Next-gen Dell XPS exposed

Images and specifications have filtered out for Dell's next-generation XPS system, representing the peak performance of the builder's lineup. Key to the XPS 420 is the unusual addition of the Xcelerator, a dedicated transcoding processor that converts to MPEG-4. It is claimed that when encoding a two-hour HD movie, the Xcelerator halves the amount of time required, and also utilizes less CPU power.

Options for the processor include Core 2 Duo, Extreme and Quad chipsets, with an L2 cache as large as 8MB. The motherboard is an X38 Express with up to 8GB of DDR2 800 RAM, and ports available include eSATA, front and rear FireWire connections, and 10 USB ports split between front, rear and inside. SATA II architecture supports RAID 0 and 1 configurations.

Another oddity is the MiniView, a Windows SideShow display that by default shows information about the time, date and basic system statistics. It can also provide info on figures such as CPU temperature and available RAM, and control basic media functions without having to touch the keyboard or mouse. No prices or release dates have been suggested. [via Engadget]

By Electronista Staff