Dell goes industrial with new OptiPlex desktops

Dell didn't exactly have a high design bar to hurdle in order to top its existing OptiPlex desktops, but it's done a pretty admirable job with its new OptiPlex 960 model, which is available in the usual mini tower, slimline desktop (pictured above), and small form factor versions. Those each sport base configurations that include a 3.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard drive, and they'll run you $902, $892, and $912 for the tower, slim desktop and small form factor PC, respectively -- or considerably more if you opt for some of the higher end options like a Core 2 Quad processor or a discrete graphics card. For less demanding folks, Dell has also rolled out the $399 OptiPlex FX160 thin client PC, and updated versions of its OptiPlex 760 and OptiPlex 360 desktops, which now pack a 2.0GHz Celeron processor in their base configurations to help keep prices down to $630 and $478. Head on past the break for a glimpse at the complete line-up.

[Via Electronista]

[noonas @ Oct 28th 2008 2:30PM]

is that a FLOPPY drive?? (trying not to pee on myself laughing)

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 2:33PM]

That 3.25 sends a shiver through my bones!

[thatrotierkid @ Oct 28th 2008 2:46PM]

its a $5 part to put in, and that one time you need a floppy drive (transfering data off an old computer) you will curse yourself for not getting it. one of the guys at my work still uses a digital camera that takes floppys because it has the best macro lense for taking pictures or defective chips coming off our line.

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 2:56PM]

$5? when I added it to a computer config it showed up as $20...

you would think that they would just make an external 3.25 to USB drive...

[jorvay @ Oct 28th 2008 3:00PM]

$20 to you. $5 for large companies like Dell to purchase from suppliers and install.

[Wolfticket @ Oct 28th 2008 3:27PM]

From time to time, a little legacy technology doesn't hurt, especially if it adds very little to the overall cost. Having said that I don't even bother having an internal optical drive in my own pc.

[Chris Are @ Oct 28th 2008 4:02PM]

@iEye

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not, but if you're not: I've had a usb floppy drive for years....

[maveric101 @ Oct 28th 2008 4:25PM]

sometimes it has to be used for raid drivers and such, especially if you're using an older OS like windows server 2000

[happy_penguin @ Oct 28th 2008 4:31PM]

Well, choice is good but I haven't used a floppy in many, many years.

[qrius @ Oct 28th 2008 4:37PM]

that was my first thought as well! the 5.25 is back baby! The 80s are officially back!

[Poom @ Oct 28th 2008 7:31PM]

MY THOUGHT EXACTLY!!! The instant I saw it, I went like "FLOPPY DRIVE???". Engadget should add a line about this...

[mayq @ Oct 28th 2008 9:24PM]

I've used a floppy just this week. Some old oscilloscopes use a floppy disks to save data.

Just because you haven't used one in years, it doesn't mean that everyone does not use it anymore.

[mayq @ Oct 28th 2008 9:32PM]

"...use floppy disks to..."

It also has serial and parallel ports at the back. :) (I usually need two serial ports)

[PCinDFW @ Oct 30th 2008 4:55PM]

You must not work in a corporate office...I have a friend who is an IT Helpdesk Manager and I know they still have a need from time to time for a floppy. It's probably a $10 add-on and while a USB floppy would work, why have something way more expensive sit externally that could be stolen or destroyed.

[konshuss @ Oct 28th 2008 2:39PM]

doesn't hurt to have another boot disk option for when windows craps out.

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 2:43PM]

USB boot, and run an OS from USB...

[konshuss @ Oct 28th 2008 4:23PM]

i fail to see how this negates my point about the floppy disk, good sir.

put a DVD install disc in tray, push close, install OS.

[CraigJ @ Oct 28th 2008 2:39PM]

I'm sure those are decent systems but the design is a bag of hurt for my eyes.

[CraigJ @ Oct 28th 2008 2:39PM]

Sent from my Optiplex 755...

[Curtis Joslin @ Oct 28th 2008 2:42PM]

agreed, sent from my optiplex 330 slim

[Jeff @ Oct 28th 2008 2:50PM]

Could use a bit of a touchup on design for sure.

- Sent from my earphones

[bioadam @ Oct 28th 2008 2:54PM]

That's an understatement. This is the ugliest line of computers since the days of vacuum tubes.

[Mark @ Oct 28th 2008 3:05PM]

I think the ones on the right (including the one on the big picture of course) look pretty good! They look tight/rigid and tough. It's just that that floppy drive makes it look very old..

