Dell XPS 7760: A quick review

June 28, 2017 / / No Comments

The Dell XPS 7760 All-in-One Desktop is a powerful machine, with a gorgeous 4K monitor and plenty of speed from the Intel i7 chip. As is usual with Dell, I called and ordered the computer just the way I wanted it.

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I saved some cash by not ordering a touch-screen because it’s just not conducive to the way I work. My wife has an HP all-in-one touchscreen, and she never uses it that way.

I give it five stars in just about every category, with some exceptions. It’s advertised as having the best sound quality for any all-in-one, with its multiple active and passive speakers built in. The active speakers are front facing just below the screen, and the passive speakers radiate from the bottom of the unit. These may be the best-sounding speakers in any all-in-one, but I had Klipsch speakers with a subwoofer on my last system, and the integrated speakers just can’t compare.

The biggest complaint about the unit is the difficulty of reaching all the ports in the back. The stand makes it difficult to get your hands in there, but if you take the time to plug in all the USB’s you need, you don’t have to mess with it again. Speaking of ports, there are plenty, including some USB-C. There’s an additional USB port on the side, along with a flash card reader with easy access.

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My only other complaint, albeit a small one, is the integrated camera. It’s at the bottom of the screen, which gives your video friends a stunning view of your chest and the underside of your chin. But I put my other camera on top of the unit, so we’re okay.
As for the rest, my eyes are still adjusting to a 27-inch super-sharp 4K screen. I can’t imagine going back to any monitor less than 4K. It sits up a little higher than I’m used to, but I don’t think I’ll notice in another week or so.

My usual practice when buying computers was to choose my mouse and keyboard, but this is the first time I won’t. The Dell mouse and keyboard are terrific. No change needed.
Keep in mind, however, if you use or need an optical drive, you’ll have to get an external, because this all-in-one doesn’t come with it. I only use mine to burn in my massive CD collection, though. Does any software still come on a CD or DVD-ROM anymore?

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Bottom line: I’m thrilled with this machine, and it’s well-worth the money. Dell scores again.

Oh, and the cats are certainly happy with my purchase because now they have a new fort.

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The Apple buzz is shrinking

May 22, 2017 / / No Comments

I fell in love with Apple when I bought my first iPhone in 2010. A few years later I bought a MacBook Pro, and I’m still using it. It’s a fantastic machine.

But as the time came nearer for me to replace my desk PC, I was itching for awhile for an iMac. But lately, I’ve been feeling the Apple buzz diminishing.
Now that 4K video is available on Windows machines (because once you get used to the retina display, it’s hard to look at anything less), and the designs of the new all-in-ones (especially from Dell) are very fetching, I think I’ll be sticking with Windows for my desktop.

Windows 10 is a great OS. So is Mac’s current OS, but it seems like the pace of improvements coming from Microsoft is much quicker these days.