Dell's Studio Hybrid torn down for kicks and giggles

We've only one thing to say here: it's about time! Dell's Studio Hybrid has been shuffling around for well over a month, and we're just now seeing someone with the nerve to take a putty knife to this cute 'lil desktop and photograph its innards for all to see. As expected, there ain't much breathing room in the 7.7- x 2.8- x 8.3-inch box, but there's a smattering of pictures and a full disassembly video waiting in the read link below. Go on and look, sicko.

[Brian @ Sep 21st 2008 12:08PM]

I smell a come around for Dell. Lately anyway.

[JohnTitor @ Sep 21st 2008 6:27PM]

that's cause Michael Dell is back, it's not the first time the founding CEO returns and a company does better, Apple fanboys know what I mean, and Microsoft fanboys will probably see it happen in the future

[DooM @ Sep 21st 2008 12:09PM]

Why does the size of the computer matter if you're going to use it as a desktop anyway?

[jorvay @ Sep 21st 2008 12:19PM]

As much as my pc is a big box, I could see a use for this. It's small, probably relatively quiet, and easy on the eyes. Would be perfect for hooking up to your tv with a wireless keyboard, or if you just don't have a lot of space (small apartment or dorm room). It also has rather low power consumption.

[dukemang @ Sep 21st 2008 12:52PM]

Desktops are generally ugly and do not add to the appeal of the nice home. Not every one is a single gamer living in squalor; and a small, attractive PC (like any appliance) is welcome and will be the future.

[Josh @ Sep 21st 2008 2:31PM]

I use an mATX case purely because space is of the utmost importance. I switched from full tower and it's nowhere near as.. invasive in terms of space. It also looks a lot neater :P

Cable management is a challenge though!

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 21st 2008 4:36PM]

apple fanboy !

[JohnTitor @ Sep 21st 2008 6:29PM]

the Studio hybrid is small cause it was easy to make it that way, the whole point is that it uses laptop parts making its power draw really low

[greyscale @ Sep 21st 2008 12:11PM]

Copper is so pretty. I want to marry it.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Sep 21st 2008 12:14PM]

The saying is not "kicks and giggles' it's actually "Shits and Giggles" but I guess that can't be used in a title. Nice to see people continuing the PR0N tradition.

[collegekid13 @ Sep 21st 2008 7:53PM]

the word is porn not pr0n but i guess it'll do

[Neebs @ Sep 21st 2008 3:56PM]

it's called a minced oath

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 21st 2008 5:21PM]

Wow, you're so educated. Sweet, man.

[hooniebear @ Sep 21st 2008 12:34PM]

daughter - make sure you run 64bit (and good luck with drivers)

[broli @ Sep 21st 2008 12:35PM]

Isn't it "shit and giggles"?

[Ayman @ Sep 21st 2008 12:45PM]

No Girly Giggles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdNCiRN8Piw

(I know its out of topic, but the title reminded me of it)

[Dani Reader @ Sep 21st 2008 2:14PM]

that was exactly what I thought when I looked at the article. I didn't even notice the Dell. Who ever does?

[Ian @ Sep 21st 2008 12:39PM]

64-bit drivers have not been a problem for quite a while if you have decent hardware.

[Drew Green @ Sep 21st 2008 12:42PM]

It's just a regular, albeit small, desktop. Nothing special there.

[Graham @ Sep 21st 2008 12:44PM]

Hybrid? So it runs on both gasoline and electricity. Thats awesome!

[Superevil @ Sep 21st 2008 1:22PM]

and Mac Fanboy tears

[The Dude @ Sep 21st 2008 12:44PM]

It looks like they accidentally the whole Studio Hybrid.

The whole fuckin' thing.

[HellAshes @ Sep 21st 2008 12:57PM]

can it run crysis?

[Chris @ Sep 21st 2008 1:09PM]

the exact words from the back of Crysis "integrated graphics are not supported" so no.

[ethana2 @ Sep 21st 2008 1:00PM]

I got 1 GB on my 1420n. This instant I'm using... holy crap, 775 MB. Firefox' caching is a pig, it's at 492 MB.
Anyways, I figure when I upgrade, I'll switch to x64, KDE, and an SSD w/ LogFS or UnionFS all at the same time..
But then, I may just want to go centrino 2 instead of this nVidia garbage, their drivers are horrible, and they'll probably take forever to implement DRI2, KMS, gallium w/ native D3D, etc.. Intel is always amazing with stuff like that.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Sep 21st 2008 1:02PM]

Ethana, nobody knows what the hell "DRI2, KMS, gallium w/ native D3D" is.

[ethana2 @ Sep 21st 2008 1:06PM]

KMS will allow for a single gpu mode to be maintained from the second you load an OS to the second it powers off,
Native D3D via Gallium will make us able to play Crysis and Halo 2 without all of WINE's GLSL crap, and
DRI2 will make compiz more amazing-- stuff like using 3d screensavers as desktop backgrounds.

[KRIS_C_123 @ Sep 21st 2008 1:13PM]

are there any good small pc's like this that are decent at playing games? (please get back to me on this one)

[futurepastnow @ Sep 21st 2008 1:56PM]

You could put together a Shuttle SFF box and shove a decent graphics card in it.