[curtisrutland @ Oct 28th 2008 3:12PM]

Am I the only one who thinks they look kinda slick?

[Tero @ Oct 28th 2008 3:16PM]

I think they look awesome. Same kind of aesthetics as in thinkpads. There are TOOLS bitch, not happy go lucky fisher price computers for designer types not talented enough to be called artists.

[DarkLight @ Oct 28th 2008 3:44PM]

Yeah, I also like the industrial look

Not everyone likes that "pretty" stuff a rich girl would buy... Some of us just want something functional

[happy_penguin @ Oct 28th 2008 4:34PM]

I like the look. You know what look I don't like? Alienware. UGH!


Y'all know where the little red minus is. :)

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 28th 2008 4:43PM]

I'm right here buddy.

[ironman @ Oct 28th 2008 2:46PM]

So the model pictured above topped the other models in terms of design?...wow.

[Kali4 @ Oct 28th 2008 2:48PM]

That sure is a whole lot of fugly...

[dave @ Oct 28th 2008 2:48PM]

Looks IBM'ish

[Pizzahut @ Oct 28th 2008 2:50PM]

Are you sure they didn't lift that PC from Tech Museum? :) Dell continues to amaze me with their design. :)

[joe23521 @ Oct 28th 2008 2:54PM]

These are like the Honda Civics of desktops... I find it very difficult to imagine anything uglier.

[Mathias @ Oct 28th 2008 2:58PM]

IBM 300PL but in black, anyone?
http://www.sz-wholesale.com/uploadFiles/IBM%20PC%20300PL%20PIII-450_446.jpg

[cole @ Oct 28th 2008 2:58PM]

Butt Ugly!

[David @ Oct 28th 2008 3:01PM]

Wait, nine hundred dollars? Did I miss the part where the 1 GB of RAM is encrusted in diamonds?

[joe23521 @ Oct 28th 2008 3:23PM]

No, but I hear that the built-in 3.5" floppy drive is quite a rare feature.

[StalematE @ Oct 28th 2008 4:26PM]

actually the entire inside of this thing is coated in swarofski crystals

[Salim @ Oct 29th 2008 12:04PM]

The entry processor is an E8400, this is a high end proc on most desktop systems.

[PCinDFW @ Oct 30th 2008 4:55PM]

It's the new Montevina chipset...vPro is what is making this thing so freaking expensive. The 760 is what the average customer will buy (this guy is the "deluxe" model).

[ijyt @ Oct 28th 2008 3:03PM]

I like it.

[kjb434 @ Oct 28th 2008 3:13PM]

These are not really consumer PC's. It doesn't mean you can't buy them though. It is meant for the office market where style isn't necessary a critical issue.

[daria malakian @ Oct 28th 2008 3:14PM]

dell computers suck i would not have one of those pieces of shit if someone was giving it away

[Kali4 @ Oct 28th 2008 3:32PM]

What computer geek could resist a free PC even if it is uglier than the southside of a northbound baboon with weeping hemorrhoids? That is why we have mods. If it's fugly, change it! If it is stupendously and saddeningly underwhelming in it's performance in the task for which it was designed like Ron Jeremey with erectile dysfuntion. We find some houmorously derisive new task for it. That is why we overclock something until it lights on fire and post the video to Youtube for all the world to share in the glorious flaming death of a good for naught else piece of silicon chicanery! Viva la Geek!!!!

[jorvay @ Oct 28th 2008 4:22PM]

I don't know about their home-use stuff, but our company switched from Dell to HP about two years ago. Anyone still rocking a dell business laptop is very thankful after seeing how many of the HP units have required service. My Latitude D610 is the most solid non-thinkpad laptop I've ever used.

[gonintendo @ Oct 28th 2008 10:16PM]

I've got that same laptop and it's an amazing, beautiful peace of engineering.

[John @ Oct 28th 2008 3:14PM]

How much without the cheese grater?

[Niz @ Oct 28th 2008 3:18PM]

look like my computer with the front plate off.

[blu3ness @ Oct 28th 2008 3:20PM]

Please note the keyword "industrial", at where I work, we are still using iDos with Arcnet networks (not even TCPIP!) for gas turbine control.. Stability is key, and hardware performance is rarely a concern. (We do have enterprise grade servers for storage and office applications)

[Jamus @ Oct 28th 2008 3:21PM]

Glad to see them upgrade past the 755's, but the design is a bit "off" even for Dell. Looks like the weakly bastard child of a drunken rendezvous between an Apple Mac Pro and a Lenovo ThinkCentre.