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Dell's XPS 720 H2C Edition Gaming Desktop
Dell's new gaming desktop to start at $5,999 USD

Dell is taking factory overclocking to the next level with its new XPS 720 H2C Edition gaming desktop. The XPS 720 H2C Edition leverages technologies from a number of well-known companies including Intel, NVIDIA and Corsair.

The XPS 720 H2C Edition uses an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 processor that has been factory overclocked to 3.46GHz. The processor along with 2GB of 800MHz Corsair DOMINATOR DDR2 memory (factory overclocked to 1066MHz) find a home on an NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP motherboard. Graphics duties are handled by two 768MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTX graphics cards operating in SLI mode.

In keeping with its over-the-top bravado, the XPS 720 H2C Edition also incorporates LightFX which was first seen on the XPS M1710. By using the LightFX toolkit, users can control three light zones, eight intensity levels and 16 colors on the computer case.

"Hard-core gamers and technology enthusiasts continue to challenge us to push limits, and we relish turning those challenges into reality," said Glen Robson, general manager for Dell’s worldwide gaming products. "Dell is committed to delivering the best PC gaming experience available, combining leading-edge hardware and accessory innovations with the most extreme games, and the XPS gaming products are designed to do exactly that."

The Dell XPS 720 H2C Edition starts at a whopping $5,999 USD. For the price of entry, you also get dual 160GB SATA/300 10,000 RPM hard drives, a 2x Blu-ray drive, Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic sound card, 24" UltraSharp 2407FPW flat-panel display and your choice of Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows XP Media Center Edition. Dell's decision to continue support for Windows XP is a result of customer feedback from its Direct2Dell blog site.

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Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By paydirt on 5/22/2007 11:08:00 AM , Rating: 2
I'm sure there are folks who will pay the price and not want to make the system themselves, but let's see:

nice case: $200
C2Q (QX6700): $1000
OC'd 8800 GTX w/768 RAM ea: $1600 (for 2)
high-end 2GB RAM: $300
nice mobo: $200
nice PSU: $300
TOTAL: $3600

Price you're paying Dell to make it $2400

I'm surprised that this system does not have 4GB of RAM. Seems silly/greedy not to throw that in.




RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By paydirt on 5/22/2007 11:09:27 AM , Rating: 2
OK a Blu-ray burner would crank the cost of the parts up another $500 to $4100... Still paying Dell $1900 to make it.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By webdawg77 on 5/22/2007 11:15:35 AM , Rating: 2
What about ...

24" Monitor ~ $500
X-Fi ~ $125
Windows ~ $150
HDDs ~ $120 (for both)

That's almost another $900. Still way too much for Dell to pocket $1000.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By cochy on 5/22/2007 11:46:13 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
HDDs ~ $120 (for both)


150GB Raptors are $200 each.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By webdawg77 on 5/22/2007 11:52:24 AM , Rating: 1
"160GB SATA/300 10,000 RPM hard drives"

But yes, I agree, they are probably more. The $120 is based on 7200 RPM drives. I can't find a combo of 160GB AND 10k RPM. Do they really exist or did the author mean 150GB?


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By gyranthir on 5/22/2007 11:57:24 AM , Rating: 5
160gb raptors exist, they are specifically made for DELL and HP under the OEM contracts they have with WD.

Although you can find them on the open market sometimes.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By webdawg77 on 5/22/2007 11:59:49 AM , Rating: 2
Cool, thanks for the info.

I guess the HDD price should be adjusted to about $450 - $500 for both then in the calculations.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By Sazar on 5/22/2007 5:38:20 PM , Rating: 2
Factor in that you have factory over-clocked, warrantied components in the systems and factor in the cost of the chassis as well as any applicable software (the o/s is only about 100-200 bucks but still).

It adds up.

Yes, you can probably build a system for cheaper once you put ALL the items together and overclock it yourself but, as soon as you overclock, technically you have voided your warranty/ies.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By gramboh on 5/22/2007 10:20:42 PM , Rating: 2
3.4GHz on a quad core is not an easy overclock. Definitely have to factor this in.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By cochy on 5/22/2007 12:40:00 PM , Rating: 2
Really? Odd that they would make a special oem drive based on the question of how many super high end systems with 10k rpm drives are sold by HP and Dell? I'd think not too many to warrant the extra logistics involved for WD.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By Jedi2155 on 5/22/2007 9:59:33 PM , Rating: 2
I actually have a OEM Dell 160 GB raptor, but they are only warrantied through dell. I don't think it was that much logistics extra. I think a lot more are sold in the workstation area than the consumer arena.

I bet WD has always been capable of easily making the 80 GB (back when they were @ 74 GB) or 160 GB raptors, except they chose to screw the end user and only sell them to OEMs.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By webdawg77 on 5/22/2007 11:56:01 AM , Rating: 1
Wait ... 150GB Raptors aren't SATA II (3 Gbps). They are only SATA I (1.5 Gbps).


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By bkiserx7 on 5/22/2007 2:23:49 PM , Rating: 2
That may be a mistake, cause I believe these OEM models are still SATA150; Raptors still do not exceed that bandwidth. I think the reason for the extra 10GB on the 150 and 6GB on the 74 are to have room for Dell's and HP's Recovery and Diagnostic Partitions.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By jpeyton on 5/22/2007 4:17:46 PM , Rating: 2
I would be interested to learn more about the cooling solution and how noisy it is.

I wonder if Dell factors in 100% load on all four cores when they test it. Because Core 2 Quads produce A LOT OF HEAT when overclocked.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By darkpaw on 5/22/2007 11:11:51 AM , Rating: 3
And the monitor, and the OS. Dell is pocketing about $1000 on each one.

Ultra high end systems are the only items the PC industry has any real margin on. Everything else they rely on volume.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By FITCamaro on 5/22/2007 11:43:31 AM , Rating: 1
Uh..8800GTXs don't cost $800 each. They're about $500-550.

Just another overpriced computer from Dell idiots will buy.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By Assimilator87 on 5/22/2007 12:02:33 PM , Rating: 2
Why do they give you such a POS sound card and why don't they offer Vista Ultimate?


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By AmbroseAthan on 5/22/2007 12:22:34 PM , Rating: 3
The article doesn't mention this... but the H2C systems have special cooling:

quote:
The Dell XPS 710 H2C Edition has an innovative, two-stage cooling solution that helps cool the processor even at its highest mode, and does so more effectively than Dell’s air-cooling solution. The H2C hybrid cooling system combines a liquid radiator, a thermoelectric cooling module and control circuitry to optimize CPU cooling with minimal power. Ideal for gaming enthusiasts, the system is designed to help the XPS 710 H2C Edition stay cool in overclocked mode2—up to 9 degrees cooler even when you clock it at bin+2 speeds.3


source: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetail...

more specs: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetail...

They are still likely grabbing a big chunk of change... but that is an impressive looking cooling system, wonder how well it operates.


RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By AmbroseAthan on 5/22/2007 12:35:27 PM , Rating: 2
RE: Silly Price, Silly Rabbit
By cochy on 5/22/2007 12:42:41 PM , Rating: 2
Yup its a very cool (haha pun) cooling system.

http://www.coolitsystems.com/

those are the guys who make it. I plan on using it in my planned Penryn build. Reviews mostly positive.