HEXUS.beans :: AMD based Dell PC examined

[Steve]

HEXUS.community member and PC modder extraordinaire Gordon Handley recently received one of Dell's new AMD powered SKUs. He's given it a bit of a poke and run some benchmarks to give us an idea of how the Dell-AMD PC fares. Read on for Gordy's thoughts.

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6927

[shaithis]

I am amazed....not by the fact Dell have released an AMD-based PC but by their timing....

Why, after so long of sticking with Intel do they then release an AMD system after the Core 2 Duo release?

Its like they are saying "We like to put the slower CPUs in our PCs"...

/baffled

[Gordy]

Quick update:

The C512 has reappeared back on the dell site, I think they were having stock issues with this model (Possibly with the graphics card as they stopped giving you that option for a couple of days) then it dissappeared from the site.

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dells...sftdppdesktop1

Back now though so you can buy it

[joshwa]

Just a few questions:
If you run the CPU at 100% all the time, for example running UD / Seti etc, does the fan noise stay quiet, or does it become overly noisy?

What expansion possibilities are there? (PCI? PCI-X?) There is a spare IDE socket, but can the case take a second HD?

Thanks

Josh

[DR]

I suspect AMD has given Dell some incredible pricing on these parts...

.. interesting piece:

http://sharikou180.blogspot.com/2006...ssors-for.html

[Gordy]

Joshwa

Even when running 3dmark there was hardly any noise coming from it, I certainly couldnt hear it above my main system hehe.

There is one pci slot and small what I assume is a pci-ex 1x slot? The case can squeeze another hard disc under the optical drive even a floppy drive as there is a floppy connector on the mobo.

[DR]

...

[Gordy]

Yup looks like the x1 job

http://gordyhand.co.uk/gallery/v/cas...F4059.JPG.html

[DR]

Yep

[99Flake]

I suspect that they will do a varient with both 16x and 1x in them. I have an Optiplex 620 which has exactly the same chassis but is Intel based. Runs quietly all the time, brilliant little machine.

[chrestomanci]

From the layout and slots. it looks like a micro BTX motherboard

[nick_1]

Is the spare IDE channel you mentioned beside the PCI slot? That seems a rather poor choice of location as you would have to trail the cable across the back of the cpu headsink. I guess they might reuse the same board in the bigger Dell Dimension 521 which may have space for disks at the bottom front...

Interesting piece anyway.

Thanks,
Nick

[dave87]

I must say I agree with the comments re: AMD when CoreDuo is out - I mean the T2500 (2x2.0ghz) is quicker than that, but admittedly did have 2gb of RAM (this is based on the hexus.pifast times)

[Gordy]

Is the spare IDE channel you mentioned beside the PCI slot? That seems a rather poor choice of location as you would have to trail the cable across the back of the cpu headsink. I guess they might reuse the same board in the bigger Dell Dimension 521 which may have space for disks at the bottom front...

Interesting piece anyway.

Thanks,
Nick

The spare ide is not soldered onto the board its there but not used. The connector near the pci slot is for floppy drives (odd location for either)

http://gordyhand.co.uk/gallery/v/cas...F4059.JPG.html

You can see it on the above picture just below the atx power connector.

Clearer shot here: http://gordyhand.co.uk/gallery/v/cas...F4083.JPG.html

[jugaaru]

will it run vista-aero ?

[DR]

Of course it will