their laptops are the biggest joke..  and they really are..  superior rigs from gatway coming in at again... about half price or less..

Dell's "regular" PCs are not bad at all.. but their "high performance" stuff.. is.. its just the highest relm of insanity... it really is.. I mean, I cannot stress enough how overpriced some of their stuff is.. its lunacy of a magnitude reserved only for those who have truly lost touch for reality..



*sits back and waits for the inevitable XPS owner to cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war, to try and justify (as much to themselves as anyone) the large stack of $100 bills they figuratively flushed down the technology toilet.*

Offline LePaul

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2007, 02:05:32 AM »
You prefer Gateway ?

(as well as building your own, i see)

Offline crockett

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2007, 02:07:23 AM »
You can build a way better PC for under 2400. Hell I just built a system for myself that will out do any Dell XPS for much cheaper than that.

They aren't hard to build now days. Motherboards are for the most part jumper-less and plug and play, same with hard drives and so on. If you can build an erector set you are probably overqualified to build a PC these days.

The only real skill needed is knowing what to buy and even that it's easy enough to get help with.
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Offline Xasthur

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2007, 02:07:24 AM »
I had nothing but bad experiences with Dell.
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Offline rpm

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2007, 02:33:42 AM »
I've had nothing but good experiences with my Dell. Go figure...

I'm pretty sure the XPS series is based on Alienware rigs. Dell bought Alienware a while back.
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Offline Curval

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2007, 05:09:15 AM »
I have the Gen 4 XPS system.  Love it.

I should add that two days BEFORE my warrenty ran out my DVD drive just quit.  One phone call to Dell and within two days a guy came by the house and swapped out mine for a new one....and I live on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2007, 05:18:38 AM by Curval »
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Offline LePaul

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2007, 05:52:02 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Curval

I should add that two days BEFORE my warrenty ran out my DVD drive just quit.  One phone call to Dell and within two days a guy came by the house and swapped out mine for a new one....and I live on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic.


Give our regards to Gilligan, Ginger, Dorothy, the Howells and the Skipper  :)

Offline Curval

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2007, 07:32:41 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by LePaul
Give our regards to Gilligan, Ginger, Dorothy, the Howells and the Skipper  :)


What about the Dell representative that came to my house....no regards for him and all of the employees there?

;)
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Offline Ripsnort

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2007, 07:40:21 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by rpm
I've had nothing but good experiences with my Dell. Go figure...

I'm pretty sure the XPS series is based on Alienware rigs. Dell bought Alienware a while back.


Me too. We have 4 Dells (3 laptops and 1 desk top)

Another thing is customer service:  I had a video card go bad (Nvidia GO7900 GS). I took a screen shot, sent it to a live dell rep on instant chat, within 24 hours a new video card arrived (They asked if I would like to install it, or have a dell guy do it) I was back up and running in like 20 hours from first contact of Dell.
:aok

Offline Hornet33

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2007, 10:00:59 AM »
I have a Dell XPS rig. It's almost a year old now and I haven't had a single problem with it. OK take that back....I've had to replace a case fan.

2.13GHz Intel Duo core CPU
4Gb Ram
250Gb hard drive
2 G-force 7900 GS video cards with 250Mb Ram each
Sound Blaster audio card
DVD/R
CD/RW
3.5 floppy
14 in 1 flash card drive
750W power supply with 2 cooling fans
2 Case fans
HUGE CPU fan and heat sink that is oil cooled
Windows XP proffesional
Dell speakers with sub woofer

Thing has more USB ports than you can shake a stick at. Only downside is the case weighs about 60 lbs but it's made out of 1/8 inch T16 aircraft grade polished aluminum and it's BIG!!!!!! Almost twice the size of my old computer.

I paid right at $3000 but I also bought a 20" flat panel monitor, UPS, and a Merc gaming keyboard with it so that jacked the price up a bit.

edit: Almost forgot, AHII runs like a bat out of hell on this thing. My frame rates are usually around 160-180. Might drop into the 110-120 range if I'm in a big furball. No stutters, no nothing and that's with the High Res pack and the resolution settings maxed out. I love this thing!!!!!





« Last Edit: November 30, 2007, 10:10:38 AM by Hornet33 »
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Offline Shuffler

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Re: Dell XPS's
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2007, 12:05:12 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by LePaul
Anyone have one of the Dell gaming rigs?

Feedback?  I have a coworker eyeing one that prices out to about $2400 once he's tweaked it with 4gb of RAM.  No Vista, opting for XP install.

I'm sure you can build your own for less...and in years past, I'd suggest it.  But darn it, laziness and a full warranty is nice  :)

Just wondering if these are pretty solid rigs or just cheaply made disasters waiting to happen.


Most parts you buy are warantees. You can build a much better machine, for much much less.
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Offline 68Wooley

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2007, 12:11:46 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Hornet33
... Almost forgot, AHII runs like a bat out of hell on this thing. My frame rates are usually around 160-180. Might drop into the 110-120 range if I'm in a big furball. No stutters, no nothing and that's with the High Res pack and the resolution settings maxed out. I love this thing!!!!!...


I'm guessing your flat screen monitor is running at either 60Hz or possibly 75Hz, in which case you wont see frame rates above 60 or 75fps regardless of how fast your set-up is.

Your rig is probably not having to break sweat to keep it there though.

EDIT: - After reviewing your specs again, I'd expect to see frame rates drop slightly in a really big furball - never to anything unplayable though. Your processor (unless you've overclocked it) is probably the limiting factor.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2007, 12:18:03 PM by 68Wooley »

Offline Hornet33

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2007, 01:46:26 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by 68Wooley
I'm guessing your flat screen monitor is running at either 60Hz or possibly 75Hz, in which case you wont see frame rates above 60 or 75fps regardless of how fast your set-up is.

Your rig is probably not having to break sweat to keep it there though.

EDIT: - After reviewing your specs again, I'd expect to see frame rates drop slightly in a really big furball - never to anything unplayable though. Your processor (unless you've overclocked it) is probably the limiting factor.


I've got screen shots where my frame rates are showing over 200. Be happy to e-mail you a couple if you have your doubts. Have a real nice one of me, Knuckels, and Toadflack flying a nice tight formation of 109's where it's showing a frame rate of 232.

I have no idea what my monitor refresh rate is set too. I've never looked because I've never had any problems with anything.

This is a stable machine and runs fast. Like I said, I love this thing.
AHII Con 2006, HiTech, "This game is all about pissing off the other guy!!"

Offline tapakeg

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Dell XPS's
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2007, 02:21:33 PM »
You can configure a
2 gig ram
quad core intel
8800GT 512 Mg

complete system at
ibuypower.com for under a grand.


I have my settings in AH set for unlimited frame rates, but it stops at 60fps.

Am I missing a setting?  i have
Nvidia 7950 512 Mg video card
2 gig ram
AMD 3800X2 processor

What setting am I missing?

Tap
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