Dell Dimension XPS Gen5 - Inside Info

Hey folks. I thought I'd leak out some info on the upcoming Dell Dimension XPS Gen5 system (In case you don't know, the XPS is Dell's gaming system line). It's release-to-ship date is expecting to be 4/20/05 (In USA). It's motherboard will have the Intel 955X chipset supporting dual-core processors (smithfield) and it's BIOS will have CPU overclocking capabilities. The motherboard will also have a x16 PCI-Express (just like the Gen3 and Gen4), but will also now have a x1 and x4 slot as well. The overclocking thing is weird though, you won't be able to adjust the FSB frequency, just GHz. I believe with a 3.2GHz, you'll have the option in the BIOS to go to 3.4 and 3.6GHz. What's this you say? DELL PROVIDING OC'ING CAPABILITIES TO CUSTOMER? If this is so... then the dual-core's must be damn good overclockers!!!

(even more inside info, the XPS Gen6... late this year or early 2006... will have SLI support using an Intel as well)

I wonder how the warrenty will go with the overclocking?

Well since it is supported, and is customer accessible and all, I assume it will stick with the standard options of base 1yr, and optional 2-4yrs. Intel must have REALLY fixed the heat issue. Also, Dell may not guarantee that the overclock will be successful and fully stable. For instance, if a customer has a 3.2GHz and it is clocked at 3.6GHz and complains that it is locking up in games, we may just say that "Well sir the cpu is running out of factory spec", or something like that. -OR- It they may just be rock-solid cpu's and a 400MHz overclock on same voltage wouldn't even phase it...

Finally, i have a reason to smile at dell.. although i still probably wouldn't buy it.

Wow, that is amazing! Any other info (price, graphics card, RAM...)?


Thanks, I'm really glad to hear that the 955X is coming out soon

So will the gen 5 come with the Smithfield dual-core CPUs, or will they still be P4's, but with the newer 955x mobo?

They will be using the Smithfield dual-core chips. It will be 955X for the 800MHz bus, 955XE for the 1066MHz bus. The graphics card will be the same as Gen 3/4 (PCI-Express). So far they are offering the 6800/6800GT and the X800SE/X800/X800XT/X850XT PE. That's all I know for now. I will be getting a couple hours of training on it pretty soon, since it's expected release date is 4/20. The price will prolly be the same, starting out at around $1700, and going up to several thousand dollars (depending what you put in it and warranties and junk).

i think they just let you up the multi in the bios still wont buy it. save 50% and build your self i wanna see those dual cores

Oh of course by all means, don't buy a Dell, definately build your own! I'd never buy a Dell, even with the 15% discount I would get

I take that back, I would buy an Inspiron 700m or an Inspiron XPS Gen2, if I had the money.

itchy5 said:

i think they just let you up the multi in the bios still wont buy it. save 50% and build your self i wanna see those dual cores

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I think a lot of people buy Dells because of the availability of credit. I don't even agree with that strategy. Why pay notes when you can buy a nice upgrade part every month or 2 for about the same price as a monthly note?

Well, I'm in the XPS department. Most of the buyers there are just straight out rich and they buy 3.73/1066MHz Extreme Editions w/4 gigs of RAM (not knowing that Windows will only see 3-3.2ish) and play Solitare and check email because of all the money they have. Others are 25-30 snobby New York scum that just con people and try to get a system exchange everytime a hard drive goes bad. A lot of the younger college kids buy them with credit and get ripped off. (Paying $7000 over 3-4 years for a $3000 computer).

betterlife18 said:

Well, I'm in the XPS department. Most of the buyers there are just straight out rich and they buy 3.73/1066MHz Extreme Editions w/4 gigs of RAM (not knowing that Windows will only see 3-3.2ish) and play Solitare and check email because of all the money they have. Others are 25-30 snobby New York scum that just con people and try to get a system exchange everytime a hard drive goes bad. A lot of the younger college kids buy them with credit and get ripped off. (Paying $7000 over 3-4 years for a $3000 computer).

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yeah cause you need a super fast cpu for those high-demanding app like solitare and email lol

wait, so betterlife18, you work for Dell on their XPS systems? Way cool! How much does it really cost Dell to throw one of those systems together? Do you get any old parts or anything?

oh yeah, one last thing. Anyway you could get a XPS barebones laptop?

Nah, no barebones, it's strictly assembly-line stuff made to order. You can buy refurbished systems though. It doesn't cost Dell much to build a computer. You've got to understand this... Dell purchases cpus, hard drives, video cards, etc by manufacturers (Intel, ATI, Nvidia, Maxtor, Seagate, Western Digital) not by the hundreds, but by several hundred THOUSANDS. Can you imagine the discount they get. Those Dell TrueMobile wireless cards they put in the laptops... when we replace one of them, it literly costs the company approximately three cents of the American dollar. Oh and the video cards that Dell puts in the system, they are intentionally UNDERCLOCKED a tad bit by Dell so that the card will actually last four or five years, instead of one or two. If you ordered an XPS Gen4 that cost you $2500, it costs the company prolly around $1000-1200 to build. It's all in the bulk quantities man.