Opinion: Dell XPS 400 (aka Dimension 9150) and similar Dell computers

I've serviced two of these boxes recently.

On the plus side:
1. Built like a small tank, very rugged.
2. Quiet running.
3. Large CPU cooling fan ventilates well.
4. Hard drives and add-in cards are easy to remove and insert.
5. Huge honking CPU heat sink cools the CPU well, same as earlier Dimension
4700, Optiplex GX280 and Precision 370.
6. The case is very nice in appearance.

On the minus side:
1. They are a royal pain in the *** to clean when loaded up with dust and dirt.
To do a thorough job, an almost complete disassembly is required to get in all
the nooks and crannies. This chassis has many nooks and crannies.
2. The side cover is tricky to fit on.
3. The power supply is custom, because it has long, long cables to reach drives.
4. This computer is just plain over-engineered. The same could easily have been
accomplished with a MUCH simpler design. Infrequently, I assemble computers
using a simple Foxconn/CasEdge full ATX case. It is admittedly less sturdy, but
solidly made nonetheless. Last summer, I did a very customized system with a
higher quality Antec case, comparable in quality of construction and sturdiness
to the XPS 400. Both the Antec and Foxconn cases use standard ATX12v 24-pin
power supplies and are just as easy to field strip and repair, with easy access
to all the parts, and quiet in operation.
5. The BTX motherboard form factor and case layout sort of suck.

FWIW... Ben Myers

On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:36:44 -0400, Ben Myers
<ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote:

>I've serviced two of these boxes recently.
>
>On the plus side:
>1. Built like a small tank, very rugged.
>2. Quiet running.
>3. Large CPU cooling fan ventilates well.
>4. Hard drives and add-in cards are easy to remove and insert.
>5. Huge honking CPU heat sink cools the CPU well, same as earlier Dimension
>4700, Optiplex GX280 and Precision 370.
>6. The case is very nice in appearance.
>
>On the minus side:
>1. They are a royal pain in the *** to clean when loaded up with dust and dirt.
>To do a thorough job, an almost complete disassembly is required to get in all
>the nooks and crannies. This chassis has many nooks and crannies.
>2. The side cover is tricky to fit on.
>3. The power supply is custom, because it has long, long cables to reach drives.
>4. This computer is just plain over-engineered. The same could easily have been
>accomplished with a MUCH simpler design. Infrequently, I assemble computers
>using a simple Foxconn/CasEdge full ATX case. It is admittedly less sturdy, but
>solidly made nonetheless. Last summer, I did a very customized system with a
>higher quality Antec case, comparable in quality of construction and sturdiness
>to the XPS 400. Both the Antec and Foxconn cases use standard ATX12v 24-pin
>power supplies and are just as easy to field strip and repair, with easy access
>to all the parts, and quiet in operation.
>5. The BTX motherboard form factor and case layout sort of suck.
>
>FWIW... Ben Myers

I don't know how the XPS 400 compares to the 410. I would add on the
plus side that the case easily accomodates 4 hard drives and 2 optical
drives.

Once one gets used to the trigger it's not bad. I would much rather
have over-engineered than under. No screws. I think I read that the
new Inspiron desktop cases have some screws to be removed.

I've had the desktop for over a year now -- should I blow the dust
out, and how? Should I take care to blow the dust away from
components like hard drives?

"Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote in message
news:e1bt04psum0hl0lln3b49379jf14462naq@4ax.com...
> I've serviced two of these boxes recently.
>
> On the plus side:
> 1. Built like a small tank, very rugged.
> 2. Quiet running.
> 3. Large CPU cooling fan ventilates well.
> 4. Hard drives and add-in cards are easy to remove and insert.
> 5. Huge honking CPU heat sink cools the CPU well, same as earlier
> Dimension
> 4700, Optiplex GX280 and Precision 370.
> 6. The case is very nice in appearance.
>
> On the minus side:
> 1. They are a royal pain in the *** to clean when loaded up with dust and
> dirt.
> To do a thorough job, an almost complete disassembly is required to get in
> all
> the nooks and crannies. This chassis has many nooks and crannies.
> 2. The side cover is tricky to fit on.
> 3. The power supply is custom, because it has long, long cables to reach
> drives.
> 4. This computer is just plain over-engineered. The same could easily
> have been
> accomplished with a MUCH simpler design. Infrequently, I assemble
> computers
> using a simple Foxconn/CasEdge full ATX case. It is admittedly less
> sturdy, but
> solidly made nonetheless. Last summer, I did a very customized system
> with a
> higher quality Antec case, comparable in quality of construction and
> sturdiness
> to the XPS 400. Both the Antec and Foxconn cases use standard ATX12v
> 24-pin
> power supplies and are just as easy to field strip and repair, with easy
> access
> to all the parts, and quiet in operation.
> 5. The BTX motherboard form factor and case layout sort of suck.
>
> FWIW... Ben Myers

I've had my 400 for almost 2 years. 4-250gb SATA drives (2 inside and 2 for
backup in ext enclosure with sata cables from MB snaking out the back of the
case) If runs pretty much 24/7. With a DVD-RW, Phillips DVD-RAM, Floppy
Drive( yup still use it once in a while) and Card Reader it does most
anything I need without a wimper. Multi computer use during the day and
record and burn DirecTv programs at night. Cleaning isn't much of a problem
since my area is pretty much dust free, but there are some tight places
inside to get to.
The only problem so far is that the card reader won't read SDHC cards and
both Dell and Teac haven't been much help. I recently got a USB Reader which
solved that problem.I plan to keep this box for a long time...knock on wood.

Many of the new XPS (not the old beige XPS Pentium 3) models are very similar in
BTX layout and construction, as are the latest Precision and Dimension models.
Interestingly, for a couple of XPS systems, Dell reverted to the old-style
ATX12v motherboard-on-a-tray design found in black chassis Optiplexes,
Precisions and larger black Dimensions.

I use a combination of "tools" to get the dust and dirt out of a system:
Q-tips to dislodge the dirt
A DustBuster with extension nozzle to constrict and speed up the air flow
Cans of compressed air

Dust and dirt collect on the front of the XPS chassis, on the grating where the
air flows in to the big honking CPU cooling fan. The grating is far from
perfect, so dust and dirt get lodged in the heat sink underneath the cowl that
directs the air. It is probably sufficient to remove the cowl, and clean out
all the dirt in the path through the heat sink. Some dirt accumulates
elsewhere, most notably inside and around the power supply... Ben Myers

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:29:29 -0500, Journey <journey@merr.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:36:44 -0400, Ben Myers
><ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote:
>
>>I've serviced two of these boxes recently.
>>
>>On the plus side:
>>1. Built like a small tank, very rugged.
>>2. Quiet running.
>>3. Large CPU cooling fan ventilates well.
>>4. Hard drives and add-in cards are easy to remove and insert.
>>5. Huge honking CPU heat sink cools the CPU well, same as earlier Dimension
>>4700, Optiplex GX280 and Precision 370.
>>6. The case is very nice in appearance.
>>
>>On the minus side:
>>1. They are a royal pain in the *** to clean when loaded up with dust and dirt.
>>To do a thorough job, an almost complete disassembly is required to get in all
>>the nooks and crannies. This chassis has many nooks and crannies.
>>2. The side cover is tricky to fit on.
>>3. The power supply is custom, because it has long, long cables to reach drives.
>>4. This computer is just plain over-engineered. The same could easily have been
>>accomplished with a MUCH simpler design. Infrequently, I assemble computers
>>using a simple Foxconn/CasEdge full ATX case. It is admittedly less sturdy, but
>>solidly made nonetheless. Last summer, I did a very customized system with a
>>higher quality Antec case, comparable in quality of construction and sturdiness
>>to the XPS 400. Both the Antec and Foxconn cases use standard ATX12v 24-pin
>>power supplies and are just as easy to field strip and repair, with easy access
>>to all the parts, and quiet in operation.
>>5. The BTX motherboard form factor and case layout sort of suck.
>>
>>FWIW... Ben Myers
>
>I don't know how the XPS 400 compares to the 410. I would add on the
>plus side that the case easily accomodates 4 hard drives and 2 optical
>drives.
>
>Once one gets used to the trigger it's not bad. I would much rather
>have over-engineered than under. No screws. I think I read that the
>new Inspiron desktop cases have some screws to be removed.
>
>I've had the desktop for over a year now -- should I blow the dust
>out, and how? Should I take care to blow the dust away from
>components like hard drives?

