It was only timing that held back the original XPS One 27 from an Editors' Choice Award. I wanted to see if Apple would unveil a new iMac, and also what might emerge from the PC side in the run-up to Windows 8. Apple's plans will be a mystery for another few hours, but after having seen the new slate of big-screen all-in-ones, I can say with confidence that Dell's updated XPS One 27 is the clear winner among the Windows crowd for its high-resolution 2,560x1,440-pixel display and a still-reasonable price tag.
I can see the pricing questions for this review now, so let's get that out of the way. The XPS One 27 starts at $1,399 for the non-touch model. The touch-screen version starts at $1,599. This review unit is based on the $1,999 step-up configuration, but Dell wanted to show off the big display so it included a Blu-ray drive.
The Blu-ray option is not available with the current $1,999 unit, but Dell says it will start offering the upgrade in December for $200. That puts this exact review configuration at $2,199. Other than the Blu-ray drive, it's identical to the $1,999 model that you can purchase today. If you want an XPS One 27 with a Blu-ray drive now, your only option is the highest-end $2,499 version.
At those higher price tiers, the XPS One 27 enters another pricing level relative to competing 27-inch all-in-ones. Vizio's CA27T-A4 starts at $1,219. The Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 starts at $1,470. Even Acer's high-flying Aspire 7600U tops out at $1,899. But none of those systems offers a 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution display, much less with touch input.
Considering that the touch-screen XPS One 27 starts at $1,599, Dell has the best of both worlds with this PC. It offers high-end options for those who want to pay for them, and it also outclasses its competition by offering the same high-resolution screen with its more modestly priced starting models.
| Dell XPS One 27 | Acer Aspire 7600U | Apple iMac 27-inch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (at time of review) | $2,199 | $1,899 | $1,999 |
| Display size/resolution | 27-inch, 2,560x1,440 | 27-inch, 1,920x1,080 | 27-inch, 2,560x1,440 |
| CPU | 3.1GHz Intel Core i7 3770S | 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 3210M | 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 2400 |
| Memory | 8GB 1,600MHz DDR3 SDRAM | 8GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM | 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 SDRAM |
| Graphics | 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M | 768MB Nvidia Geforce GT 640M | 1GB AMD Radeon HD 6970M |
| Hard drives | 2TB, 7,200rpm | 1TB, 5,400rpm | 1TB, 7,200rpm |
| Optical drive | Blu-ray/dual-layer DVD burner | Blu-ray/dual-layer DVD burner | dual-layer DVD burner |
| Networking | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless | Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless |
| Operating system | Windows 8 Pro (64-bit) | Windows 8 (64-bit) | Apple OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.7 |
Among Windows 8 launch PCs, the Acer Aspire 7600U is the only other model to approach the $2,000 price point. Even if you throw out the Dell's higher-resolution screen, the XPS One 27 is still a strong competitor to the Acer system. Dell includes more memory for the GeForce graphics card, and also offers a faster, higher-end Core i7 chip, and twice the hard drive space.
Acer poured a lot of effort into the design of its new all-in-one, and it probably looks a little slicker than the Dell. It also has a unique support foot that makes it easier to adjust the display than the Dell's double-jointed stand support. Where Acer is mostly attempting to make a "lifestyle" appeal for its new all-in-one, Dell sticks to its price-performance roots. The payoff is clear in terms of features and performance, and for any serious PC buyer, the XPS One 27 is the clear choice.
Comparing the XPS One 27 with Apple's high-end iMac is harder, given the potential for a new iMac announcement later today. If you discount operating system preference and compare against the existing iMac, the Dell offers more onboard storage, a touch screen, and the convenience of its HDMI input and output jacks.
The iMac's primary non-software advantage might be its Thunderbolt ports, which open up the door to fast external storage arrays and other peripherals that leverage Thunderbolt's faster data transfer speeds. Professional users in particular might appreciate that option. Otherwise, and again, operating systems aside, the Dell looks like a more fully featured offering than the existing iMac. An update from Apple can always turn this comparison on its head, and I will revisit this review in the event that Apple announces a new iMac.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Rendering Multiple CPUs | |
Rendering Single CPU |
