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Customer reviews

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars with 127 reviews

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    Rating 4.4 out of 5 stars

  • Quality

    Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

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    Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

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93%would recommend to a friend

Customers are saying

Customers are pleased with the storage, performance, graphics, setup, price, quietness, processor, upgradability, ports, and reliability of the XPS 8960 Desktop. They appreciate the adequate storage, fast performance, entertainment-ready graphics, easy setup, competitive price, quiet operation, powerful processor, upgradability options, ample ports, and reliable performance. However, some customers have concerns about the cooling system and the proprietary power supply.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 6 Showing 101-120 of 127 reviews
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great

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    Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Good product for it's price. Let see how it performs during the time

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Super fast computer

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Great system! Super fast computer! I love it! Dell is the best!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Bill’s review

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Great desktop, great price. A&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Mr.

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    Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Pleased with this purchase, Good bang for the buck!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Computer

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics card, Processor speed, Ssd
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great Gaming Desktop that can Handle it all

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is a powerful and versatile computer that is perfect for gamers, creative professionals, and anyone who needs a high-performance machine. It is powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, which can handle even the most demanding tasks with ease. The XPS 8960 also comes with 16GB of DDR5 memory and a 512GB SSD + 2TB HDD storage, so you will have plenty of power and storage space for all of your needs. In addition to its powerful hardware, the XPS 8960 also features a sleek and stylish design. The case is made of brushed aluminum and has a minimalist look that will complement any home or office décor. The XPS 8960 is also very quiet, even when under heavy load, so you can enjoy your games or work without being interrupted by loud fan noise. Here are some of the gaming benchmarks for the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of memory, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card: • Unigine Heaven: 400 fps • Tom Clancy's The Division 2: 80 fps at 1080p, 60 fps at 1440p, and 45 fps at 4K • Grand Theft Auto V: 90 fps at 1080p, 75 fps at 1440p, and 60 fps at 4K • Red Dead Redemption 2: 60 fps at 1080p, 50 fps at 1440p, and 30 fps at 4K These benchmarks show that the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is capable of playing most modern games at high settings and frame rates. However, it may not be able to max out all of the settings at 4K resolution. When ray tracing is enabled it can significantly reduce frame rates. In some cases, it can reduce frame rates by half. This is because ray tracing is a very demanding technology. It requires the graphics card to do a lot of calculations to simulate light in a more realistic way. If you are interested in playing games with ray tracing, try the following to get the best experience. • Enable DLSS if your graphics card supports it. DLSS is a technology that uses AI to improve performance in games with ray tracing enabled. • Lower the graphics settings in games if you are experiencing performance issues. • Use a high refresh rate monitor. This will help to ensure that you get a smooth gaming experience even with ray tracing enabled. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card supports DLSS. DLSS is a technology that uses AI to improve performance in games with ray tracing enabled. It does this by rendering the game at a lower resolution and then upscaling it to the native resolution of your monitor. This can significantly improve performance without sacrificing image quality. DLSS is available in a number of games, including Control, Cyberpunk 2077, Metro Exodus, and Red Dead Redemption 2. To enable DLSS, you need to have a GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card and the latest drivers installed. You also need to make sure that the game you are playing supports DLSS. Once you have enabled DLSS, you should see a significant improvement in performance in games with ray tracing enabled. You may also notice a slight improvement in image quality. Here are some of the benefits of using DLSS: • Improved performance: DLSS can significantly improve performance in games with ray tracing enabled. This is because it allows the graphics card to render the game at a lower resolution and then upscale it to the native resolution of your monitor. This can free up resources on the graphics card, which can be used to improve performance. • Improved image quality: DLSS can also improve image quality in games with ray tracing enabled. This is because it uses AI to upscale the image, which can result in sharper details and less blur. • More games: DLSS is available in a growing number of games. This means that you can enjoy the benefits of DLSS in more games. If you are looking for a way to improve performance and image quality in games with ray tracing enabled, then DLSS is a great option. It is a free technology that is available on a wide range of games. Overall, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a powerful and versatile computer. It is well-built, powerful, and stylish, making it a great option for both home and office use.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Waste of time and money

