The Dell Studio Hybrid Desktop is the first product to be aimed at the media centre market.Products aimed at this market are produced to perform more from an entertainment angle rather than a work perspective.This means that the hardware is configured to connect and perform with video and audio products found in the household thus making the product the centre piece of your multimedia setup(this is the reason for the tag media centre pc). Dell is a company that is well known for building systems to the specification of the customer,so you will be able to change some of the system hardware to the which will allow you to customise the product to your own requirements.
The Product-
As i mentioned above the Dell Hybrid is a Media Centre PC which is designed to function as both a PC and Home entertainment in the comfort of your living room.It will allow you to connect all your audio and video hardware to one central hub where you can playback,save or manipulate your media.You also are able to access your Internet functions such as web browsing and email just as you would on your PC.
Features and Benefits-
The Processor-Mine came with a intel core duo processor T8100 which is very fast an allows for smooth efficent operation of the hardware and software.It had no problem running the included Windows Vista Home Premium edition.
The memory- 2GB of memory also helps to maintain smooth operation and is a good compliment to the operating system allowing you to run several applications wsithout affecting system performance.
Graphics- The graphics are probably one of the few weak points on my system.It is well capable of processing the video for multimedia use but is very weak if you try to play the latest games and will struggle to perform.Playback on my 36 inch LCD is crisp and clear
Connections- The Hybrid has both a HDMI connection (allowing connection to your TV) and a DVI connection(to allow connection to a PC monitor).It should be noted that if you have an older TV you will struggle to use this product as it is geared towards newer technology. Five USB ports allow for connection of camera's,webcams,card readers,mp3 players and any usb connectable devices to name but a few.A firewire port with also allow for the connection of a digital camcorder.
TV card- Unfortunately there was no tv card for the one i picked but you can add this option via one of the USB ports by buying a third party unit at a later date.
Hard Disk-The hybrid is fitted with a 320 GB hard disk which is an ample size for the storage of media and running the operating system.
DVD drive- With a DVD writer installed you get the ability to record media and even configure the unit to act as a PVR (much like a sky + box) as well as use it to backup your files.It may be prudent to consider having a blu-ray drive fitted to allow for a richer playback of media and enhanced video performance if you have a HD television.
Audio-A optical output will allow for connection to a suitable amplifier and with support for full surround sound the audio quality is fantastic and well compliments the systems overall performance.
Extras-The product comes packaged with mouse and keyboard as standard but you can also add speakers and monitor to the package at extra cost.
Design-This is probably the best part of the product as the unit looks sleek and elegant and you can choose from a range of colours to suit(I picked a very striking red colour)
Summary-Fantastic media playback and plenty of features make this product a very high performer.The choice of hardware make this very customisable and it looks great.It functions well as a PC and even better as a media centre and the software and hardware perform brilliantly.At around £590 it is a bit pricey but you do get great performance and looks combined with easy setup and use.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful by (100%):
