Dell’s All-in-One PC Has the Guts, Design to Compete With iMac
December 27, 2007
by Walter S. Mossberg
Something interesting is going on at Dell. The Texas personal-computer behemoth, long associated with boxy, boring machines, has started emphasizing industrial design. And the company, which in recent years seemed to care only about corporate customers, techies and hard-core gamers, appears once again interested in average, mainstream consumers who value simplicity.
The most tangible example of this new approach is Dell’s XPS One desktop — an elegant, handsome, cleverly designed one-piece computer. If it didn’t have the Dell logo on it, the XPS One might be mistaken for a product of the PC industry’s design leaders, Apple or Sony.
Like Apple’s iconic iMac, the XPS One looks like it’s simply a sleek, flat-panel monitor. The guts of the computer have been stuffed into the back of the screen.
But this new Dell is no mere iMac clone. It makes its own style statement, even though it shares the same 20-inch widescreen display and a similar Intel dual-core processor with the base-model iMac. Where the iMac is squarish and silver, the XPS One is all black and rectangular, with speakers attached to the sides and a wide glass base. It looks more like a small TV set than a computer and, in fact, comes with a built-in TV tuner.
In my tests, I found the XPS One to be much better designed and equipped than Gateway’s iMac competitor, also called the One. In fact, the Dell XPS One is the first Windows all-in-one desktop I’ve tested that I believe matches or exceeds the iMac in hardware design. That’s no small feat, especially coming from Dell.
Unlike the Apple, for example, the Dell has a built-in slot for camera memory cards. It comes standard with a wireless keyboard and mouse, which cost extra on the iMac. Its screen can be turned off with the touch of a button without turning off the computer itself. Its USB and headphone ports are arrayed conveniently on the side, instead of mainly at the rear, as on the iMac.
And, when you wave your hand in front of the black border to the right of the screen on the XPS One, a set of blue, back-lit touch controls magically appear for controlling the playback of music or video. They go away after a few seconds. The Dell also comes with a free year of 10 gigabytes of online backup.
For my tests, I used the least expensive standard configuration of the XPS One, which can be ordered for $1,499 at dell.com/theonepc. It came with two gigabytes of memory (twice the comparable iMac’s standard amount), a 250 gigabyte hard disk and Wi-Fi wireless networking, unusual in Windows desktops.
The computer performed crisply and well for me. I installed several popular third-party programs that weren’t included, such as Microsoft Office, the Firefox Web browser, Apple’s iTunes and Adobe Reader. All worked fine.
I also successfully tested the built-in TV function, which requires a cumbersome external attachment to work with a cable box. I was able to view and record TV shows, something you can’t do out of the box on an iMac.
I still recommend the iMac over the XPS One for several reasons other than hardware design. First, there’s the software. I believe Apple’s operating system, Leopard, is superior to the new Windows Vista operating system, the only choice on the XPS One. In my tests, a reboot of the XPS One took more than twice as long as a reboot of the iMac.
And I regard Apple’s built-in software, especially the iLife multimedia suite, as superior to the Dell’s built-in software, which includes a group of Adobe multimedia programs that are less well integrated and more complex.
The XPS One, unlike the iMac, also came with a bunch of craplets — trial software like Yahoo Music and come-ons for online services like NetZero.
Second, the iMac, unlike the Dell, is immune to the vast majority of malicious software floating around, so you don’t have to run annoying, memory-hogging security programs. The first time I turned on the beautiful Dell I was met with a warning that I had “multiple security problems,” and was led to install a security suite in a complex and tedious process.
Third, defying popular perception, the iMac costs less than the XPS One. The base, 20-inch iMac costs $1,199 — about $300 less. And even if you double the memory, and add a wireless keyboard and mouse to match the Dell, it’s still $1,399 — $100 less than the base XPS One (though Dell is currently running a sale that wipes out the $100 gap). Even the cheapest iMac has a dedicated video card with its own memory, something the base XPS One lacks.
Plus, while Dell offers only 20-inch screens on the XPS One, Apple has higher-end iMacs with huge 24-inch screens for the same price, or less, than the higher-end Dells.
Still, if you want a stylish Windows Vista machine that runs well and won’t cost a fortune, the XPS One fits the bill, despite its unlikely heritage.
- Email me at mossberg@wsj.com. Find all my columns and videos online free at the new All Things Digital Web site, http://walt.allthingsd.com.
Comments
Walter,
You wrote: “Apple has higher-end iMacs with huge 24-inch screens for the same price,”
Duh!
1. The amount of memory that is standard in each machine is irrelevant as only a fool buys additional memory from the manufacturer. 4GB of RAM cost just $98 USD from macsales.com
2. The 24-inch version of the iMac is awesome. My screen is sharp and vibrant. This is a fantastic machine.
3. The DELL machines run a 32-bit version of Vista which means the maximum usable memory is 3.3 GB. Mac OS X is a 64-bit operating system.
