Dell plays it cool with gaming processors


26 Jan 2007

MARBELLA: Dell has developed its own gaming hardware/software certification standard and is working with game developers to develop PCs with more processing power to render more vivid and realistic gaming experiences.

The company has employed the latest Intel quad core processors in its new XPS 710 H2C Edition desktop, enabling multi-threading on processors amidst graphics intensive computer games.

The new XPS 710 X2C Edition (pictured) comes in black, red or aluminium and uses a cooling technology technique inspired by the ‘Peltier effect’, which is used in the NASA Space Shuttle. The machine features the latest NVIDIA memory, graphics and sound cards, a 1KW power supply and will retail for €4,200.

Steve Hunter, quad core product marketing manager with Intel, described the XPS 710 as the world’s first desktop quad core product being brought to the market. “It takes gaming to the next level with multi-threading capability. It has the ability to ‘over-clock’ the processors, which is good for current and future gaming titles. Quad core results in a 74pc increase in processing performance over existing dual core processors.”

The senior worldwide gaming manager at Dell Abizar Vakhaira said that PC gaming as we know it is moving swiftly in the direction of community gaming over the internet and gamers want experiences that immerse them in the game. “As a result they want machines that are capable of over-clocking, they want ultra-sharp monitors.

“Dell is now working closely with game developers to ensure that games can be optimised to work with our PCs. To ensure this we have introduced the XPS-moving swiftly in the direction of community gaming over the internet and gamers want experiences that immerse them in the game. “As a result they want machines that are capable of over clocking, they want ultra-sharp monitors.

“Dell is now working closely with game developers to ensure that games can be optimised to work with our PCs. To ensure this we have introduced the XPS-certified programme,” Vakhaira said, resulting in forthcoming game titles that will feature an XPS-certified logo. Forthcoming games that will be XPS-certified include Hellgate London.

Asked about Dell’s acquisition last year of major gaming PC maker Alienware for an undisclosed sum, Vakhaira said there were no plans to subsume the company into Dell.

“Instead Alienware is going to function as a separate company with its own product line. Dell and Alienware will operate as two very separate and distinct brands in the market. What is different is that Alienware is going to leverage Dell’s expertise in supply chain and logistics to scale their business,” Vakhaira told siliconrepublic.com.

Mary Joseph Miller, product manager for the H2C line, said the design of the high-performance games PC was inspired by jet engine design and creates the idea of power and aggression, a passion familiar to most gamers.

“It is really designed with the future in mind. It is design-friendly and can be protected from any harm. New memory and drives can be easily added and a wall on the side can be removed for maintenance. The components can be added and replaced without the need for any tools.”

She added that the 1KW power supply features advanced cooling technology that enables the PC to operate at an ambient air temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. “The cooling system enables more efficient cooling and results in a more reliable processor for gamers.”

By John Kennedy