Dell launches Studio Hybrid mini-desktop range

[Bob_the_lost]

Fuck off monster 20" screen?

*rolls around laughing*

It's quite purdy but you're not going to sell this to students, too poor performance for the money.

 

[jæd]

It's quite purdy but you're not going to sell this to students, too poor performance for the money.

I didn't know Word and Internet Explorer were that bloated.

Hint: People who play PC games are actually in the minority...

 

[ch750536]

OMG! We have moved into the world of Mrs Ch750536. When buying a new PC (like the last car we bought) it will be decided on 'What colour is it?'.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

I didn't know Word and Internet Explorer were that bloated.

Hint: People who play PC games are actually in the minority...

Performance for the money.

IT literate ones will realise there's fuck all power there, the it ones will probably want something that works faster or maybe this as a second system. They are the minority you're right.

The IT illiterate ones will look at the price, it's expensive for an entry level machine. (Don't forget this is below the performance of any other entry level desktop you'll find around and even illiterates can read marketing material and get bullshit from the PC world staff). This is the vast majority of students. Don't expect huge penetration there.

 

[jæd]

IT literate ones will realise there's fuck all power there, the it ones will probably want something that works faster or maybe this as a second system. They are the minority you're right.

Depends. I reckon this would be ideal as a home entertainment center, etc. And I'm "IT literate"

The IT illiterate ones will look at the price, it's expensive for an entry level machine.

The normal people will think "Ooh...! Pretty, and compact, and not-geeky looking".

Hint: Not all IT products are aimed at you..

 

[Iam]

The first computer i built in 2002 was semi screwless, now it's standard. Dell aren't special on that front, only really really dirt cheap cases don't have screwless assembly.

The desktops are very well put together, though.

 

[editor]

Performance for the money.

IT literate ones will realise there's fuck all power there, the it ones will probably want something that works faster or maybe this as a second system. They are the minority you're right.

The IT illiterate ones will look at the price, it's expensive for an entry level machine.

You're missing the point as well.

Those who care about 'performance' will buy some fuck off bulky machine, and those who want a nice, neat, tidy little PC for homework and regular PC stuff like watching video, playing MP3s, web browsing etc - and it's plenty powerful enough for that - will get something like this (or rather their parents might buy it).

And for the price, it's a very attractive number compared to the hideous beige PCs in the budget end of the market.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Yeah, it's a niche market. Most people don't buy computers soley or even primarily on looks or form factor. It's not a one solution fits all, which is what a student is most likely to get that's why laptops are so popular. It's a second or third system. Christ, you'd think i'd called your mother bad names rather than pointing out that students aren't going to flock to it.

Depending on the cooling solution it might make a good net box or home theatre machine.

 

[editor]

Christ, you'd think i'd called your mother bad names rather than pointing out that students aren't going to flock to it

There's really no need for that personal dig, you know.

I haven't been rude or stroppy - I just pointed out that I think you missed the point when you based the bulk of your criticism on the machine's performance.

Most consumers buying computers aren't really bothered by spec sheets - all they generally care about is: "will it do what I want?", "can I afford it?" and "does it look good?"

£500 will get you a reasonably spec'd, small, compact and eye catching PC package with big screen and wireless keyboad and mouse. Sure you could get the same for £350, but then it would come in some ghastly beige box that's about four times the size.

 

[jæd]

Yeah, it's a niche market. Most people don't buy computers soley or even primarily on looks or form factor.

Hate to reveal it to you, but a lot of people actually do this... Have you taken a look at those Apple computer things (and a lot of other manufactuers) recently....

Christ, you'd think i'd called your mother bad names rather than pointing out that students aren't going to flock to it.

You're the one getting all worked up about it...

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Except the boxes aren't beige these days, that'd be a dell (black), Mesh (black), HP (Grey and black), Compaq (Grey and black) etc.

Yes, let's look at Apple, say the Macbook Air, doesn't look geeky, does the basics and does cost a slight premium for it's size.

Students still won't be part of that niche market.

They start at 399 in the UK, for which you get an old school Pentium M chip (by another name) a gig of RAM and so on. That's enough, barely, to run vista happily, although wierdly Dell are doing 2Gig for another tenner, which is a nice change.

 

[jæd]

Except the boxes aren't beige these days, that'd be a dell (black), Mesh (black), HP (Grey and black), Compaq (Grey and black) etc.

Ooh...! What a range of colours...!

 

[Gromit]

You could get one of these new Dells, keyboard, mouse and fuck-off monster 20" screen for around £500.

The fact it comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse, has HDMI out, TV tuner, Blueray and doesn't come as part of a package with a monitor (Standard Dell Operating Practice) leads me to believe...

These puppies are aimed at the home entertainment market. Its a cheap plug into you HD ready TV option. Just a little more stylish and lower spec'd than ones you see in PC world that come as a black set top box with digital TV recording etc.

 

[jæd]

Yes, let's look at Apple, say the Macbook Air, doesn't look geeky, does the basics and does cost a slight premium for it's size.

Students still won't be part of that niche market.

Apple was given as an example of a manufacturer that specialises (among other things) nice looking computers...

