Dell Unveils Sub-$1000 Xeon Server

Dell Computer on Monday introduced a new sub-$1,000 server for small businesses or corporate workgroups that can be factory configured to run as a file server, print server, or application server.

The Dell PowerEdge 1600SC is the new starting point for customers in search of a two-processor server. Dell has replaced its previous 1400SC and 1500SC servers with the new system, says Russ Ray, senior product manager for Dell PowerEdge servers. The new, slimmer 1600SC ships with higher-performing chips than its predecessors and has more options for bulking the system up into a higher-end server.

"We didn't want to limit the top-end scalability with this product," Ray says. "But we did want to make things optional, so the system is not taxed if a customer doesn't want the other features."

Dell, in Round Rock, Texas, is battling with IBM and Hewlett-Packard in the Intel server space and has managed to gain share against its competitors in a tough economic climate.

Pricing for the 1600SC starts at $999. Dell in the U.S. offers a $100 mail-in rebate, according to its Web site. The basic, $999 system, includes a single 1.8-GHz Xeon processor, 128MB of memory, and one 18GB SCSI hard drive, according to the Dell Web site. The system is available worldwide.

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