The case and other hardware: Dells 4400 series case design is one of the most intriguing designs yet. The case does have a side panel like most conventional cases do. Instead the case flips onto its side, and then opens up into a “V” shape, sort of like the hood of a car. While not exactly preferable for those wanting to leave their case open for tweaking or what not, it works, and well at it. The system runs perfectly stable with the case on its side open too.
Here’s a shot of the videocard with a fan I strapped on with scotch tape… ghetto style:
The noise created by this monster certainly does not fit a Dell system, so I took it off immediately. In other words, Dell spent a lot of effort making their system QUIET, and does fairly well accomplishing that. In addition, the Dell case is pretty thick, which helps cut down on noise. Here’s an overhead look at the green thing above the CPU that you’re probably wondering what the hell it is:
The fan within the duct is completely silent. Also, the 40GB 7200RPM ATA100 Western Digital drive is extremely quiet, something all hard drives should be. The green thing to the left above replaces all screws used usually for securing cards in the agp or pci slots. Very smart, useful, and EASY!
Dell continues this green barrage with the rails for your 5.25 and 3.5in drives. Extra ones are attached to the inside of the case which slide off easily. They are then secured onto your drives by screws already on the rails. Here’s a shot of the IDE cables all tied up and color coded; very tidy:
Here's a front shot of the case.
Beneath the lower cover was the Dell logo lays your service tag which is useful when you need anything repaired. Two USB ports and a headphones plug resides there as well.
Conclusion: In the end, I believe the Dell Dimension 4400 series is a pretty decent computer in terms of performance. The older P4s were never crowd shockers, so you can’t expect too much from a system like this. When it comes to stability, the Dell really shines. XP’s own drivers are sufficient for formatting and reinstalling this computer. No crashes at all. Quality is a definite pro as well. Dell really makes it easy to set its PC up with all the color coding and easy “green rails/flipper.” It is a very quiet system, with only the PSU having a slight hum. And best of all, it looks great. The lower half of the front bezel flips up revealing USB ports and a headphone port, something I’ll definitely be using a lot. ATM, I have no gripes at all, other than the fact that it is not overclockable at all, except for the videocard. If you’re looking to buy a new computer for a family member, or you yourself don’t know too much about computers, this Dell Dimension 4400 is a great choice for just under $1000. And if you’re that diehard overclocker who just wants to step away from his 10-fan cooled rig every now and then for some peace and quiet, this Dell machine would be a good investment.
PS: On a side note, it would be kinda cool if computer retailers could come up with their own Windows theme, like a “Dell Theme” with all the windows customized, etc. XP makes theme making very simple. The theme used in these screen shots is called “Static” made by XCert. Some good stuff.
If you have any feedback, flames or props, send 'em HERE. And as always, feel free to discuss this in the OCA forums. Unless your scared?
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