Friday, January 30, 2009

Feature Packed, High Performance Desktop - the Dell Inspiron 518

By Matt Ryan

Dell is known for the quality machines that they produce along with the high performance they implement into each PC. They have added, yet another, phenomenal desktop to the Dell family - the Inspiron 518. This mini tower is one of the best computers for any home or dorm. Students of all ages, and entire families, will find everything they need in the new Inspiron 518.

The Inspiron 518 starts at $329. This is for the basic build with not extras or upgrades. As with any Dell, you can customize the build of your Inspiron 518 to meet your specifications. The more you add the higher the sticker price will go. Regardless, this is one of the most powerful computers on the market - especially for the price.

Under the hood you will find a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, 256 ATI Radeon HD 3450, and a 320GB 5,400rpm hard drive. The Inspiron 518 also has gigabit Ethernet for fast connection speeds, dual-layer DVD burner, and operates on Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (32-bit).

Currently the Inspiron does not support 64-bit operating system, and cannot be upgraded to such without an upgrade to internal hardware. If you are planning to upgrade to Windows 7, you will need to consider this seriously, as the new operating system is 64-bit. Other manufacturers are selling similar desktops on 64-bit operating systems, so this is a step behind for Dell.

On the physical side, Dell has added a bit of a tray at the top of the casing. This tray is the perfect size to store devices such as MP3 players, cell phones, cameras, etc. Not only can you conveniently store your plug-n-play devices on your desktop, but you can easily charge them at the same time. Dell added two additional USB 2.0 ports directly below the tray for this purpose alone.

There has been a new feature added to the interface of Dell machines - the Dell Dock. This is similar to the Vista sidebar, with the exception of it being more personable. Users can add their favorite icons and folders, to Dell Dock, for easy navigation and access. Dell Dock can be docked anywhere on your desktop (top, left or right side, or even the bottom). The Dell Dock is so customizable that you can even turn it completely off if you decide that it clutters your desktop a bit too much for your taste. Regardless, it is a nice feature for users to experience a more personalized experience.

Some of Dells standard features, or upgrades, are not available on the Inspiron 518. The graphics card, for example. Users can only choose between the low-end graphics card and the ATI Radeon HD 3450. (This is a big deal because this is not one of the most robust graphics card on the market.) Additionally, consumers cannot add a Blu-ray drive to the Inspiron 518; you will have to stick with your standard optical drives.

This is a great desktop for everyday personal use. Whehter you are a college or high school student, or simply need a computer for the entire family, this is a good deal. The Inspiron 518 is backed by the Dell name and provides users with outstanding performance, numerous features, and is extremely user-friendly.

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