Dell Inspiron i620-1298BK Desktop

by Dell

• Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
• Intel Core i3 2120 Processor 3.3GHz
• 6GB SDRAM DDR3 RAM
• 500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit

Product Description

Amazon.com

Designed to deliver cool and quiet operation in a home or office environment, the Inspiron 620 desktop PC offers easy multitasking for everyday tasks thanks to the dual-core Intel processor, and it's loaded with ports to support your digital media and external devices. Whether you're surfing the web, e-mailing friends and family, downloading music and photos, or blogging about it all, the Inspiron 620 desktop PC can handle it.

Cool and quiet operation, and dual-core
Intel Core i3 performance.

It's powered by a second-generation Intel Core i3 dual-core processor, which provides breakthrough digital media management, content creation, and 3D gaming capabilities. And you'll enjoy a rich set of new features for a stunning and seamless visual PC experience with no additional hardware. It's complemented by the integrated Intel HD Graphics processor for good casual mainstream gaming capabilities.

Immerse yourself into a cinematic experience by connecting to a compatible HD monitor or HDTV with the HDMI port. And in addition to ultra-fast Gigabit Ethernet wired networking, this Inspiron 620 (model i620-1298BK) is also loaded with ports to support your digital media and external devices. It also comes with a USB keyboard and optical mouse.

It comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. You'll also experience new ways to deliver your best work with Office Starter 2010 (learn more below).

Note: Monitor not included.

Dell's innovative Stage multimedia software.

The Stage That Sets Itself

Dell Stage delivers the things that matter to you right to your desktop, with your most recent content always front and center. Seamlessly toggle between your favorite applications (photos, videos, music, Web pages and more) with ease, all from Stage's sleek, movie-reel style interface.

With Stage, you can easily edit and crop your photos, then share them with family and friends on Facebook or Flickr--no extra software required. Want to find that song you love? MusicStage lets you search your music collection by artist, title or even genre. And when you're ready to share your home movies, PhotoStage makes it easy to play and upload video files to Facebook.

When you buy a Dell system equipped with Stage software, you get a one-stop entertainment hub. Download movies, play games, listen to your favorite songs and stream radio stations with RadioTime. Connect with friends on social networks, and view their Facebook and Flickr photos together in a real-time photo stream. And SyncUP (powered by Nero) is the easy way to keep the smartphones, tablets and computers in your network in sync (requires download from Android Market).

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Specifications

• 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3-2120 dual-core processor for smart performance and 4-way multitasking processor power to work on four tasks simultaneously (3 MB Smart Cache). Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. It also comes equipped with Intel Quick Sync Video, which provides accelerated encoding, decoding, and transcoding features (for converting video for portable players or online sharing).
• 500 GB SATA hard drive (7200 RPM)
• 6 GB installed RAM (DDR3, 1333 MHz, 2 DIMM slots, 8 GB maximum)
• Intel HD 2000 graphics for an everyday computing plus casual mainstream gaming capabilities without an additional graphics card or chip. It offers Microsoft DirectX 10.1 support.

   

  

  Pair it with an optional Dell HD monitor
  (camera and display not included).
• Wireless-N Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) for ultra-fast connectivity to your home and business networks as well as mobile devices.
• 16x multi-format DVD drive supports reading/writing of CD-R/RW, DVD±R, DVD±RW, DVD±R DL, and DVD-RAM.
• Measures 6.88 x 17.67 x 14.17 inches (WxDxH)
• Warranty: 1-year limited hardware warranty; 24/7 phone support

Connectivity & Expansion

• 8 external USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players to external hard drives (6 in rear, 2 in front). Additional 4 internal USB 2.0 ports.
• HDMI port for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable.
• Additional video output: 1 VGA
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
• 8-in-1 memory card reader includes compatibility with Secure Digital (SD) and Memory Stick memory cards
• 1 line-out, 1 line-in
• 5.1-channel surround sound output

What's in the Box

This package contains the Dell i620-1298BK desktop PC, keyboard, optical mouse, power cord, and printed documentation.

Included Software

McAfee SecurityCenter with Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Firewall (30-day trial); Microsoft Office Starter 2010

Dell Support Center The centrally located, easy-to-use Dell Support Center application offers provides personalized support resources. Conveniently located on your PC's desktop with quick links to service, support and system resources. You'll be able to keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently through automated fixes for common configuration issues.

Dell DataSafe Online This optional online backup service (additional charges applicable) offers data protection by enabling you to back up data to a safe, remote storage site using a broadband connection. Dell DataSafe Online is designed to be easy, flexible and secure. After setup, it will automatically back up data and help protect against software, hardware and catastrophic failure.

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Pin web sites with Internet Explorer 9 (view larger).