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    Posted . Owned for 6 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Worst experience I’ve had in a long time. I won’t be buying a dell again. I’ve been fighting a freeze up issue for months now, a known issue with dell at this point. Can’t return it, have to buy a different one now because my business is crippled by a computer I have to hard crash every 4-5 minutes. $1500 and countless hours wasted for a piece of junk. The 14 year old dell that I replaced with this one worked flawlessly. I think dell quality has gone down the tube. Never again.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    MUltiple Daily Blue Screens

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    Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Bought this a few months ago and very unsatisfied. Unsure if there is a hardware issue between the Intel and NVIDIA chips/processor but have to deal with multiple daily blue screen shutdowns. Have updated drivers, been online with Microsoft support, etc. It mainly seems to occur while browsing a webpage and certain ads are displayed or are changing between ads. Any way, incredibly frustrating and no solution in sight. Can not recommend this Dell desktop.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from YourDellTeam
      Posted .

      Hello JohnS,

      Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review. We sincerely apologize for the blue screen issues you are experiencing with your Dell XPS 8960 Desktop. This is not the type of feedback we like to hear from our customers, or the type of product Dell intends to deliver. Your feedback is extremely important as it enables us to continually improve our products and services.

      Below I have provided troubleshooting instructions with the full article that can help resolve this issue.

      1. At the desktop, click the Search the Web and Windows box and type ""problem reports"".
      2. Select View all problem reports viewing a list of errors that have occurred on your computer and possible solutions for them, such as updating drivers, flashing your system BIOS, or checking for updates to the software.
      3. Under the Source column, look for Windows, and under Summary, look for Shut Down unexpectedly.
      4. Right-click the line item and select Check for a solution.

      You can read the full article on solving PC blue screen issues here: http://dell.to/2u98Cct

      If you are still experiencing issues or have any concerns or questions, Please do not hesitate to get in touch with Dell using the information provided below so that we can help you resolve the issue to your satisfaction.

      Chat or call: https://bit.ly/DellSupportTeam
      Phone number to Dell: 1-800-624-9896

      Best,
      Minhaj@Dell Dell

  • Rated 3 out of 5 stars

    Great Unit

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    Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Great unit, however sometimes it is hard to wake up the unit when it is in sleep mode

    I would recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from YourDellTeam
      Posted .

      Hi NovasDad,
      Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your Dell XPS 8960 desktop. We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing an issue with your device going in to sleep mode. That is not the type of product Dell intends to deliver to our customers, or the type of product Dell intends to deliver. We have noted the details of your statement and will escalate them to our quality team for improvements. Below I have provided a troubleshooting link to help resolve your issue.
      Sleep Mode Troubleshooting Link: https://dell.to/3DS3vlm

      We look forward to making this right for you!

      If you continue to experience issues, please reach out to Dell Support directly by using the information provided below.

      Chat or call: https://bit.ly/DellSupportTeam
      Phone number to Dell: 1-800-624-9896

      Best,
      Summer@Dell Dell

  • Rated 2 out of 5 stars

    not so happy

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I guess mostly my problem is with the sales person, Whom didn't tell me I needed speakers, DVD player. Also its been very hard to transfer files, and screens changes and Icons disappear. I got this because I wanted more hard drive for storage not knowing One Drive only lets you have so much. It was a waste of money if I can't us the 2 T, hard drive.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from YourDellTeam
      Posted .

      Hello There TinaP,
      Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your Dell XPS 8960 desktop. We are sorry to hear that you did not have a good purchase experience and were unaware you needed speakers. That is not the type of feedback we like to hear from our customers, or the type of product Dell intends to deliver. We have noted the details of your statement and will use them to improve current and future products.
      We recommend that you contact Dell directly with the information below if you need further assistance.
      Chat or call: https://bit.ly/DellSupportTeam
      Phone number to Dell: 1-800-624-9896.

