Get a decked-out Dell desktop for $599.99
With its Core i7 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a whopping 2TB hard drive, this tower can handle even the most complex games and software.
Laptops, ultrabooks, and tablets are all well and good if you're a mobile person -- or you have a small desk -- but if you want serious horsepower for things like games, video editing, 3D modeling, and big ol' CAD drawings, your best bet is usually a desktop.
A desktop also gives you a lot more expansion options, whether it's adding a second hard drive or swapping in the latest and greatest video card. Something to consider.
For a limited time, and while supplies last, DealFisher has the Dell XPS 8500 desktop for $599.99, shipped. It is without question one of the most loaded PCs I've ever seen.
Check it out: The system features a 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 12GB of DDR3 RAM, a 2TB hard drive, and an Nvidia GeForce GT 640 graphics card with 1GB of dedicated RAM.
As for ports, it's lousy with them: four USB 3.0, six USB 2.0, HDMI, DisplayPort, and all the other usual suspects. The system also includes both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with a 460-watt power supply to handle all this hardware.
I think the only letdown here, and it's a minor one, is the DVD burner: In a system like this, I'd expect a Blu-ray drive, even if not many users are likely to take advantage of it. Of course, this being a desktop, you could always swap one in if you wanted. You might also prefer a wireless mouse and keyboard to the wired ones included here.
The XPS 8500 runs Windows 8 and comes with a one-year warranty. It may be lacking a couple little amenities, but as Han Solo said of the Millennium Falcon, she's got it where it counts, kid. (CNET hasn't reviewed this exact configuration, but you can check out their review of an SSD-equipped version -- one they didn't like so much owing to its high price.)
I haven't run a desktop deal in many moons, and I'm curious to see how many of you take advantage of this one -- or at least have interest in seeing others like it. Let me know in the comments!
Bonus deal: If you're in the market for cheap storage, today's your lucky day. For a limited time, Newegg has the Seagate Backup Plus 1TB USB 3.0 portable hard drive for $69.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code EMCXSWP48 at checkout, and $10 less than when I first wrote about the drive back in January. Also, Rakuten (née Buy.com) has the Seagate Expansion 2TB USB 3.0 desktop hard drive for $84.95, shipped. Glad to see USB 3.0 drives finally matching their 2.0 counterparts, pricewise.
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