- Solid And Well Thought Out Case Design
- High Customizable
- Only 2GB of Slower DDR2 Memory
- Older Generation ATI Graphics
- Intel Core 2 Duo E8300 Dual Core Processor
- 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
- 500GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 16x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
- ATI Radeon HD 3870 Graphics Card with 512MB
- Intel HDA 7.1 Audio
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Six USB 2.0, FireWire
- Vista Home Premium, Works, McAfee Internet Security
8/06/08 - One of the biggest problems with many desktop computer systems is the little thought put into the case design. Dell has done a wonderful job with their XPS 630 case. Rather than relying on steel, Dell has used aluminum panels to help reduce weight and also give it a more polished look. The internal layout is also well done to make user upgrades easier to do thanks to the well laid out and roomy interior.
Performance could be stronger in the base XPS 630 setup. It does have a fairly standard Core 2 Duo E8300 processor that provides a good base, but Dell insists on using only 2GB of slower PC2-5300 DDR2 memory rather than the more industry standard PC2-6400 RAM. Users can upgrade this for a nominal fee but they shouldn't have to.
One big drawback with Dell's current XPS 630 offerings are the graphics cards. For some reason, Dell is still using the older ATI Radeon HD 3870's as their default configuration. The newer Radeon HD 4850's offer stronger overall performance at essentially the same cost yet Dell does not have them available. Users do have the option of going for NVIDIA based cards or dual card setups for added costs.
As with all of Dell's direct offerings, users have the ability to highly customize the XPS 630. With the base parts, users will likely want to make a number of upgrades to the base system to improve performance. The problem is that many of these upgrades also add to the overall cost of the system. This makes it a bit more expensive than other options on the market.
Overall, the Dell XPS 630 is a solid choice for the mainstream desktop market and those looking at PC gaming. It may be a little more expensive, but the design makes it much easier to upgrade after the purchse.