      Best,
      Summer@Dell Dell

  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Proprietary garbage

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    Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Psu died after 2 days. And it's proprietary software which apparently means that geek squad can't fix it. So they gave me a full refund which was nice except for the fact that I bought it on sale so I couldn't even afford a new one. Warranty was completely useless and couldn't help either.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from YourDellTeam
      Posted .

      Hey Sadowner,
      We value your feedback and want to thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your XPS 8960 desktop. We are sorry to hear that your product did not meet your expectations and you made the decision to return it. That is not the type of feedback we like to hear from our customers, or the type of product Dell intends to deliver. We have noted the details of your statement and will use them to improve current and future products.
      If you continue to experience issues, please reach out to Dell Support directly by using the information provided below.

      Chat or call: https://bit.ly/DellSupportTeam
      Phone number to Dell: 1-800-624-9896

      Best,
      Summer@Dell Dell

  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance, Ssd
    Cons mentioned:
    Fan noise
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Gaming-capable machine in a business suit

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    My trusty old Dell desktop computer was retired many years ago and we haven’t had a stationary desktop computer since then. Both my work and personal computers have been laptops for years, so why would I now get a desktop? I’ll mention my reasons (in case you’re searching for your own), and then I’ll share my experiences with this new entry from Dell. Desktop computers have a few advantages that no laptop will ever match: • Easier upgradeability • Better thermal management • Cheaper for the same performance • Loads of ports The tradeoff for all of this is that you go where the computer is, not the other way around. Is it worth it? That’s what I’m here to find out. The Dell XPS 8960 is the latest upgrade to the previous XPS 8950. The version I’m reviewing features a 13th generation i7, 16GB of memory, and a discrete NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 video card. As someone who enjoys gaming but could not call myself a gamer, the Dell XPS 8960 gives me the opportunity to play all of the many games I’ve collected over the years but couldn’t always play, depending on my laptop hardware configurations. Games like NBA 2K21 ran flawlessly, and Civilization VI ran more smoothly than on any of my other machines. While I wouldn’t have expected any chess game to give a computer problems, Chess Ultra is a game that has proven very finicky on my laptops, but the 8960 ran it without a hitch. The 8960 is ostensibly a gaming machine, but it has understated “business” looks that appeal to gamers of all ages. For me, that allows it to fit into my home décor much more easily than it would if it featured clear side panels and colored LED fan lights. If you’re looking for that king of gaming machine, you won’t find it here. Setup is pretty standard for a Windows machine. Bringing over my One Drive files was a breeze, as was getting setup in Edge and Office 365. Dell took an interesting approach to storage on this machine. It includes a 512 GB SSD, as well as a 2 TB hard drive spinning at 7200 rpm. This is a great solution that provides a super-fast SSD for boot-up and storage of processor-intensive programs while also giving you plenty of slightly slower storage with a 2 TB hard drive. I actually like having a real hard drive, since it’s still possible to recover from a catastrophic failure with a physical disk, which is not possible on a fully digital solution such as an SSD. The downside of Dell’s approach is that the SSD is relatively small if you want to take advantage of the faster performance by installing your games to the SSD. It’s been a while since I’ve actually had to think about more than one hard drive in a computer, so I was just installing games left and right without much thought. It wasn’t long before I was running out of space on the SSD and had to move some of the games to the hard drive. This gave me the opportunity to test the games on both the SSD and hard drive, and I’m happy to report that, while the hard drive was a bit slower, if you’re careful not to put your most intensive programs there, you’ll be fine. You’ll just have to do a little planning to decide what goes where. The nice thing is that there’s an empty slot you can use to add another SSD or even another hard drive if you want, so storage definitely won’t be a problem on this machine. The inside of the machine is pretty roomy, but its compact size makes it less spacious than a typical tower configuration. I like the size of the XPS 8960, as it makes it easier to incorporate into most rooms. I mentioned the RTX graphics card earlier. This card features 4 Display Ports and 1 HDMI port. I know that DP may be the more popular option in the gaming world, but I would have preferred at least one more HDMI port. I also found that the USB-C port did not support display output natively, and this seems like an oversight to me. I could use an HDMI to USB-C adapter in that slot to add another monitor, but why doesn’t that port handle video on its own? This is a pretty quiet computer, but when the fans kick in, they are pretty loud. They usually spin up when I’m putting a big load on the processors, and then spin down after a short time. It’s not so loud that it’s unbearable, but it’s definitely noticeable. The system comes with a wired keyboard and mouse, which you’ll need to complete the initial setup. After that, I paired my Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and put the wired versions away. The ones in the box are clearly not meant to be high-end peripherals, but they get the job done. It’s not really a fair comparison, but I wanted to compare Geekbench results on this machine, to those I previously got on my Surface Book 3 a few years ago. The SB also has a discrete video card, but it’s not even in the conversation with the XPS 8960, as you would expect. The SB single-core score was 944 versus 2576 for the XPS. The multi-core score of 3255 for the Surface Book 3 was matched with a multi-core score of 15, 287 on the XPS. Without the thermal constraints of a laptop, Dell was able to give it a lot more power. Another piece of anecdotal evidence is the time it takes to create a passage guide using the Logos Bible software. A passage guide is basically pulling excerpts from your library on a particular topic or passage. The Surface Book 3 did this in 14 seconds, which is great, but the XPS 8960 handled it in 5.69 seconds! Running an Excel test consisting of 100,000 VLOOKUP formulas took an average of .05 seconds, compared with an average of 2.5 seconds on the Surface Book—50 times faster! Everything I did, from working with Office files, to compiling code in Visual Studio, to using Adobe Photoshop Elements, to playing games, worked flawlessly, smoothly and quickly. The Dell XPX 8960 is causing me to shift my mindset back to my older way of thinking. I like the idea of having a desktop as a “home base”—a place where files can be stored to be shared, and which won’t carry the risk of being left behind in a hotel or taxi on my laptop. Plenty of storage means I can store more photos without having to worry about running out as soon, and there’s no program that I have to run with reduced settings due to performance issues. I’ve been working at home since the pandemic, and that means I have an office space set up all the time. Given that, it’s now much more practical to have a desktop computer in that space, running 24/7 and ready to go (although it did crash and reboot hours after I wrote this). If you’re going to do that, I highly recommend the XPS 8960 for that setup. It’s a great gaming machine for all but the most demanding gamers, but it’s also a more than capable business machine that can handle anything you can throw at it.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics card, Processor speed, Ssd
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    My New Workhorse Desktop