4. The graphics technology in each shows you that the DELL does NOT have the guts to compete. The iMac graphics are far more powerful.
5. “Unlike the Apple, for example, the Dell has a built-in slot for camera memory cards.” Big deal. NOT! A card reader costs $15. And, when a new card format is introduced, you can easily buy a new reader. I do not understand the value of a built-in card reader.
(Yes, I am an Apple fanboy.)
Apple: more for your money than DELL and much easier to use.
Posted by Dave Barnes at December 26th, 2007 at 7:56 pmDave,
You’re 100% correct. I’m not an Apple fanboy, but I’ve compared the Dell’s XPS against the iMac and it comes up short in a number of areas as you said. Additionally, the iMac has both the look and feel of of a quality piece of workmanship. In my opinion, if you add the stability, ease of use and relatively virus free operation of Mac OS X, the iMac is unrivaled at this time.
Posted by Gary Morgan at December 26th, 2007 at 8:42 pmForgot one thing; the XPS is running Windows; if you’re going to purchase a Mac, you purchase it for Mac OS X; not solely because of the hardware. Its the complete package.
There is nothing wrong with Dell, its the crap OS thats running on top which kills any value in the hardware.
Posted by Kaiwai Gardiner at December 27th, 2007 at 8:17 amI can’t believe the mac guy just gave a nod to a PC. Is the sky falling? Seriously, as a longtime Dell user, I’m happy to see you give them some props. I love my Dell laptop and all of my Dell components. I don’t whether or not it’s because of Jeff Jarvis or spite of him, but I have no “Dell Hell” to report. Now I just wish I had the XPS;)
Posted by annie heckenberger at December 27th, 2007 at 9:32 amIt IS interesting that Dell has come at least part-way toward being a true competitor.
My prediction is that they’ll get as much of the all-in-one market share as the Zune has of the MP3 player market.
Posted by paul merrill at December 27th, 2007 at 9:57 amInteresting stuff Walt! As a Mac head I’m glad there is some competition and would love to keep Apple market to less than %10 which should keep virus writers on PC field . Looking forward to the licking you’re gonna get from Fake Steve Jobs.
Posted by john coffey at December 27th, 2007 at 10:57 amAnnie,
Did you read the whole article?
WM still picks the iMac OVER the Dell for three reasons, which he lists at the bottom of the article.
So instead of wishing for a new XPS, yo should put the iMac on your wish list….and if you have to, you can run Windoze on it, too.
Posted by Hal Summers at December 27th, 2007 at 12:03 pmYes, the Dell’s appearance does invite comparison with the iMac, but endlessly re-reviewing the iMac does get a bit tiresome. The more interesting comparison would be to the real all-in-one that’s now sitting on far more home desktops than an iMac: the laptop. More compact, cheaper, integrated keyboard, immune to brief power failures without a UPS, easily moved if necessary. Unless you live in a dorm room, you probably watch movies on your TV, so who needs the monster screen? These all-in-three computers (remember that keyboard and mouse?) are overpriced and inflexible.
Posted by Charlie Brenner at December 27th, 2007 at 12:37 pmI enjoy reading about new competition like this that is slowly creeping up to the iMac, in terms of design and quality. Not that many put much effort in designing an all-in-one like Apple.
Despite the XPS One’s setbacks, this shows that Dell is a viable competitor to Apple even with Windows loaded. Apple will hopefully see this and begin to work on a new design and raise the standard of an all in one computer. Hopefully, raise computer design and quality in general on all their machines.
This is coming from a Apple & PC user. I have 3 Macs and 2 PCs.
Posted by Mark Cells at December 27th, 2007 at 12:59 pmYes, Hal, I read the whole piece. Note that I said “nod” and not “glowing review” or “endorsement.”
Posted by annie heckenberger at December 27th, 2007 at 4:17 pmWell, I, for one, was suprised at what I thought was an even handed and factual journalistic effort. Dell-fact, Mac-fact, etc.
Then I got to that last editorialistic (sorry for the neologism, nothing else fit) line:
“…despite its unlikely heritage….”
I have four Dell machines, two new Vista XPS machines, and two older PIII XP machines. My PII desktop is still running for my grand daughter. Never a problem.
Posted by Richard Mitnick at December 27th, 2007 at 4:43 pmA Vista machine that runs well? Well, 100% of the people I know running Vista are having many problems on their brand new machines.
I like your ending, you do not say it outright, but I think I get it. Save yourself some money and buy a Mac.
That should have been the “headline”.
Posted by Michael Wright at December 27th, 2007 at 6:06 pmWalt.
