Joystiq checks out prototype XPS desktop

Question: How can you tell that a Dell XPS desktop is still in the prototype phase? Answer: You'd be willing to put it in plain-sight on top of your desk. Excessive paint jobs aside, there isn't a gamer alive who doesn't get a little excited when reading an XPS spec sheet featuring such terms as "Quad-SLI," "4.xxGHz," and "free 30-inch display," so we're sure there will be some interest in this backroom shot that Joystiq captured of an XPS work-in-progress. As you can tell by the photo, the protoype that Dell was seeking feedback on is nowhere near ready to be adorned with a $10,000 price tag, and the journalists on hand got absolutely nothing from the suits in terms of specs or features. Still, we are able to speculate that the open grating in the front will lead to better airflow -- and thus cooler components -- which a good sign for whatever insanely overclocked processor gets stuffed inside.

[Thanks, Einhanderkiller]

[McPhearsom @ May 10th 2006 10:33AM]

Looks like a Dell G5.

Where's the DVD drive?

[bob @ May 10th 2006 10:40AM]

i really do think pc gamers are the sadest people, paying exessive amounts to get top framerates, with minimal difference from a console costing a third of the price, just to add...that thing looks like a piece of junk from the compactor in star wars

[Steven @ May 10th 2006 10:49AM]

Looks like a space heater.

[SD @ May 10th 2006 10:54AM]

Dell, please find new Industrial Designers. You guys are ruining your product.

[+ @ May 10th 2006 11:43AM]

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/sna.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~topic=gaming

[Brandon @ May 10th 2006 11:59AM]

Uh... Won't that get a lot of dust in it? Not to mention tiny children sticking bent clothes hangers all the way back to the power source, ending their lives and giving you a negligence suit?

[Jason @ May 10th 2006 12:04PM]

Number 2: What?

You know not the joys of putting things together with your own two hands and having it work beautifully -- at much higher resolutions than you could possibly get with a console.

You'll notice that people who have consoles and don't understand computers will say that consoles are better -- and those with both computers and consoles will say that computers are better.

[Templedog @ May 10th 2006 12:10PM]

The pictures on the link that 5. posted look really cool-- neat little doors, etc. Could be a really cool little (or big?) box.

[Jeffrey M Foster @ May 10th 2006 12:26PM]

meh. just another Dell box rehashing an Apple design. (and removing any sign of elegance while they're at it.)

[Poopmaster @ May 10th 2006 12:43PM]

I too am totally underwhelmed by the look-n-feel of the Dell. Geez. If people are slack-jawed drooling over that, can I set you up with the crackhead chicks on Avenue B? I hear that they're pretty fast.

[Perrey Z. @ May 10th 2006 1:02PM]

I own a Philips eMotive stereo system that resemble this thing A LOT. My first impression is Philips and Apple are not the only source for Dell's odd design inpirations...

[Kent Pribbernow @ May 10th 2006 1:30PM]

Ah, nice to see Dell getting into the space heater market. That segment was getting very stagnant. j/k

Seriously though, as ugly as this rig may be I nonetheless applaud Dell for trying something different. The PC market desperately needs differentiation among vendors. This space has become so commoditized with generic boxes, it reeks of boredom.

[bigpat @ May 10th 2006 4:44PM]

So, I think the design is pretty cool. Could use a littel refinement, but it is far far better than their black plastic boxes of late. Too bad it seems they are only putting a good design around a machien that is too expensive for most people to buy. Maybe they should talk to ikea about design, they manage to make cheap things that don't make people feel like crap just because they don't have a six figure salary.

[Big B @ May 10th 2006 5:02PM]

I like the front. It's industrial, it looks nice. But then it has the, and I quote, "aggressive leaning forward design" that and the "stabilizing fin" totally destroy the image it was trying to build. They did a good job stealthing the drives.

[stp @ May 11th 2006 6:06PM]

i think its a step in the right direction. Its a bold design and imho i think it took some things from the modding community to another level. I find really interesting choice that "leaning towards" design.
I cant really see how someone can see that design as being derivative from g5, unless based on rather simplistic criteria.

[Tim @ May 11th 2006 7:21PM]

Looks ugly... amen to those that say it looks like a space heater. XPS just stands for eXpensive Piece of Stuff (polite)... hehe

[Tull @ May 14th 2006 6:24PM]

At first glance it looked eh, but the longer I look at the picture the more hilarious the insane price tag seems. Who would pay for that?