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I’ve been using a Dell All-In-One (AIO) as my primary Home-Office PC for several years now. It’s been a good performer, but I’ve missed some of the options that come standard with a traditional tower desktop, including the option to change monitors. I also like to be able to just turn off my monitor rather than putting the PC into one of the sleep-mode options, as Microsoft has never quite mastered sleep mode for AIOs in my opinion. Many times I’ve had to walk away from my AIO while in the middle of a project with several Apps or documents open, only to return & experience a problem reawakening my AIO. This conflict has even resulted in the loss of data on a couple of occasions. Again, I prefer the certainty of simply turning off a standalone monitor while leaving the desktop fully awake. I also feel that I get better heat dissipation & overall thermal management with my new traditional tower vs. my AIO. Due to the compact nature of an AIO, the parts are often smaller, & I often heard the little fan inside working overtime to cool down the components. I now have a greater sense of security w/a larger fan & standard-size components in this standalone XPS 8960 tower, especially when gaming or performing video editing. I do miss the convenient touchscreen of my AIO, especially when I’m interacting with others & showing or teaching them a series of steps required to perform a certain task. But there are still more advantages to this new traditional desktop PC than drawbacks. Although I try to future-proof my PCs as best I can w/in budget limits & component availability, there are still times I want to upgrade an internal component (perhaps w/more RAM or a better graphics card, etc.) before the machine’s overall useful life ends. In general, PC towers are just easier to customize, easier to upgrade, & easier to service & repair. This XPS 8960 has all the hardware features I need to move with speed & optimize my productivity. With the 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor & 16GB memory, I can have several Apps open at the same time with no noticeable lag. It also has 2 additional Memory slots if needed which is another advantage vs. my old sealed AIO. With the 512GB SSD & 2TB HDD, I have more than enough space to store large music & video files rather than relying on cloud storage or external storage devices. And this model has ports galore: 9 total USB-A & C (4 front/5 rear). Finally, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card is impressive, especially if you’re into gaming. NVIDIA’s Ray Tracing technology makes a noticeable difference in lighting & shadows, providing graphic images that appear photorealistic. My only disappointment was that this XPS 8960 comes with a very basic wired mouse & keyboard (which I quickly upgraded w/better input devices). Otherwise, this is a future-proofed workhorse PC that I expect will perform well over time.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Processor speed, Ssd
    Cons mentioned:
    Fan noise
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Mid-tier performance PC, expandable, a bit pricey.

