Dell XPS 8500 w/ Windows 8 ($850): http://www.dell.com/us/p/...&model_id=xps-8500

Processor:
3rd Generation Intel Core i7-3770 (3.40 Ghz to 3.90 GHz) quad-core

Memory:
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1600MHz

Hard Drive:
2TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive 6.0 Gb/s

Video Card:
NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 1GB GDDR5 for Win 8


How would you rate it out of the following three choices:


A: Excellent - Will run large and heavy projects without many issues

B: Sufficient - Will run most projects fine, but may become slow as project becomes large

C: Insufficient - Can only run light and basic projects


Note: For what it's worth, I do mostly pop, hip-hop and synthpop type of music, so my projects contain many many softsynths each with many effects plugins. Also, the only thing really that bothers me about this system is the lack of SSD, so I'm wondering if that will matter much. 

I used to do a lot of user support on the Dell forum.  When I got ready to upgrade my DAW PC, I looked at the XPS8500 (it had only been out about a month).  It didn't satisfy what I wanted.  I wanted to use an SSD for the OS and Sonar and a hard drive for other programs and data.  It didn't have enough SATA III ports (two plus the mSata port for the SSD) and the model with the SSD, the mSata SSD was used for data cache and not program. 

I built my own (the main specs are in my signature) using an OCZ Vertex 4, 128GB SSD.  It did well but from discussions here by commercial DAW PC builders and discussion on other forums I decided to go back to a conventional hard drive.  I replaced the SATA III SSD with a SATA III 7200 RPM hard drive.  The only difference I notice is Windows 7 64 bit boots up a little slower, nothing else.    My cost for everything was right around $1200, which is less than the top end model XPS8500 listed on the Dell site.

I won't say the 8500 wouldn't work OK for Sonar X2, just that it does have some hardware limitations, such as the number of SATA ports.

Depending on your budget

Id say the Dell will do you good if your not into building your own.  Im running 2 versions back from the one your looking at.

It should have an extra bay and connection to drop in an extra hard drive as well as an eSATA port on the rear.

You should also be able to upgrade and double the memory for less than a $100

I would think that will do all you need for years to come.

Firebrd has helped me out as well and I trust his advise.

So its all up to your budget and abilities 

Well I tried to get the specs up but it wouldnt.

This one will go to 32gb so that a plus, Im getting ready to install 16 in mine even though I believe I havent had any probs running the 8gb.

You will be able to run dual monitors and the one HDMI will hook up to any HDTV so that makes it nice for ya seeing the package should already come with one monitor that will run off the DVI connection.

Here is the link to the Dell documentation for the 8500.   The Specifications are in a PDF file.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/xps8500/en/index.htm

I always thought this was an acceptible route, and I'm currently using an old Dell (Dimension...can't get much more of a bottom feeder, off the shelf compter) for Sonar 7PE.  The commercial builds seem to be almost another $1000 for the same specs (more or less), as listed on their sites, and admittedly, it is totally confusing why those computers are almost twice the price... and why people bash buying something like a Dell so much.  Infact I just bought a couple of used 8300 and they're running good for home use and were only about $400 with an i5 processor.

Dell's are OK if you take them as they are and don't plan on much upgrading, which is the majority of Dell's customers.  I still recommend my clients consider Dell's for new PC purchases and the last PC I installed for a client was a Dell.  Having worked the Dell users support forum for 10 years (and being designated one of their top user contributors with over 37,000 posts) I can speak with some knowledge of Dell's.  I even attended a 1 week support conference at Dell HQ in Round Rock (Austin) Tx for invited forum user support personnel in 2009 (we were flown in and all expenses paid by Dell)

I've owned a couple of Dell's over the years (the last one was a Dimension E510) and they all did well,  but with the custom OEM motherboards (made by Foxconn for Dell) and the proprietary and undocumented front panel connectors there wasn't a lot that could be customized with them.   The current production desktop models such as the Inspiron and XPS lines use mostly standard ATX connections.

Dell's do not have a BIOS backup/recovery, like a lot of motherboards and if you were to try and upgrade the BIOS and it failed and corrupted the BIOS the ONLY option is to replace the motherboard.  

However, I believe the Dell Alienware line does have the BIOS recovery feature.  I didn't do much support with the Alienware's, primarily the consumer Desktop line support.  The Alienware line is Dell's high $$ overclockable "Gaming" PC line and I've seen several posts on various forms of users that have bought Desktop and Laptop models for DAW work and the reports were good. 

Thank you everyone for all of your input. They have all been very educating and informative for me.

However, could I get some more input on the specific system I mentioned above if possible? Just as an FYI, I have no plans on modifying this computer in any way after purchasing it, just using it stock. Thanks in advance

vaultwit

Video Card: 
NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 1GB GDDR5

This card is good one if you intend to be using the PC for gaming or 3-D graphic work.  Otherwise choose a cheaper card and use the money you've saved on something more useful.

vaultwit


Thank you everyone for all of your input. They have all been very educating and informative for me.

However, could I get some more input on the specific system I mentioned above if possible? Just as an FYI, I have no plans on modifying this computer in any way after purchasing it, just using it stock. Thanks in advance

Personally I dont think you will go wrong with it with X1 on it.  I wouldnt think it would be a problem with X2 either.