Dell Optiplex 980 review
In a world where everything is getting smaller we take a look to see what Dell's full-featured Optiplex 980 has to offer.
Dell's ingeniously designed chassis serves up a machine that's both easy to manage and simple to upgrade, and its impressive specification caters for everyone except those working with intensive graphics. It's expensive, but far more versatile than small form-factor machines and worth the cash.
As usual, a range of upgrade options are available. This specification costs 689 exc VAT and is more than capable, but it's also one of the cheapest available. While it's possible to downgrade to a Core i5-650 to save 20 exc VAT, a broader selection of more powerful processors is available: a Core i5-750 is 29 extra, an i7-860 is an extra 103, and an i7-870 will set you back an additional 340.
Upgrading to a 500GB hard disk costs an extra 17 exc VAT, and choosing an extravagent 128GB SSD will set you back 269. Doubling up to 8GB of RAM adds 92 to the Optiplex 980, and fitting a whopping 16GB of RAM adds an astonishing 404 to the price.
A wide range of graphics cards are also available if image work is important. Consumer cards like the Nvidia GeForce GT330 and ATI Radeon HD 4550 cost an extra 132 and 91 respectively, but power users can opt for a trio of Matrox professional cards.
The MP120+ LP is available in PCI-Express x1 and PCI-Express x16 variants for 448 and 474, and the more powerful MP140 LP will set you back 527.
The impressive three-year warranty can also be upgraded. While the standard package includes next business day on-site cover, an additional two years can be added to the warranty for 39, with more advanced levels of support also available.
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