Intel i7 Processor price drops

[WoodPeckr]

In the market for a new PC. Came across this Dell at BB
Few months ago it was $1500, then $1250, now $1020!
Only drawbacks I see; the Video card and a 350 watt PSU, other than that it FLYS!
Don't plan on using it for gaming, so it looks pretty good.
Boots Windows 7 in 45 seconds.

Dell - Studio XPS Desktop with Intel® Core™ i7 Processor - Black
Model: SX8000-2361 | SKU: 9532749 - $1,019.99

Stay connected to your wireless network for streaming Web downloads with this desktop's wireless network PCI-E card with 11n mini card. Get brilliant performance from the Intel® Core™ i7 processor with 4 multithreaded cores.

What's Included
Dell Studio XPS Desktop with Intel® Core™ i7 Processor
Power cord
USB multimedia keyboard and Dell laser mouse
Software: Microsoft Works and more
Owner's manual

Product Features
Intel® Core™ i7-860 processor
Features 4 processing cores, 8MB cache and 2.8GHz processor speed per core.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Increases processor speed at peak times for power when you need it most.

8GB DDR3 memory
For multitasking power, expandable to 16GB.

Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible media.

1TB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 rpm)
Offers fast read/write times and plenty of storage.

NVIDIA GeForce GTS240 graphics
With 1024MB dedicated video memory for enhanced graphics performance. Integrated 7.1-channel audio support.
See the benefits of an NVIDIA graphics processor in your desktop.
Built-in digital media reader

Supports Secure Digital, miniSD, microSD, Secure Digital High Capacity, MultiMediaCard, Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC), MultiMediaCard Plus, RD MultiMediaCard Plus and MultiMediaCard Micro formats.
Also supports Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick Micro, CompactFlash I/II, SmartMedia, xD-Picture Card and Microdrive formats.

IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interface and 8 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
Both front and rear accessible for fast digital data transfer and easy peripheral connectivity. eSATA interface for additional connection options.

Dell 1505 WLAN PCI-E card with 11n mini card and external antenna
Lets you connect to the Web wirelessly.
Built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN
With RJ-45 connector for easy connection to the Internet.

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable platform from which to launch games, programs and other applications.

Software package included
With Microsoft Works and more.

 

[jwmorrice]

Well, go for it, ya cheap bastard!

jwm

 

[WoodPeckr]

LOL!
Just trying to get the best 'bang for the buck!'.....

i7 is impressive and blow the Quad Cores away.......

 

[djk]

If you've survived this long, why not wait for Boxing Day?

 

[WoodPeckr]

Too long to wait.
Perhaps Black Friday is a better choice.
Not as long a wait.

I think my 12 yr old P2 will hold up till then....

 

[djk]

Too long to wait.
Perhaps Black Friday is a better choice.
Not as long a wait.

I think my 12 yr old P2 will hold up till then....

You've waited 12 years. A few more months won't kill you.

 

[WoodPeckr]

They mark up the prices significantly a few weeks before and then discount on black friday.

Noticed that happening the last couple years.

Anyone know anything about this new Intel® Core™ i7-860 processor?

It looks like a modification of the original Intel® Core™ i7-920 processor.

 

[WoodPeckr]

This Dell i7 model is getting great reviews

On both the Best Buy site and on the Dell Ubuntu Forums.

Seems like this Dell model really flies.

 

[WoodPeckr]

This Dell i7 Rocks

Decided to get this Dell in the OP for that posted price which remains in effect till Christmas at BB in WNY. Finally retired my trusty ole 12 yr P2 Gateway which has served me well.

Have to agree with all the glowing 5 star reviews of this PC.
It is very quiet and FAST, FAST, FAST!

Unpacked it, read the setup manual, hooked it up and was on the net in 30 minutes using Windows 7. Dell prompts you along at startup, everything went A-OK. Windows 7 is a very nice OS. Was delighted to see a clean PC after first boot up, NO freeware or bloatware out of the box on this Dell! Haven't had to run 'The PC Decrapifier' to clean it up like I did with my Toshiba laptop almost 2 years ago when it was brand new. Played around with W7 for a few hours setting things up the way I like and everything went well completely issue free. W7 is different but similar to Vista so there is no steep learning curve on W7.

For AV, decided to go with freely available M$ Security Essentials. Downloaded and installed M$ Security Essentials, took only a few minutes. M$ Security Essentials runs very lean, quick and very simple to use and setup. Selected M$ Security Essentials because it received good reviews and a couple BB salesmen say they use it and like it.

W7 is nice, runs fast and is not the resource hog Vista is.
W7 boots in 45 seconds.

Several hours later decided to install Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit Karmic Koala as a dual boot setup on this new PC to see what KK would do on it. Put in the Live-CD and gave KK a test drive and all looked well. KK ran pretty good off the Live-CD. Then decided to do an install.

KK install took 31 minutes including install, printer install and ~140 KK updates. Then it was good to go. KK really FLIES on this i7 and performs even more snappy than W7! Using KK right now.
KK boots in 42 seconds.

FWIW have been using KK more than W7 so far. All and all, am very pleased with this Dell i7, the first Dell I've owned. This same model if purchased off the Dell site would have cost ~$400 more than at BB. Don't know how BB does this or why Dell would let BB sell it for so much less. That said I'm very pleased with this beast so far and hope it is as reliable as that 12 year old Gateway P2 just retired.

 

[Tony321]

I am looking for a desktop too, this system is now back up to $1,119.99. Not bad price when it was on sale.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Galleria Mall BB was passing out an 'in store' advertising flyer saying this particular i7 would be on sale for $1019.99 till xmas back in November when they were sold out. Now that they got them back in stock that advertisement is gone. Of course the other BB stores in the WNY region know nothing about this 'special pricing'. Glad I held on to that advertisement and got it at that special price....

So far I am very pleased with this i7.....It ROCKS!
Win 7 is very nice but Ubuntu is even snappier on it!