Dell XPS 730x

At the dawn of the decade, Dell had a sour reputation amongst gamers. Dell’s machines were known for their integrated components that made them unsuitable for video card and other hardware upgrades. Dell’s latest gaming oriented computers should dispel that notion forever. The Dell XPS 730x features some of the fastest hardware out there for a price that the penny-pinching gamer can appreciate. And, two and three years down the line, should you need an upgrade, the Dell XPS 730x’s motherboard will allow you to upgrade everything from the graphics controller to the heat sink.

Standout Features

• 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7-920 quad-core processor
• 6 GB tri-channel RAM
• 512 MB GeForce 9800GT video card
• 500 GB hard drive (7200 rpm)

Features

The Dell XPS 730x has a distinctive look that was clearly crafted with the gamer in mind. The tower itself is constructed out of sturdy aluminum and has a grate window on the side that provides a bit of visual access to the inner workings of the hardware. The aggressively industrial-themed face of the tower features 2 USB ports and audio jacks for convenient access.

Cracking open the body of the Dell XPS 730x yields a healthy bounty of performance oriented hardware that will leave even the most seasoned of veteran gamers feeling a bit flustered. The Intel Core i7-920 processor features four cores running full speed at 2.66 GHz each. With that kind of power, you can kill the ambient processes required to render convincing 3D environments.

Factor in the 6 GB of DDR3 RAM and Crysis, Company of Heroes, Left 4 Dead or Empire: Total War will get stellar frame rates even if you leave programs running in the background.

The Dell XPS 730x’s superior lineup of hardware is headed up by the 512 MB GeForce 9800GT video card. The 9800GT is perfectly suited to power contemporary DX10 games.

Should the $1899 configuration we selected prove underwhelming, the Dell XPS 730x, naturally, can be upgraded to include dual video cards, multi-terabyte hard drives and Blu-ray drives or burners. We opted for a more modest build that will appeal to the budget conscious gamer.

Summary of Reviews from Across the Internet

Some users prefer to wait for Windows 7 before purchasing a new gaming rig—the Dell XPS 730x ships with Windows Vista Home Premium edition.

Forward looking gamers applaud Dell for future proofing the XPS 730x with a 1000 watt power supply.

Summary

The modern gamer looking to explore the wastes of Fallout 3, link up with friends on Left 4 Dead, try out Crisis: Warhead or configure triple monitors for World of Warcraft is going to love the Dell XPS 730x. Happily, the superior hardware peripherals ensure that not only will you get ridiculous frame rates in the present, but that upgrading to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX280 will be entirely possible two years from now.

How do other tricked out gaming PCs stack up to the Dell XPS 730x? Check out our side-by-side specs and reviews for more info.

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