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    It's difficult to write a review on a desktop computer. So much of our interaction with computers is based on the inputs… visual with a monitors, and tactile with mouse and keyboard. Sure, desktops will always be the king of I/O, but otherwise the review of a box is really just a review of the sum total of its contents. Normally when I write a review, I end with the price. For the sake of reviewing the contents of a box, I will instead start this review with the price–$1,499 retail…and talk about what that gets you, and if it's worth it. We'll start with expandability, because I think that's the first reason I'd want to buy a desktop. Future upgrades. There's room to grow here for sure, with two fully cabled 3.5" expansion bays (one of which is occupied with a 2TB hard drive), two M2 slots (one of which is occupied with a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD), two RAM slots (occupied by 16GB DDR5 RAM; the system is expandable to 64GB total), and 3 PCIe slots (one of which is occupied by the 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card). It is definitely not the most expandable, but for $1,500, I'd be pleased with it. Regarding storage, the 512GB SSD is nice, as is the ability to add another M.2 SSD. If it saved a few bucks, I'd be interested to start with a 256GB SSD and upgrade as SSD prices are dropping. It wouldn't be a huge savings, but I think this will add up as we go. Same deal with the 7200 RPM hard drive--leave it out, let me put my own drives in, and drop the price. Unfortunately, the video card and the processor are what they are. I don't think I could do that much better on the open market, so no potential savings there. The 13th-gen i7 Intel processor has 8 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores, so tasks are no real issue. I probably wouldn't buy an Intel computer with anything elss than an i7, but as of June 2023 these are still very new processors for Dell's lineup. The video card has 8GB of video memory, and paired with the processor and super fast storage, it's a great starting computer for video editing, gaming, maybe even VR. But for the price, considering right out of the box you can get work done, I'm relatively content with it. For $1,500, the standard RAM should definitely be at 32GB--or at bare minimum, a single 16GB stick so you don't have to scrap all the RAM it comes with to upgrade. Honestly at this price, the RAM is disappointing, but 16GB is still plenty to get the job done. Taking it all into consideration, I think a slight price drop--even $200--would be enough to compel me to call this truly worth it *from a specifications perspective*. There are some other really nice things about this system; for starters, it's very quiet. When the computer was sleeping, the hard drive periodically spun up frequently, which got to be annoying, but otherwise it's whisper quiet for everyday tasks. Also, the IO is awesome, with plenty of ports on the front and back to connect all of your gear. Those of us who live off of laptops have been forced into an insane reduction in IO on computers…so it's nice to have options again. And, it's a Dell. Say what you want, but they've been around for a long time and will continue to be around. Dell support is perfectly acceptable and their warranties deliver on what they promise. It's a solid brand that isn't going anywhere. Now--are we overpaying for this box of components because the "XPS" label is on it? Maybe. What makes it an XPS desktop versus Inspiron, aside from the case material? If someone came to me asking about buying a desktop for every day tasks, this is not the one I'd recommend. Someone would need justification for the performance that an i7 processor and dedicated graphics can provide. And I'd expect an every-day desktop to cost well under $1,000. For this desktop, I guess there are worse places to start. It will serve someone out of the box for a little while at least, but I still think the price is a bit high. Nonetheless, the unit itself, I would recommend. I'd like to see some adjustments to the specs for the price (or the price considering the specs), but it's a mid-tier well performing desktop that is expandable and quiet. What's not to love, aside from the price?

