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Desktops: Dynamo desktops: 2.8GHz P4 pulls away |
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By CNET staff
(8/26/02)
(8/26/02)
With today's release of systems using a 2.8GHz Pentium 4 processor, Intel has increased its lead over rival AMD and the Athlon XP+ CPU. High-end desktops such as the Dell Dimension 8200 and the Gateway 700XL are already taking advantage of Intel's progress, and the results are startling.
After exhaustive testing in CNET Labs, we can conclude that both these systems are fast-- very fast. We noticed some minor differences in our results for the two machines--the Dimension 8200 excelled in typical productivity and content-creation applications, while the Gateway 700XL showed a slight advantage in 3D graphics and gaming--but the margin isn't especially significant. More telling, however, is the ease with which these two systems outperform even the fastest Athlon XP+ systems we've tested, including the ABS Awesome series. The arrival next month of systems using AMD's Athlon XP 2400+ and 2600+ should close the gap a bit, but we don't expect those models to rival the fastest P4-based PCs.
The Dimension 8200 and Gateway 700XL configurations we tested are virtually identical in features and price. Both include the Intel 850E chipset with a 533MHz bus, 1GB of PC800 RDRAM, an 128MB Nvidia GeForce4 Ti 4600, a 120GB 7,200rpm hard drive, and 48X CD-RW and DVD-recordable drives. Dell includes a 17-inch flat-panel monitor for a total of $2,899, while Gateway gives you an extra inch for $100 more. Obviously, you can modify either configuration to suit your taste and budget, but any way you cut it, you'll get one heck of a system with performance to match.
After exhaustive testing in CNET Labs, we can conclude that both these systems are fast-- very fast. We noticed some minor differences in our results for the two machines--the Dimension 8200 excelled in typical productivity and content-creation applications, while the Gateway 700XL showed a slight advantage in 3D graphics and gaming--but the margin isn't especially significant. More telling, however, is the ease with which these two systems outperform even the fastest Athlon XP+ systems we've tested, including the ABS Awesome series. The arrival next month of systems using AMD's Athlon XP 2400+ and 2600+ should close the gap a bit, but we don't expect those models to rival the fastest P4-based PCs.
The Dimension 8200 and Gateway 700XL configurations we tested are virtually identical in features and price. Both include the Intel 850E chipset with a 533MHz bus, 1GB of PC800 RDRAM, an 128MB Nvidia GeForce4 Ti 4600, a 120GB 7,200rpm hard drive, and 48X CD-RW and DVD-recordable drives. Dell includes a 17-inch flat-panel monitor for a total of $2,899, while Gateway gives you an extra inch for $100 more. Obviously, you can modify either configuration to suit your taste and budget, but any way you cut it, you'll get one heck of a system with performance to match.
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Dell Dimension 8000 series (for home)
The flagship of Dell's Dimension line is a safe, solid choice for gamers, designers, or anyone looking for a desktop that's built to last. |
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Gateway 700 series
High-class performance and lots of expansion room make the Gateway 700 series a success among high-end PCs. Check latest prices |
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