Dell XPS 720 specs, pics revealed

Well wouldn't you know it, we're just strolling down the street today minding our own business, when what do we happen to trip over but a field tech manual for Dell's upcoming XPS 720 and 720 H2C performance gaming rigs. According to the confidential, hundred-plus-page document, the pricier (but cooler, literally) H2C edition will sport a jet black bezel with a glossy black chassis, while the regular version will be offered with either jet black or formula red bezels and brushed aluminum chassis -- though you can rest assured that both models feature a number of seven-color LEDs to properly set the mood for your epic quests and/or murderous rampages. We'd already heard that these overclocking-friendly machines would rock your choice of Core 2, Core 2 Extreme, or Core 2 Extreme Quad processors and SLI-capable NVIDIA nForce 680i chipsets, but we didn't know that 800MHz DDR2 RAM (between 512MB and 8GB, with optional 1066MHz DIMMs from Corsair also available), RAID 5 and 0+1 HDD configurations, digital coax outs, and 300-watt graphics power sources would be on board too -- all improvements over the soon-to-be-dethroned XPS 710. Graphics options include the GTX and GTS flavors of NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 card, and you can also throw in any number of TV tuners along with a Creative X-Fi sound card, though the built-in 7.1 channel audio will probably suffice for most. Obviously these training manuals don't come with any sort of pricing or release info, but if you're curious about such things as replacing the 720's processor heat sink, let us know in the comments and we'll see what we can do. Keep reading for a larger pic...

[LPX @ May 18th 2007 7:49AM]

Any word on the pricing yet?

[McGinley @ May 18th 2007 10:49AM]

Did you read the article?

"Obviously these training manuals don't come with any sort of pricing or release info".......

[tweak @ May 18th 2007 9:32AM]

3-4 years ago the alienware cases were dead sexy. Either the times have changed or my tastes have changed, but I definitely like the looks of these the best now. HOT.

[Dy (www.dyphan.com) @ May 18th 2007 6:43PM]

Didn't dell buy out alienware?

[elan @ May 18th 2007 10:18AM]

The last color lights I'd ever consider using on a computer would be purple-- yet they look just freaking awesome here.

And the lighting on the rear for the ports is a godsend!

[jharcnc @ May 18th 2007 10:32AM]

Good for Dell for [finally] listening to the user community and building a product that should tweak some interest and dare I say, respect, at the enthusiast level.

[fred hegel @ May 18th 2007 11:34AM]

Where's the watercooling? or the 8800 Ultra?

[icingdeath88 @ May 18th 2007 12:23PM]

8800's a waste of money. overclocked gtx's will still kill it.

someone say rear port lights? be sweet if they used a ASUS striker mobo.

[churkl @ May 18th 2007 2:00PM]

8800 kicks any ati's product right now. The new X2900XT is a joke, they might be cheaper, but can compete with the big boys.

If dell wants to earn respect from the enthusiast level, they need to start offering better stuff. Such as a choice of MB, choice of memory, and definitely choice of cooling, ie water or phase shift cooling, and most of all let u choose the Power supply. Can build or overclock without sufficient power. Dell is getting the idea, but long was to what I think is respectable.

[Phi Nguyen @ May 18th 2007 2:26PM]

Wow, those are massive. Remind me of the intakes on the side of fighter jets.

[HC @ May 18th 2007 2:26PM]

i don't get it.
you can build one for less money right?

[Anphib @ Jul 25th 2007 11:47PM]

The XPS 720 H2C offers much more then what a homebrew system can offer ie: factory overclocking that is covered by up to a 5 year warranty, exclusive X-FI sound card with more ports then the retail version. Those LED's you see can change 16 different colors and can be set to cycle strobe in tune with music and/or in game effects, ie: flash red when taking damage.