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance, Ssd
    Cons mentioned:
    Fan noise
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    All Around Performer. Versatile. Great Value.

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This desktop more or less does it all out of the box. It is pretty solidly spec’d and I would say has most people covered no matter what they are looking to do. Office/productivity, picture/video, gaming, etc…it handles it all with relative ease. Dell has been doing this for seemingly ever, so, as expected, setup was a breeze. Everything was packaged well, and in a manner that it was easy to get it all together rather quickly. Once connected, it was typical software and Windows updates, but all in all, a very, very simple process. I expect this will be the case for everyone. As for looks, I really kind of like the case. Plain. Simple. Clean. Black. More Black. Some may find it lacking, but for me it is perfect. I am not into the gaming aesthetic, and while a little style here and there could have been added, I like it as is. It is well built, solid, and has a good feel. It has some weight, but it is by no means heavy. It also comes with some great front I/O (mix of USB A, C, card reader, headphone) that is a nice add. Lastly, I really like the fact that it comes with some room for expansion/upgradeability. While there are some proprietary issues here, and some frustrating choices (the PSU wattage as well as the number of RAM slots), simply being to add to and/or change components over time is one of the main benefits of owning a desktop…and one that allows it. You get a little future proofing, as well as just, well, options. Something that seems to be harder and harder to find these days. I would say my only real dig here is that the case is not the quietest case out there. It is not “loud,” but I found when pushed, it was more than silent. Just something to note. Performance-wise, I really could not be happier. The chip/RAM/drive/GPU stack really does well. Everything runs smoothly, I can multitask without issue, boot and application load times are snappy, and I am quite pleased with the gaming experience. Clearly, the GPU has limitations, but that should be understood here. That said, on the proper resolution, games still fly and look great. Beyond just performance, I love that they provided both a M.2 SSD (as well as another empty slot) AND a standard higher capacity hard drive (and another empty bay). It really is the best of both worlds. A dedicated spot for installs, and one for storage. At least that is how I am running it. You just don’t see that offered all the time. Lastly, there is a nice blend of connectivity. Between the front I/O, and all that located on the back, I have to think most would not have an issue. Honestly, I think it is all just some solid hardware. Well, mostly all lol. Perhaps it is the computer snob in me, but you may want to upgrade the keyboard and mouse. Another thing to note. In the end, I have to say that I really like this machine. If you are looking for a strictly gaming PC, perhaps you should look elsewhere. Furthermore, know your use case beforehand, and understand its limitations, but I think this is a fantastic choice for just about everyone looking for a well-rounded, powerful system that should meet most people's needs. It looks good, is built well, has some nice specs, and has some room for upgrades and/or expansion. I think the value is there.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 1 out of 5 stars

    Dell XPS 8960 desktop

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    Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I now have received 2 from best buy, the first ran for 10 minutes and had a internal power failure, recieved the 2nd one today it will not come on at all, i am really upset because I need it now. The dell people told me it had a hardware problem

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
    • Brand response from YourDellTeam
      Posted .

      Hello Valued Customer,

      We value your feedback and want to thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your Dell XPS 8960 Desktop Order. We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues with your system order. That is not the type of feedback we like to hear from our customers, or the type of product Dell intends to deliver.