[Jason Litka @ Sep 22nd 2008 1:04PM]

Not really. Not games from this decade on any pre-built OEM system anyway.

If you're looking to play games with a SFF system then you're going to need to get a Shuttle barebones system and drop in your own video card, processor, memory, and hard drive. Be warned though, don't think you can toss in all top-shelf components and not have heat issues.

[Skyride @ Sep 21st 2008 1:30PM]

Ethana, wtf are you taking about?

"may just want to go centrino 2 instead of this nVidia garbage, their drivers are horrible"
What are you talking about? Intel onboard graphics are pieces of crap. Nvidia drivers kick the asses out of Intel and ATI drivers for 'nix support (assuming thats what you are talking about?" and since when does Linux have directX? (assuming D3D = DirectX 3D). But ye, thats not right about FF, total RAM hog but its not a system hog as such (else the 'nix community wouldn't use it). I use opera anyway.

[Skyride @ Sep 21st 2008 1:32PM]

This comment was meant to be at ethana's first reply to daughter.

[BBrase @ Sep 21st 2008 2:20PM]

Well.... You fail at posting.

[gonintendo @ Sep 21st 2008 8:15PM]

Engadget comments phale at working and I phale at spelting phale.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Sep 21st 2008 1:31PM]

Oh like... Dreamscene.

[Skyride @ Sep 21st 2008 1:38PM]

Ethana, your taking that in too easily. D3D will never work properly on 'nix. Simpyl because a copy will need to be programmed from the ground up. Its 100% copyrighted by MS. What should really be happening is Game designers making their engines capable of rendering with the upcoming OpenGL 3.0

OpenGL is far superior to DirectX in everything except Anti-Aliasing quality and rendering light from a global source (As opposed to indirect lighting and multiple points which is what game designers are moving towards anyway.) The source engine (made by valve) is really the first making that move. The actual engine itself already has linux binaries (for the server) and its capable of rendering in OpenGL, just no option to. The client game side stuff could be pretty much done by any good 'nix programmer.

[nizzy1115 @ Sep 21st 2008 1:45PM]

I run 8gb in my desktop now with 64bit and never once had an issue with drivers or program compatibility. Vista makes it really easy.

[mykie @ Sep 21st 2008 1:50PM]

I gotta say...

With all the miniaturization in today's PCs, the relative computational horsepower per square inch rapidly skyrocketing...

And the standard PC speaker is still the same size as it was 20 years ago.

[John @ Sep 21st 2008 3:00PM]

well, that might be because of how sound works. Just maybe.

[Steve Jobs @ Sep 21st 2008 2:29PM]

Why would anyone want this over a Mac Mini?

[HOOPER @ Sep 21st 2008 2:39PM]

my studio hybrid can beat up your mac mini

[Abuzar Baloach @ Sep 21st 2008 2:42PM]

Should I even bother?

Because this isn't as overpriced?

[Dr Zoidberg @ Sep 21st 2008 2:54PM]

Well:
-It's not overpriced.
-You can get Blu-Ray.
-Over 2Gb ram.

Probably more than that.

[Apple @ Sep 21st 2008 3:18PM]

the fact that it's half the price maybe?

[k2001 @ Sep 21st 2008 3:25PM]

1. cheaper
2. blu-ray
3. easily upgrade

[scoiattolo @ Sep 21st 2008 4:33PM]

Actually, the current price of it seems to be higher than Mac Mini in Europe. I don't know about the performance though, as the L2 cache is actually lower but the FSB is higher, so I guess it would depend on the application.

[Brian @ Sep 21st 2008 5:29PM]

Oh really !!!

Then you don't live in the UK then. Or did you just read somewhere that's Macs are more expensive and your ignorance for self checking these facts, instead of just repeating them parrot fashion like sheep, clouded your judgement (wow how many metaphors). Or you are really Michael Dell trying to drum up some business so you can get my share price back up to the price I paid for them, in which case yes Macs are f****** expensive and these Dells taste like honey !!!!

[Some Kid @ Sep 21st 2008 5:53PM]

i like macs but i gotta say that was a stupid comment

[scoiattolo @ Sep 21st 2008 6:52PM]

I'm not sure who is trying to reply to what, so let me state my argument here in detail:
The following Dell Studio Hybrid configuration costs around DKK 6000 in Denmark.
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T5750 (2,0 GHz, 667 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2-cache), with 3GB RAM, and without Blu-ray.
For around the same price, you get the Mac Mini (T7200, 667 MHz FSB, 4 MB L2-cache) upgraded to 2GB RAM, from Apple Denmark.
I would be curious to compare the two regarding performance; however, I feel like both sound a bit overpriced at this moment for what they offer, so I'm wishing for a Mac Mini update, if that should ever come.

I also don't see why it should be stupid to compare the two, because I don't see any other similar configuration in this form factor from other manufacturers, leaving the Atom-based EEE Box out.

[r.brick @ Sep 21st 2008 11:52PM]

scoiattolo, I've been waiting for a MacMini upgrade (blu-ray superdrive, more modern graphics), but I don't know if that'll ever come. Barring that, I wonder if it would be worth Hackintoshing this Dell box.

(I like the form factor not only for the small footprint, but also for the smaller power draw.)