Windows 7 Home Premium The Best Entertainment Experience On Your PC Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, and rewind TV or record it to watch whenever and wherever you want. For the best entertainment experience, choose a PC with Windows 7. Windows 7: Your PC Simplified Improved desktop navigation features like Snap, Peek and Shake, make it easier to manage all of your open windows. Find virtually anything on your PC--from documents to songs to email--just by typing a word or two with Windows Search. Designed to make your PC sleep and resume quicker. Watch, pause, rewind and record TV with Windows Media Center to watch whenever and where ever you want.*

Get a Faster, Safer Web with a New PC and Internet Explorer 9 Helps protect against identity theft and malicious software with SmartScreen Filter. Movies, TV, and videos look better and run more smoothly. Create, Connect, and Share with Windows Live Windows 7 and Windows Live bring it all together for free. Get the free set of programs that make it simple to create and share amazing photos and movies, organize mail, and stay connected with your closest friends. Get free online storage with Windows Live SkyDrive. Sync files on your PCs automatically with Windows Live Mesh. Share photos during video chats with Windows Live Messenger.** Easily edit photos. Combine the best parts of multiple photos into one perfect photo with Photo Fuse. You can download Windows Live for FREE at download.live.com.

Create, connect, and share (see larger image).

Complete Your PC Experience with Microsoft Office 2010 Includes reduced functionality versions of Microsoft Word and Excel with advertising. (Note that PowerPoint or Outlook are not included.) Purchase Office 2010 today and get the most out of your new PC.   * Additional hardware may be required. Not available in all countries. (See windows.microsoft.com/products/windows-7/system-requirements/ for more information.) ** Requires a compatible microphone, speakers or headset, webcam, and broadband connection.

Product Description

Speed through tasks, get organized and stay connected with this performance desktop featuring 2nd Gen Intel® Core processors. Available in two tower sizes, slim and standard, and also available with choice of color. Classic black is standard and you can upgrade to one of four bold color options to show your style.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars more than adequate replacement for aging desktop April 6, 2012

By A. Finley

Amazon Verified Purchase

I did a lot of research before buying this PC, as I wanted to get as much for my money as possible. After lots and lots of looking I concluded that it simply isn't feasible to build a lower-end computer for less than $500 if you intend to follow the path of least resistance and load Windows 7, and searching online magazine reviews of this line (Dell 620) resulted in lots of favorable opinions.

What this PC has that other don't:

very well reviewed i3-2120, which is significantly faster than it's i3 brethren, particularly the 1st gen versions. Does very well in benchmark tests, beating the i5 in some processes (ie: audio rendering...like mixing down a file or burning a disc), and making the AMD chips at this level seem worth avoiding. This is a stand-out chip in it's price range.

6Gb RAM, though only upgradable to 8. I was hesitant, but I think if you're looking at entry-level PCs to begin with, you probably won't ever want more than 6, anyway, let alone 8.

WiFi: I didn't care about this fact, but it's there.

500Gb Hard Drive: this was important to me, as I didn't want to pay extra for a Terabyte, having an external hard drive already. What are people filling their drives with, anyway?

HDMI: you can connect your newer HDTV.

VERY quiet. This surprised me. You can hear the hard drive being read, but not the fans. Nearly silent operation.

A few cons:

no DVI per the picture. Of course, the product description does not list DVI.

The on board graphics lowers the "windows experience" number substantially. Processor and RAM bring it way up, to a 7.1 and 7.2, but the Intel graphics make it 4.3, not much higher than a netbook. Remedied by a $30-50 discrete card, if you need it.

It's big. No space saved by this one.

And that's it. Faster than most at this price, plenty of USB ports, and running very smoothly after a relatively quick bloatware-deleting session. I am happy with this machine. Further, I don't believe that the low reviews of this product adequately address the product itself, rather, the buyer's expectations. It's a good buy, and a solid PC.

*UPDATE*

Over a month in and I have absolutely no complaints about this desktop. For my purposes - watching video, surfing the web, editing documents, and mixing audio, I don't think I'd need much more. I've been particularly pleased with the smoothness of startup, which takes 30-40 seconds, and how quickly I can burn a CD - also takes about a minute. Sometimes online video streaming becomes low-def for a moment - I assume it's the buffer catching up, but I'm no videophile and this isn't an issue to me, though is worth considering if this is going to be a Media hub for you, in which case a cheap discrete graphics card might be in order. I use Google Drive for most of my document work, and it's been a perfectly functional tool for working in "the cloud". I have yet to attempt multi-track audio mixing, but since my old PC (a Celeron) could handle it, I'm not concerned about this one. Happy with my purchase, 1 month later.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Limited upgradeability, but runs ice cold and silent April 7, 2012

By Charlie TOP 500 REVIEWER

Dell Inspiron 620 Mini-Tower

I ordered my Dell Inspiron 620 via Dell using a discount code, which ended up shipping out a pre-built unit. My particular 620 came equipped with the following:

Intel Core i3-2120 (Dual-core 3.3 GHz, Hyperthreaded) Sandybridge
4GB of DDR3/1333 RAM (Kingston 2GB x2)
Onboard integrated Intel HD2000 graphics (part of the Core i3-2120 processor)
1TB Seagate 7200 RPM HD (has NCQ)
Samsung DVD burner
Dell 1520 Wi-Fi PCIe network card
Onboard 5.1 audio

The entire Inspiron 620 is built using standardized components. The motherboard and power supply units are ATX form-factor, which is a really good thing compared to Dell's older models that used proprietary power supplies. The PSU is only capable of 300W, so you are limited to an AMD Radeon HD 6670 graphics card if you choose to upgrade. There's one 16 lane PCIe 2.0 slot, so Crossfire or SLI is out of the question unless you upgrade the motherboard.

