Dell targets hardcore gamers

Computer manufacturer Dell has unveiled its latest gaming PC in Europe, but the system doesn't come cheap. The new machine's price starts at £3,399 (approx $6,667), with the all-bells-and-whistles version with two UltraSharp monitors fetching just over £5,000 (approx $10,000).

The XPS 710 H2C edition desktop is for gamers who want "the ultimate gaming experience," according to the company line, and the computer comes built with a factory-overclocked Intel Extreme quad-core processor.

The system also combines traditional water cooling with thermoelectric, ceramic-based cooling. It uses a liquid-to-air heat exchanger that works like a car's radiator to remove most of the heat from the processor. Any leftover heat is removed with ceramic thermoelectric cooling modules--like those used in the space shuttle--to prevent the PC's high-speed components from damage.

The 710 H2C uses an Intel Core Extreme QX6700 quad-core processor overclocked from 2.66GHz to a heady 3.2GHz. It also uses the latest DirectX 10-compatible Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card, 4GB of RAM, and two 160GB hard drives with a fast spin-speed of 10,000rpm.

Dell believes that gaming enthusiasts who love to tinker with their PCs will want to buy the XPS 710 H2C, as it will provide the ability to have an overclocked machine but will also give the security of being under warranty.

The company, which acquired Alienware in March 2006, stated that it would also be continuing to "aggressively" focus on the gaming market itself, despite the acquisition of a gaming machine specialist.