I purchased the Dell X8900 to replace an older desktop. I needed one with a fast 6th generation Intel I7 quad core processor, good HD graphics, and ample memory, and storage. In addition to the typical web browsing, I use the desktop for concurrent applications, and HD video capture and editing. This X8900’s specs fit the bill. It comes with an Intel I7-6700 quad core processor clocked at 3.4ghz with turbo boost up to 4ghz, a 4gb Nvidia GTX 745 graphics card, 16gb of 2133mhz DDR4 memory, a 1TB 7200RPM hard drive, plenty of usb 3.0 ports, and a couple of extra drive bays for storage expansion. That is a lot of capability for the price point ($953 for me). It did come with the original Windows 10 installed so I had to go thru the latest version upgrade. The desktop description does tout the 460W power source providing an extra 225 watts for expansion, but more on that later.
Dell has some of the best system diagnostic tools that I have ever seen and recommends using them to periodically check system health. They will even check the health of attached external drives and other hardware (like a USB microphone). Overall I am very pleased with the quality and functionality of this desktop, except for –
The health and support application can send a user to a download page which contains driver downloads supposedly for the specific desktop. Each desktop is given a unique service code and the drivers can be refined for that desktop. Sounds good doesn’t it? Well it didn’t work out that way. I checked the driver download versions and dates and in each case, even if the version was the same, the date appeared to be later (or more current) in the download. So I downloaded the “newer” drivers, including bios. Big mistake.
I started having issues immediately. The system would freeze requiring a hard shutdown. On boot up I started getting an error (MespIlock failed) that hadn’t been seen on Dell pcs in years (based on research into forums) although HP pcs have been having them more recently. Seems that consensus was that these two errors were generally caused by bad bios.
I had to do a factory reset, reinstall all my applications and data, which took close to a full day, but since then the errors have disappeared and I have had absolutely no problems with the desktop and am a happy camper (well other than the lost time and the aggrevation).
I recommend the desktop for anyone who requires substantial horsepower, decent graphics, and plenty of storage with potential for expansion for more storage. I rated this 4 stars because of the initial problems I had and the cautions below I have to list for any potential user:
-- Do not download the drivers from the dell support application when setting up the desktop. There could definitely be issues. Dell has a background update application that will notify a user of any required or recommended updates. Use that. When I checked for updates using that tool, the only update listed was the help and support tool!
-- Do not implement the Nvidia Geforce application or download drivers from it. Let the installed application notify you of a driver download. It appears that Dell may have tweaked the graphics card a little and what is available from Geforce may cause problems with the installed card. Obviously if you decide to upgrade the graphics card (read below), follow all implementation and upgrade procedures and recommendations for that card
.-- Do not get overly excited about the 460W power source unless you just plan to add HDDs. Note that the extra drive bays are 3.5” and SSD drives are generally 2.5” so a bracket will be necessary if you want SSDs. The extra 225W touted by Dell is only sufficient to upgrade the graphics card from 745 to 750 which is not really worth the cost. To upgrade further, one will have to replace the installed power source with a more powerful one. At least 600W and probably more to get the cards with substantially more capability.
With those caveats in mind, the x8900 as configured for me fits the bill and is priced a bit lower than a similarly equipped HP desktop and substantially lower than other brands.
Update and Errata:
After a little more use and research I found that the Nvidia GTX 745 graphics card is actually a Dell (OEM) product manufactured for the most part to nvidia specifications. Because of that, GeForce and driver updates directly from Nvidia will generally not work and may/will cause problems. I am seriously considering replacing this card with a "real" Nvidia card (like a GTX 750) to avoid those kinds of problems in the future. Until then I will accept driver updates only from Dell.
I misspoke about the power supply being not sufficient for upgrading the graphics card. One can upgrade up to a GTX 960 card with this power supply. Any higher and a more powerful power supply will be required.
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From the manufacturer
Memory
Watch your photo and video projects go from fast to blazing with 16GB DDR4 2133MHz. Never get slowed down by memory intensive applications.
