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Review: Dell's Optiplex 170L
Scott Koegler
Mar 09, 2004 (8:00 PM)
URL: http://www.commsdesign.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18311608
What's in Dell's recently introduced Optiplex 170L?
Just what your small business needs and nothing more.
Smartly positioned between Dell's Optiplex GX/SX corporate and Dimension consumer machines, the Optiplex 170L is the computer I would have bought for the majority of users in our 75-person business if it had been available at the time. Instead, I was faced with adding business-level features to the Dimension or trimming features and cost from a fully featured Optiplex.
For most small businesses, the Optiplex 170L will do a great job.
Processor options range from a 2.4GHz Celeron to a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 with an 800MHz front side bus, and a full range of configurations are available.
Of course, it doesn't have everything. That includes the three-year, next-business-day service that comes standard with the Optiplex GX/SX; the 170L has a one-year warranty. The GX/SX also offers a variety of tool-less chasses; the 170L has only one chassis available and it requires tools for maintenance. In comparison to the Dimension series, the 170L offers better manageability through remote management capabilities, and enhanced stability is provided by updates through Dell's ImageWatch, which helps business customers plan for transitions.
The price is right, however. Dell advertises the 170L with a starting price of $449, and occasionally $399 if you buy when the company is offering a rebate. Of course, that doesn't include a monitor, and you'll immediately want to upgrade the 128MB RAM and replace Microsoft XP Home with XP Pro. So, right away you're adding dollars to that starting price. My test unit priced out at $938 including everything I think would make a workable mid-range system for most routine office tasks, like word processing, e-mail, spreadsheets, and even graphics:
Out of the Box
After opening the box, I plugged in the cables and attached it to my LAN. The initial boot had me on my network without requiring any administration tasks. This is one of those areas where the difference between a large corporate environment and a small business is evident.
Large IT organizations will typically burn their preconfigured drive image (or have Dell do it prior to shipping) to the system so that when it's plugged in, the computer is ready to connect to the company's network. Small businesses simply don't need that level of consistency, and may not even want it. The ability to connect five wires, turn the machine on, and let your staff start to work can simplify life for IT staff.
Running spreadsheets, e-mail, and some minor photo editing was brisk and smooth. Performance was on par with other systems with similar configurations I've tried recently from Sony and Dell.
One of the pleasures of this package is Dell's 17-inch flat panel monitor. While it isn't spectacularly better than other similar displays, when powered by the 170L's onboard Intel Extreme Graphics2 processor, I found it clear with uniform brightness edge to edge.
If your applications demand better performance, options can make the system a small powerhouse. For example, you may want to consider adding a 3.2GHz Pentium with an 800GHz FSB and Hyper-threading, 1GB of RAM (the system will accommodate 2GB), a CD/DVD RW drive, and a 120GB SATA (Serial ATA) drive. The SATA connector allows you to easily add drives to the system. Together, those options bring the price to a reasonable $1,742.
Scott Koegler has been in the technology field for more than 25 years. He has written a book about systems integration as well as hundreds of articles about computers, software, digital photography, and networking over the last 12 years. He has been an IT executive in industries as diverse as health care, printing, and custom apparel. He can be reached at scott@koegler.net