The 64MB GeForce card uses DDR memory and worked well with the system to produce frame rates over 200 in Quake II at a minimum setting of 640x480, using the latest NVIDIA drivers. At the more immersive resolutions of 1024x768, 1280x960 and 1600x1200, the card extracted 128, 101 and 50 frames per second from the Timedemo 1 benchmark. This system is for the performance junkie - its PC WorldBench score of 321 even beats the Kryotech Super G system (see page 86), which scored 319 - with business and gaming performance reaching epic levels. In 3DMark 99 Max the system scored 6983, while in 3D Mark 2000 a spectacular score of 4618 was achieved. The video card also contains a DVI connector, which can be used to connect a digital monitor.
The 12x Toshiba DVD-ROM drive recorded the fastest score (9.0 - based on the maximum transfer rate and seek rate of the drive) in Norton's Multimedia CD-ROM test of all the DVD-ROM drives we have seen to date. Its DVD playback was software assisted through the pre-installed Dell DVD player, and movie watching proved to be a stellar experience. Not only did we get a beautiful stutter-free image, but audio reproduction was out of this world with the included Altec Lansing ADA-885 digital Dolby speaker system. This system is made up of five speakers, two each front and rear as well as a sub-woofer, and ships with a handy remote control unit. These speakers are the first PC speakers to support the THX standard and are exclusive to Dell. A standard created by Lucasfilm, THX was designed to reproduce a movie soundtrack the way the creator originally intended it to be reproduced. The THX specification covers sound, build quality and user inter-action and, in addition, strict performance parameters must be met in order for equipment to be given this certification.
Dell Dimension XPS B800r
Price: from $5450
Distributor: Dell
Phone: 1800 335 502
URL: www.dell.com.au
