Microsoft and Dell Spawn Custom Vista PC

Isn't that sweet. Just when you get the impression that no other company -- even a partner like Novell -- can cooperate with software giant Microsoft, along comes Dell.

It appears this new relationship has spawned offspring, in the form of one heckuva powerful custom-built PC. It's part of Dell and Microsoft's celebration of the Vista release, and either signifies future joint endeavors, or that MS simply pays hardware producers handsomely.

Regardless of your feelings towards either company -- whether you're anti-Windows, anti-Internet Explorer, or even anti-Dell -- the two have certainly created a beast of a PC.

The system, which features a flowing Windows logo down the side, just looks mean. Although the logo is set against a touch of blue, the frontal section is instead jet black, like the mask of one Darth Vader.

Underneath its skin, the custom Microsoft/Dell PC features the following major organs:

• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
   
• 512 MB GeForce 7900 GTX
   
• 4GB RAM
   
• 1 Terabyte RAID0 SATA HDDs (2 x 500GB)

In addition, this behemoth also comes with a 30" (yeah, that's no typo) monitor, as well as 5.1 surround sound. (source: windowsvistablog.com)

For those unaware, the listed amount of RAM is massive. The accompanying video card is equally impressive, with capabilities that should allow it to run the most demanding games for a very long time.

With all that technological goodness in one package, it makes you wonder what the hardware requirements are to run Vista effectively.

It remains unknown if these custom PCs will see any kind of a standard production, although one has already been raffled off at a Microsoft Vista launch party, with another planned for charity purposes

Regardless, winning one might be the only option for those without Mr. Gates' type of money. (source: betanews.com)