Dell rolls out Studio Desktop, Studio Slim
By Donald Melanson 
posted Sep 23rd 2008 3:41PM
posted Sep 23rd 2008 3:41PM
It looks like those thrown off by Dell's curvy Studio Hybrid desktop now have some more familiar boxy options to consider, as the company has just rounded out its Studio line with its new Studio Desktop (MT) and Studio Slim (ST) models. From the looks of it, the two boast many of the same specs, including your choice of Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad processors, up to 8GB of RAM, integrated 7.1 audio, optional Blu-ray drives, and optional discrete ATI graphics if the usual integrated fare isn't enough for you. The big advantage of the Studio Desktop, as you might have guessed, is greater expandability, including an extra 5.25-inch drive bay and a beefier 350W power supply (compared to just 250W on the Studio Slim). Prices start at $549 for each and both are available to order right now.
[Via DesktopReview.com, thanks Mark]
[Via DesktopReview.com, thanks Mark]
Studio Slim = Vostro 200s + Shiny
Exactly what i was gonna say! these are just friggin' shiny Vostros!
Nice job, Dell...what slacker was hired to do this amazing new design?
May make a decent linux box.
thats exactly what i use one for :D
Why in the world would this make a "decent Linux box" as opposed to any of the other trillion similarly spec'ed PCs out there? Or do you just say that on every article involving any sort of low end / midrange PC?
I was commenting more on the $550 price tag. And mainly because I am contemplating picking up a cheapo box for a little debian action.
@MadMike
In that case, there's a ton of brand new PCs retailing at under $300 that would make even better Linux boxes.
Studio Desktop = Inspiron 530 + Black
The only difference I see between them is the color and 8GB of RAM capacity for about double the price? There must be something different?
Nevermind, once you start configuring them similarly the Studio Slim is cheaper. The 530s is better if you just want the base specs.
Specs and lack of HDMI or digital audio output on Inspiron.
I was just thinking the other day: I wonder if dell could make a cheaper alternative to the studio hybrid with the same functionality, but more affordable desktop components...
Turns out they can...except that it's not actually more affordable.
As far as I can tell, the Inspiron 530s is the exact same machine except for $279, it is just silver instead of black.
Only one catch: no HDMI or digital audio outputs. I want something cheap to use as a HTPC, but the inspirons are lacking in key areas.
@Balls
I've tried HDMI on my Dell Vostro. It lacks the motherboard necessary to connect HDMI properly. So, the Inspiron is probably no different.
PROCESSOR Intel® Core™ 2 Quad processor Q9550 (12MB L2, 2.83GHz, 1333FSB)
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium ion SP1, 64-Bit
MONITOR 24 inch E248WFP Widescreen Digital Flat Panel
MEMORY 8GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 4DIMMs
HARD DRIVE 1TB -7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 36MB Cache
OPTICAL DRIVE Blu-ray Disc (BD) Burner (Writes to DVD/CD/BD)
VIDEO CARD ATI Radeon HD 3450 256MB supporting HDMI
SOUND Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio
KEYBOARD & MOUSE Dell Consumer Multimedia Keyboard
MODEM No Modem Option
My Software & Accessories
SPEAKERS No Speaker Option
ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE McAfee SecurityCenter with anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, 30-Days
OFFICE SOFTWARE Microsoft Works 9.0
My Service
WARRANTY & SERVICE 1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
ALSO INCLUDED WITH YOUR SYSTEM
MEDIA READER Integrated 16-in-1 Media Card Reader
Mouse Dell Premium Optical USB Mouse
Adobe Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0 Multi-Language
Network Card Integrated 10/1000 Ethernet
Labels Windows Vista™ Premium
DATASAFE ONLINE BACKUP No DataSafe
for just under 2K how is this expensive.. Apple users would give their left nut for a machine this equipped for this little dough..
dude, you're faded
Radeon 3450=fail for gaming.
That's about all they have left after paying an arm and a leg for their present Mac.
I wasn't into it, but then you posted:
Adobe Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0 Multi-Language
Wank-worthy.
ergo you're a wanker?
