"Dell are known for their tasteful designs, and the Dell Vostro 320 is no exception"
Matthias Scherer
The Dell Vostro 320 desktop computer represents Dell’s attempt at developing a business all-in-one device. Is it a success? PC Site takes a look.
What we like best
Dell are known for their tasteful designs, and the Dell Vostro 320 is no exception. Businesslike black dominates here, with the display/CPU unit, keyboard and mouse coming in the same shade of dark.
The 19 inch LCD screen is itself non-glossy (very convenient for office surroundings), but comes encased in glossy black plastic, gaining some style points on the way. There is no touch screen technology with the Vostro 320, but the display is nice and sharp, and the viewing angle’s perfectly adequate for when you have to gather round colleagues for consultation or presentation purposes.
The Dell Vostro 320’s keyboard is very well-laid out, with responsive, large keys and shortcut buttons for web, email and a calculator.
The Intel Dual Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8 GHz processor works well with the 2Gb RAM to make for fluid running of office applications and browsing (but not, it has to be said, much more).
There is a nicely designed, robust screen stand, as well as a VESA wall mount facility.
What we like least
With an affordable all-in-one such as the Vostro 320, there had to be some minor drawbacks. One of them is the quality of the integrated speakers, which are clear enough, but offer very little dynamics or power.
Gameplay will be a frustrating experience with the Dell Vostro 320 due to the limited integrated Intel GMA graphics card.
The keyboard and the mouse are connected to the main unit via a USB dongle, rather than an in-built receiver. This means that the user has to forgo one of the six USB ports just to use his keyboard and mouse – not a huge flaw, but somewhat of a missed trick.
For a business computer, the Dell Vostro 320 is a very decent option. It looks excellent, comes with next to no physical or software clutter, runs smoothly and is affordable. On the other hand, a few concessions have had to be made, such as the lack of touchscreen technology and video output and the limited graphics. If you can see past those flaws and want a computer to focus on work tasks, the Dell Vostro 320 is for you.
Processor Speed
2.7GHz
Processor
Intel Pentium Dual Core E5400
RAM
Up to 2 Gb
Screen Size
19 inch
Graphics
512MB Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500HD
Hard Drive Storage
Up to 320 Gb
Battery
n/a
Multimedia
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
8x DVD Read/Write drive
2 X 2W Stereo High Definition Audio speakers
Ports
6 x USB
1 x RJ-45
1 x Audio Out
Weight & Size
477mm (W) x 386mm (H) x 104mm (D)
6.5 to 8Kg
Connectivity
10/100/1000 Ethernet
Dell Wireless (optional)
Fire Wire IEEE (optional)
Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit
Dell Vostro 220 is Dell’s most popular PC choice for businesses, making it one of their best selling PCs for small, medium and large businesses. It combines simple sleek design with durability and a comprehensive range of fully customizable features.
Dell maintains that it has developed this PC having consulted its customers, in what it calls customer driven design. As such it comes with an easy-to-clean exterior and some excellent features. These include no unwanted trialware so it’s only fitted with the software you ask for, personalised telephone support from specially trained small business technicians and a number of comprehensive optional security features.
You can choose whether to go for the Vostro 220 Mini Tower, which measures 354mm x 169mm x 427mm, or the 220s which is 42% smaller.
The ultimate access with the Dell Vostro 220
It certainly comes with good choice of serial and PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports. You’ll also find that the improved optical drive door design lets you access your media drives quickly and easily.
Available with a choice of the latest generation Intel Celeron and Intel Core 2 Duo Processors and advanced audio graphics and video capabilities, this desktop provides the perfect answer for those of you looking to combine reliability and good value.
Add a review of the Dell Vostro 320 All-in-One
We are currently building a list of exciting vouchers for you to choose from. While we do this, why not take a look at our expert review for the Dell Vostro 320 All-in-one desktop review
