Dell redesigned the XPS Special Edition desktop in 360-W or 500-W Mineral White chassis with an optical drive, keyboard, and mouse. For a complete package, Dell offers upgraded versions of the SE as well as accessories. However, compared to most other multimedia/gaming desktops of this caliber and price, the Dell XPS Desktop Special Edition 8940 has no flashy LED or aggressive design features.
The minimalist approach makes it an attractive choice for some who don’t care for bulky, flashy appearances. But, of course, the original “Night Sky” version is available as well.
This SE is very expandable, and the internal components are easy to access. No tools are necessary for sliding. The side is open to get inside for upgrades and expansions. Voltage regulator cooling is part of the redesigned system. It is featured with select processors to help maintain optimal performance by allowing adequate airflow over VR-capable components.
High RPM fans have a maximum fan speed of 4500-RPM to keep the 8940 efficiently cool. The fans can run more slowly at lower acoustics. So whether you are playing games at home or working on projects at the office, the Dell XPS Desktop Special Edition 8940 stays quiet and easily blends into the environment.
Depending on the machine’s configuration, a 360-W PSU supports up to 150-W graphics and a 65-W processor. In contrast, a 500-W PSU supports 225-W graphics and a 95-W K-series processor. With a total of 10 USB ports, connectivity is an easy process. In addition, there are four front-facing ports for convenience for devices such as the keyboard and mouse.
Dell XPS Desktop Special Edition 8940 Graphics
Intel’s new 11th Generation processors come with this Special Edition 8940 XPS model. Depending on the exact specifications, it can be an 11th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 – all the way up to a 11700K. In addition, there are a few great NVIDIA GeForce video cards available and an AMD Radeon RX (5700) video card. With the NVIDIA GeForce, select GTX 1660 Ti or Super with 6GB – GDDR6 or RTX 3060 with 12GB – GDDR6.
The Dell XPS Desktop Special Edition 8940 has 8GB (8GB x 1) DDR4 – 2933-MHz, 16GB (8GB x 2 or 16GB x 1), or 32GB of memory. A dual hard drive setup with an M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD for speed and a 7200-RPM 3.5-inch SATA for high capacity storage. As mentioned above, there is room for an optical drive for reading and writing to DVD/CD.
Also, there is one media-card reader / SD card slot on the front panel of the desktop. There are 3 PCIe slots on the back, including one x16, one x1, and one x4. The Dell XPS Desktop Special Edition 8940 supports multiple displays.