View Full Version : A Dell with some chutzpah
I recently took advantage of the deals on the Dell Dimensions and got me a Dimension 8400 for $1000, intended to replace my Dimension 8300 as a gaming and home theater PC. I upgraded the stock Ati x300 PCI-Express card with a x800XT PCI-Express (add $485). ;) Here's the full specs:
CPU -- 3.4ghz P4 HT (800mhz bus)
RAM -- 1 GB DDR @ 400mhz
Video -- x800 XT (PCI-Express, not overclocked)
Hard Drive -- 80GB Seagate SATA
Hard Drive -- 160GB Maxtor ATA133 8MB 7200rpm
Sound -- Creative Audigy 2
DVD/writer -- Phillips 16x DVD+/-RW (dual layer capable)
Here's screenies of some basic benchmarks. I only had an old version (2002) of Sisoft Sandra laying around, it's been that long since I cared enough to bother running any tests lol. FYI, my old 3dMark 2005 score in the Dimension 8300 with a 3ghz P4 and the x800XT-PE AGP was about 4100.
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/mp3s/cpu_ss.jpg
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/mp3s/cpumm_ss.jpg
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/mp3s/mem_ss.jpg
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/mp3s/3dmark2005.jpg
This Dell has some attidude. :D
Some notes -- the power supply actually came with a 6 prong adapter that fit into the video card. :)
I'm going to look into overclocking the video card using the V-Tuner utility that came with it, but it appears that it's only got 2.0ns ram on board (so the best I could hope for is some extra mhz from the core and a little more from the memory).
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/mp3s/x800xt_ram.jpg
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/mp3s/x800xt.jpg
Aphex_Tom_9
10-29-04, 08:05 PM
shouldnt those arithmetic scores be higher???
Only gripe is the aweful audio extraction rates of the DVD drive. Max I get is like 8X, which I think is horrible for a writer (most writers are capable of 16x+). It's not an aspi version issue as I tried several and they all performed like poo.
shouldnt those arithmetic scores be higher???
The scores are on the money. You're comparing the 3.4 to the 2 SMT/duallie configuration next on the list (which it still beats). It really owns the single 2.66ghz P4. :D
veryhumid
10-31-04, 07:59 AM
that's the way to go. right now i have a couple old dells, just hooked up to a kvm in the corner folding. my main rig in my sig is really the only thing i have to do work/games/multimedia on. And i am always tweaking it, or something breaks. it's just not reliable. my next comp I am just going to buy a dell for my work/multimedia stuff. their prices are pretty reasonable considering the support you get.
their prices are pretty reasonable considering the support you get.
Unless something dies I would never let Dell within 100 miles of my PC (whether it be an on-site newb or a virtual finger). As a tech support agent myself (for many years now) I know of the decline in properly trained/certified staff. I've read and heard first hand horror stories concerning Dell and other OEM manufacturer's tech support. It's pathetic. Tech support has become scripted, and agents get more reward for getting you off the phone asap than they do solving your issue. Hence the "put the restore CD in your DVD ROM drive and follow the prompts to have your operating system/applications reloaded". How many times has Aunt Patty or Cousin Dilbert lost all their non-restorable personal files? Too many to count, but what does Dell or the other manufacturer's care? They know in 1-2 years, when it's time to upgrade again, you'll probably forget or be forgiving enough to give it 'another go'.
[/rant]
I got it for the relatively reliable hardware and decent pricing.
stratcatprowlin
10-31-04, 06:58 PM
I thought of getting a Dell also but was worried about the Power supply being weak or cheap.How are they?
I thought of getting a Dell also but was worried about the Power supply being weak or cheap.How are they?
Both the Dimension 8300 and 8400 had/have really solid power supplies.
The 8300 had a x800 XT-PE AGP card in it with no stability issues whatsoever, never a blue screen... notta. So far, with a x800 XT PCI-e in the Dimension 8400 I've not had a hiccup.
I THINK I figured out their "plan" a while back. ALL Dimension 8XXX series desktops use the same motherboard, cpu, ram, and power supply that they use in their higher performance XPS lineup. The Dimensions cost a lot less though, so if you just upgrade something like the video card yourself (and just get the default junky one when you order) it's a great deal on a top performance rig.
The thing that clinched it for me was:
Some notes -- the power supply actually came with a 6 prong adapter that fit into the video card. :)
Why on earth would a lowly Dimension 8400 have a 6 prong video card power adapter? Answer -- to save money they had a single type of BIG power supply manufactured for this group of Dimension 8XXX and XPS machines expected to run certain processor and video card combinations. it blew me away that the OEM power supply would have this, considering OEMs are noted for restricting upgrade routes for their customers. After discovering this I even looked around the motherboard for a 400/533 mhz RAM jumper to override the bios restrictions :D. Didn't find one though.
stratcatprowlin
10-31-04, 07:15 PM
Great,thats good to know and thanks for the reply.Sounds like a well rounded pc.
Fixed the DVD rom/writer issues:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.php?p=733622&postcount=58
CrystalMethod
11-02-04, 10:41 PM
Unless something dies I would never let Dell within 100 miles of my PC (whether it be an on-site newb or a virtual finger). As a tech support agent myself (for many years now) I know of the decline in properly trained/certified staff. I've read and heard first hand horror stories concerning Dell and other OEM manufacturer's tech support. It's pathetic. Tech support has become scripted, and agents get more reward for getting you off the phone asap than they do solving your issue. Hence the "put the restore CD in your DVD ROM drive and follow the prompts to have your operating system/applications reloaded". How many times has Aunt Patty or Cousin Dilbert lost all their non-restorable personal files? Too many to count, but what does Dell or the other manufacturer's care? They know in 1-2 years, when it's time to upgrade again, you'll probably forget or be forgiving enough to give it 'another go'.
[/rant]
Yeah, but it's ammusing to watch the tech they send out fumble around when you already know how to fix it, and have already made a back up. :D Hey, you've paid for the support when you bought the system. Might as well get some ammusement out of it, then teach the tech how to REALLY trouble shoot a system.
I got it for the relatively reliable hardware and decent pricing.
Yeah, but it's ammusing to watch the tech they send out fumble around when you already know how to fix it, and have already made a back up. Hey, you've paid for the support when you bought the system. Might as well get some ammusement out of it, then teach the tech how to REALLY trouble shoot a system.
That's cruel :p
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