Dell XPS x8900-2506BLK Desktop (6th Generaton Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD
Fully loaded. With room for more.
Own the fastest XPS mini tower ever. With 6th Gen Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor, you can blaze through system-intensive applications like video editing, HD video playback, serious multitasking and extreme gaming.
Features
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Advanced graphics and soundHigh performance demands high power. That's why every XPS 8900 is equipped with a 460 watt power supply and supports graphics cards demanding up to 225 watts of total power. Even better gaming and video editing: The powerful NVIDIA GTX745 4GB DDR3 graphics card for the ultimate gaming experience. Gaming, movies and other images jump off the screen. For those seeking a system that can handle high‐performance video, look no further than the XPS 8900. Studio‐quality sound: GRAMMY Award‐winning Waves MaxxAudio software and integrated 7.1‐channel (6 jack) audio is built right in, bringing crisp, rich sound to your favorite music, movies and videos. |
Ample storage and expandabilityExpand your potential: Future ready, this desktop is ready for whatever you throw at it. Make it your own and improve it over time with graphics cards and hard drives, you can buy it now or later. Easy expandability: With 3 hard drive bays and up to 1TB storage you'll never be short on room and the option to add more later. Future upgrades are easier because the hard drive and power cord are included for each bay. With up to 4 DIMM slots, there is plenty of upgrade potential for more memory as well. Turbo-charged graphics: Trick out your machine with the latest graphics. The XPS 8900 has a 460W power supply that supports graphics upgrades up to 225W. Give your productivity a boost: With multiple USB ports, you have room to plug in all your devices. The XPS 8900 offers added flexibility with ports located in the front, top and back for easy cable management. |
Designed with purposeSmart design: Built to make your life easy XPS products are designed with easily accessible ports and connectors and even engineered to be quieter than other desktops. Easy Access: Accessible USB ports on the front and top provide convenient access to the plug in portable devices. No more fumbling to get the phone USB connector in. The top angled USB ports were designed to be easy to plug in devices while you are seated and your desktop is sitting on the floor. Charge and store devices: Use the top tray to charge your device or as a great place to store your phone when connected. The top tray is a stable place to set your devices while you connect to download your content. Easy media transfer: No cable? No problem. Transferring photos or videos from your digital camera or camcorder is as easy as inserting your media card into the integrated 19-in-1 reader |
Ports and slots1. Power Cable 2. Network Port 3. USB 2.0 4. USB 3.0 5. USB 3.0 6. HDMI 7. Display Port 8. Audio Ports 9. DVI 10. HDMI 11. VGA 12. Media Card Reader 13. Optical Drive 14. US 3.0 |
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Reviews with images
Very sad & frustrating disappointment. Dell, how could you let me down like this after 20 years!
Very, very disappointed with this unit. The 1st unit did not work properly & after several hours spent w/ Dell on the phone, it was returned & replaced. Amazon was very helpful & prompt with this portion of the transaction. The 2nd worked sporadically but within 7 days was completely dead. Six calls & 5+ hours with Dell, including being hung up twice, it is now going to send a tech out. Sometime. But for there being personal data on the HD, it would have been returned, too. This was my 4th Dell and have never had such problems. While it worked for several hours one night, the next am it would not stay on long enough to run any diagnostic tests. I would have preferred the blue screen of death rather than the black screen of despair. Trying F2 & F12 for diagnostic purposes did not work as the unit stopped & had a black screen within minutes - if it even got to the Dell splash screen. As an aside, the packing for both shipments was the worst I've ever seen. The outside box was grossly oversized & both had had substantial crush damage on the outside. The 2nd unit had crush marks on the Dell box itself. I shall update this after the tech arrives.Updated 01/11/16: I opened & set this unit up on about Dec. 23-24th. It worked sporadically until Dec. 26. Sadly, it worked long enough for me to transfer data to its HD. But, as noted above, on 12/27/15, there were obvious problems as it would not stay on long enough to do anything. So, after 5 hours on the phone with Dell techs on 12/27/15, I was told that a local service tech would call to schedule an appointment within 2 days. Days and days passed without a call. When I called