Dell intros XPS 630 mid-range game desktop

Dell today took the wraps from the XPS 630 (site live soon), its bridge between the mainstream XPS 420 desktop and the higher-end XPS 720. The tower computer is designed to run affordable components but is also made for headroom as gamers look to improve their systems; every model has a mainboard capable of dual video cards (either AMD's CrossFire or NVIDIA's SLI) as well as a 750-watt power supply capable of handling both the video cards as well an overclockable Intel processor and high-speed RAM from Corsair.

Its aluminum chassis is built not just to reduce heat but is also the first built to the open Enthusiast System Architecture: the NVIDIA-made standard is designed to ensure better cooling for the 630 and other systems as well as extra touches, such as the 630's four-zone, changeable case lighting.

Specs for the starter $1,249 system have not been revealed, but the company notes that a special early bird $1,299 model for mailing list subscribers comes with a 2.4GHz Core 2 Quad and twin GeForce 8800 GT video cards. Orders start on the 27th and will provide the option of an Ageia PhysX card for driving physics or a Blu-ray optical drive for HD movies and large backups.