You ended the video by saying, “if you are interested in a Windows
Vista computer… the Dell … fits the bill.”
But, Walt. The iMac, running Leopard, is awesome. It also runs
Posted by Dane Jorgensen at December 28th, 2007 at 8:23 pmVista better than the Dell too!
Walt forgot the big one… Macs run Windows.
I have a Mac Book Pro (recent model), 160 GB HD, 1/2 Vista (don’t ask, but I have little choice for some things) and 1/2 OS X Leopard.
I’m a big Dell fan and 10+ year loyal customer. We have 4 Dells in my home and 1 Mac. Trust me on this one… buy the Mac, get a far superior OS and better bundled software. Then just buy a copy of Windows if you need it.
The more you use OS X, the more you’ll want to avoid Windows as much as you can. In the meantime, Intel based Macs and OS X Leopard gives you the best of both worlds. Why buy anything else?
Posted by Tom Scott at December 29th, 2007 at 9:53 amI like the iMac’s design much more than the look of the Dell. It is to dark and I think it looks very cheap. It looks like Dell really didn’t think about the design, because all the I/O is put on the side, which is really bad because all the USB cables come out from the side.
Posted by Aaron Abentheuer at December 30th, 2007 at 12:53 amBut the worst thing is the operating system – Windows Vista.
I really love my iMac (Aluminum, 24”) and I’ll buy the next generation too.
Correction:
Posted by Aaron Abentheuer at December 30th, 2007 at 12:58 am2nd sentence: It is too dark…
Saw a Dell One in person at BestBuy. It looks like a cross between an iMac and the monolith from 2001 a Space Oddesy.
The Dell is a joke in comparison to the iMac. The screen is not nearly as good. No graphics card? Even worse than I thought!
Dell just doesn’t get what really makes the iMac great.
Posted by Eric Welch at January 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 amI recently purchased both the Mac Book and the iMac 20″ 2.4 and love them both. These are not my first macs by any stretch but I felt tears welling up in my eyes just reading the others comments about how great the iMac is.. I know it is and do love it.
Posted by James Cheeek at January 4th, 2008 at 5:52 pmI build Dell computers at one of their US plants. Let me anyone that hasn’t seen one. Their systems are mostly made of sheet metal. It has a very cheap feel to it.
Posted by Jeff Ford at January 4th, 2008 at 6:19 pmYou use the words “iMac” more than the name of the product you are actually rating.
Posted by Saad Ahmad at February 3rd, 2008 at 10:16 amI just switched from PC after struggling and suffering from floods of viruses, spyware, crapware, windows defender controlling my computer, worrying all the time to clean the garbage few times a day…
The maintenance process in PC is endless.
APPLE-MAC-iMAC….these things DO NOT EXIST!
YOU ARE FREE to be creative, more productive, and relaxed without worries.
O yeah…to ENJOY too!
Yes, using MAC is enjoying everything APPLE gives us: the geniuity, craftmanship, artistry, superior design.
In all 13 years using my PC I have never ever heard the clock on the wall tick.
NOW…total silence, and I hear the clock tick and my heart beats as well…This is true!
first I was a little scared, what is this sound I hear at 4 AM…
iMAC is so so so quiet, it’s AMAZING!
Posted by zalman lazk at February 4th, 2008 at 2:04 pmThe DOCK is AMAZING piece of ART!
Dashboard is truly useful !
I see nothing wrong with reviewing a system based on the software that is bundled with it. Dell and others have chosen over the years to have a cozy relationship with Microsoft and maybe they feel it has done them more good than harm.
I am running a Dell desktop that is at least five years old (I got it used as a matter of fact) and it is as solid as a rock. It has none of the problems Walt mentioned because I’m running Linux on it, not Windows. It still runs circles around newer machines my friends have running Windows, and it also runs circles around a newer Apple laptop I have.
One thing that might spur companies like Dell, Apple and Microsoft to produce better products would be to include a test of Linux on these machines.
This would do two things: Most importantly it might encourage hardware makers to consider what hardware components they pick are compatible with the mostly generic Linux drivers available. I have found that these hardware components tend to be more reliable, even when running Windows, and becuase they are based on existing standards, do not suffer issues of breaking when upgrading to newer version of Windows. If the generic Linux driver will work, chances are the generic Windows driver will work too. I apply this rule not just to computers, but to cameras, scanners, printers or anything else I plug into my PC.
Secondly, a Linux test would put the problems squarely at the feet where they belong. Saying that on first boot the Dell system issues warnings that the system is unsafe glosses over the fact that this is again a bundled software issue, not at all a hardware issue.
Microsoft tries to blame these things on their hardware “partners”, but let’s get real.
Posted by Mac Beach at April 9th, 2008 at 9:43 am