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Blueray is extra, the wifi etc. will be a holdover from their laptop roots, the chipsets are designed to have them included so why not keep them since it won't add much to the price.

 

[revol68]

I disagree. I'd say that it's an exceptionally attractive looking mini PC with a superb design that will fit nicely into living rooms, bedrooms, small offices and student digs. I can see Dell shifting tons of these if they get the marketing right.

They're not for GamrZ or HackrZ, but as a cheap, super-compact PC for general tasks they look great - better than the Shuttle, the Eee PC and the attractive Mac Mini too, IMO.

I think they're tacky as fuck and really don't meet any real needs, just fall inbetween the desktop and laptop markets. As for their size well alll very good but it's still a desktop so you'll need room for a desk and a monitor anyway

 

[Badgers]

I like them.

 

[editor]

Except the boxes aren't beige these days, that'd be a dell (black), Mesh (black), HP (Grey and black), Compaq (Grey and black) etc.

So, any colour you like, so long as they're, err, blokey black. Or nerdy grey. Or a combination of both. Nice!

Yes, let's look at Apple, say the Macbook Air, doesn't look geeky, does the basics and does cost a slight premium for it's size.

I'd say that the Dell looks much fresher than the Mac Mini myself, but each to their own.

They start at 399 in the UK, for which you get an old school Pentium M chip (by another name) a gig of RAM and so on.

Or you could buy a slightly cheaper PC in a box four times the size and as ugly as sin, with a performance difference most consumers won't even notice.

 

[felixthecat]

I like them.

So do I. Its a nice sleek design, good range of colours. Much funkier than a black box.

But there again, I'm not a geeky computer person

 

[Iam]

So do I. Its a nice sleek design, good range of colours. Much funkier than a black box.

But there again, I'm not a geeky computer person

In this case, that probably stands in your favour.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

So, any colour you like, so long as they're, err, blokey black. Or nerdy grey. Or a combination of both. Nice!
I'd say that the Dell looks much fresher than the Mac Mini myself, but each to their own.Or you could buy a slightly cheaper PC in a box four times the size and as ugly as sin, with a performance difference most consumers won't even notice.

Depends, there's no way you'll be able to playback anything that's highly compressed with that CPU. It'll struggle badly, very badly with 720P and won't manage 1080P. Kind of makes sense that they don't offer the bluray player with the lower valued models.

Or you could buy a laptop that doesn't look too bad, same colour scheme and with better performance for the same money.

 

[felixthecat]

In this case, that probably stands in your favour.

In fact I think I'm probably its target market

 

[felixthecat]

Depends, there's no way you'll be able to playback anything that's highly compressed with that CPU. It'll struggle badly, very badly with 720P and won't manage 1080P. Kind of makes sense that they don't offer the bluray player with the lower valued models.

Or you could buy a laptop that doesn't look too bad, same colour scheme and with better performance for the same money.

Tbf Bob - its going to be bought by someone who doesn't need a huge amount of computing power. A bit of browsing, the odd music download, word processing stuff - but in a very stylish package .

Serious computer geeks will buy a serious computer - this is a light hearted flibbertigibbet of a PC for light hearted flibbertigibbet users

 

[jæd]

Depends, there's no way you'll be able to playback anything that's highly compressed with that CPU. It'll struggle badly, very badly with 720P and won't manage 1080P. Kind of makes sense that they don't offer the bluray player with the lower valued models.

Or you could buy a laptop that doesn't look too bad, same colour scheme and with better performance for the same money.

I'm amazed at how someone can so consistently miss the point so much...!

Tbf Bob - its going to be bought by someone who doesn't need a huge amount of computing power. A bit of browsing, the odd music download, word processing stuff - but in a very stylish package .

Serious computer geeks will buy a serious computer - this is a light hearted flibbertigibbet of a PC for light hearted flibbertigibbet users

But Bob doesn't want it, so therefore its bound to fail...

 

[jæd]

Serious computer geeks will buy a serious computer - this is a light hearted flibbertigibbet of a PC for light hearted flibbertigibbet users

Dunno, if a "serious computer geek" has a use for it I can see it being bought. It would be an ideal home server, etc...

 

[editor]

Or you could buy a laptop that doesn't look too bad, same colour scheme and with better performance for the same money.

With a much smaller screen and less comfortable typing.

 

[Iam]

If you want to play blu rays, get a fucking bluray player!

 

[Bob_the_lost]

With a much smaller screen and less comfortable typing.

With a screen included in the price. They charge slightly more for the hybrid than for the same hardware in a laptop format with a battery, with a screen.

It's a nice little box, but it's for a niche market. Miss the point? That most people don't need heavy duty computing power? That's not exactly news but if you're buying a HTPC then it's made of fail, not suitable. If you're buying a single use PC then it's only suitable for office apps (fine and dandy) and if you're buying a home server then you're paying way over the odds for something that gets put well out of sight.

 

[editor]

With a screen included in the price

Yes. A little one that you have to hunch over.

 

[jæd]

With a screen included in the price

It's a nice little box, but it's for a niche market.

Quick, call Apple and tell them that...