Dell games on the cheap with new Inspiron desktop
It starts at $600 (roughly £467 or AU$810), but that configuration may be seriously underpowered.
Dell owns the veteran Alienware brand of high-end gaming systems, but it brings a blander aesthetic to its new system that has the very inspiring name Inspiron Gaming Desktop. Based around AMD processors and graphics cards -- though there's an Nvidia GTX 1060 option as well -- the system offers a midpriced, occasional-gaming alternative to Alienware, starting at $600. I don't have pricing or availability for other regions, but that starting price converts to about £467 and AU$810.
I probably wouldn't suggest configuring the system for that price, though; I think the cheapest APU-based configuration lacks discrete graphics and a hard disk drive rather than SSD.
It does allow for a reasonable amount of upgrading though, including the ability to run dual graphics cards, five drive bays, enough USB connectors to handle VR accessories (if the configuration warrants) and power supply options of up to 850 watts later this year.
Aside from the optional Polar Blue LED illuminated vents on the front and a clear-panel model launching later this year, there's not much opportunity to bling it out.
Basic specs
| Processor | Up to AMD A12-9800 with integrated R7 GPU; up to AMD Ryzen 7 1700X |
|---|---|
| Memory | Two UDIMM slots, up to 32GB 2.4GHz DDR4 |
| GPU | Up to AMD Radeon RX580 (8GB GDDR5); Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5) |
| Storage | Any combination of up to 1x256GB SSD; up to 1x2TB 7200rpm HDD; DVD-RW drive; SD card reader |
| Slots | APU: 3 X PCIe x1, 1 x PCIe x16CPU: 2 X PCIe x1 + 2 X PCIe x16 |
| I/O ports | APU: 4xUSB 2.0, 4xUSB 3.1, audio mini jack, 7.1 channel out jacks, mic in, PS/2, HDMI outCPU: 4xUSB 2.0, 6xUSB 3.1, 1xUSB-C, audio mini jac, 7.1 channel out jacks, mic in, PS/2, HDMI out |
| Dimensions | 18.1x8.5x17.2 inches 459x216x437 mm |
| Price | starts at $600 (roughly £467 or AU$810) |
| Available | Now |