In 2022, Dell updated its high-end XPS desktops with a larger chassis that accommodates a wider range of components. In short, the primary advantage of the desktop over the window laptop is that this mid-size tower allows room for future growth and increased performance. With ample ports available on the front and back, eliminating the need for docks or hubs, the XPS 8950 can also be a discrete gaming PC, productivity system, and content creation system all in one box, thanks to new power and liquid cooling options.
Dell XPS 8950 review: Design
On a screen, the XPS Desktop 8950 doesn’t look all that different from the 8940 from last generation, but it boasts some significant upgrades. By volume, it’s 42% bigger than the previous generation, and Dell makes full use of the extra room. A bigger case provides more space for cooling and water cooling. You may buy an optional 120mm all-in-one liquid cooling for unlocked K-series processors, which dramatically lowers noise (it ships with an air cooler otherwise). You can choose between Platinum Silver (white and silver) and Night Sky (black and silver), but Platinum Silver carries a stingy $30 upcharge. Although Dell eliminated the Special Edition model that was offered with the previous iteration, the cost for a white chassis is still there. There is a lot more room for airflow around the case. Intake vents are located at the front of the case, while a GPU vent is located on the side panel. Dell lengthened the chassis as well, so you won’t have to worry like you did with the previous model about your GPU getting cozy with your front intake fans. You can buy this Dell XPS 8950 from its official website
Dell XPS 8950 review: Performance
My Cinebench and Geekbench results show it plainly. All things considered, the Core i5-12600K outperforms the Core i9-10900K, sometimes by as much as 47%. Contrast this with the larger Core i7-12700KF found inside the MSI Aegis RS 12, which is able to achieve a significantly higher score because of its greater core count. But that’s just how my XPS Desktop is set up. The best CPU currently on the market, the Core i9-12900K, can be used to make a machine. Even if you can get by, a midrange configuration like this isn’t the greatest for serious video or photo processing. Although the Core i5-12600K is a powerful processor, the RTX 3060 Ti’s lower performance is insufficient for intensive video editing applications. It can do the job, but you should spend for a higher-end configuration if chores like video and photo editing are a concern.
Dell XPS 8950 review: Features
The performance of the 12th-generation Intel Core i5-12600K CPU in my evaluation unit is intermediate, but I found it still packs extra punch and power: each of its 10 cores runs at 3.7 GHz by default, but can accelerate to 4.5 GHz for difficult tasks. Some can even accelerate up to 4.9 GHz. For $450 more, you can get an Intel Core i9-12900K with 16 cores and a top speed of 5.2 GHz, perfect for those who want to go all out in terms of power. Most likely, however, you won’t need it. The i5 processor in my review device was more than adequate to handle everything I threw at it. The 8950 performed very well in the benchmarking software PC Mark 10 and 3D Mark, scoring 10776 in the PC Mark 10 office benchmark and 11313 in the 3D Mark Time Spy benchmark. This is quite high in all rankings, indicating that it is capable of handling demanding PC tasks. Both results are on par with top-class gaming laptops like the Razer Blade 17 2022, which recorded a 3D Mark score of 11826. Sure, the XPS 8950 is not portable, but it offers nearly the same gaming performance at less than half the cost.
Dell XPS 8950 review: Pricing
The realistic, cinematic action of “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” was very smooth on the XPS Tower with an average frame rate of 143, exceeding the 88 fps obtained on the Mac Studio. While these two numbers are well above 60 fps, the minimum frame rate for our ideal gaming experience, the XPS Tower’s increased graphics performance makes it an excellent choice as a gaming computer, and in some cases as a machine for more demanding visual tasks such as 3D rendering. It is excellent. It is also important to note that a modestly spec’d Dell PC in a $1,762 configuration was able to achieve this amazing performance. For more power for demanding 4K gaming and content creation, users can build a computer with a powerful Intel Core i9 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, up to 2TB of hard drive or SSD storage, and a top-of-the-line Nvidia RTX 3090 graphics card Computers can be built with these upgrades, which can raise the price of an XPS desktop to the low $3,000s, which is generally about the same as what would be paid for a PC with comparable performance.
Dell XPS 8950 review: Conclusions
Despite being a 12th Gen Intel platform, Dell’s XPS 8950 is a good place for a timid beginner who is just getting into gaming or streaming services and is still debating whether to construct a system. In our testing, we found that it provides the performance anticipated of its constituent parts while not requiring a comprehensive understanding of system construction. It can support the very best components currently on the market if configured properly when ordering; this includes memory, CPU, and GPU. The XPS 8950 performed admirably in our testing, which was confined to pre-built comparisons, and was in line with what we observed when comparing numerous Z690 motherboards with our 12600K from the previous generation. R23 offered 17333 nT and 1902 single threads. We were impressed by CrossMark’s response and productivity ratings. Procyon performed as expected, scoring slightly higher in Office but trailing significantly in Photo.
