Dell's OptiPlex GX150 Delivers Style, Value and Performance; Robust System Features Intel Pentium III at 866Mhz and Large Hard Drives Starting at $799

Business Wire, Oct 30, 2000

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 2000

Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) today announced availability of the OptiPlex(tm) GX150, a highly flexible desktop PC for business and institutional customers, featuring Intel's 815E chipset and supporting both Intel's Celeron(tm) and Pentium(R) III processors.

The OptiPlex GX150 is the first Dell desktop PC available in the new midnight gray OptiFrame(tm) small desktop (SD) chassis.

The OptiPlex GX150 is ideal for customers who need a desktop that can meet a range of performance requirements from basic PC functionality in single-application environments to mainstream PC usage in multiple-application environments.

"Corporate buyers have indicated a readiness for PCs that are smaller, less expandable and more interesting to look at," said Roger Kay, analyst, IDC. "In the future, the basis for competition in the PC business will shift from price and performance -- which, more than ever, represent attributes of a level playing field -- to less pedestrian areas such as style and brand image."

Prices start at $799 for an OptiPlex GX150 that includes an Intel Pentium III processor at 866 MHz, 64 MB PC133 SDRAM, 10 GB(a) hard disk drive, integrated 10/100 networking, Intel 3D graphics with Direct Accelerated Graphics Port technology and audio, and 1.44 MB floppy disk drive in the new SD chassis. With an Intel Celeron processor at 600 MHz, prices start at $629.

Dell also is offering aggressive pricing on several OptiPlex component upgrade options, including memory, hard drives and monitors. Customers can upgrade SDRAM from 64 MB to 256 MB for $249, and increase their hard drive size from 10GB to 40GB for $149. Customers also can bundle Dell's recently announced 1701FP flat panel display with most OptiPlex PCs for $1,199 and the 21-inch (19.8 v.i.s.) Dell UltraScan P1110 for $899.

The OptiPlex GX150 enables customer choice and flexibility by delivering both Pentium III and Celeron-based systems that can share a common software image. The OptiPlex GX150 supports PC133 SDRAM (operating at 100MHz with Celeron) and ATA/100 hard disk drive technology and features an accelerated graphics port (4X AGP) slot and four USB ports. Other features include support for Celeron processors up to 700 MHz and Pentium III processors up to 1 GHz, up to 512 MB SDRAM, SMART II Ultra ATA/100 hard drives up to 40 GB in capacity.

New OptiFrame Small Desktop Chassis

The OptiPlex GX150 is the first Dell PC available in the OptiFrame small desktop (SD) chassis. The SD is the first in a new family of OptiFrame chassis featuring new industrial designs and midnight gray color that Dell plans to deliver in the second half of this year. Designed to support technologies for three years, the new SD features AGP support, front accessible USB and audio ports, and significantly quieter computing than the current OptiPlex chassis. Featuring an innovative "folder" design with an attached top cover, the SD also offers improved accessibility and easy upgrade capability, and no tools are needed for access and installation or removal of removable mass storage devices, expansion cards, power supplies, and system boards. Matching midnight gray peripherals, including keyboards, mouse, CRT monitors and flat panel displays, also are available.

More information on both the OptiPlex GX150 and the new SD chassis is available in a downloadable 3-D interactive presentation found at www.dell.com/optiplex.> Dell Continues Leadership in Business Desktops

Dell is the leading desktop and portable PC supplier to large and medium U.S. businesses and worldwide, according to IDC(b). IDC's second-quarter 2000 analysis showed Dell to be the No. 1 U.S. desktop PC supplier for the sixth consecutive quarter with a 34.8 percent share. Worldwide, Dell maintained its leadership in the medium and large desktop market from the previous quarter vs. the second-ranked vendor with a 20.7 percent share. Dell also continues to lead in customer satisfaction for desktops, holding the No. 1 spot for the 12th quarter in a row in the latest IT buying behavior study published by Technology Business Research Inc. (TBR)(c). The quarterly report is based on the opinions of 525 IT managers at large U.S. corporations.

About Dell

Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq:DELL) is the world's leading direct computer systems company, based on revenues of $28.5 billion for the past four quarters, and is a premier provider of products and services required for customers to build their Internet infrastructures. The company ranks No. 56 on the Fortune 500, No. 154 on the Fortune Global 500 and No. 3 on the Fortune "most admired" lists of companies. Dell designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained on the World Wide Web at www.dell.com.

(a) For hard drives, GB means 1 billion bytes; total accessible

capacity varies depending on operating environment