Dell shows off speedy game PC

LAS VEGAS--Michael Dell joined the overclockers' club on Thursday.

Speaking to a crowd at the Consumer Electronics Show here, the Dell Computer founder showed off a new gaming PC that includes several high-end components, including a "factory overclocked" 4.26GHz Intel Pentium Extreme Edition.

Dell's Limited Edition XPS 600 Renegade, which is expected to be available this quarter, also includes four Nvidia graphics processors in an airbrushed fiery red case designed by Michael Lavallee.

Dell also showed off a concept laptop design that folds out and resembles a desktop computer with a detachable keyboard. The computer included a 20-inch widescreen display and the company has at least 10 patents. A release date has not been determined.

The company also introduced a new 30-inch flat panel display that will sell for $2199 and a dual-core 17-inch widescreen entertainment notebook, the Inspiron E1705, priced at $2,299.

Although the consumer market makes up only 15 percent of the company's business, Dell noted that it has grown more than fivefold since 2000, while the rest of the PC industry has seen total consumer sales decline.

Overall, Dell said that his company sold 10 million PCs in the fourth quarter, a milestone he said had never been achieved by a computer maker. He noted that one of every three U.S. computers comes from the company he founded.

"It's because of this that we feel an obligation to take computing to the next level," Dell said.

Video: Dell shows off new PC
Get a first look at Dell's XPS 600 Renegade.

Dell, who was joined on stage by Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, made the case that PCs are better for gaming than consoles, which are considered fast when they come out, but remain static over their roughly five-year lifespan.

"The PC still ranks supreme as the high-volume device of choice," Dell said.

He also addressing the persistent speculation that Dell might adopt chips from AMD. "It's a distinct possibility," Dell told reporters following his speech. Pressed on the point, he said he "wouldn't want to speculate" on what role AMD might play. Historically, Dell has used only Intel's processors.

Addressing the gains AMD has made in creating speedy chips, Dell maintained that a fast processor is not the only way to improve PC performance. "What you see in these (new Dell PCs) is that the real improvement in performance is not coming so much from the CPU as from the (graphics processor)."

[wpholmes]

Dude,

Dude, your'e getting a Dell!, sorry...

[wazzledoozle]

Not a top of the line gaming PC if it has P4

If your going to go all out with the absolute best PC for gaming, it would be a waste to get a P4, especially in a Dell.

[rick7069]

Still a high end component

I am an AMD fan myself, running them in six of my computers. However, your statement does not hold, Intel's newest chip does outperform the AMDs, though they have reached the high end limit of their present technology. AMD will get the title back quickly and probably hold it for a long time. My gaming computer was top of the line about a year ago, but now is far behind (tears). I like to build my own.

[jmanico]

awesome

This machine screams for watercooling and overclocking to the max.

[sharikou]

DELL XPS is trashy

DELL better sticks to $299 sector of the PC market

http://sharikou.blogspot.com/2006/01/dell-xps-pc-will-be-fragged.html


http://sharikou.blogspot.com/2005/12/dell-xps-400-trashed-fragile-build.html

[pastormick]

Gaming P4 in a Dell?

Isn't that kinda like putting a V6 in a Lada?

[fred dunn]

Dell and Gaming Spec PC (Oxymoronic)...

They are simply trying to coat-tail on independent systems vendors that have the gaming niche market.
But Intel and Gaming, I think I'll stick with AMD.

[mayno]

Blah, blah, blah...

Come on, Intel, you can do better than this!

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1845014,00.asp

"...it's really not a contest, with a couple of interesting exceptions. Look at the Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory tests, which use HDR lighting and Shader Model 3.0. At the lowest resolution, the 3.80GHz P4-equipped XPS 600 is easily outpaced by the Athlon 64 FX-57 system." - Extremetech.com

"Slower than Athlon 64 systems using older Nforce4 SLI chipsets; expensive." - Extremetech.com

[zaznet]

You all missed something...

Everyone who posted already has missed an important bit of news here. Where is Intel in all of this? Intel has NEVER allowed ANY direct purchase manufacturer to OC anything EVER. Dell is in tight with Intel, and is the only direct line manufacturer who is doing it.

This tells you one of two things. Either Dell holds some pull over Intel, or it's a publicity stunt to help promote Intel CPUs in gaming systems.

As far as why Dell would have the XPS line to begin with all you have to do is look at Alienware. The argument that "power gamers" are "smart" is absurd. If it were true, nobody would buy an Alienware and they'd be out of business already. They are doing fine and even moving into the business sector towards simulation systems and multi-unit orders.

Were this 5 years ago Intel would have pulled their deals with Dell and Dell would have sunk the next day by not being able to keep their chip prices as low as possible. AMD is sure to be noticing this move and will likely start promoting more OC based marketing. Afterall if an OC Intel can't beat the AMD if both are off-the-shelf (no overclocking) then AMD should have a good chance to OC their benchmarks right out of contention.

[pastormick]

Missing the point

Me bad...

Unfortunately, my utter loathing for Dell has blinded me to the very scenario you pointed out. But then, I'm afraid I gave up on Intel years ago, preferring instead to OC the daylights out of (cheaper) AMD chips and bank the money saved.

[208774626618253979477959487856]

go dell!

http://www.analogstereo.com/chevrolet_malibu_owners_manual.htm

[cagerattler]

All the kings horses and all the kings men...

won't be able to put Dell back together again.