Dell XPS 730 Desktop
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The new brains have arrived, and they're better than
ever. Computer brains, of course. As most PCMag.com
readers are aware, Intel has launched a new generation
of Intel Core 2 Duo and Quad processors, code-named
Penryn, Wolfdale, and Yorkfield. They're built on
the 45nm process of CPU architecture, while the older
Core 2 chips use the 65nm process. The "nm"
stands for nanometers and refers to the size of the
individual transistors that are packed into microprocessors.
The smaller the transistors, the more can be squeezed
into the same amount of space. With 45nm architecture,
Intel fits more than 400 million into a dual-core
CPU and more than 800 million into a quad-core. More
transistors for a given size of processor translates
into better performance and energy efficiency, which
for the new chips has been borne out in our tests.
Penryn is the code name for Intel's new notebook-class
processors (which replace the "Merom" CPUs),
but you'll see Penryn processors not only in notebooks
but in compact desktop PCs like the Sony VAIO VGX-TP25E.
Wolfdale, the successor to the Allendale chip, is
Intel's mainstream desktop dual-core processor. It
appears in systems like the mid-priced Falcon FragBox
8500. The Yorkfield and Yorkfield XE processors are
the quad-core processors in the line, found in high-end
gaming PCs like the Dell XPS 730 H2C and the Puget
Deluge-i L2. They supersede the older Kentsfield processors.
But no matter what their code names or which generation
they're from, when you're buying a computer, they're
identified as Core 2 Solo (single core), Core 2 Duo
(dual core), Core 2 Quad (four core), and Core 2 Extreme
processors in the product specs.
In another hardware boost, we're also starting to
see DDR3 memory on some high-end Core 2 Extreme desktops.
DDR3 more or less doubles the throughput between the
CPU and the system memory, from about 6,400 megabytes
per second with DDR2-800 to 12,800 MBps with DDR3-1600.
This means your data will be processed faster, whether
it's a 3D menu rendered for a home movie or physics
calculations to display smoke and sparks for that
latest game you're playing. DDR3 memory also runs
cooler compared with DDR2.
It's out with the old brains and in with the new.
And while you're at it, give yourself a memory enhancement.
PROS:
Good gaming performance. Cleaner design lines than
its predecessor's. More ATX-standard parts. Quiet.
Sealed liquid-cooling system. Intelligent use of lights.
Can play Crysis (1,280-by-1,024 resolution). Space
for upgrades.
CONS:
Even dual-GPU graphics cards can't help with anti-aliasing
and anisotropic filtering at the highest resolutions.
Big and heavy. No hard switch for reset or power.
COMPANY:
Dell, Inc.www.dell.co.nz
SPEC DATA
Price: $6,629.00 Direct
Type: Gaming
Processor Family: Intel Core 2 Extreme
RAM: 2 GB
Storage Capacity: 1320 GB
RAID: Yes
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 CrossFireX
Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
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