Hardocp.com reviewed a Dell XPS ''gaming machine'' with negative results , on startup the system was loaded with software that most of us would consider spyware , coupled with outdated drivers the 3.2ghz P4 couldn't outperform a Sempron 2800 in most tests , even after the system was optimized it produced less than gamable results
( i blame intel) in higher end titles .
Dell System had : 3.2ghz P4 , 1GB DDRII 533 and a Geforce 6800 256mb .
PC Club Comparative System ( for non gaming tests) : Sempron 2800 , 256mb DDR 400 and an INTEGRATED video card.
The Dell XPS 400 stands in stark contrast to the other large, international OEM we have dealt with: Gateway.
The Gateway FX400XL, like the XPS 400, is a system from a large and highly publicized OEM of personal computers, and it is aimed squarely at gamers and enthusiasts. However, unlike the Gateway FX400XL, our Dell XPS 400 was crippled with debilitating bloatware that severely impacted our enjoyment of the system. The Gateway FX400XL had some value added software that treaded near or in the realm of bloatware, but it certainly didn’t stop us from installing games or enjoy playing them.
Frankly, I was greatly disappointed with our experience with Dell. I personally own a Dell 700m, and while it has been a reliable solution for what I do, I experienced many of the same issues that Brian did in regards to bloatware and tech support frustrations. However, it is troubling to see that Dell has moved away from including a separate disk for system restoration – my 700m came with an system image disk that made recovery easy when I decided to upgrade my hard drive. Only after numerous frustrating phone calls that included long wait times, dropped calls, broken promises, and misinformation were we able to finally get an OS disk – and even then they failed to include other disks necessary for system restoration.
Even more troubling is that our Dell XPS 400 did not live up to its billing as a gaming machine that is suitable for ANY gamer. The software compatibility issues we saw lead me to question just how Dell tests their products. Certainly a serious gaming computer company would insure their solutions work with some of the most popular gaming franchises on the market. The Dell XPS 400 is a good example of how you cannot just throw a high performance video card into any computer and call it a gaming machine.
Dell has a long way to go in my opinion before the XPS 400 can be considered an even adequate solution for any kind of gamer. The bloatware and the recovery solution, along with the eternally frustrating tech support, leave much to be desired, and I cannot in good conscience recommend this solution to anyone. -Chris
In conclusion , it sucks for work , it sucks for gaming.. it just plain sucks!
We can all say that off the shelf Dell's are not made for gaming , but with some work done on one it may be worthy of the title ''gaming machine'' .
