Article Windows

The latest addition to the Dell family is the Inspiron 518. This mini tower is full of your standard Dell features, along with an extremely powerful foundation. Its high performance, sleek design, and functionality provide consumers with an ideal computer for their homes.

The bare-bone system starts are $329. (Bare-bone, in this sense, means the minimal technical specifications discussed in a bit.) Additional features can be added through Dells interactive build process. The Inspiron 518 may not be the cheapest desktop on the market, but is decently priced when you consider the performance and functionality that it offers.

Under the hood you will find a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, 256 ATI Radeon HD 3450, and a 320GB 5,400rpm hard drive. The Inspiron 518 also has gigabit Ethernet for fast connection speeds, dual-layer DVD burner, and operates on Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (32-bit).

Currently the Inspiron does not support 64-bit operating system, and cannot be upgraded to such without an upgrade to internal hardware. If you are planning to upgrade to Windows 7, you will need to consider this seriously, as the new operating system is 64-bit. Other manufacturers are selling similar desktops on 64-bit operating systems, so this is a step behind for Dell.

The overall design, of the Insprion 518, is quite sleek and easy on the eyes. Dell did not stop with the overall appearance; they actually added a tray, to the top of the mini tower, for easy storage of small plug-n-play devices. Additionally, there were two USB 2.0 ports added, near the tray, to allow users to conveniently charge and connect with these devices.

There has been a new feature added to the interface of Dell machines - the Dell Dock. This is similar to the Vista sidebar, with the exception of it being more personable. Users can add their favorite icons and folders, to Dell Dock, for easy navigation and access. Dell Dock can be docked anywhere on your desktop (top, left or right side, or even the bottom). The Dell Dock is so customizable that you can even turn it completely off if you decide that it clutters your desktop a bit too much for your taste. Regardless, it is a nice feature for users to experience a more personalized experience.

There are a few features, that Dell normally offers, that are not available on the Inspiron 518. Consumers cannot upgrade their optical drive to a Blu-ray drive. Draft-N-Wireless is an available extra on this model. As for graphics cards, your choices are limited. You will either have to choose the low-end graphic card, or stick with the ATI Radeon HD 3450 as no other options are available. There are still many other extras that can be added, but you are limited on the Inspiron 518, unlike many other Dell machines.

This feature packed, high performance, desktop is a great buy for a family or student computer. It is the perfect model for everyday use. Whether you are doing standard Office work or using the system as a media hub, the Inspiron is a good purchase.