      We would love the opportunity to help you but will need a little more information. Please take a moment to call or chat to speak with Dell at your earliest convenience using the information provided below so that we can help you resolve the issue to your satisfaction.
      Chat or call: https://bit.ly/DellSupportTeam
      Phone number to Dell 1-800-624-9896
      We look forward to making this right for you!

      Best,
      Minhaj@Dell Dell

  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics card, Ssd
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Fast desktop powerhouse is ready for anything

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    It seems hardly anyone wants a big desktop computer anymore but if you need rhe power and flexibility one of these big rigs offers, it's hard to go wrong with this new Dell XPS 8960. It is brimming with the latest tech, including the latest generation Intel Core i7 GPU, a 500GB SSD and 2TB HDD for plenty of storage, 16 gigs of RAM and a blazing-fast Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card. Add in a large collection of USB ports, almost every type imaginable; DisplayPort and HDMI ports for the latest monitors ; and full WiFi 6 and ethernet support and you are ready to take on the world. With this much power under (or on) your desk, it's hard to think of any chore this computer cannot take on, and will likely do it without breaking a sweat. Even tough jobs like video editing and other demanding content creation are a breeeze thanks to the excellent combination of high-end components. Playtime might be enjoyable too thanks to the new-genration Nvidia RTX video card, which has the power to keep frame rates high and gameplay nice and smooth. Sure, it's not the fastest gaming video card on the block but can handle most games with no issue. And is a good all around card for work and play. This Dell XPS comes packaged in a sturdy black metal case, which features Dell's usual understated styling. Like most previous XPS models, the front is a big slab of brushed dark aluminum that features a SD slot (increasingly rare these days), a headphone jack, three USB A ports and one USB C port. All are 3.2 gen 1 except for the C port, which is Gen 2 and has power share capabilites. There are five more USB ports in back, including one USB C 3.2 Gen 2x2 for those who need the absolutely fastest transfer speeds. The once common DVD or Blu-ray burner drive is absent, the norm on most desktops these days. But there is an empty bay inside the case for an an extra HDD, for those who really need a lot of storage for large video files, massive numbers of photographs and audio files. Speaking of inside, there is also an unused PCI slot (two of the three slots are used up by the video card) but no extra slots for memory, so if you need to upgrade to 32 gigs of RAM, you will have to dump the two 8 gig sticks already installed and replace them with two 16 gig sticks. Getting inside is easy, by the way, thanks to Dell's innovative latch design. Just lossen the lone phillips screw on the black tab on the back of the case and pull. This releases the tab that holds the side panel in place. Everything inside is nicely organized and tidy, leaving plenty of room to make any kind of modifications you might have in mind. Massive but very quiet cooling fans on the CPU and case keeps everything inside nice and cool. The only real demerits here go to the keyboard and mouse, which are both wired USB versions , a bit disappointing for a computer at this price point. (Dell does make a more expensive XPS version that does have a wireless mouse a keyboard). While the wires are unsightly, and the construction somewhat cheap, the chicklet style keyboard and optical mouse are full size and work well, at least. Two old-style USB 2 ports in the back mean you don't have to tie up your faster USB ports with the mouse and keyboard. Bottom line:. This is a very nice all-around desktop performer, with plenty of power to handle almost any task you want to throw at it.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Ssd
    Cons mentioned:
    Fan noise
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Power for Content Creators