Speaking of upgrading, if you plan to do something serious, I recommend SKIPPING the 620. Upgrading the power supply and motherboard can get expensive unless you want to keep using the 620 in the future to avoid buying new components. If you just purchased the 620, the only things you should consider upgrading might be the graphics card and more RAM. Since there are only 2 memory slots, you can only upgrade to 8GB of DDR3. A Core i5-2500K should also fit, which gives you quad-core capability and an Intel HD3000 graphics card.

Now if you want a HD 6870 GPU and more than 8GB of RAM, the 620 is not for you. Might as well build a new gaming rig for a few hundred dollars more. For non-gaming, the 620 is a really good deal. I tried spec'ing out a HTPC build and could not beat Dell's special pricing for its 620.

Unfortunately, the Intel graphics are horrible. Most LCD TVs will overscan, and lots of 720P videos start to produce nasty artifacts. There's also an issue with Intel graphics playing movies at 23.97 fps for some reason. I had issues watching MotoGP videos on their website in 720P HD. I solved the problem by purchasing an AMD Radeon HD 6450 GPU. It also solved the overscan problem.

The new 2nd generation Core i3 is really good, Windows 7 64-bit blazes through the boot up process and all of my apps are loading up quick. The front-mounted SD card slot and 2 USB ports make it convenient to share photographs. The DVD is standard Samsung fare, which is very good for the price. The sound quality is acceptable, but I use my HDMI port for lossless audio and video to the LCD TV, so the audio actually comes from the GPU and not the Conexant onboard.

The PCIe card latch mechanism is the weakest part of the Inspiron 620 design. Although convenient, there's an incredible amount of flex needed to unlatch the retention mechanism. I'd imagine that it would break in the future. This is the big latch that holds all of the PCIe cards to the chassis in lieu of individual screws.

The overall construction (aside from the card retention latch) is very solid but plain. Dell even uses adhesive rubber dampers for the hard drive mount to cut down on vibration.

There's no AHCI support, and for some reason the H61 chipset (Intel 6-series) does not recognize any of Intel's AHCI drivers. I also read that the H61 does not support RAID, so again, if you want to do something serious, skip on the 620 and consider building your own rig.

There's also no heatsink for the Southbridge. Computer nerds like myself will notice this first, because the naked die is exposed. Doing a Google search shows people have complained about this since July 2011, so it is safe to reason that the lack of a heatsink is intended probably for cost savings. I did not try and touch the Southbridge to see if it runs hot, but all of the aftermarket motherboards for LGA1154/1155 have a Southbridge heatsink.

So as it stands, the only upgrade I have performed is the installation of a Radeon HD 6450. I chose this card due to its price, and because I just needed it for watching HD movies. The onboard Intel HD2000 was a 95% solution, and unfortunately the 5% is what I needed it to do. Watching MotoGP in HD with the HD2000 was not suitable, and even the HD3000 suffers the same problem. The HD 6450 also uses a heatsink without a fan, so the silence is golden. By the way, the Inspiron 620 runs ICE COLD and SILENT. I can barely hear it running, and even in a stuffy cabinet under the TV, it barely produces any heat. At idle, it consumes a paltry 50W, and under full load, it consumes a maximum of 105-120W of power. I did a fresh clean install of Windows 7 64-bit, and that is about it. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, which is perfectly fine for the 620's limited capabilities. Go with the 64-bit Pro if you intend to use more than 16GB of RAM.

Overall: 4/5 stars. Very limited upgradeability - 300W PSU, 2 DDR3 RAM slots, no AHCI support with the H61 chipset, possibly no RAID support. Want faster graphics? Get a bigger PSU first. Runs cold and silent, perfect HTPC rig or entry-level PC for beginners to intermediate users.

I bought the 620 to be used solely as a HTPC (Home Theater PC), and it does the job extremely well. I also evaluated it as a general purpose computer, and it does the job with flying colors. I'd estimate the service life to be at least 5 years, so if you want a general purpose computer that won't go obsolete in 5 years, the 620 is good to go. PCIe is going to be around for a few more years, SATA drives are the de facto standard, and 4GB of RAM has been more than enough for the past 10 years.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS........ February 26, 2012

By maddog

Amazon Verified Purchase

,.....but, went w/ Dell having owned a number of them over the years and not caring to bite the
Apple fruit bullets for nearly $1,800 for one of their units! CR rates the lower end Dells as excellent buys for those of us who are IT challenged most of the time, to which I readily admit!