Dell has been in business since the early 1980s. For many years, Dell was a trusted brand that made average systems for average computer users. Then, something happened: the tech world sped up at an alarming pace. New systems were popping up daily and companies like Apple were putting out devices that were never even conceived before. Dell was left attempting to keep up with industry innovators with little to no success.

Just yesterday, Dell launched a brand new all-in-one desktop that might, just might, turn some heads. The new Dell XPS One 27 desktop has lots in common with the iMac, but, more importantly, this desktop may just keep Dell in the consumer computer game. Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that Dell’s XPS One 27 doesn’t come cheap (starting at $1399), but it really does include some nice components and a slick design.

Inside the Dell XPS One 27

Various other reviewers have compared Dell’s latest and greatest with the iMac. When glancing at the two systems side-by-side it is, indeed, easy to see the resemblance. Then again, all-in-one desktops have been designed similar to the iMac (or maybe the iMac was designed similarly to another system?) for years now, so it’s tough to state that the new Dell XPS One 27 is just another iMac clone. If we are going to go that route, however, it should be pointed out that the XPS One 27 has a leg up on Apple’s current iMac.

While Apple is still stuffing their iMac’s with Intel’s last generation processors, Dell has gone ahead and installed Intel’s spanking new Ivy Bridge processors (Core i5 or i7 depending on the model chosen). That, dear readers, is reason enough for Dell to charge slightly more than Apple for the time being. Of course, it’s almost inevitable that Apple will equip the next generation of iMacs with Ivy Bridge processors as well, but that hasn’t happened yet and based on processors alone, Dell is the better buy.

Dell is also putting some top graphics cards inside of the new XPS One 27s. If you choose to bank on Dell’s newest system, you will receive either a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT540M or Intel GPU graphics card – two very good options that will please most casual Internet users and some gamers alike. While the new Dell system can’t compete with, say, an Alienware system on the gaming and graphics front, that Nvidia card can still very much hold its own.

The Dell Design Has It

If you’re still rocking an older Dell desktop or you remember the days of the chunkier Dell designs, you have to take a look at the XPS One 27 when it hits the market. This desktop is compact, has a monitor hole to store all those pesky cables (something Dell has been doing for many years now!), and won’t take up lots of desktop space. If you’re in the market for a new desktop, this reviewer suggests that you take a good look at what Dell has to offer with the XPS One 27. Some may state that Dell has seen its best days, but this new all-in-one begs to differ.