Dell Dimension 8400 review

What you need to know

Reviewed by: Rich Brown and Bill O'Brien

Reviewed on: 19 June 2004

Tags: Dell, Dell Dimension 8400, ports, performance, PCI Express

We like:

Intel's top-of-the-line Pentium 4 and the high-performance 925X Express chipset; PCI Express graphics card; strong performer with an eye toward the future; crisp monitor; strong support options

We don't like:

Full benefits of the hardware won't be seen until more-demanding software apps are released; clunky case-opening mechanism; no media-card reader

You might also need:

Multimedia card reader

CNET UK judgement:

The Dell Dimension 8400 offers exciting hardware and a glimpse of the future, but the performance implications won't be clear until new software is available

Full review:

The case might look familiar from the outside, but the Dell Dimension 8400 represents the opening shot in Intel's wholesale overhaul of the desktop PC's core technology. Featuring Intel's new 925X Express (a.k.a. Alderwood chipset), a 3.6GHz Intel Pentium 4 560 processor, and the first PCI Express graphics card we've seen -- the 256MB ATI Radeon X800 XT -- the Dimension 8400 is essentially a showcase for the future of the PC. Gamers and multimedia enthusiasts will be especially thrilled by the hardware and the fast performance. Continue Reading...