If you’re the type of person that keeps up with the hardware space, you’re probably already familiar with Intel’s fourth generation Core processor family, otherwise known as Haswell. Today we’re rolling out three new machines built for home users that feature Intel’s newest processors: the XPS 27 All-in-One, the XPS 8700 desktop and the Alienware X51 gaming desktop.
Just like we did with Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors, we’re committed offering our customers the latest technology from Intel across a range of products. So why does this matter? Because systems built around Intel’s Haswell platform offer better processor and graphics performance, all while significantly reducing the amount of power required to get this better performance. Take a look at these posts from the folks at Ars Technica or The Verge to dig in a bit deeper, or take a look at this PC World post to get a better idea of integrated graphics performance improvements you can expect from these new systems.
I’ll share some details about the new Haswell based systems we’re introducing to home users. For those of you interested in our Haswell-equipped business PCs, check out Brett McAnally’s post.
XPS 27:
We built on the success of the original XPS One 27 to make the new one even better. For starters, customers can order it with two different Haswell processor options: the i5 or the i7. But the performance increase over previous generations is about more than just the processor itself. The new XPS 27 also features Intel’s latest integrated video (HD 4600) for a pretty big boost in overall performance vs. the previous generation. And for those of you that want even more graphics power, we’ll offer the NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M graphics card option with 2GB RAM. Either way, you’ll be able to enjoy the high-resolution goodness the Quad HD display brings.
Speaking of the display, we kept the same detailed Quad HD (2560 x 1440) resolution, but we improved the color gamut in a noticeable way. The display on the new XPS 27 features Adobe RGB technology which broadens the spectrum of colors, improving the sRGB rating from 72% on the previous display to 99% on the new one. This increase provides a near true color experience. We’ve also increased the maximum brightness on the new XPS 27 to 350 nits—up from 300.
the dual-hinge articulating stand that lets you easily move the display into a variety of angles to make touch input via Windows 8 even more accessible. It features four USB 3.0 ports for fast access to external peripherals, and we added a Thunderbolt/ mini-HD port to the mix for even more flexibility. The integrated Full HD webcam works great with Skype audio and video calls. With the optional Blu-ray drive coupled with the great sound you get from the integrated speakers, this machine is great for multimedia playback.
Pricing for the new XPS 27 starts at $1,599.99
XPS 8700:
Like the XPS 8500 it replaces, our goal with the new XPS 8700 is to give desktop enthusiasts performance and expandability to spare. Case in point, besides the i5 or i7 fourth generation processor options, the XPS 8700 features 10 USB ports (six of which are USB 3.0), supports up to 32GB RAM and up to 4TB of internal storage. We’ll offer it with a mix of higher-end discrete graphics card options from both AMD and NVIDIA. Add it all up and you get a machine that will be great for gaming, watching or encoding full HD video, or for processing high-resolution pictures in applications like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. Basically, it’s built to handle just about any high-end PC task you throw at it.
Pricing for the XPS 8700 starts at $699.99
Alienware X51:
Also like the original version, the new Alienware X51 is designed to give gamers a true gaming experience in a smaller, more efficient form factor. It’s still the smallest Alienware desktop we’ve made. We’ll now offer it with an array of i5 or i7 Haswell processors, a couple of different discrete graphics cards options like NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 670, and a dual hard drive option using a 256GB SSD and a 1TB 5400 RPM HDD. The Alienware X51 is a great way to get the full Alienware gaming experience even if you don’t have the space for a big tower case. In the living room, the new Alienware X51 can be hooked up to an HDTV for the big screen gaming experience, and is a compelling alternative for traditional console gamers looking for more immersion and functionality along with the versatility that the X51 provides. Compared to its predecessor, it delivers improved performance across the board, and gives veteran gamers and newcomers a unique combination of performance, size, design and price
Pricing for the Alienware X51 with 4th Generation processors starts at $899. We’ll also continue to offer options with Intel 3rd generation processors (aka Ivy Bridge), starting at $699.