My XPS 720 H2C is being built right now. Specs - Quad Core Extreme Qx6700 @ 3.46Ghz, 4 gigs ram, dual 10kRpm Raptor drives, dual 8800 GTX =)

[Ratteler @ May 20th 2007 2:00PM]

I'll take 5 loaded with Ubuntu.

[Dy Phan @ May 18th 2007 6:44PM]

yeah, I think they did

[Big Fat Eric is Yelling @ May 23rd 2007 6:56AM]

OK, if I can put hacked Mac OS X on it, i will let go the pathetic Mac Pro from my shoping list

[Chuckles McGee @ May 18th 2007 7:55PM]

Amazing. Blows through the little hangups of the 710 H2C. The internal watercooler is supposed to be amazing. Pop in 2 15k Savvio drives in a RAID and you're in nirvana.

[ninjasinaruto @ May 19th 2007 1:38AM]

I wish they use Asus Extreme Striker or Gigabyte GA-N680SLI-DQ6. And also the Blue-ray Burners must have then the limit about the memory.

[ninjasinaruto @ May 19th 2007 1:41AM]

I wish they use Asus Extreme Striker or Gigabyte
GA-N680SLI-DQ6. And
also the Blue-ray Burners must have then the limit about the memory.

[FormerDellBob @ May 19th 2007 7:10AM]

Yes, but it is still a Dell - haven't you guys ever tried dealing with their tech support? And, yes you can build a better box cheaper. I bought over a million dollars worth of Dells for my company before they changed 3-4 years ago. They used to be an industry standard-to-beat for quality and tech support. Since then...not on the face of this planet would I ever again buy a Dell. If they gave me one, I would drive over it with my truck, just to insure my sanity.

[Jeff @ May 19th 2007 10:43AM]

Yeah, I'm with you FormerDellBob... you can't just erase stigma with a new paint job and some led's...
Infact, I'm almost insulted that Dell tried.

"Dudddeeeee.. ur gettin a case mod!!! ..." Uhmm.. no.
I've been doing the leds in both the expansion bay AND the backplate AND the drive bays for a long time.. okay.. first I started with regular lights then went to ccfl... now led, but the effect is the same. I'm not impressed one bit.. but suck it up dell lovers. Ill stick to my 600 dollar box that looks 1000 dollars better than that... As for CS reps... I've dealt with them one too many times. I won't service a dell calculator/computer unless its out of warranty anymore.. I don't want to have to call that horrid company again.

[CK @ May 19th 2007 1:43PM]

32 bit processors can only address up to 4GB of memory, even multicore processors. So 8GB doesn't make sense.

[abhinav777 @ May 19th 2007 11:05PM]

The Intel Core2 Duo processors use a 64 bit architecture allowing for 8GB of RAM (although i think 64 can actually support either 64GB or 126GB of RAM i cant remember right now and i don't feel like using Google)

[Hell-O @ May 19th 2007 3:42PM]

It's probably just rumor, now what about that vacuum cleaner port - will it fine suction all accumulated dust, animal dander or worms from the machine? Is the vacuum portable? Do you get an M95 particulate respirator should you care to open the case or will one of Howie's ladies perform that task? Is the vacuum port secure? Will it lift the gold fillings off my teeth?

Will Anyone, anyone whatsoever, come over to any customer's home to service any Dell computer? Will we continue to get the opportunity to do all of the technical service ourselves along with hours of hanging onto our telephone(s) getting to personally know our Dell customer care representative(s)?

My Dell XPS 600 is still hanging. I think it just gave up and hanged itself. I'd better go back and sit next to it while the computer's resouce disk goes through its diagnostic procedures. It's lonely and it takes hours. I know, I've been there. I'll call the Dell clinic's hot line if it starts flat lining.
Please don't your worry about me...I'm using my wife's iMac G5 to help me get through this.

[jaymz989 @ May 20th 2007 3:57AM]

64 bit proc would support 16 exabytes of ram

[som @ Jun 16th 2007 2:37AM]

Is it available in india?