To reduce the clutter, you might replace the internal flash card reader with one
of the many inexpensive USB ones on the market. They are cheap and they work...
Ben Myers

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:14:25 -0400, "ol****" <ol****65@excite.com> wrote:

>
>"Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote in message
>news:e1bt04psum0hl0lln3b49379jf14462naq@4ax.com.. .
>> I've serviced two of these boxes recently.
>>
>> On the plus side:
>> 1. Built like a small tank, very rugged.
>> 2. Quiet running.
>> 3. Large CPU cooling fan ventilates well.
>> 4. Hard drives and add-in cards are easy to remove and insert.
>> 5. Huge honking CPU heat sink cools the CPU well, same as earlier
>> Dimension
>> 4700, Optiplex GX280 and Precision 370.
>> 6. The case is very nice in appearance.
>>
>> On the minus side:
>> 1. They are a royal pain in the *** to clean when loaded up with dust and
>> dirt.
>> To do a thorough job, an almost complete disassembly is required to get in
>> all
>> the nooks and crannies. This chassis has many nooks and crannies.
>> 2. The side cover is tricky to fit on.
>> 3. The power supply is custom, because it has long, long cables to reach
>> drives.
>> 4. This computer is just plain over-engineered. The same could easily
>> have been
>> accomplished with a MUCH simpler design. Infrequently, I assemble
>> computers
>> using a simple Foxconn/CasEdge full ATX case. It is admittedly less
>> sturdy, but
>> solidly made nonetheless. Last summer, I did a very customized system
>> with a
>> higher quality Antec case, comparable in quality of construction and
>> sturdiness
>> to the XPS 400. Both the Antec and Foxconn cases use standard ATX12v
>> 24-pin
>> power supplies and are just as easy to field strip and repair, with easy
>> access
>> to all the parts, and quiet in operation.
>> 5. The BTX motherboard form factor and case layout sort of suck.
>>
>> FWIW... Ben Myers
>
>I've had my 400 for almost 2 years. 4-250gb SATA drives (2 inside and 2 for
>backup in ext enclosure with sata cables from MB snaking out the back of the
>case) If runs pretty much 24/7. With a DVD-RW, Phillips DVD-RAM, Floppy
>Drive( yup still use it once in a while) and Card Reader it does most
>anything I need without a wimper. Multi computer use during the day and
>record and burn DirecTv programs at night. Cleaning isn't much of a problem
>since my area is pretty much dust free, but there are some tight places
>inside to get to.
>The only problem so far is that the card reader won't read SDHC cards and
>both Dell and Teac haven't been much help. I recently got a USB Reader which
>solved that problem.I plan to keep this box for a long time...knock on wood.
>

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:16:30 -0400, Ben Myers
<ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote:

>>The only problem so far is that the card reader won't read SDHC cards and
>>both Dell and Teac haven't been much help. I recently got a USB Reader which
>>solved that problem.I plan to keep this box for a long time...knock on wood.

I used the front bay where the card reader is as a place for an
internal drive. Removing the card reader and installing the internal
drive instead was very easy.

When I had my power supply replaced by a Dell technician, I asked the
phone support person if they would send a blank drive bay cover with
the power supply and they did. A small kudo for tech support.