Aren't we all? 99% of readers on here would agree in thinking you're a wanker!
Zing!
I just got out of a chat with a sales rep, if you wish to save cash on the machine and leave the integrated video onboard to use your own video card later, that's not an option, the integrated motherboards ship without a video card slot. That was genuinely a deal breaker for me too.
Useful insight. Thank you.
Wow, no pci-e slot on a new desktop? That's a dick move, if ever there was one. I thought desktops almost always had a dedicated graphics card port.
well, when I asked, I asked if I could but a higher-end video card than what they were selling on it, (I have a Radeon 4850 HD PCI-E 16X card, the max they offer is a 3450HD), and she said there wouldn't be a slot for that card. There may be a 1x slot, but what can you do with that these days? You can't put a video card in it and expect it to be an upgrade anyway, I wouldn't even trust that slot for a sound card or even a tuner. I find them to be completely useless.
there is definitely a pci-e 16, but there is no 6-pin for power connector.(no sure about the power connector)
Studio XPS 13 please!
+1 man
i am waiting for this little one too.
supposed to ship in november.
we ll just have to wait
At least it's a nice case even if it's just a shiny vostro one. I've never been a fan of Dell's cases, but these and the vostros are ok
This is a nice update from the current Inspiron 530/530s systems, which use the G33 chipset (which does support 8gb of ram, and is not a bad chipset, especially if you intend to pop in discrete graphics anyway.) These new systems use the G45 chipset, and of course, are shiny.
Spoke to a rep and he said that they will be able to add graphics cards aftermarket. Don't know what previous poster was on about.
I highly doubt dell would ship 2 different motherboards with their units, there'd be significant cost differences in doing so.
Wow...no DVI.
it has a pcie16 and is more than capable of the 4850
oh ya im a dell rep
The 350W power supply has a 6 pin power adapter. It will take up to a 150W graphics card. (of course it has a PCIe x16 slot).
Both the MT and ST have native HDMI = DVI if you want it via HDMI to DVI dongle. Though you can also get DVI through a discrete graphics upsell.
Over the 530 you also get native 1394 (not an add in card), and the G45 chipset supports HDCP so you have native Blu-ray support. But wait, there's more. It also has a built in media card reader.
But wait... eSATA too!
Read the review guys. A lot of this stuff is in there.
it looks like the inspiron and the vostro... Wow dell where's the creativity
Although it looks like a Vostro or an Inspiron the inside, for the price, is different.
Your base is an Core 2 E7200 processor, 3gigs of RAM, 360gig hdd, vista home premium, an onboard video chip that supports DX10, hdmi support and a 350watt power supply. That my friends is the base model. Vostro and Inspiron does not offer this at all.
I don't know about the US, but in Canada, 549$ for this is a decent price. CPU and powersupply wise, most computers at that price only offer half the cpu power or a 250watts power supply.
There is a PCI-E x16 slot inside. Don't get mixed with the 518 model!
Uh Dave... The Inspiron 518 has a PCIe x16 slot too. All of the current "standard" Dell desktops have a PCIe x16 slot.
Not according to the specs on Dell's site...
PCI: 1 Slot
PCIe x1: 2 Slots
Back: line-in, line-out, microphone, rear surround, side surround
I want to know if I can plug a new Intel WiFi Draft-N Link 5300 PCIe card to a Desktop Studio Slim 540s and it its 250W PSU has a 6-pin power connector so I can use a Galaxy 9600GT low profile.
I bought the Studio MT on 11/21/2008 and have so far been extremely pleased.
I did swap out the 350w PSU with an Antec 650w (YES Dell, you CAN do this.)
Will be upgrading the video card soon too. Otherwise, the thing is a workhorse...highly recommended!
Any chance the 250w PSU on the Slim can be swapped out for a 350w?
I have a Slim on the way and a 3rd-party low-profile graphics card that calls for a 350w, even though some reviews have said that it will run with 250w. If I can get it to run on just 250w, fine, but if I have the option, I'd rather boost the power.
(A Dell rep claims that there "might" be some available PSUs out there, but he seemed to go out of his way to discourage me.)