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Raw specs: 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700, 2100 Mhz, -->***16 Core(s), 24 Logical Processor(s)***<-- Installed RAM 16.0 GB (15.7 GB usable) System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM + Intel(R) UHD Graphics 500 gb SSD + 2 TB HDD My initial thoughts on the XPS line of Dell is: Is the XPS more geared toward multimedia creation / content creators. And I really think it is. Does that mean the XPS line can't be used for gaming? Nope, I'm proof of that! Though if you want flashy lights, a stylish chasis and are willing to pay out of the nose for Dell's G series or Alienware, then go for it! That being said, the XPS is definitely geared more towards content creators / multimedia editing as by the 16 cores of the i7 processor it has. I don't think I've had a processor with that many cores. I only know this because I use Adobe Lightroom myself and the processing power from the CPU and GPU has made photo editing much quicker. I had issues setting the computer up so my review was delayed, but once things settled down, I am so glad to be back on a computer tower and not a gaming laptop with my photo editing. The NVIDIA RTX 3050 is plenty enough for video and photo editing, and it can run Cyberpunk very well, though it sounds like a Boeing 747 taking off. . . I believe there is a closed-loop cooling option which may help cut down on fan noise, but requires opening it up and installing it. If you're not tech savvy, just get a pair of headphones with noise canceling. The tower it self is light weight, non descript, grey. Has plenty of ports for USB things and (insert shocked gasp) an SD card slot in the front – again photo editors and others might be more excited about this than gamers. Dell is a solid brand, having used their business line of products through work, I've never had an issue. If you're looking for a solid build without the flashy bling, and want to work and sometimes play? This is a great tower.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Graphics card, Processor speed
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Remarkably quiet running and powerful

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Before I go any further, I just want to say that based upon the silent running this is an amazing PC. It is so quiet, I don't even realize it is on. Okay, with that out of the way, the setup and unpacking was quick, not a lot of excess packing material just the basics to keep the computer safe. From cutting the tape on the box to power on it was maybe 3 minutes. Setup was smooth with importing of synced data from the cloud achieved in less then 10 minutes. Power on is very fast as one would expect from a solid state and the Windows setup was much less painful than it used to be. Processing speed and system resources for streaming are top notch and when conencted to a G-Sync monitor and setup properly (a few more minutes) the system looked awesome gaming as well - no stutters at high fps and very smooth vivid graphics in general. The size of the desktop, even though it calls it out in the specs was smaller than expected and easily slotted into my desk. The keyboard and mouse are nice starter quality and day to day use pieces, but I swapped them for my gaming gear and drivers and compatibility was not an issue. All in all, the quiet running, quick start, simple setup, quick driver and update of software... this is a great desktop for general use and works like a champ for online and downloaded games. I tried this out on three separate monitors as well as three monitors at the same time and the system processor, memory, and graphics card held up while streaming in three browsers at top settings. The only thing that would have been nice would be an onboard dvd/bluray drive, but it took my external quickly and found the drivers pronto. there are expansion slots, but I'll not worry about that until I need to... if ever. Very impressed and I would recommend this.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Performance, Ssd
    Tech Insider Network Member

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great performance with games

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    Tech Insider Network Member
    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Like my title says, this computer runs newer games on high/ultra settings with great performance. So far I only have tried out Call of Duty:MW 2019, MW2 and PubG. all on highest settings and I am getting 100+FPS for the most part. MW2 some maps I was running around 90 FPS with drops at most down to 70FPS. This is performing better then my desktop I was using that has a GTX 1080. The map above were I got 90 fps, with my GTX 1080, I got 100FPS (but settings were turned down a bit more and not maxed out) but also with my GTX the lows would go under 60FPS and cause me to get lag. With this Desktop I did not get that lag and games were enjoyable the whole time. I do have a reason though for 4 stars. A couple actually. One, I feel that at the 1500$ price, it is a bit on the expensive side for what you are getting. My other main reason is I feel it lacks storage space. it only has a 512Gig SSD in it and then a 2TB 7200rpm hhd. I would have liked to have seen at least a 1TB SSD either as the primary with the 2TB or as a secondary drive with the 512SSD. For me, I prefer a SSD for games. I feel they run smoother for me and they load up faster. And how much space games take up these days, the 512Gigs fills up fast with just a couple games. On a smaller note, the mouse and keyboard are not even wireless. It is the basic wired mouse and keyboard that they give out. It also only has 2 slots for ram. But overall, this is playing games great like I stated. Stays cool, even after hours of gaming nonstop.

    I would recommend this to a friend
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