Dell XPS 730 Delivers Extreme Power, Price

Dell's latest gaming machine packs quad-core processors, multiple GPUs, and water-cooling systems into one flashy aluminum box.

Four is the name of the game for Dell’s latest over-the-top gaming machines. The XPS 730 and 730 H2C, announced Thursday, bring the capability for four-core processors, four GPUs, four hard drives, and – although Dell is less eager to point out the similarity – prices starting at about four grand.

Both machines boast Nvidia’s new nforce 790i Ultra SLI chipset, Intel Core 2 Extreme processors, and Corsair Dominator DDR3 memory. Buyers can choose between ATI’s Radeon HD 3870 X2 graphics card (which can be configured in a quad-GPU setup using the company’s CrossFireX technology), or Nvidia’s GeForce 8800GT, with SLI technology.

Whole the ordinary XPS 730 uses a conventional air-cooled design, the XPS 730 H2C uses a sophisticated water-cooling setup that has been significantly overhauled from the last version. Besides being tailored to fit an ATX motherboard, the CPU coldplate has been retooled for more uniform cooling, additional coldplates have been added for GPUs, dynamic speed control has been added to cut down on noise when the system idles, and a separate fan now cools the CPU’s voltage regulator components.

The newer XPS systems keep the same aesthetic appeal as their predecessors, with 2.4mm-thick anodized aluminum cases available in victory red, stealth blue, and silver. Buyers can also order the system with Dell’s X-View clear side panel to keep an eye on everything buzzing away within.

Not surprisingly, neither system comes cheap. The XPS 730 starts at $3,999, and the water-cooled H2C version jacks the price up another grand to start at $4,999. Although consumers can ogle the machines on Dell’s Web site, the company has not yet announced when they will be available to order.