...
It came with a 160GB hard drive (not enough given that this system has two TV tuners and is constantly recording).I briefly considered paying Dell for an upgraded drive.
But then I looked at the upgrade prices and said no:
Yeah, it didn’t make sense to pay $220 for a 500GB drive when bare drives that size are going for $129.
Ed's right.
Dell want $220 for a drive that you can pick up for almost half that from online retailers.
What's worse than that is the drive costs more than $220 because the price already includes the cost of the 160GB drive.
I know that Dell need to fit the drive and provide support for it and all that, but that price is just crazy.
If I was being robbed like that I'd expect the culprit to be wearing a mask and carrying a large sack with a dollar sign on it.
Ed then goes on to discuss the benefits of tool-free chassis design:
Dell’s BTX cases make the upgrade really easy as well.
The side of the case pops off with no tools, the plastic drive holder snaps on and off with no tools …
This is where Ed and I have differing opinions.
I used to be a fan of the tool-free design but I'm no longer so sure.
I've yet to see any tool-free system be as efficient using screws.
They're great to begin with, but pretty soon you...
Read more...