Dell again, this time I was told that a part was back ordered and a tech would be in contact with me by 01/10/16. This was the 1st notice to me that a part was being replaced. A follow up call on 12/30/15 advised that the part (a motherboard for a new unit) was not available so Dell offered to exchange the unit. By this time, my patience limit had been exceeded and I now have a HP that had worked flawlessly since it was plugged in. Today, 01/11/16, the tech called to advise that he had the replacement motherboard. His rationale for the prior message was that Dell did not keep excess parts in stock but used parts to build new units. Bottom line, I am returning this unit, too, and I agree with others that this model it too fraught with issues to make purchasing it worthwhile.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2015
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Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2015
Updated 01/11/16: I opened & set this unit up on about Dec. 23-24th. It worked sporadically until Dec. 26. Sadly, it worked long enough for me to transfer data to its HD. But, as noted above, on 12/27/15, there were obvious problems as it would not stay on long enough to do anything. So, after 5 hours on the phone with Dell techs on 12/27/15, I was told that a local service tech would call to schedule an appointment within 2 days. Days and days passed without a call. When I called Dell again, this time I was told that a part was back ordered and a tech would be in contact with me by 01/10/16. This was the 1st notice to me that a part was being replaced. A follow up call on 12/30/15 advised that the part (a motherboard for a new unit) was not available so Dell offered to exchange the unit. By this time, my patience limit had been exceeded and I now have a HP that had worked flawlessly since it was plugged in. Today, 01/11/16, the tech called to advise that he had the replacement motherboard. His rationale for the prior message was that Dell did not keep excess parts in stock but used parts to build new units. Bottom line, I am returning this unit, too, and I agree with others that this model it too fraught with issues to make purchasing it worthwhile.
Very sad & frustrating disappointment. Dell, how could you let me down like this after 20 years!
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2015
Very, very disappointed with this unit. The 1st unit did not work properly & after several hours spent w/ Dell on the phone, it was returned & replaced. Amazon was very helpful & prompt with this portion of the transaction. The 2nd worked sporadically but within 7 days was completely dead. Six calls & 5+ hours with Dell, including being hung up twice, it is now going to send a tech out. Sometime. But for there being personal data on the HD, it would have been returned, too. This was my 4th Dell and have never had such problems. While it worked for several hours one night, the next am it would not stay on long enough to run any diagnostic tests. I would have preferred the blue screen of death rather than the black screen of despair. Trying F2 & F12 for diagnostic purposes did not work as the unit stopped & had a black screen within minutes - if it even got to the Dell splash screen. As an aside, the packing for both shipments was the worst I've ever seen. The outside box was grossly oversized & both had had substantial crush damage on the outside. The 2nd unit had crush marks on the Dell box itself. I shall update this after the tech arrives.Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2015
Updated 01/11/16: I opened & set this unit up on about Dec. 23-24th. It worked sporadically until Dec. 26. Sadly, it worked long enough for me to transfer data to its HD. But, as noted above, on 12/27/15, there were obvious problems as it would not stay on long enough to do anything. So, after 5 hours on the phone with Dell techs on 12/27/15, I was told that a local service tech would call to schedule an appointment within 2 days. Days and days passed without a call. When I called Dell again, this time I was told that a part was back ordered and a tech would be in contact with me by 01/10/16. This was the 1st notice to me that a part was being replaced. A follow up call on 12/30/15 advised that the part (a motherboard for a new unit) was not available so Dell offered to exchange the unit. By this time, my patience limit had been exceeded and I now have a HP that had worked flawlessly since it was plugged in. Today, 01/11/16, the tech called to advise that he had the replacement motherboard. His rationale for the prior message was that Dell did not keep excess parts in stock but used parts to build new units. Bottom line, I am returning this unit, too, and I agree with others that this model it too fraught with issues to make purchasing it worthwhile.
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